My 12 Favorite Things to Do in Vienna, Austria (Based on Multiple Visits)

Vienna is an easy city to love, and it’s a place I’ve had the privilege of visiting multiple times. Although many people assume it’s just fancy palaces, this isn’t entirely true. While you absolutely will find grandiose architecture throughout the city center, Austria’s capital is way more multifaceted than you might think. 

When I lived in London, it was an easy flight here—and since moving to Copenhagen, things have gotten even simpler. It’s one of my favorite places to escape for a few days when I’m looking for something a little different, and I think you will also fall in love with this beautiful city. Whether you’re into art, food, or architecture, Vienna has something for everyone. 

However, figuring out what to do can be quite challenging. You’d need more time than is possible to see every museum, and I see it in a similar way to Paris. What I mean by that is that you don’t *need* to see all the main sights just because; instead, I think you should choose what you’re interested in and prioritize that. 

Since I’ve been to the Austrian capital on more than one occasion (and at different times of the year), I have seen a good chunk of the city. Based on these real-life experiences, I’ve put together this list of what I think are the best things to do when you’re in Vienna. While some attractions are seasonal, many of my recommendations are year-round. 

1. Visit Belvedere Palace

Belvedere is one of the main palaces in Vienna, and it’s very close to the city’s main train station. It’s the most grandiose version of your Viennese stereotypes that you’ll find, with the exception of Schönbrunn Palace (which I will speak about later). I go to the gardens here on most occasions when I’m in the city, and it’s a lovely place to spend a few hours. 

The gardens at Belvedere Palace have nice views toward St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Lower Belvedere complex. It’s a popular place for running, too, so you may want to come here in the morning if you packed your training gear with you. 

You can access the main garden area here for free, and it’s open throughout the year. However, you’ll need tickets to enter the exhibitions and rooms in both the Upper Belvedere and Lower Belvedere buildings. 

One Important Note: Belvedere Palace gets *very* crowded during the summer. When I went there in April, I was one of only a few people wandering around the grounds. But when I visited in July, it was already busy by 11 am. I’d recommend going as early as possible if you’re in Vienna during the peak tourist season. 

2. The Donau Tower Observation Deck

I’ve spent a lot of time on Donauinsel, the small island between the two banks of the Danube River. While a lot more modern, this is actually my favorite place in Vienna. When you visit, you should definitely take some time to also visit the Donauturm’s observation deck. 

The Donauturm is the tallest structure in Austria, and as a result, you’ll get excellent views of Vienna from all sides. The views of the Danube River are particularly stunning, especially if you visit around sunset. You can take an elevator right to the top, so it’s also good for accessibility. 

While tickets are pricey, I do think they’re still worthwhile. The tower also has a restaurant and café, but to be honest, I don’t think you’re missing much if you skip it. The meal I had here was okay, but nothing groundbreaking. Instead, I suggest spending more time on the observation deck.

Address: Donauturmplatz 1, 1220 Wien

How to Get Here: Take the U-Bahn to Kaisermühlen VIC. From here, it’s a 20-minute walk. 

3. Viennese Food at Fromme Helene

Vienna is in the luxury club of cities that have a cuisine named after it, and Viennese food rightly garners a lot of international attention. You will find various cozy restaurants in which to try some of the main staples, and I’ve been to several of them in the city. If I were to pick one place, Fromme Helene would be at the top of my list. 

Fromme Helene has the beautiful exteriors you’d expect from a Viennese restaurant, and the staff here were really friendly when I visited. The portions are *huge*; we tried both the strüdel and Schnitzel, both of which I can 100% recommend. 

Besides the food, we also had some nice beers here. I suggest booking a table in advance, which you can do on the website. 

In addition to visiting Fromme Helene and visiting Vienna’s restaurants on your own, you can sample Viennese cuisine as part of a guided full-meal walking tour.

Address: Josefstädter Strasse 15/Lange Gasse 33, 1080 Wien

How to Get Here: Take the U-Bahn to Rathaus or the tram to Rathaus/Universität and walk from there. The tram stop is slightly closer, but neither is too far away.

4. Go to the Donauinselfest

On my first visit to Vienna in the summer of 2018, I stayed at a hostel and spontaneously went to the Donauinselfest music festival. I later discovered that I had unknowingly attended Europe’s biggest free open-air festival, and in my opinion, it’s one of the coolest events in the city. 

Several local and international artists perform here. For example, Portugal. the Man had a stage when I visited. Unsurprisingly, the place was crowded with locals and tourists—but the overall atmosphere was great. 

