Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Vienna tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
Vienna is a city packed with cultural and historical attractions, and breathtaking baroque architecture.
The captivating capital of Austria attracts close to nine million visitors a year and is the gateway between Western and Eastern Europe. Chances are if you are travelling through Eastern Europe, you will end up in Vienna at some stage. Plan to stay at least three or four nights. There’s plenty to keep you occupied!
Vienna’s old city centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site in 2001. The Ringstrasse — the ring of wide boulevards that surround the old centre — is one of the city’s greatest assets. It’s lined with museums, magnificent buildings, parks and gardens. The Ringstrasse replaced the old city wall, which was demolished in the mid-1800s by order of Emperor Franz Josef l. That decision is largely what led to the open and airy city residents and visitors enjoy today.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Vienna on a first visit.
Browse Vienna tours and experiences
Watch our video of ten great things to do on a Danube River Cruise:
10 Great Things to Do on a DANUBE RIVER CRUISE, Europe | Passau, Melk, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest
Cruising the great rivers of Europe is what holiday dreams are made of. Along the way you’ll see grand hilltop castles and chateaus, and visit medieval towns and atmospheric old-world cities. And unlike doing a coach tour of Europe, the big attraction of a river cruise is that you only have to unpack once.
1. Visit the home of the Hapsburgs
As one of the largest palace complexes on the planet, the Hofburg (imperial buildings of state) is a must-see. This was the seat of power of the mighty Hapsburg dynasty that ruled Austria for six centuries. There are three areas of the Hofburg that are open to the public, but if you have limited time, don’t miss the Kaiserappartements — the former home of Emperor Franz Josef l.
Franz Josef ruled Austria from the mid 1800s until his death in 1916 during World War l, and was the longest-serving of the Hapsburg emperors. The apartments — which Franz Josef shared with his wife Elizabeth (known as Sisi) and their family — are largely undisturbed and provide a fascinating insight into imperial life.
2. Tour Schönbrunn Palace
The Hapburgs didn’t travel far for their summer holidays — just seven kilometres to the rococo vision that is Schönbrunn Palace. Situated on the outskirts of the city, Schönbrunn started life as a humble hunting lodge in the 16th century, and ended up anything but humble! Get the most from your visit by touring the palace with a historian guide.
3. See amazing art at the Albertina
Vienna’s esteemed Albertina Museum has three locations, the original one of which is located in a former palace in the heart of the old centre. It houses an incredible collection of artworks by the great masters, including Picasso, Matisse, Monet, and Cezanne. When you’re admiring the collection, just remember that good things do come in small packages. The Albertina’s most famous piece is Albrecht Durer’s small unassuming watercolour Young Hare — painted in 1502.
4. Follow in the footsteps of the Secessionists
You might recall seeing or hearing about the Vienna Art and Design exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne a few years ago. It focused on the Vienna Secession artistic movement led by Gustav Klimt at the end of the 19th century. You can visit the Secession building in Vienna and see its famous Beethoven Frieze.
5. Attend a Mozart recital
No visit to Vienna would be complete without attending a performance of the music of Mozart. One of history’s most famous composers, Mozart was born in Salzburg but spent much of his life in Vienna composing around six hundred musical works. Purchase a ticket to the chamber concert of your choice in the main square around St Stephen’s Cathedral. The Vienna Residence Orchestra is an excellent option and performs at the wonderful Palais Auersperg.
6. Do coffee
The kaffeehauses (coffee houses) of Vienna are an absolute institution, and an important part of Viennese history. Traditionally a breeding ground for innovation and social change, the who’s who of Viennese society would gather at coffee houses across the city in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries to debate the issues of the day.
Today the Viennese continue to take their coffee drinking very seriously. Tradition rules at venues like the Hotel Sacher’s Café Bel Étage in the old city centre. There are no takeaways; this is a place to sit and read the paper, do some people watching, or put the world to rights over your brew. While you’re there, try a slice of their famous Sacher Torte.
