If you are looking for plans to do in Vienna you are in luck because there are many and varied. The capital of Austria is an incredible city full of history and beauty. From grand palaces and gardens to very different museums to satisfy any visitor. Elegant, sophisticated, palatial, cultured, this is a city with the soul of an empress that lives and feels music with authentic passion.
This city is perfect for a romantic getaway, for family vacations, for a weekend with friends, or as a base for excursions around Austria. Whatever your type of trip, you will surely find more than one plan to do in Vienna that meets your expectations, and even exceeds them.
The best things to do in Vienna
Getting the most out of the Austrian capital requires some planning, starting with deciding which places you want to see and which experiences you want to live. To give you a hand, here are up to 30 proposals of things to do in Vienna so you can choose the ones you like most and start creating your route through Vienna
Now visiting Vienna will not only be reduced to crossing off the list the essential places to see in Vienna, but also to enjoying experiences that will complete your trip.
Before organizing more, I recommend that you book your travel insurance to enjoy the Austrian capital with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that there will always be someone to help you in case of problems. As a reader of this blog, here is a 5% discount on Mondo travel insurance. For the very little that a policy for Europe costs, it’s not worth the risk of experiencing certain situations that can ruin your vacation.
1-Visit the Schönbrunn Palace
This impressive palace is one of the most popular places in the city and is even labeled as the most visited monument in all of Austria. And it’s no wonder because it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visiting the Schönbrunn Palace is one of the essential things to do in Vienna. What was once the summer residence of the Habsburgs, the Austrian imperial family, is considered one of the most important Baroque palaces in the world.
I recommend that you organize your visit in advance because there are different types of tickets depending on the parts of the palace you want to see: more or fewer rooms, the lavish gardens, or the Gloriette, a structure located on top of a hill from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the palace and the city.
A good idea is to book the guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace where you will be accompanied by a Spanish-speaking guide who will tell you about the history and peculiarities of this iconic place in Vienna. Note that photos cannot be taken inside, but of course they can be taken of its unmistakable yellow facade.
- If you are traveling with your children, you cannot miss the hedge maze and the children’s museum at this palace where both kids and adults can dress up as emperors and empresses. The entrance fee is paid separately; you have all the detailed information on prices and schedules in this post about things to do in Vienna with children.
2- Feel classical music in a very special concert
Did you know that classical music concerts are organized inside Schönbrunn Palace? The palace orchestra is one of the most recognized and masterfully interprets classical music pieces in different locations within this complex, such as the Orangerie, the immense 18th-century palace greenhouse, which boasts being the second largest after the one at Versailles.
If you are looking for a unique experience to do in Vienna, go ahead and book your ticket for a concert at Schönbrunn Palace. Depending on the location relative to the stage, they will have one price or another. And depending on the day, you might hear it in another room such as the Great Gallery or the White and Gold Room.
Another special place in Vienna, beyond the famous Opera, where you can attend a classical music concert is St. Peter’s Church where you will be surrounded by Baroque sacred art, frescoes, and paintings. This church, whose origins date back to the 15th century, is famous for its children’s choir, the Wiener Sängerknaben, who have performed in the church since the 14th century, and also for its organ, one of the largest in Austria.
- Are you looking for a musical and gastronomic experience in Vienna? In that case, check out this option that combines the ticket for a classical music concert in Kursalon plus dinner.
3- Enter the Imperial Carriage Museum
Before leaving the vicinity of Schönbrunn Palace, take the opportunity to visit the Imperial Carriage Museum of Vienna where you can see an impressive collection of carriages, cars, and other vehicles used by the imperial family over the centuries.
Another incentive to visit this place is the exhibition that shows the similarities between the lives of two fascinating women: Diana, Princess of Wales, and Empress Sisi, from whom you will find many personal objects, such as a riding saddle.
4- Discover the oldest zoo in the world
Honestly, I am not in favor of seeing animals in captivity, so I did not visit it. But if you feel like it, you should know that Vienna’s is very special because it is listed as the oldest zoo in the world, as it opened in 1752. You can buy the ticket for the Tiergarten Schönbrunn Zoo in advance at this link to save yourself the queues, or if you have the Vienna Pass, know that it is already included.
