EXPERIENCING the best of Vienna in just 72 hours
Never been to Vienna? Then it is high time. Here are our top tips for you. There’s a lot to see, and at some point it’s always the first time. Our 72h city tips for newcomers to Vienna will take you to the most beautiful places in the old town, to Schönbrunn, the Prater, the Danube beach, …
DAY 1
Start your tour in the old town
9.00 a.m.
After you have strengthened yourself at our Viennese breakfast buffet, start the day with a tour of the Imperial Palace, viewing the private rooms of Emperor Francis Joseph (ruled 1848-1916) and those of his wife, Empress Elisabeth. In the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum gives an insight into the life of the beautiful empress. Certainly a must here: the Treasuries with the magnificent crown jewels.
10.45 a.m.
Full-dress perfomances at the Spanish Riding School tickets must be ordered in advance.
11.30 a.m.
Time for a little break? Drop into the dignified Demel cake shop, once a Purveyor to the Court (Kohlmarkt 14). But keep an eye on the time because at 12 noon, at Hoher Markt, the art nouveau ‘Anker’ Clock will strike … And this clock with a procession of life-size figures is a spectacle in itself. You can then continue to Judenplatz for a short visit to the Judenplatz Museum and the memorial in remembrance of the persecution of the Jews. You can also explore the maze of narrow streets where time seems to have stood still.
14.00 p.m.
Now on to the oldest church in Vienna, St. Rupert’s (8th century), from where you have a nice view of the Danube Canal and Franz-Josefs-Kai. Climb up again to explore the medieval romanticism of Hafnersteig, Heiligenkreuz Court, the Jesuit Church and the quarter around Blutgasse, reaching on these winding paths the very centre of Vienna: St. Stephen’s Cathedral the city’s most famous landmark for just 850 years. If your feet will still carry you, climb the 343 steps of the south tower: the panoramic view is certainly worth it.
15.30 p.m.
Go for a stroll across Graben with the baroque Plague Column or in the famous Kärntner Strasse, both of which are lined with nice shops and cafés and street musicians playing at every other corner. Walk through the pedestrian zone toward the State Opera and on to the Secession a magnificent specimen of Art Nouveau architecture that has just celebrated its 100th birthday. Take your time to study the Beethoven frieze by Gustav Klimt.
17.00 p.m.
The buildings on Linke Wienzeile and the subway pavilions at Karlsplatz are more wonderful examples of Art Nouveau by architect Otto Wagner. Roam across the Naschmarkt this produce market is a delight for all the senses.
18.30 p.m.
Before you plunge into Vienna’s nightlife, you may want to stop by your hotel for a little rest …
19.30 p.m.
Nothing more authentic than an evening at a Heuriger – one of the wine taverns with gardens in the hilly outskirts, and the more plain and remote they are, the cosier the atmosphere. Therefore, don’t just try places in Grinzing but also in Sievering, Pötzleinsdorf, or on the other side of the Danube in Stammersdorf.
22.30 p.m.
Back in the city centre, there’s still time to wander around the old town. If you feel up to it, finish the evening in the maze of streets called Bermuda Triangle (Rabensteig / Seitenstettengasse) where you find one bar next to the other.
DAY 2
From Schönbrunn Palace to the Giant Ferris Wheel
9.00 a.m.
Take the metro (U4) out to Schönbrunn Palace – but do not get off the train until the station called “Hietzing”. This is the much nicer side, for here you can enter the extensive gardens through the “Hietzing Gate”, where you are immediately faced with the historical glass-and-steel Palm House. Take a walk up to Gloriette where a spectacular view over the palace and the city awaits you at the café. Or you can visit the Zoo – Awarded the “Best European Zoo Award” several times in a row.
10.30 a.m.
In the palace itself, rent an “Audio Guide” for an individual tour through the magnificent state rooms to see the living and working atmosphere of the Habsburgs.
12.00 noon
Now take the U4 back to the city centre where at first you can stroll across Karlsplatz with the Church of St. Charles Borromeo and Otto Wagner’s Stadtbahn pavilions.
1.00 p.m.
Do I hear your tummy rumbling? Sit down in any cosy Viennese Beisl.
14.00 p.m.
There’s the guided tour in the State Opera House: the grand staircase, marble foyer and red-and-gold auditorium are well worth seeing. Afterwards, you will pass the Hotel Sacher behind the opera – famous for its chocolate cake – and take in the Monument against War and Fascism by Alfred Hrdlicka on Albertinaplatz.
15.00 p.m.
Not far from here (Neuer Markt/Tegethoffstrasse), go down to the Imperial Burial Vault, the final resting-place of the Hapsburgs’ bones. From here, take the city bus (3A) or walk through Annagasse to Schwarzenberg-platz, behind which rise the exquisite gardens of the baroque Belvedere Palace – enjoy a great view of the city centre from the Upper Belvedere, in which the Austrian Gallery has a permanent exhibit of works by Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka.
