Fun Fact
Vienna is the city of dreams, the city of music, but perhaps most important, the city of wine.
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What is Vienna Austria most known for?
1. Karlsplatz
Karlsplatz is a town square and has the central transportation hub of Vienna. The square holds a park and the grandeur Baroque church, Karlskirche. Not only is the outside of the church magnificent and worth a picture, but for a small fee you can go inside and take the elevator up to get a much closer view of the fresco inside the interior dome. From this higher vantage point, you can also see spectacular views of the city. We felt it was worth the money to go inside and view the outstanding architecture and artwork of this church.
Tickets for Karlskirche Tower: €8 (€4 students)
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2. Rathaus
Rathaus is the Vienna City Hall and a beautiful architectural building located across from Rathausplatz and the University of Vienna in the city center. With its central location and towering peaks, Rathaus is hard to miss!
Also Read: Top 9 Things To Do in Vienna
Hours: Daily 9:30am - 5:00pm
This Rococo palace was the summer residence of the Habsburg rulers and consists of over 1400 rooms. Although it is outside the city, you can easily get here via the Vienna metro and we highly recommend this attraction be prioritized on your trip.
J&L Recommended: Purchase tickets in advance
With 500 acres of the palace grounds that can be explored for free, there are also attractions that can be visited for an entry fee including: Europe's oldest Zoo, a Labyrinth, and a tour of the rooms within Schönbrunn Palace. We would recommend planning to spend an the entire day at Schönbrunn.
Tickets: starting at €18 (€16 students)
Stephansplatz is the geographical center of the city and home to the awe-inspiring St. Stephen's Cathedral. Stephansplatz is considered "the heart of the city" and you will likely find vendors, food stands, performers, and musicians in the streets.
J&L Recommended: Don't miss!
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Hours: Monday to Saturday 6:00 am – 10:00 pm; Sunday 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
Not only the main attraction of Stephansplatz, but the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. It has a magnificently tiled roof, ornately decorated interior, tours of underground catacombs, and a 500-foot southern tower that provides views of the entire city.
Tower Tickets: Roughly €5 (paid at door entrance)
The Belvedere Palace is the Schönbrunn Winter Palace of the Habsburg family. It consists of two Barqoue palaces, an orangery, and horse stables. Compared to Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere is within walking distance of the city center. Although we found Belvedere to have incredibly beautiful grounds and architecture, when time is limited, we would recommend prioritizing Schönbrunn due to it's unique experience. What is unique to Belvedere, however, is its large and extensive art museum. The grounds at Belevedere, similar to Schönbrunn, are free to explore on your own.
Art Museum Tickets: Starting at €16
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The 13th century former imperial palace of the Habsburg's and current workplace of the President of Austria. This stunning palace offers guided tours of the imperial apartments and the Sisi Museum. Exploring the grounds is free and will also lead to many pleasing views. With horse and buggy rides coming and going throughout the grounds, walking through this central city palace its a can't miss experience.
Sisi Museum Tickets: starting at €15
Volksgarten has beautiful flowers and sculptures to admire, as well as, the occasional musician adding to the elegant ambiance. Burggarten, on the opposite side of Hofburg, is a large park where people lay out to enjoy the outdoors.
J&L Recommended: Don't miss!
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8. Wiener Riesenrad Ferris Wheel (Prater Amusement Park)
Home of Vienna's Giant Ferris Wheel and a pay-as-you-go amusement park that is free to enter. Entry for the Giant Ferris Wheel is €12 and can have long lines. We decided to ride one of the other open-air Ferris Wheels within the park and still had fantastic views from its peak. If you are looking to escape the city, head to Prater for an evening excursion.
Tip: Pay-as-you-go amusement park accessible via Vienna metro
Comprised of 60 cultural institutions, this is a place worth visiting if you are looking to learn about everything from art to literature and design. Within the square, you may also find dance performances, film festivals, and art exhibitions taking place in the open areas. Not only did we find this to be a fantastic place to explore museums, but also a wonderful quarter to walk through and admire the beautiful architecture.
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This Renaissance Revival venue is breathtaking to just see outside from its exterior alone If you wish to find a show during your stay, you can purchase tickets here.
However, if you are like us and traveling on a budget, we recommend watching one of the performances from the streets! Each show is projected onto the side of the opera house with audio projected from the outside speakers. Many people line up along the sidewalk with lawn chairs and blankets to watch these marvelous shows that happen every evening.
J&L Tip: Watch for free! Projecting each live performance on the outside of the building, grab some street food and enjoy the show.
Noms
What food is Vienna famous for?
A must-try while in Vienna is an Austria Sausage stuffed with cheese, or Käsekrainer. Our personal favorite was from Bitzinger Wurstelstand, a charming little stand located right outside of the Albertina Museum near the Vienna State Opera house. Conveniently located and priced under €5, it is hard not to stop here multiple times while in Vienna.
J&L Recommended: Must try food!
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2. Café Central
Cafés are a huge part of the culture in Vienna. Viennese come to coffee shops to hang out, drink coffee, and eat snacks or pastries. One of the most renowned cafés is Café Central. It is a beautiful coffee shop that was frequented by many famous historical figures while they lived in Vienna.