How to save money in Vienna
If you want to save money in Vienna, take a look at the Vienna Pass tourist card. It gives you access to more than 70 sights, such as the Schönbrunn, Hofburg and Belvedere palaces, the museums, and attractions such as riding the giant Prater Ferris wheel and hopping on the Vienna sightseeing bus that tours the city.
On top of that, the Vienna Pass lets you skip the queues in many places, which saves you time as well. You have the option of adding public transport, so you carry everything on a single card, which is so convenient! You can buy it for 1, 2, 3 or 6 days depending on how long your holiday lasts.
5- Explore the Vienna Technical Museum
This place is among my favorite things to do in Vienna if you are traveling with children because it has two children’s areas that are absolutely amazing. But watch out, if you go without kids, the Vienna Technical Museum is also a very good choice that sometimes gets somewhat eclipsed by the enormous cultural offering of the Austrian capital.
Perhaps part of the blame is that it is not located in Vienna’s famous MuseumsQuartier, but near Schönbrunn Palace. It may also not be as famous because, inside, you won’t find art, but very interesting exhibitions, both temporary and permanent, that focus on technological development without neglecting the impact on nature.
6- Climb to the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral
St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, known as Stephansdom, was the coronation site for many Austrian emperors. Construction began in the 12th century in Romanesque style, but the current structure is a combination of architectural styles, including Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance.
The south tower of the cathedral is one of Vienna’s most famous symbols and offers stunning panoramic views of the city. The entrance is located on the outside, on the south facade of the temple. To access the tower, you must climb a total of 343 steps in a narrow spiral staircase not suitable for people with claustrophobia.
Once at the top, you can admire in detail the beautiful roof decorated with more than 250,000 tiles which, in addition to drawing geometric shapes, also represent the coats of arms of Vienna and Austria, as well as an imperial double-headed eagle.
Payment by card is not permitted, so if you want to climb the tower, remember to bring cash. The price is €5.50 for adults, €3.50 for children aged 14 to 18 and €2 for kids aged 6 to 14.
7-Stroll through Vienna’s historic center
From the cathedral, one of the free things to do in Vienna is to walk through its old town, also known as Innere Stadt, and enjoy the elegance of its streets and facades. Sooner or later you will come across horse-drawn carriages that give the city a romantic air, but which, honestly, on a personal level, seem completely unnecessary to me.
If you are one of those who likes to learn during the trip, since you are going to visit Vienna you can learn about its history and what its people and customs are like by signing up for a guided tour of Vienna. If you can do it on your first day of stay, it will be great for getting your bearings and is the perfect way to start discovering the city and choosing which places you want to visit later with more calm or which museums you’ll want to enter later.
For example, with this free tour of Vienna you will be accompanied by a Spanish-speaking guide with whom you will tour places such as Mozart’s house, Josefsplatz, the Hofburg Palace, the Danube Fountain, among others, for two hours, finishing at the Vienna State Opera.
Another different option is to tour the city at night and discover a very different version with the tour of the mysteries and legends of Vienna. I really wanted to do it because I love those kinds of guided tours.
8- Visit the Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera building, also known as the Staatsoper, was built between 1861 and 1869 and is considered one of the most important opera houses in the world.
This iconic building, located on the famous Ringstrasse boulevard that surrounds the old town, was designed by Austrian architect August Sicard von Sicardsburg and German architect Eduard van der Nüll in Neo-Renaissance style. The facade, the spectacular marble staircase, and the Schwind foyer (now converted into a café) are preserved from the original building. The rest had to be restored after the bombings suffered during the Second World War.
If you want to visit the opulent interior of the Vienna State Opera theater and access its famous auditorium, you can book guided tours on the official website, but note that they are only available in German and English. If you have the Vienna Pass, these visits are included!
Another great option to see the building from the inside, and also be accompanied by a guide who explains a lot of information and curiosities in Spanish, is to take the guided tour of Vienna that includes admission to the Opera.
For those who dream of attending some of the luxurious performances without spending a fortune, you should know that it is possible to see them for only about €4. However, the secret is that you will have to stand and you must line up well in advance outside to get one of these budget tickets to the Vienna State Opera. They go on sale an hour and a half before the start of the performance at the box offices on the left side of the building.
Did you know that there is a walk of fame outside? Take a look at the ground as you walk and you will discover white marble stars dedicated to composers, performers, and conductors of classical music such as Verdi or Schubert. It is called the Musical Mile and was inaugurated in 2022.
