What is Special About Vienna? Here are 27 Cool Things to Do in the Austrian Capital
Having visited almost 10 years ago, Vienna is a place I knew I needed to get back to. When my family and friends asked for the best things to do in Vienna, I couldn't even remember! So that was my cue to go back, and I'm so glad we recently added it as a stop on our European road trip.
Vienna has a special place in my heart, because the first time I went I was in a toxic relationship with a guy who would try to prevent me from traveling. I decided to end things, and grabbed my phone to open Skyscanner. I looked up the most affordable place to travel that day, and Vienna it was. I ran to the airport, and had one of the best weekends ever.
But other than my experience, what is special about Vienna? Well, it's full of history, stunning architecture, and some of the most beautiful cafes in the world. We've had a lot of people ask us recently whether they should go to Prague or Vienna, or to choose between Budapest or Vienna. We think there are so many great things to do in Vienna, and reasons to visit, so we'll give you all the info, and let you decide for yourself.
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📍 Where is Vienna?
Vienna is the capital city of Austria, and is located in the east of the country. Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, which is bordered by Germany to the north west, the Czech Republic to the north east, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia to the south, Italy to the south west, and Liechtenstein to the west.
Due to its proximity to other nearby capitals, it is often traveled to in addition to Prague, Budapest, or Bratislava.
Vienna is located in the east of Austria, in central Europe.
What is the Best Way to Get to Vienna, Austria?
Being located smack in the middle of Europe, Vienna is an extremely convenient city to travel to, whether you are flying from another European city, driving, or taking public transportation.
✈️ Where Do You Fly Into for Vienna?
Vienna has its own airport, which is located just 20 km (12.5 miles) outside the city center. Many cities around Europe, as well as a few cities outside Europe fly direct to Vienna, and you can find a lot of budget flights to get there.
European cities that fly direct to Vienna include Alicante, Altenrhein, Amsterdam, Antalya, Athens, Baku, Banja Luka, Barcelona, Bari, Basel, Belgrade, Berlin, Billund, Bologna, Bourgas, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Cagliari, Catania, Chisinau, Cologne, Copenhagen, Corfu, Dublin, Dubrovnik, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Faro, Florence, Frankfurt, Funchal, Hamburg, Hanover, Helsinki, Heraklion, Geneva, Gran Canaria, Graz, Iasi, Ibiza, Innsbruck, Istanbul, Izmir, Karpathos, Kefallinia, Klagenfurt, Kos, Kosice, Krakow, Kutaisi, Larnaca, Leipzig, Lisbon, London, Luxembourg, Lyon, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Malta, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Modlin, Munich, Mykonos, Naples, Nantes, Nice, Nuremberg, Ohrid, Oslo, Palermo, Paphos, Paris, Podgorica, Prague, Pristina, Rhodes, Riga, Rome, Santander, Santorini, Sarajevo, Sibiu, Skopje, Sofia, Split, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Tallinn, Tenerife, Thessaloniki, Tirana, Venice, Vilnius, Warsaw, Yerevan, Zadar, Zagreb, Zakinthos, and Zurich.
Cities outside of Europe that fly direct to Vienna include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Almaty, Amman, Ankara, Bangkok, Cairo, Chicago, Delhi, Doha, Dubai, Erbil, Houston, Hurghada, Izmir, Jeddah, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, Riyadh, Seoul, Taipei, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Toronto, and Washington.
🛫 Alternative Flight Options
Can't find your city, or flights are too expensive for your dates? You can also try looking for flights at nearby airports such as Bratislava, Brno, Prague, or Budapest. (We'll go over how to get from those cities to Vienna next.)
Flight Tip: Using Skyscanner you can use the "everywhere" option to find the cheapest flights at surrounding airports!
Search for a flight to Vienna or nearby:
🚆 How to Get from Vienna Airport to Vienna City Center
It is super easy to get to the city of Vienna from the airport.
- The fastest way to get from Vienna Airport to the city center is by taking the City Airport Train (CAT), which is a direct trip getting you there in 16 minutes. Tickets are €14,90 for a one way or €24,90 for a roundtrip. Trains from the airport run every 30 minutes, starting at 6:08 am, and run until 11:38 pm. Trains back to the airport start running from 5:37 am, and run until 11:07 pm.
