The Best Things to Do in Vienna

Vienna captivates visitors with its imperial grandeur, musical heritage, and vibrant café culture. As Austria’s elegant capital, the city seamlessly blends historical treasures with contemporary charm, offering experiences for every type of traveller. Whether you’re drawn to magnificent palaces, world-class museums, or simply wish to savour a perfect slice of Sachertorte, Vienna rewards those who explore its cobblestone streets and hidden courtyards. This guide reveals the essential things to do in Vienna, from iconic landmarks to local favourites, helping you experience the city’s unique blend of tradition and innovation.

Vienna’s Habsburg legacy lives on through its magnificent palaces, each telling stories of the powerful dynasty that shaped European history for centuries. These architectural masterpieces offer glimpses into royal life while housing remarkable art collections.

Often compared to Versailles, Schönbrunn Palace represents Habsburg power at its most magnificent. This UNESCO World Heritage site features 1,441 rooms, though the tour takes you through 40 of the most impressive state apartments. The palace grounds are equally stunning, with meticulously maintained gardens, the world’s oldest zoo, and the Gloriette offering panoramic city views.

The Hofburg served as the Habsburg’s winter residence and the centre of their empire for over 600 years. Today, this vast palace complex houses several museums, including the Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, and Imperial Treasury. Don’t miss the Spanish Riding School, where the famous Lipizzaner horses perform classical dressage in the baroque Winter Riding Hall.

This baroque masterpiece consists of two palaces (Upper and Lower Belvedere) connected by formal gardens. While the architecture alone is worth admiring, the Upper Belvedere houses an impressive art collection, including Gustav Klimt’s famous “The Kiss” and works by Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka. The palace gardens offer excellent photo opportunities with Vienna’s skyline in the background.

Vienna’s cultural landscape is dominated by exceptional museums housing everything from priceless art collections to musical instruments and natural history specimens. The city’s dedication to preserving and showcasing cultural treasures makes it a paradise for art and history enthusiasts.

Housed in a palace built specifically to showcase the Habsburg’s vast art collection, the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) contains masterpieces by Vermeer, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Bruegel. The building itself is a work of art, with its impressive staircase and ornate dome. The museum café, located under a magnificent ceiling, offers one of Vienna’s most elegant coffee experiences.

The Albertina houses one of the world’s largest and most important print collections, with approximately 65,000 drawings and one million old master prints. The museum also features impressive Impressionist and early 20th-century art, including works by Monet, Degas, Picasso, and a significant collection of Austrian Expressionists.

Located in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier, the Leopold Museum houses the largest collection of works by Egon Schiele globally, alongside significant pieces by Gustav Klimt and other Austrian artists. The museum offers insight into Vienna’s artistic revolution around 1900, when the city was a hotbed of artistic innovation.

As the city of Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss, Vienna’s musical heritage runs deep. The capital offers world-class performances every night of the year, from opera and classical concerts to contemporary music in historic venues.

Attending a performance at the Vienna State Opera is a quintessential Viennese experience. This world-renowned opera house stages over 350 performances annually, featuring international stars and the finest musicians. If tickets to a full performance exceed your budget, consider standing room tickets (available for €3-4) or take a guided tour of the magnificent neo-Renaissance building.

The golden hall of the Musikverein is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world for its exceptional acoustics. Home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, it hosts the famous New Year’s Concert broadcast to millions worldwide. Attending any performance here guarantees an unforgettable musical experience in opulent surroundings.

This interactive sound museum offers a playful approach to understanding music. Visitors can conduct a virtual Vienna Philharmonic, explore the science of sound, and learn about Vienna’s great composers through multimedia exhibits. It’s particularly engaging for families and those seeking a more hands-on musical experience.

Vienna’s coffee houses are institutions that have shaped the city’s cultural and intellectual life for centuries. More than just places to enjoy coffee and cake, they’re spaces where time slows down and conversation flourishes—so significant that UNESCO recognized Viennese coffee house culture as intangible cultural heritage.

Once the meeting place of intellectuals like Freud, Trotsky, and Stefan Zweig, Café Central remains one of Vienna’s most beautiful coffee houses. Its vaulted ceiling, elegant marble tables, and piano music create an atmosphere that transports visitors to Vienna’s golden age. Try their excellent Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel alongside a traditional Melange coffee.

Home to the original Sachertorte, Café Sacher offers a taste of this famous chocolate cake in its birthplace. While tourists flock here, the experience of enjoying this iconic dessert in the elegant café of Hotel Sacher is worth the potential wait. The classic Viennese coffee house atmosphere and impeccable service complete the experience.

For a more authentic, less touristy experience, visit this beloved institution that has changed little since 1939. Café Hawelka maintains its bohemian atmosphere, attracting artists and writers with its unpretentious charm. Their specialty is Buchteln, sweet yeast buns filled with jam, served fresh from the oven in the evenings.

Vienna’s cityscape showcases architectural styles spanning centuries, from Gothic and Baroque to Art Nouveau and contemporary design. Walking through the city reveals architectural treasures at every turn.