9- Treat yourself to a Sacher torte and a Viennese coffee
As I said at the beginning, not everything is about things to see in Vienna, there is also much to do. And one of the favorite activities of many visitors is to sit in a café to taste a slice of Sacher torte, made with chocolate sponge cake and apricot jam, accompanied by a Viennese coffee with whipped cream.
This sweet treat is already a gastronomic symbol of Vienna and the most iconic place to eat it is in the Hotel Sacher café, at Philharmoniker, 4, two steps from the Opera. That was where the Sacher torte was invented back in 1832. Be warned that it’s no easy task. During my trip to Vienna, I found a very long line to enter this refined café and honestly, at two degrees Celsius, the wait wasn’t worth it for me.
Just in case, here are three other recommended places in Vienna to try Sacher torte. The three share not only this cake, but also a long history behind them, as some have been open since the 18th century. Take note: Café Central (Herrengasse, 14), Demel pastry shop (Kohlmarkt, 14) and Café Landtmann (Universitätsring, 4).
10- Discover the Hofburg Imperial Palace
The Hofburg Palace was the winter residence of the Habsburg imperial family from the 13th century until the early 20th century. It is a massive palace complex, one of the largest in the world, which includes several buildings and courtyards, as well as museums and other tourist attractions.
If you don’t have time, you must at least walk around its exterior entering through Michaelerplatz, without failing to admire its beautiful dome, cross under it to enter the inner courtyard where the sculpture of Emperor Francis I is, and continue walking until you appear in the large forum that is Heldenplatz.
But the ideal thing is to be able to see it from the inside. A good way to do this is visiting the Imperial Treasury of Vienna to be able to stroll through the impressive rooms and palatial chambers among pieces of incalculable value.
Another very popular option is to book your ticket for the Sisi Museum where you can get to know the figure of the last great European empress, with a life story like something out of a movie, who was assassinated in Switzerland. In addition to learning more about her true history and her peculiar personality, you will be able to see a lot of personal objects.
- A good idea is to book this Sisi Tour and her museum which, in addition to the entry ticket, includes a small route through some places in Vienna along with a Spanish-speaking guide who will tell you many curiosities and interesting facts about Elisabeth of Bavaria and about Vienna.
11- Entering the Spanish Riding School
Another place in the Hofburg Palace complex that should not be missing from your list of places to see in Vienna is the Spanish Riding School, a prominent equestrian institution founded in 1572 by Emperor Maximilian II.
For centuries, it has been home to the famous Lipizzaner horses, a breed of horse originating from Slovenia known for its grace and elegance. The school has remained faithful to the traditions of classical Spanish riding and has been the training ground for many famous riders.
I recommend you plan your visit in advance because it is not so easy to find availability. You can choose between going to watch the training sessions, taking a guided tour to see the most beautiful Baroque riding hall in the world, or, the most popular choice, booking tickets for the performances at the Spanish Riding School.
As of March 2023, you must enter through the door located under the large dome at the Michaelerplatz entrance (pictured), as the main ticket offices, located at Josefsplatz, are temporarily closed. Be careful if you are going with small children because entry with children under three years old is not permitted.
12- Be fascinated by the interior of the National Library
In my point of view, beyond the famous palaces, one of the essential places to see in Vienna is the State Hall of the Austrian National Library, which belongs to the Hofburg palace complex and holds a collection of more than 8 million books, manuscripts, maps, and musical scores.
Now you can see the State Hall, or Imperial Hall, in all its glory after it was reopened in 2022 following an intense restoration. Everything here is beautiful, from the carved wooden shelves to the 17th-century Venetian Baroque globes—one terrestrial and one celestial—and, of course, the impressive ceiling filled with frescoes. This work came from the hands of court artist Daniel Gran and represents Emperor Charles VI as a deity. Indeed, it was this monarch who commissioned the construction of this library in 1723.
Entry to this hall costs €10, €8 if you have the Vienna City Card and free with the Vienna Pass.
13- Riding the Prater Ferris wheel, an essential thing to do in Vienna
They say there is no better viewpoint in Vienna than the Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater, located in the city’s famous outdoor amusement park, known to locals as Wurstelprater. There are several reasons why this giant wheel is special. First because of its history, having been spinning since 1897 and surviving the bombings of World War II, after which it had to be restored.