Donauinselfest takes place for 3 days every June. You’ll find music from various genres, along with food and more. Keep an eye out for the public transport schedule; we left quite late and had to get a taxi back because we missed the last train out. 

The festival takes place on the island of Donauinsel—hence its name. To get here, take the U-Bahn. For what it’s worth, the U-Bahn runs 24/7 Friday through Sunday. So, you shouldn’t have any issues getting a Metro train back into the city when you leave.

5. Visit Schloss Schönbrunn

Schloss Schönbrunn (or Schönbrunn Palace in English) was the first palace I visited in Vienna. I had seen various photos of it before, and when I got there, it very much lived up to expectations. The beautiful exterior and its settings remind me a bit of Frederiksberg Castle in Copenhagen, and if I lived in Vienna, I’m certain I would spend a lot of time here.

The palace’s gardens are huge, and it’s worth coming here just to see those. However, I also strongly recommend actually going inside. I spent quite a lot of time wandering around its various rooms, and it was fascinating to learn more about everything. You can visit the gardens for free, but you’ll need a ticket to see the interior. If you’d like to see your options, you can browse tickets on the official website. 

If you’re only planning to see the gardens, you should still allocate at least a full morning or afternoon. The free grounds around the palace are quite big, and I spent around 4 hours wandering around all of these. You can also head up the hill where the Gloriette is for some nice views of Schönbrunn Palace and Vienna. You need tickets to enter the Gloriette, but the area around it is free to access.

Schönbrunn is arguably the most famous tourist attraction in Vienna, and it gets busy in the summer. To be honest, though, the gardens are so big that you can easily find some space for yourself. The rooms, however, were very busy. If you’d like to see the rooms but limit the crowds, you can also book an after-hours visit if you’d like to see the palace’s interior after closing time.

Also, as a side note, Schönbrunn Palace is a quick Metro ride outside the city center. From Schönbrunn Station, it’s a short walk away. 

6. See Vienna From Above at St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the main church in Vienna, and I’ve been here on each of my visits to the Austrian capital. You can get great views of the city from its North and South Towers. The church also has one of the most beautiful roofs I’ve seen on any building in Europe; it’s well worth including in your photos. 

The South Tower’s viewpoint is by far the most difficult to reach of the two. You have to climb 343 steps, and the staircase is—like many European churches—a horrible mix of narrow and winding. I have to say that it’s quite difficult to squeeze past others, and you need to be in good physical condition. I’m a 30-something who does CrossFit 4 times per week and am still dripping in sweat by the time I reach the top. And that’s even outside of the often-humid summer season. 

On the other hand, you can reach the observation deck at the North Tower by elevator. It’s a short ride, and if you have issues with mobility, I’d recommend going here. The same goes if you’re claustrophobic. 

7. Spend Time in Vienna’s Coffee Houses

Despite being a decent-sized capital city, one thing I like about Vienna is that it doesn’t feel rushed. One place this approach to life is particularly evident is in the city’s coffee house culture, and I encourage you to experience it for yourself when you visit. 

Historically, cafés in Vienna have been places to discuss ideas, read a newspaper, meet with friends, and more. You can stay for as long as you want, and I strongly recommend bringing a good book with you. 

Many of Vienna’s coffee houses are bigger than you might expect elsewhere, and their interiors are almost always grand. Besides coffee, you’ll find various sweet delicacies at the different places you visit. 

8. Ride on the World’s Oldest Functioning Ferris Wheel

After having dinner nearby and wanting to go for a quick walk before retreating to my hotel, I finally decided to do it. Wiener Riesenrad is the world’s oldest functioning ferris wheel, which was one cool reason to go. Beyond that, though, I was mainly interested in the views of the city. 

The wheel goes around very slowly, so you have plenty of time to take photos of your surroundings. It wasn’t too crowded when I went; having multiple carriages definitely helped. I went just before sunset, too, which was an excellent choice. 

The ferris wheel is a short walk from Praterstern Station and also inside the huge Prater Amusement Park. 

9. Spend a Few Hours at Kunst Haus Wien / Museum Hundertwasser

Vienna has *a lot* of museums, and Kunst Haus Wien is my personal favorite. It’s one of my favorite buildings in the city, too, both on the inside and outside. The museum is largely dedicated to Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and personally, his artistic style is right up my street. 

Hundertwasser’s art style reminds me a bit of Picasso, but it’s unique in its own sense. The museum building itself is also super cool; Hundertwasser was a big environmentalist, and I really liked how plants were integrated throughout the building’s style. Design-wise, it looks like something you would find in Barcelona. The exterior is also *very* photogenic. 