7. Dine at Vestibül
Vienna certainly has no shortage of amazing places to eat. For a special night out, we can highly recommend Vestibül restaurant in the foyer of the wonderfully historical Burgtheatre (or ‘Burg’ as it’s known to locals). Vestibül champions local produce, and serves a fusion of Austrian and French culinary styles. Try their signature dish: an unlikely sounding combination of lobster and cabbage in paprika sauce.
8. Get a great schnitzel
You can’t come all the way to Austria without trying a traditional Wiener schnitzel: paper-thin veal, deep-fried and served with fresh lemon. The place to do it is the Griechenbeisl — a traditional Viennese restaurant established in the late 1400s (parts of the building date back to the 1300s!). Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert all dined here.
9. Go to a park
Vienna has a wealth of municipal parks and gardens, so set aside some time to stop and smell the flowers. Stadtpark is one of the most beautiful and harbours a wealth of historic monuments. It was also the city’s first public park. Burggarten is another fabulous option. Once the private garden of Franz Josef l, it contains the only public monument to the emperor.
Located just outside the Ringstrasse on the northern side of the old city, Sigmund Freud Park offers, appropriately, free use of sun lounges.
10. Cruise the Danube
And finally, sit back, relax, and enjoy an evening sightseeing cruise through the heart of Vienna on the Danube River. It’s yet another opportunity to soak up the grandeur of one of Europe’s most incredible cities.
Need a place to stay?
Hotel Sacher Vienna
Hotel Sacher Vienna is one of the city’s best hotels, and features classic styling, sumptuous furnishings, and impeccable attention to detail. Located in the old centre, it has accommodated the likes of John F Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth II — and you’ll feel like royalty staying here!
The Guesthouse Vienna
For something a bit more boutique, you can’t go wrong at The Guesthouse Vienna. Also located in the centre of the old city, it has just 39 rooms and a contemporary feel.
British designer Sir Terence Conran informed the hotel’s design choices. Every room comes complete with a stocked wine fridge (complimentary, apart from the spirits) and Molton Brown toiletries.
For more travel inspiration, visit www.wien.info.
Browse our range of Austria tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the top things to do in Vienna on a first visit? We would love to hear from you. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Additional images: Depositphotos and Bigstock
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours and Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
Travel essentials
You can book many aspects of your holiday on the Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas website, including flights, hotels, car hire, travel insurance, and more. When you purchase a product or service using the following links from our partners, we receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay, and it enables us to continue to provide readers with amazing travel inspiration.
Flights
Compare airlines, flights, and fares in one place with Booking.com. They don’t charge any credit card fees and you can always see exactly what you’re paying for in the price breakdown. You can book one-way, round-trip, and multi-city flights, and change your travel dates with ease when you opt for a flexible ticket option (an additional cost applies). It all adds up to a great flight! Search for flights with Booking.com
Hotels
If you’re looking for a great deal on your next hotel or homestay, look no further than Booking.com. Their mission is to make travel affordable and accessible to more people, and to deliver seamless accommodation experiences that complement your holiday. Search for hotels and homestays with Booking.com
Car hire
Discover Cars is an award-winning (World Travel Awards) car rental comparison website, which helps customers find, compare, and hire cars at the most competitive prices globally. Search for hire cars with Discover Cars
Day tours & experiences
Search and book day tours, guided experiences, and attraction tickets and passes worldwide with Top Oz Tours and Viator. There are no booking or credit card fees when you book through us, and you’ll have access to the widest choice of activities and most competitive prices. Browse day tours and experiences
Multi-day tours & trips
Top Oz Tours has joined forced with Tour Radar to bring you a fabulous range of multi-day tours and trips from the world’s leading operators. Travel with like minded people and get the best possible price on the holiday of your dreams. Browse multi-day tours and trips
Travel insurance
World Nomads aims to be a part of every traveller’s journey by providing a reassuring range of travel insurance services. Benefits include coverage for emergency medical and evacuation or repatriation, lost baggage, trip cancellation, and more than 150 adventure activities. Get an insurance costing
