How to Plan a Trip to Vienna: The Ultimate Vienna Travel Guide

Interesting Facts about Vienna

Vienna is the largest city and the capital of Austria. It sits on the Danube River at the foothills of the Alps. The city center is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vienna has the nickname the “City of Music,” since famous musicians such as Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler, Schubert, and Haydn have all called this city home. It is also referred to as the “City of Dreams” because Sigmund Freud also lived and worked here.

In 1440, Vienna became the main city of the Habsburg Dynasty and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The Habsburgs built many of the palaces in and around Vienna and you will learn quite a bit about this family as you tour these buildings.

Vienna Geography 101

The old town of Vienna, also called the Innere Stadt, is bordered by the Danube River and the Ringstrasse. The Ringstrasse is a wide boulevard that was built where the medieval fortifications once stood. Now, instead of walls and ramparts, cars and trams cruise through Vienna on this road.

Most visitors to Vienna will spend a majority of their time in the Innere Stadt. This is where you will find St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg Palace, the Kunsthistorisches and Natural History museums, a long list of famous cafes and pedestrian streets, as well as a few more museums and churches.

There are a few notable sites located outside of the old town. Belvedere Palace, the MuseumQuartier, and Prater make this list. Schönbrunn Palace is located farther from the historic city center of Vienna but it is very easy to get to using the metro.

Best Time to Visit Vienna

Vienna is a great place to visit all year. We have been here in May (wonderfully warm and sunny) and December (magical with the Christmas markets and a dusting of fresh snow). Here is a breakdown by season of what you can expect in Vienna:

WINTER: The winter months are cold, with average high temperatures ranging from 2°C/35°F to 7°C/45°F. At night it is generally below freezing. Winter is one of the driest times to visit Vienna. Despite the cold temperatures, rain is more likely than snow and the snowfall we witnessed was relatively rare. In winter, the days are very short, and in December, sunrise is at 7:30 am and sunset is at 4:00 pm.

SPRING: Vienna warms up nicely in the spring. In April, the average high is 16°C/60°F and in May the average high is 20°C/68°F. Rain chances increase in May, with an average of 9 days of rain during the month of May.

SUMMER: Summer is the warmest, wettest, and most crowded time to visit Vienna. The average high temperature is 27°C/80°F, although temperatures can top out over 32°C/90°F during a heat wave. In July, sunrise is at 5:10 am and sunset is at 8:50 pm.

FALL: In fall, rain chances diminish and the weather gets cooler. In October, the average high temperature is 13°C/55°F and by the time the calendar flips to November, temperatures can dip down below 10°C (into the 40’s).

VERDICT: We loved being in Vienna in early May. The warm sunny days, blooming tulips, green grass, and lower crowds than the summer months made this a wonderful time to be in the city. September has similar weather and would be another great time to visit Vienna. If you like the idea of visiting Christmas markets, plan your trip for December (and keep for fingers crossed for a dusting of snow).

Vienna in December

Vienna Christmas Markets

Vienna hosts some of the best Christmas markets in Europe.

In mid-November, Vienna transforms into a magical wonderland. Small markets spring up on famous squares and in front of historic buildings. For sale are holiday gifts, arts and crafts, spiced mulled wine, and a long list of foods to try.

Each market sells a distinctive holiday mug. One of our favorite things to do was to collect a mug from each market and we ended our visit to Vienna with a nice collection of holiday mugs and boots. If you don’t want to purchase the mugs, you will pay a small deposit fee and this will be refunded when you return the mug.

The markets run until the end of December.

The Vienna Christmas markets are our favorite Christmas markets in Europe. So far, we have visited Vienna, Prague, and London at Christmas.

Learn more in our articles Best Christmas Markets in Vienna and our Christmas Lights Walking Tour.

How to Get Around Vienna

Most of the sights in the city center are within walking distance of one another. The old town is easily walkable, flat, and pedestrian friendly. A few wide pedestrian streets run through the old town. The streets that branch off from these, which are open to car traffic, have wide sidewalks, so it is very easy to get around Vienna on foot.

The metro is useful for getting into the old town and to connect points that are farther apart (such as to get from the Opera House to Stephensplatz or to get from the city center to Schonbrunn Palace).

The tram that runs along the Ringstrasse can be a scenic way to see the beautiful buildings that line the Ringstrasse in the evening, when they are illuminated.

There are also more tram lines in the city, which you will most likely use if you have plans to visit Belvedere Palace. It is also possible to get around using Uber or a taxi.

