The Perfect Vienna Travel Guide

Vienna, the capital of Austria, attracts millions of tourists from around the world every year. This beautiful city is known for its stunning architecture, history, and vibrant cultural scene. Vienna has something for everyone, from exploring its imperial palaces and museums to indulging in its famous Viennese cuisine and coffee culture. In this Vienna travel guide, I will share with you Vienna’s most iconic landmarks, unique experiences, amazing restaurants, and more- giving you everything this city has to offer.

Table of Contents:

Getting there
Best time to go
How long do I need in Vienna?
Where to stay?
How to get around
What to do in Vienna
Where to eat
Pros & Cons
Overall thoughts

Getting there:

If you’re flying into Vienna, it is very easy to get to the city center from the airport (VIE). There is a speed train that goes directly from the airport to downtown Vienna. In total, it takes about 25-30 minutes. The cost is 14.90 euros for the speed train or 6 euros for the regional train. We included a shortcut below using Omio to buy your train tickets in advance if you choose. If you’re traveling with multiple people, you may find that it is cheaper to Uber. We decided to Uber to our hotel from the airport since it cost us 30 euros and made it much more convenient.

Best time to go:

Vienna is a city that experiences all four seasons, so each season offers different reasons to visit. In the winter you’ll have cold days, but much fewer crowds. Around the holidays, you’ll notice an increase in tourists because Vienna offers some of the best Christmas markets in all of Europe! In the spring and fall you’ll have fewer crowds than the summer, perfect temperatures, and lots to do in the day and night. The summer is Vienna’s busiest time, like most cities, but you’ll have beautiful warm weather and longer days. Our trip took place in the spring, over Easter weekend, and we found it was a great time to visit. We did have quite a bit of rain, but overall, the city did not feel overly congested, and we got to visit the amazing Easter markets!

How long do I need in Vienna?

I recommend 3-4 full days in Vienna. You could definitely see the city in 2 days if you only want to go sightseeing and explore outside. To really feel like you have seen everything the city has to offer, 3-4 days will allow optimal time to visit everything i.e., museums, palaces, markets, operas, etc.!

Where to stay:

During our 3 nights in Vienna, we stayed at Graben Hotel, which was located in the city center. Because we booked our trip very last minute (5 days in advance), a lot of accommodations were already booked up. This hotel was by no means fancy, but it was clean, fairly sized and an unbeatable location. These are all the most important things to us when traveling! The hotel is located on Graben Street, which is the main street in the heart of Vienna- just steps away from St. Stephan’s Cathedral.

Here are some other great accommodations in Vienna:

Boutique Hotel Nossek

The Guest House Vienna

Grand Ferdinand Vienna

Cozy Airbnb in the City Center

Beautiful Airbnb in City Center

Renovated Studio in the City Center

How to get around:

Vienna has a great public transportation system, which makes it very easy to get around. You won’t have any issues finding nearby U-bahn stations and bus stops throughout the city. When traveling, we use Apple and / or Google maps to type in where we want to go, and it will direct us with which train to hop on.

In case of any strikes going on or if you don’t prefer public transportation, there are a ton of Ubers in the city, and we found them to be fairly priced.

What to do:

Prater: An amusement park located in Vienna! This was such a fun activity and very easy to get to on the metro. It is free to enter the park, and then you can pay per ride.
Austrian National Library: The largest library in Austria and by far the most beautiful we have ever been to. Tickets cost 10 euros to enter.
The Spanish Riding School: An equitation institution which has practiced for more than 450 years. This is a popular activity to do while in Vienna. You can purchase tickets in advance online to watch a performance!

Eat Sachertorte in a Vienna Cafe: A delicious and famous chocolate cake that originates from Vienna! I recommend Central Cafe for a midday cake and coffee break.

Hundertwasserhaus: This is an apartment building that became a popular photo spot due to its unique architecture style.
Easter Market / Christmas Market: If your trip happens to take place in April or December, you will find multiple Easter / Christmas markets throughout the city! They have all sorts of vendors that sell food, drinks, cool little souvenirs, and more.