The architecture of the building, attention to detail, ambiance, live piano playing, traditional coffee options, and delectable desserts are all reasons to stop by this classy café. You may have to wait for a table due to its popularity, however, we found it to be well worth the wait and enjoyed an apple strudel and iced coffee.
Also Read: Must Try Cafés of Vienna
Schweizerhaus is a beer garden within Prater that serves Viennese dishes, such as Pork Knuckle. We had a enjoyable experience here due to the friendly service, lively ambiance, and delicious food!
Try: the traditional Viennese Pork Knuckle
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4. Naschmarkt
Hours: Mon - Sat from 6am - 5pm; Sun: Closed
Vienna's largest open-air market with a variety of different local street vendors that make it worth stopping by to explore. Walk through this market to taste many different cuisines, purchase some quality spices, grab a drink, buy a souvenir, or to savor a delicious pastry.
J&L Recommended: Don't miss!
A large underground cellar with a rustic feel, this is a wonderful place to experience a true Viennese/Austrian meal (schnitzel and potatoes). It has affordable prices and an extensive wine list in a truly unique atmosphere. We highly recommend stopping here to complete your experience in Vienna. It is certainly an added bonus when dining with their live musicians, however, we recommend to reserve a table ahead of time due to their popularity.
Try: traditional schnitzel and potatoes
Brews
What are the best Austrian beers?
Recommended Brew: Great Lakes (Pale Ale- 4.9% ABV)
David Beaver from Michigan opened the doors to his brewery in 2015. David wanted to share his love of craft brew and take it to the next level in Vienna. This pale ale is clean and sessionable with citrus and tropical fruit hop flavors. Beaver Brewing Company is an excellent place to stop and order a juicy burger as well.
Recommended Brew: 1516 Weisse (Hefeweizen- 5% ABV)
A cascade hopped wheat ale that will satisfy you on a hot summer Vienna day. We found a seat here on their spacious patio under the shade of an umbrella on a hot summer day. Their Hefeweizen is light and sweet with notes of banana.
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3. Salm Bräu
Recommended Brew: Märzen (5% ABV)
Salm Bräu is a long-standing rustic venue with traditional wooden benches that serves its own beers and sizable home-style dishes. This Märzen is malty, smooth and clean. Märzen is the beer style that traditionally is served at Oktoberfest.
Also Read: Berlin Germany Complete Guide
4. 7 Stern Bräu
Recommended Brew: Prager Dunkles (Dark Lager- 4.5% ABV)
This black and creamy dark lager has roasted malts that give it a toasty, toffee taste with vanilla aromas. Excellent place to also try traditional Austrian food with a pleasant atmosphere that has plenty of seating options (including a Biergarten). Don't miss out!
Tip: sip a brew in their biergarten
5. Brew Age
Recommended Brew: Alphatier (New England IPA- 5.6% ABV)
A more recent brewing start up that has a bright future. Brew Age is turning heads in the Vienna craft brew scene. Our Vienna top beer picks isn't complete without this juicy, hazy, and smooth IPA. Alphatier is a silky, blonde beer with an enticing fruity fragrance.
Planning Your Trip
When is the best time of year to visit Vienna?
For the best weather and minimal crowds, we recommend visiting Vienna in the spring or fall months.
J&L Recommended: April - May or September - October
Where is the best area to stay in Vienna?
Our recommendation is to stay near Naschmarkt or the Vienna State Opera house. These areas are central to many of the main attractions, restaurants, and public transportation within Vienna. For our top-pick hostels based on location and value, see Best Hostels of Europe.
J&L Recommended: Wombats Hostel
Search your travel dates below for a great deal on hotels in Vienna:
How do you get around in Vienna?
Vienna has a wonderful transportation system, allowing you to utilize their five underground metros, 29 trams, and 129 bus lines with the purchase of a their day, 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour Vienna tickets. We would recommend getting the 72-hour Vienna Ticket, which you will be able to purchase at a kiosks in the underground stations (UBahn).
J&L Recommended: 72-hour Vienna Ticket
Be sure to also validate your tickets after purchasing using the blue machines next to the ticket kiosks. Keep your validated ticket with you whenever traveling. While the metros are based on the honors system (with random spot-checks for tickets and heavy fines for failure to show a ticket), this pass also allows you to utilize the public buses which requires showing your ticket to the bus driver before entry. For a map of the metro system to print before your trip, click here.
How many days should you spend in Vienna?
We recommend spending at least 2-3 days in Vienna in order to experience all the city has to offer. Limited on time? Check out our 24-hour guide to Vienna for the highlights.
J&L Recommended: 2-3 Days Minimum
Affordable International Data
Want to avoid roaming charges and $10/day international data fees? Airalo allows you to download an e-SIM to your phone and activate while in Europe for a very affordable price. We bought 3 GB of data valid for 30 days from activation for only $7. It worked great throughout our entire Europe trip and was very easy to install. Airalo offers e-SIMs all around the world and we can validate that it works with ease in multiple European countries.
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Happy Adventuring!
J&L