Karntner Strasse in December

Best Things to Do in Vienna

The list of things to do in Vienna is very long. Take a look at our Vienna Bucket List for the full, detailed list, but here are the top experiences if it’s your first time in Vienna.

The Historic Heart of Vienna. The city center of Vienna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strolling the pedestrian streets, such as Graben and Kohlmarkt, are one of the best things to do in the city center of Vienna.

Vienna State Opera. This is one of the finest opera houses in the world. Visitors can take a guided tour or attend a performance.

Vienna State Opera

Schönbrunn Palace. This was the summer residence of the Habsburg family. On a visit here, tour the palace, go for a walk through the gardens, and visit the Gloriette for a beautiful view over Schönbrunn Palace.

Schönbrunn Palace

St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This ancient cathedral sits in the city center. Stroll through the nave, tour the catacombs, or climb one or both of its towers for a bird’s eye view over Vienna.

Dine at a Viennese Café. Starting your day with coffee and a pastry is a must-have experience in Vienna. There is a long list of cafés to choose from…good thing that many of them are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Have a slice of Sacher Torte. Trying a slice of this famous chocolate cake is also a must-have experience in Vienna. Visit Café Sacher to dine on the original Sacher Torte but you can also have it at Demel, another very famous café in Vienna.

Tour the Hofburg Palace. The Hofburg Palace, also called the Imperial Palace, has been the seat of government since the 13th century and the Habsburg’s winter residence. There is a long list of things to do at this huge complex of buildings, including touring the Imperial Apartments, the Spanish Riding School, the Imperial Treasury, the Austrian National Library, and the House of Habsburgs Tour.

Austrian National Library

Belvedere Palace. Inside of this Baroque palace sits over 800 years of art history, with Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss being its most famous work of art. There is also art by Monet, Jacques Louis David (Napoleon at the Great St. Bernard), and Van Gogh.

Belvedere Palace

The Kunsthistorisches Museum. This gorgeous museum has on display an enormous amount of art which was collected by the Habsburg family.

Kunsthistorisches Museum

In addition to these essential sites to visit, you can also visit the Albertina museum, attend a classical music concert, visit the Imperial Crypt, spend the afternoon in Prater and ride the world’s oldest Ferris wheel, photograph the Palace of Justice, ride the tram on the Ringstrasse, or visit a handful of other world class museums.

Vienna Travel Cards

Vienna City Card

The Vienna City Card is public transport card that is valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours. It also offers a discount to some attractions (10 to 20%, depending on the attraction). One child under the age of 15 travels free with each Vienna City Card holder. You can also add on a Hop-on Hop-Off bus or airport transfer for an additional fee.

If you plan to use the metro or trams a lot during your visit (for example, you are staying outside of the city center), the Vienna City Card could offer some savings. Plus, it is convenient, as you avoid the hassle of purchasing tickets for the metro and trams. Learn more here.

We used the Vienna City Card during our most recent visit to Vienna and recommend it. The savings at the attractions are marginal but having the card to get on and off the metro and trams is very convenient.

The Vienna Pass

The Vienna Pass is a sightseeing card that can offer some savings, depending on what you choose to see and do in Vienna. This pass covers most of Vienna’s top attractions and gives you skip-the-line access into some sites. It is available for 1, 2, 3, or 6 days and includes 90 attractions in Vienna. You can purchase it online before you travel to Vienna or at the first site you visit in Vienna.

Visit the official website for pricing and more information. I recommend pricing out the attractions you plan to visit and then compare that to the Vienna Pass, to see if it offers any savings.

Palace of Justice

How Much Time Do You Need in Vienna?

Two days in Vienna gives you just enough time to visit the main highlights of the city, plus dine in several amazing cafes and restaurants. With two days, you also have enough time to visit the must-see sights in the historic city center and day trip to Schönbrunn Palace.

If you can add on more time, you can either visit several off-the-beaten-path places in Vienna or start adding on day trips to Hallstatt, Salzburg, and Bratislava.

How to Plan a Vienna Itinerary

For those who have 24 hours in Vienna, you have just enough time to visit a few of Vienna’s most famous attractions. With one day in Vienna, spend your time in the old town, visiting Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, dining in a few cafes, and strolling the pedestrian streets. For more information, take a look at our detailed one day itinerary for Vienna.

With 2 days in Vienna, spend your first day in the old town. On day 2, spend the morning at Schönbrunn Palace and the afternoon touring the Vienna State Opera and another museum or two. Get the full details in our 2 day itinerary for Vienna.