It is also famous for having served as a film set on more than one occasion, such as for ‘The Third Man’ by Orson Welles back in the 1950s, or for ‘Before Sunrise’
Taking a slow ride in one of the iconic red wooden cabins of this nearly 65-meter-high giant costs €13.52 for adults and €6.50 for children aged 3 to 14. Children under 3 and Vienna Pass holders are FREE. The good thing about this last option is that you save the ticket office queue, which in high season is usually quite long. You can also do this if you buy your tickets in advance.
Keep in mind that besides this Ferris wheel, at Prater there is a huge leisure offer with plenty of attractions for everyone, the famous Madame Tussauds museum and, of course, restaurants. Although it is open all year round, you should know that the main season of Prater runs from March 15 to October 21, 2023; outside of those dates, you will likely find it somewhat desolate.
14- Thoroughly explore the MuseumsQuartier
Two steps from the Hofburg Palace begins Vienna’s largest and most important artistic and cultural complex: the MuseumsQuartier or museum district. First, you will come across two twin neoclassical buildings that you will like even from the outside: the Natural History Museum and the Vienna Museum of Art History.
I only visited the Natural History Museum because I traveled to Vienna with children and I loved its interior. And besides its meteorite collection or its dinosaur bones, the staircase and the dome are truly beautiful. By the way, you should know that you can eat in the dome’s cafe-restaurant.
But the offer at Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier is very extensive and includes more avant-garde museums such as the Leopold Museum, where you can see works by Klimt, the MUMOK, museum of modern art, or the Kunsthalle Wien with contemporary art pieces.
Another recommended art museum if you are visiting Vienna is the famous Albertina Museum, two steps from the Opera, where you can see works by Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, or Renoir.
If you plan to visit museums in Vienna, do the math because the Vienna Pass tourist card will surely save you money, oh and queues.
15- Be dazzled by the splendor of Belvedere Palace
You cannot leave the capital of Austria without fulfilling one of the essentials to do in Vienna: visit Belvedere Palace. I did it because of a lack of time, and that is why I am already thinking about when to travel to Vienna again to get to know this Baroque palace complex, often compared to Versailles, built at the beginning of the 18th century as the summer residence of Eugene of Savoy.
In addition to its bucolic gardens and its lavish rooms, Belvedere, divided into Upper and Lower, is famous for housing the largest collection of works by the painter Gustav Klimt, including his famous painting The Kiss.
You can visit it by buying a standard entrance ticket or by booking a skip-the-line guided tour of Belvedere Palace during which you will see both the interior and the gardens.
16- Enjoy the beauty of St. Charles Church
Two gigantic Corinthian columns and a small fountain reflecting the beauty of this temple are the best setting to frame the St. Charles Borromeo Church, Karlskirche, one of the places to see in Vienna that I liked the most.
Just taking a walk around this church, built between 1715 and 1737 as an act of gratitude by Emperor Charles VI for the end of a plague that had devastated the city, justifies coming to Karlsplatz. But if you have time, you can go inside to see the frescoes on the interior of its striking green dome and climb up to it to access a panoramic terrace.
17-Interact at the House of Music
I told you from the beginning that music is part of Vienna’s essence. And a great place to understand it, to learn, experiment, and have fun is the House of Music. I visited with children who enjoyed it a lot, but after seeing it, I assure you it’s one of those interesting places to see in Vienna.
It is an interactive museum where you can listen, feel, and touch, where you learn about musical instruments, composers, and also about sound. To get the most out of the cost of the House of Music tickets, I recommend going with enough time to enjoy the different activities you’ll find on the four floors of this special museum. Spoiler: on the top floor, you can become the conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra yourself.
18-Walk (or skate) through Rathausplatz
The Vienna City Hall square is a must on your route through Vienna, no matter the time of year.
If you go at Christmas, there will be the Christmas market, but also a giant ice skating rink with two levels that takes up the entire park and is usually open until early March.
In summer, the Film Festival takes place, which is completely free, where you can watch a movie and eat outdoors; this 2023 it will be held from July 1st to September 3rd.
But even if there’s no event, walking through Rathausplatz is always a good plan in Vienna. This way, you can admire the beautiful facade of the city hall building, in Gothic Renaissance style, contemplate the architecture of the Burgtheater, Austria’s National Theatre (in the photo) and rest in the shade in the square’s park.