This Gothic masterpiece has been Vienna’s spiritual heart for centuries. Its distinctive roof covered with colorful tiles and 137-meter south tower dominate the city skyline. Climb the 343 steps of the tower for panoramic views, explore the catacombs, or simply admire the cathedral’s magnificent interior with its Gothic stonework and altars.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s architectural rebellion against straight lines resulted in this colorful apartment complex featuring undulating floors, irregular forms, and trees growing from windows. While you cannot enter the residential building, the nearby Kunst Haus Wien museum showcases more of Hundertwasser’s work and follows his unique architectural philosophy.

This striking white building with its golden dome (affectionately called “the golden cabbage” by locals) represents Vienna’s break with historical architecture. Built in 1898 as an exhibition hall for progressive artists, it houses Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze and continues to showcase contemporary art exhibitions.

Vienna offers diverse shopping experiences, from traditional markets to luxury boutiques and contemporary design shops. The city’s markets particularly provide insight into local life and culinary traditions.

Vienna’s most famous market stretches for 1.5 kilometers, offering everything from fresh produce and spices to international street food. Dating back to the 16th century, Naschmarkt now features over 120 stalls and restaurants. Visit on Saturday when the adjacent flea market adds vintage finds and antiques to the experience. Food stalls offer tastings, making this a perfect place to sample Austrian specialties and international cuisine.

For a more authentic, less touristy market experience, head to the Karmelitermarkt in the 2nd district. This neighborhood market offers high-quality local produce, artisanal foods, and excellent brunches at its surrounding cafés. The Saturday market is particularly lively, with farmers selling directly to customers.

These pedestrian shopping streets in Vienna’s historic center feature a mix of international brands, traditional Viennese shops, and elegant boutiques. The Graben, with its impressive Plague Column, and Kärntner Strasse leading to the State Opera, offer excellent shopping in historic surroundings.

Vienna balances its urban landscape with abundant green spaces, from formal palace gardens to sprawling parks where locals relax, exercise, and socialize. These green oases provide perfect respites between sightseeing.

This vast public park is home to the iconic Wiener Riesenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel), featured in films like “The Third Man.” Beyond the amusement park area, Prater offers extensive green spaces perfect for jogging, cycling, or picnicking. The main avenue, Hauptallee, stretches for 4.5 kilometers, providing a scenic route through the park.

Vienna’s central city park is famous for its golden statue of Johann Strauss, one of the world’s most photographed monuments. The English-style garden features winding paths, a small lake, and numerous other monuments to composers. It’s an ideal spot to relax after exploring the nearby city center.

The oldest Baroque garden in Vienna offers a unique juxtaposition of formal gardens and massive WWII flak towers. Home to the Vienna Boys’ Choir and the Augarten Porcelain Manufactory, this park in the 2nd district provides a less touristy green space with historical significance.

Vienna’s culinary scene blends traditional Austrian cuisine with international influences, offering everything from imperial dishes to contemporary interpretations of classics. Food is an essential part of understanding Viennese culture.

This iconic dish of thinly pounded, breaded, and fried veal cutlet is a must-try in Vienna. Traditional establishments like Figlmüller serve schnitzel that extends beyond the plate’s edges. For the authentic experience, enjoy it with potato salad and a squeeze of lemon rather than with sauce or ketchup.

These traditional wine taverns, typically located in the outskirts of Vienna in areas like Grinzing and Nussdorf, serve young wine produced by local vintners alongside simple, hearty food. The relaxed atmosphere, often featuring live folk music, offers insight into local traditions and a chance to try wines not available elsewhere.

Beyond Sachertorte, Vienna offers a paradise of sweet treats. Try Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake), or Palatschinken (thin pancakes). Demel, the former imperial court confectionery, offers these classics in historic surroundings, while Café Landtmann serves excellent pastries in a café once frequented by Freud.

Vienna’s central location makes it an excellent base for exploring nearby attractions. These day trips offer different perspectives on Austrian culture and landscape, from wine regions to UNESCO World Heritage sites.

This UNESCO World Heritage landscape along the Danube features terraced vineyards, apricot orchards, medieval villages, and historic monasteries. Take a river cruise from Krems to Melk, visit the impressive Baroque Melk Abbey, and sample the region’s renowned Grüner Veltliner and Riesling wines in local taverns.

Vienna’s excellent public transportation system includes metro (U-Bahn), trams, and buses. The historic center is compact and pedestrian-friendly, making walking an excellent option for sightseeing. Consider purchasing a Vienna City Card, which offers unlimited public transport and discounts at museums, attractions, shops, and restaurants.

Vienna is beautiful year-round, but spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) offer mild weather and fewer crowds. December brings magical Christmas markets, while summer hosts numerous festivals and open-air events. Winter can be cold but provides a chance to experience Vienna’s coffee house culture at its coziest.

While German is Austria’s official language, English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and restaurants. Learning a few basic German phrases like “Grüß Gott” (hello), “Danke” (thank you), and “Auf Wiedersehen” (goodbye) is appreciated by locals.

Vienna rewards visitors with a perfect blend of imperial grandeur, artistic innovation, and everyday pleasures. From magnificent palaces to cozy coffee houses, the city offers experiences that appeal to all senses. Take time to wander beyond the main attractions, sit in a local café watching the world go by, and discover your own favorite corners of this remarkable city. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or longer, Vienna’s layers of history, culture, and charm ensure an unforgettable Austrian experience that will leave you planning your return before you’ve even departed.