After so much art and history, some diversion should follow. From the Main Train Station, the “O” tram-line will take you to the big amusement park in the Prater (Praterstern).
Try a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel and taste some typical Viennese hot sausages with sweet mustard at a “Würstelstand” (sausage-stand). Or else take in a real meal at the Schweizerhaus, for instance Spiegelkarpfen nach böhmischer Art (carp Bohemian style) or Stelze (roast leg of pork). If you have had enough of the fairground hubbub, go for a walk along the Prater Hauptallee – a paradise for jogging, in-line skating or strolling.
19.30 p.m.
Enjoy Vienna’s cultural life to the fullest – after all, Vienna is a center for theater and music: in addition to the traditional venues, musicals, and concert stages, there is a lively alternative scene with numerous cabarets and venues for live music – check out Jazzland or Porgy & Bess.
22.30 p.m.
There’s a busy nightlife in the pedestrian zones around Stephansplatz until the early morning hours. No problem finding a nice streetside café or good entertainment in one of the many side streets.
DAY 3
OUR SPECIAL TIPS
Now that you’ve seen quite a lot of Vienna already, you should have an opportunity to set your own focus of interest But before that, a little tour of the Ringstrasse:
9.00 a.m.
After breakfast, take your constitutional through the Burggarten Park across Heldenplatz and into the romantic Volksgarten Park where the Art Nouveau memorial to Austria’s most famous empress is a must for all fans of “Sisi”. Opposite the Volksgarten, there is the Parliament with the Athena fountain. Or have a refreshing walk through the cool Rathauspark past its many fountains, statues and exotic trees.
10.00 a.m.
Facing the Vienna City Hall, there is the National Theatre – its programme is always a controversial discussion matter among the Viennese. Treat yourself to a Melange, Vienna’s most popular coffee variation, at Café Landtmann, a fashionable meeting-place for theatre people and politicians from the nearby government buildings.
10.30 a.m.
The tour ends at the University Building and the picturesque neo-Gothic Votive Church behind it.
Now plan the rest of the day according to ideas of your own … care for a few suggestions?
- Interested in whimsical architecture? Then go and see the Hundertwasser House (Kegelgasse/Löwengasse) – a “somewhat different” council house. More of this eccentric building style can be seen in the nearby Kunst Haus Wien (with a permanent Hundertwasser exhibition).
- The House of Music (1st district, Seilerstätte 30) is imaginative and unconventional; it presents musical highlights and visions, history and entertainment, according to the motto: ‘Your ears will be amazed.’
- Friends of classical or modern art can make a selection from many museums, exhibitions and galleries – for instance, the Museum of Fine Arts (Maria-Theresien-Platz) with its great collection of the old masters, in particular the Bruegel Room.
- Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is a spectacular cultural complex located on the fringe of Vienna’s old city and one of the world’s nine largest museum districts. It is a sensational blend of revitalized baroque architecture (the former court stables) and impressive modern edifices.
- The new cultural district comprises the chalk-white Leopold Museum in the new section, the Museum of Modern Art shrouded in dark-grey basalt, the Kunsthalle, Halls E und G (Vienna Festival, Dance Centre), the Architektur Zentrum Wien (Vienna Architecture Centre), the Zoom Children’s Museum, the Dschungel – a children’s theatre and experimental areas for cultural initiatives.
- Dip into Vienna’s young and creative scene – the gamut runs from interesting shopping offers to trendy art and a lively nightlife.
- The city’s old building stock, which was barely damaged during the war, has been carefully renovated and modernised. Now there are many lovely streets with the charm of ages past which can be explored during the daytime or in the evenings – apart from the 1st district, especially the 7th (Spittelberg Quarter) and the 8th (Josefstadt) can be recommended.
- The Central Cemetery with its honorary tombs for numerous prominent artists and politicians and with its Art Nouveau church is a special kind of “museum”.
We wish you a pleasant stay in Vienna!
Find here our Vienna tips for visitors as pdf file.Unsere Wien Tipps für Besucher als PDF zum Download
WIEN – EINe HAUPTSTADT MIT VIEL PROGRAMM & ANGEBOT
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Looking for a city map, information on sights and cuisine, or details of public transport, congresses and events in Vienna?
Here is a list of useful links to help you plan your visit:
Wien Online
Vienna City Map
Vienna sights from A to Z
Restaurants, Bars, Cafés
Bike Vienna
Wiener Linien
VIE Vienna International Airport
ÖBB
VIECON – Vienna Congress & Convention Center
Kongress- und Meetingkalender | Vienna Convention Bureau