In addition to Hundertwasser’s artwork, I also got to see some other temporary exhibitions. The museum itself isn’t very big; I saw everything within an hour. But as someone who likes this particular art style, I felt like I got good value for money. 

Once you’ve finished with the exhibitions, I also recommend checking out the café’s design. You can also go into the courtyard, which is worth photographing while you’re there. You’ll need to put your backpack in the lockers provided, and when I was there, they accepted €1 coins for the keys. 

10. Take a Day Trip to Bratislava, Budapest, or Salzburg

While Vienna has enough to keep you entertained for a weekend, I do recommend taking a day trip elsewhere. The Slovakian capital, Bratislava, and Budapest, Hungary’s capital city, are both very close and offer an opportunity for an international adventure. 

While Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria are all in the Schengen Area, I still recommend bringing your passport in case checks take place. 

If you want to see another part of Austria, Salzburg is just a few hours away from Vienna, too.

Bratislava

Bratislava is small enough that you can see the main highlights in a day. Even though I recommend staying overnight, I still think you can get a lot out of a day trip. Bratislava Castle is a must, and you should also allocate some time to walk around the Old Town. 

While in Bratislava, I recommend trying bryndzové halušky. This dish is simple but delicious, with bacon, cheese, and potato dough. Any traditional Slovakian restaurant will serve this. 

Bratislava is around an hour from Vienna. Several trains and buses run between the two cities daily. You can get very good ticket deals if you book in advance. 

Budapest

I actually visited Budapest and Vienna as part of a bigger summer trip, and it’s very easy to reach from the Austrian capital. Hungary’s biggest city is a photographer’s dream, with beautiful architecture everywhere you look. 

While you’d need a weekend to see Budapest in depth, you can still see a lot within one day. Buda is on one side of the Danube River and is quieter than Pest, which is on the other bank. From Buda, you can get some nice views of the main parliament building and other parts of Budapest. 

Budapest is under three hours from Vienna. The train is slightly quicker, but the bus is efficient. Prices are reasonable when you book in advance.

You can also take day tours from Vienna to Bratislava *and* Budapest if you can’t decide between the two. 

Salzburg

Ever since I first visited on a cold December weekend in 2017, Salzburg has been one of my favorite cities in Europe. It’s worth visiting year-round, and you’ll almost certainly feel like it’s Austria in a microcosm. Besides its beautiful architecture, Salzburg has an enviable location next to mountains and the river.

Though great whenever you visit, try to see Salzburg in the lead-up to Christmas; its Christmas Markets are lovely. Regardless of when you’re here, be sure to check out the Mozart House. I also recommend visiting the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The train to Salzburg takes just over two hours; you can compare ticket prices here. Buses are also available, but they do take longer. Several day trips between Vienna and Salzburg operate, too, and many will also show you other parts of Austria as well.

11. Head to the Waterfront at Sunset

The Danube River is a key characteristic of Vienna’s geography, and it comes to life during the warmer months. One of my favorite things to do in the city is to stroll along its shores at sunset.

Whether you walk along the waterfront in the city center or on Donauinsel, it’s very pleasant. You may also want to consider bringing some beers with you and chatting away until the sun goes down. 

At the Danube Canal, you’ll find beach bars during the summer months. There’s plenty of space for you to sit down, so don’t worry about that. I suggest walking or cycling along the riverside once you’re finished, too. 

12. Explore Leopoldstadt

Vienna has plenty of cool neighborhoods, and Leopoldstadt is one of those. The district feels distinctly local, and you’ll find a number of great places to eat and have coffee here. It’s home to several interesting forms of modern and old architecture, too, making it great if you want to see something a little different.

In Leopoldstadt, you will also find the Prater Amusement Park. It’s in the bigger Prater Park, which is a great place for a lazy stroll. The amusement park, meanwhile, is where you’ll be able to see the city’s iconic ferris wheel.

To reach Leopldstadt, take the U-Bahn to Krieau and explore the district from there.

Final Thoughts

Vienna is one of Europe’s great weekend getaways, and it’s well worth spending at least three days here. The city’s coffee culture and cuisine both deserve your attention, and you’ll probably find yourself pointing your camera at pretty much every palace and church you see. 

The Austrian capital has something for everyone, regardless of your interests. You can also take various day trips to neighboring countries, along with seeing other parts of Austria. 

Having read this guide, you should now have a better idea of what to do in Vienna and enjoy a memorable trip. 

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