Schlumberger Kellerwelten: This is a fun wine tasting activity if you’re a wine drinker like us! We got to explore the wine cellar and then finish with a wine tasting afterwards.
Wiener Staatsoper: The Vienna Opera House is a breathtaking building to stop by and see during your trip. If you have the time, it is also a great evening activity.

Museums / Palaces:

St. Stephen’s Cathedral: Located in the heart of Vienna, the square is centered around this beautiful church. You can enter the main part of the church for free, or for a small fee you can go to the Stephansdom for an amazing view of the city.
Visit Hofburg Palace: The Hofburg Palace is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Today, the palace houses three museums.
Votive Church: A beautiful church located in Dóm square.

Schönbrunn Palace: One of the most visited tourist attractions in Vienna! Visiting this beautiful palace can easily be a half day activity. The inside of the palace and the garden in the back are equally as beautiful! I suggest buying your tickets online in advance – as tickets are known to sell out for the day.
Leopold Museum: A modern art museum located in the Museum Quarter.

Albertina: One of the most famous museums in Vienna, located in the heart of the city.

Belvedere Museum: Another one of the most popular museums in Vienna and worth the visit!

Plazas / Quarters to walk around in:

Stroll through Graben Street: Located in the heart of Vienna and next to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben Street offers great shopping, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.
Explore Maria Theresiaplatz: Another beautiful plaza to stroll around in. During the holiday season, you will find one of the Christmas markets here.
Explore the Museum Quarter: Even if you don’t plan on visiting any of the museums in this area, it is still a beautiful part of Vienna to stroll around in.

Where to eat:

For breakfast:

Erich: A great option for breakfast or lunch.
Café Phil: A very cool and hipster cafe that doubles as a bookstore.
Joseph Brot: A great breakfast spot located in the heart of Vienna, next to the Albertina Museum. Their menu was small, but delicious!
Gota Coffee Experts: We stopped here for breakfast on our way to the Schonbrunn Palace and it was great!

For lunch / mid-day snack:

Cafe Central: Probably the most well-known cafe in Vienna and a must visit during your trip. I suggest coming mid-day for some cake and coffee. There is always a long line outside of the restaurant, but it moves very quickly! We only waited in line for 15 minutes before getting sat and the line looked very long.
Vienna Sausage: If you’re looking for something quick and hearty for lunch, this is it. Trying a Vienna Sausage during your trip is a must and this is one of the most popular places for it!

For dinner:

Seven North: We came here for dinner on our first night and the food was amazing! The menu offers great shareable options, which was a nice way to try many things on the menu.
Darose: Located very close to the Prater Amusement Park, we came here for dinner on our second night. The restaurant itself was very trendy inside and the food was unbelievably delicious!
Ganesha Indisches Restaurant: If you’re in the mood for some Indian cuisine, this restaurant has great reviews.
Sixta Restaurant Bar: One of the best options in Vienna for traditional Austrian food!
Cocore Pizzeria: We stumbled upon this restaurant when looking for a dinner spot before seeing an Opera show. Their pizza was delicious, the service was great, and the restaurant was very cute and cozy!

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

So much to do i.e., museums, parks, amusement park, great restaurants, palaces, etc.
Great transportation / easy to get around.
Locals are very friendly!
Very international city: most people speak perfect English.

Cons:

Can get very busy / touristy in summer months and during the holiday season.
Tickets for museums should be purchased ahead of time for ease of entrance and they tend to sell out on short notice.
Reservations should be made in advance for most restaurants as tables fill up quickly.

Overall thoughts:

Vienna is such a beautiful city that has so much to offer. There really is something for everyone’s interests and all age groups. With Vienna being such an international hub, you’ll find all types of cuisines and restaurants. The locals speak great English and overall, it is a lively atmosphere! Regardless of the time of year you’re visiting, you’ll find something to do. I highly suggest a trip to Vienna, Austria. It will not disappoint!

If you’re like me and need help keeping all of your travel plans and itinerary organized, be sure to check out my travel journal that I designed for just this reason! It’s how I plan every single trip and keep organized. It has everything you need from a packing list, a page for your accommodation info, travel itinerary, budgeting on your trip, journaling each day and more!

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