Vienna Opera House

Where to Eat in Vienna

Cafés & Coffee Houses in Vienna

In Vienna, dining in a café is a must-have experience. The cafés and coffee houses are such an important part of the city’s culture that the Viennese coffee house culture is listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

These elegant cafés are the perfect place to start your day, dining on pastries and coffee.

Cafe Central

Demel, Café Central, and Café Sacher are some of the most famous coffee houses in Vienna, but the list goes on and on. We have a guide to the best cafés in Vienna, which lists these famous spots plus a few hidden gems we loved. These cafés serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can dine on more than just pastries and coffee.

Sacher Torte, chocolate cake with chocolate icing and apricot jam, is Vienna’s famous cake. Café Sacher serves the cake prepared with the original recipe, but you’ll also find versions of it in other cafés throughout town.

More Recommended Restaurants in Vienna

Onyx. This sushi restaurant is located on top of the Do & CO Hotel. This restaurant has floor to ceiling windows that offers a spectacular view of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Stephensplatz. Here is the link to the official website so you can see the menu and make your reservation in advance.

Onyx

Puerstner. If you want to try traditional Austrian food in a rustic setting, take a look at Puerstner. Dine on Wiener Schnitzel, goulash, pork medallions with a mushroom cream sauce, spätzle, and more. See the menu on the official website.

Puerstner

SKY @ STEFFL. This rooftop bar and restaurant offers a unique view of the roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It is located on Karntner Straße, a short walk from Stephensplatz.

The view from SKY @ STEFFL

Dine at a Würstelstand. Würstelstands are street food stands that sell hot dogs and sausages. Sausages are served sliced or on bread. You can top them with cabbage, peppers, pickles, horseradish, mustard, and ketchup. It’s a cheap, quick eat and easy to find in the city center.

Roller Coaster Restaurant. If you have plans to visit Prater and will be traveling with kids, don’t miss the Roller Coaster Restaurant. All food and drinks are delivered on conveyor belts that look like roller coaster tracks.

Cocktail Bars in Vienna

Kleinod. Located on Singerstrasse, this cocktail bar has a friendly, local vibe. The cocktails are fantastic, the service is fast, and they also serve bar snacks. It’s just a short walk from Stephensplatz.

The BirdYard. Offering beer, wine, creative cocktails, and mocktails, this bar is the most beautiful on our list. Brightly colored murals of tropical birds are painted on the walls of the bar. To get here, enter through the Flip n Dip restaurant and take the stairs down to the bar. The BirdYard is located outside of the old town. We took an Uber to get here.

Needle Vinyl Bar. This small, cozy bar gets its name for the music played from vinyl records. The drink menus are also on vinyl. We loved this spot…the relaxed vibe, excellent cocktails, and great music all blend together for a memorable evening in Vienna. There are two locations. We visited Farbergasse 8. The second location is Bernabitengasse 8.

Lvdwig. This elegant bar is located inside of the Hotel Beethoven Wien, outside of the city center. The cocktails were some of the best we had while in Vienna and we loved the chill, relaxed vibe.

Lvdwig

Where to Stay in Vienna

LUXURY: Rosewood. Getting exceptional reviews, this 5-star hotel has a prime location in the city center of Vienna. It is just a few steps away from St. Peter’s Church and Graben, putting you right in the heart of Vienna. This is one of the highest reviewed hotels in the city and our top pick for luxury travelers.

LUXURY: Hotel Sacher Wien. Sitting across the street from the Vienna State Opera, this historic hotel is home to several classy bars as well as Café Sacher, the place to have a slice of Sacher Torte. With its great reviews and fantastic location, this is another top pick for luxury travelers.

LUXURY: The Ritz-Carlton. Located on the Ringstrasse and a short walk to the Stadtpark metro station, this luxurious hotel has a wide variety of room types, from standard double rooms to spacious suites.

MID-RANGE: Pension Sacher – Apartments am Stephensplatz. This highly rated property is located on Stephensplatz. There are several types of apartments to choose from, some of which have a spectacular view of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In addition to the view, the apartments also come with a kitchen and washing machine. If you want to stay in the heart of Vienna and have the amenities of an apartment, look no farther.

MID-RANGE: Boutique Hotel Nossek. This boutique hotel is located at the intersection of Graben and Kohlmarkt, two famous pedestrian streets in Vienna. You’ll stay in the heart of the city. Rooms are small and can accommodate one to two people, but the location is unbeatable and prior guests rave about the staff.

