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

Vienna is a pretty easy city to love. All the stereotypes you’ve thought of, from gigantic Schnitzel dishes to beautiful architecture and a refined café culture, are true. Spending a weekend in the Austrian capital is an absolute must.

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting multiple times. 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.

Since I’ve been to Vienna on more than one occasion, I’ve seen a good chunk of the city and know what is and isn’t worth your time. While some attractions are seasonal, many of my recommendations are year-round. Based on my experiences in the Austrian capital, here’s my list of the absolute best things to do when you’re in Vienna. 

1. Visit Belvedere Palace

Perhaps the most impossible-to-ignore thing about Vienna is how many grandiose palaces the city has. Every street corner looks like a dream straight out of days gone by, and this is particularly evident at Belvedere Palace. 

At Belvedere Palace, you’ll find a decent-sized park with nice views toward St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Moreover, you can see some of Vienna’s surroundings. In the park itself, you’ll find a large fountain and various green spaces. It’s a popular place for running, too. 

I visited Belvedere Palace as one of the first things on my list for my second trip to Vienna, and it was a great way to start the day. It’s also less busy at this time, so I’d recommend doing the same. The park itself is free, but you’ll need to pay for entry to the building itself. 

You can book admission tickets if you’d prefer to see the palace’s interior on your own terms, along with guided tours if you would rather have someone show you around. 

Address: Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Wien

How to Get Here: Take the S1 train to Quartier Belvedere. 

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.

Since the tower is popular, buying your tickets in advance is a good idea. 

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 exterior. Tours are also available. 

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

In addition to the observation deck at the Donauturm, I recommend going to St. Stephen’s Cathedral for another great view of Vienna. After climbing the 343 steps, you’ll get an amazing panorama of the Austrian capital’s old architecture. The cathedral’s roof is also well worth including in your photos. 

There is no elevator at the church, so keep this in mind when you visit. Like many European churches, the climb is quite steep, and the staircases are narrow. When I most recently visited, I was only able to pay by cash. 

The cathedral is in the middle of Stephansplatz, which is one of the main squares in Vienna. 

Address: Stephansplatz 3, 1010 Wien

How to Get Here: Take the U-Bahn to Stephansplatz.

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. Have a Drink at One of Vienna’s Rooftop Bars

I’ve been “out out” in Vienna, and on the flip side, I’ve also had some lowkey ones with a few quiet drinks. The Austrian capital is much better for the latter, and it’s perfectly designed for a romantic getaway in this respect. 

While visiting, I strongly suggest visiting one of the city’s various rooftop bars. The terrace at the Radisson RED Hotel has a nice view of the Danube River, for example. 

At Vienna’s rooftop bars, you’ll find many of the standard cocktails available. Beers are also an option. Generally speaking, a smart-casual dress code will be fine at any rooftop bars you go to in the Austrian capital. 

9. Check Out Vienna’s Social Housing Projects

Vienna feels like a massive open-air museum when it comes to architecture, and the social housing projects across the city are some of its most important examples. Many of these were built during the Red Vienna era in the 20th century.

Many of Vienna’s social housing projects feature stunning designs. You will find various examples throughout the central districts and elsewhere, and you can distinguish them by their markings. 

Since they’re still used as residences today, you won’t be able to go inside. However, they’re still worth checking out from the outside. You will see various architectural styles; some look newer, whereas others are in more of an old Viennese style. 

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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