19-Honor democracy at the Vienna Parliament
Since you’re at Rathausplatz, it’s worth taking a few steps to see the Austrian Parliament building, right on Ringstrasse. This colossal classical-style building, whose renovation and expansion was completed in 2022, resembles a Greek temple; it was with that premise, to honor democracy, that construction began in 1874 under the direction of architect Theophil Hansen.
Although it’s already worth a look from the outside, if you have time you can go inside to see it with one of the various free guided tours that you can book on their website, though check in advance for dates when they are offered in English or Spanish. They even have visits for children aged 5 to 8.
20- Photograph Vienna’s most Instagrammable building
Head over to see the Hundertwasserhaus, an apartment building designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a famous Austrian artist born in 1928, whose peculiar style based on colors and curved shapes many compare to that of Miró and even Gaudí.
This famous facade, already among the trendy places to visit in Vienna, is located in the Landstraße district, at Kegelgasse 37. Opposite there is a small gallery where you can buy some souvenirs inspired by his works and also have something to drink. If you want to see more of this eclectic artist’s work, you can visit the Kunst Haus Wien museum.
21- Savor Austrian gastronomy
Of course, one of the essential things to do in Vienna is to enjoy Austrian gastronomy. Some of the most famous dishes are goulash, a savory beef stew, schnitzel, a thin breaded veal cutlet, and for dessert, apfelstrudel, an apple and cinnamon puff pastry tart.
I also recommend trying a soup that really surprised me with its simplicity, flavor, and affordable price: it’s called frittatensuppe. It’s a soup made with beef consommé and pancakes cut into strips.
I discovered it at a restaurant you should include in your route when you visit Vienna: Reinthaler’s Beisl. This traditional Austrian food restaurant is the classic wooden place with lots of character located right in the old town, at Dorotheergasse 2-4. You can book a table on the website, but only until 1 p.m.; after that, you’ll have to queue. I only waited ten minutes and it was worth it because the food was very good and the prices are very competitive.
Even cheaper, and also very typically Viennese, is buying a hot dog at one of the street stalls. Viennese sausages are delicious, there’s a wide variety to choose from, and they’re very large. Prices are around €5.
Map with everything to do in Vienna
To help you find your way more easily, here is a map with the plans to do in Vienna that I have proposed in this article. As you will see on this map of Vienna, the distances in the old town are quite manageable on foot. The places a bit further from the center are the Schonbrunn and Belvedere palaces, but you’ll get there in no time by public transport.
Bonus: More ideas for visiting Vienna
Here is a quick list of 9 more things to do in Vienna in case you are going for many days, if everything above was not enough, or if you also feel like taking excursions from Vienna:
- Surprise yourself by entering the small and modest Capuchin Church and finding the Imperial Crypt in its basement with the remains of the Habsburg dynasty.
- Browse through the stalls of the Naschmarkt market and, if you go on a Saturday, look for curiosities, antiques, and bargains at Flohmarkt, the flea market.
- Explore Leopoldstadt, Vienna’s Jewish quarter, starting with the Jewish Museum of Vienna, followed by the Stadttempel synagogue, and ending at one of its kosher restaurants.
- Take one of the old trams that still run on line 1 to see the famous Ringstrasse avenue with nostalgia mode activated.
- Change the scenery completely by spending the day on a day trip through the Danube and Wachau Valleys. I really wanted to do it because they speak wonders about Dürnstein Castle, Melk Abbey, and the landscapes of the Wachau Valley, which is listed as a World Heritage Site.
- If you are one of those people who sighs for charming villages, then the day trip to Hallstatt from Vienna is for you. When I was there years ago, I fell in love with its lake, its mountains, its narrow streets, its swans… Everything!
- Take a hop to neighboring Slovakia and fall in love with its charming capital with a day trip to Bratislava.
- Follow Mozart’s trail by visiting his hometown with this day trip to Salzburg. I loved this Austrian city and honestly it deserves more than a few hours, but if you don’t have time to sleep there, visiting it from Vienna can be a good option.
- Indulge in spending the day exploring the capital of Hungary with this day trip to Budapest.
Keep reading about Austria: -Vienna with kids: 16 family plans -Things to do in Vienna: 30 great plans -Graz, Austria's delightful surprise
Are you missing any information? Do you have questions? Tell me in the comments how else I can help you when organizing your visit to Vienna.
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