MID-RANGE: Hotel Karntnerhof. This highly rated hotel offers rooms ranging from single rooms to two-bedroom suites, making this a great pick for families and friends traveling together. This property gets rave reviews and is located in a quiet area on the northeastern end of the old town.

MID-RANGE: 7th Heaven Vienna Center Apartments. These apartments get near perfect reviews on Booking.com. Take your pick from a studio to one to two-bedroom apartments that come with a washing machine and kitchen. This property is located in Spittelberg, near the Kunsthistorisches Museum and MuseumQuartier.

BUDGET: JO&JOE Vienna. This hostel offers a wide range of room types and gets loads of excellent reviews. One of the best parts about staying here is the panoramic view of Vienna from its roof. JO&JOE is located next to the Westbahnhof train station, outside of the old town.

BUDGET: Vienna Boutique – Premium Hostel. This hostel gets excellent reviews for its facilities, comfort, staff, and value for the money. Rooms range from dormitory rooms to standard double rooms. It is located outside of the city center, a short walk from Westbahnhof (the train station).

Day Trips from Vienna

Vienna makes a handy home base for exploring more of Austria or even venturing into nearby countries.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Bratislava is a small, colorful, compact town that also sits on the Danube River. Because of its small size, a half of a day is all you need to stroll through town and see the highlights (learn what to see and do in our Guide to Bratislava).

You can get here by car or by bus (about one hour one-way). This half day tour of Bratislava includes your transportation to and from Vienna.

Bratislava

Hallstatt

Hallstatt is a picture-perfect town in central Austria. It has become a very popular destination in Europe, and it is one of the most popular day trips from Vienna.

Visiting Hallstatt from Vienna takes a full day, given the distance between these two cities (it takes about 3 hours to travel from Vienna to Hallstatt). It’s best to visit Hallstatt on a tour, such as this highly rated tour.

Learn more about what to see and do in our Guide to Hallstatt.

Hallstatt

Salzburg

Salzburg is also located in central Austria, and like Hallstatt, there is a lot of travel time to get here. Salzburg is a larger city than Hallstatt, with a lot more to do, so it is best to spend a full day in Salzburg, so an overnight stay is ideal. However, if you don’t mind a quick visit with only a few hours in town, it is possible to day trip from Vienna to Salzburg.

This small group day trip gets rave reviews. It is also possible to visit both Salzburg and Hallstatt on a day trip from Vienna.

Salzburg

Tours of Vienna

Joining a tour can help save you time waiting in line, allow you to learn more about Vienna from a knowledgeable guide, and introduce you to sights that you may not be able to do on your own. Here are some of the best tours in Vienna.

Tour the Sisi Apartments and the Hofburg Palace with an experienced guide.

Listen to the Four Seasons by Vivaldi at Karlskirche or attend a classical ensemble at St. Peter’s Church.

If you plan to visit Schönbrunn Palace, this skip-the-line-tour gets rave reviews.

You can also go wine tasting, take a walking tour of the city center, or take a World War II Historical Walking Tour.

Is Vienna Worth It?

With its vibrant café culture, historic city center filled with pedestrian shopping streets, opulent museums, and multiple palaces to visit, Vienna is one of Europe’s must-visit cities. A day or two is all you need to see the highlights and Vienna makes a great addition to a tour of central Europe, if you also have plans to visit Budapest, Prague, Munich, or Bratislava.

If you have any questions about what we covered in this Vienna Travel Guide or how to plan a trip to Vienna, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Austria

VIENNA: Get started with our article about the best things to do in Vienna. Plan your time with our One Day Vienna Itinerary and 2 Day Vienna Itinerary. And don’t miss our guide to 10 must-visit cafes and coffee houses in Vienna.

CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA: Vienna has some of the best Christmas markets in Europe. We also have a short but scenic walking tour of the Vienna Christmas lights and top landmarks in the city center.

CENTRAL EUROPE ITINERARY: Learn how to put together Budapest, Vienna, and Prague together in our 10 day Central Europe Itinerary.

EUROPE ITINERARIES: Check out our article 10 Days in Europe: 10 Amazing Itineraries for 10 different ways to visit the best places in Europe. And if you have less time, check out our guide to 25 Ways to Spend One Week in Europe.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN EUROPE: Here are 30 of the most popular tourist attractions to visit in Europe. How many have you visited?

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