- The cheapest way to get to the city center of Vienna from the airport is by taking the OBB Railjet. Tickets are €4,40 each way, or €2 with the Vienna City Card, and it's a 15 minute ride to the central station. Trains run every 30 minutes from the airport starting at 6:33 am until 11:03 pm. Trains back to the airport start running at 5:42 am, and go until 10:12 pm.
- Other options for getting to the center include a rental car, taxi, or Uber.
🛤 Other Ways to Get to Vienna
If you are coming from a nearby city, you may not need to fly! Luckily, Vienna is such a well-connected city, and you can easily find several options for getting to Vienna from plenty of other cities within Austria, or other nearby countries.
🚊 Trains to Vienna
Trains are the most convenient and comfortable option when it comes to traveling in this area of Europe. Here are a few popular train rides you can look into.
Domestic trains to Vienna:
International trains to Vienna:
- Brno to Vienna
- Bratislava to Vienna
- Budapest to Vienna
- Krakow to Vienna
- Munich to Vienna
- Prague to Vienna
- Warsaw to Vienna
🚌 Buses to Vienna
Buses are another great option if you don't find an affordable train, or one that fits your timetable. They are typically a bit longer of a trip, but oftentimes have more affordable rates. Here are links for the bus options for each city.
Domestic buses to Vienna:
International buses to Vienna:
- Brno to Vienna
- Bratislava to Vienna
- Budapest to Vienna
- Krakow to Vienna
- Munich to Vienna
- Prague to Vienna
- Warsaw to Vienna
🚙 Blabla Car
Another final option for getting to Vienna is by checking on the app BlaBla Car. It allows you to connect with people who are already riding from your city to whichever city you plan on traveling to, by booking a seat in their car. We use this typically when we can't find a good train or bus option.
Entry Regulations for Austria
Now that you know all of the options for the best way to get to Vienna, let's double check that you have all the right documents.
🛂 Visa Entry Requirements: Do You Need a Visa to Go to Austria?
Austria is part of the EU and the Schengen Zone. This means that if you are a nationality that requires a Schengen Visa, you will need to get one before visiting Austria.
It also means that if you are going to be visiting from one of the neighboring countries (Germany, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, or Slovakia) or any of the other countries in the Schengen Zone at all, you will have free travel. However, this also means you will need to keep the 90/180 rule in mind!
What is the 90/180 Rule?
The 90/180 rule applies to all countries which are in the Schengen Zone in Europe. The rule states that you can only spend up to 90 days within a 180-day period inside the Schengen Zone.
These 90 days are applicable for all countries within the Schengen area, which means if you spend 45 days in Spain (also part of the Schengen Zone), you will then only be able to spend a total of 45 days in Austria (or other countries that apply).
We use the Schengen visa calculator, which is extremely helpful for those who are planning on traveling around Europe for a longer period of time.
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Local Adjustments for Visiting Vienna
Whenever traveling somewhere new you'll encounter things to adjust to such as language, plug types, or a different tipping culture. Here are some useful things to keep in mind while visiting Vienna.
🗣 What Language is Spoken in Vienna?
The language spoken in Vienna, and the rest of Austria, is Austrian German.
Is it ok to speak English in Vienna?
There are a ton of people that speak English in Vienna. Depending on where you go, and who you speak with, will depend on whether or not English will be prevalent. We found that there were a ton of people who spoke English, but also quite a few that did not, or did not want to.
Many restaurants did have English menus, but the most traditional ones may only have the menu in German. We suggest picking up a few of the basics in German, in order to have a more pleasant visit and be more well-received by the locals.
💶 What Currency is Used in Vienna?
The currency used in Vienna is the euro.
💵 Can You Use USD in Vienna?
You cannot use USD in Vienna. We suggest heading to a local ATM to take out some Euros, although the majority of places do accept credit card.
🤑 Is Vienna Expensive?
Vienna is so much more expensive than the first time that I visited! Other surrounding capitals such as Prague, Budapest, and Bratislava are much more budget-friendly, so you'll definitely want to put some extra money aside for all of the things to do in Vienna.
🔌 Outlets: What Plug is Used in Vienna?
Austria uses the same plug types as the rest of Europe, which are types C, E, & F. The standard voltage in Austria is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
🚰 Water Potability: Is it ok to Drink Tap Water in Vienna?
The tap water is extremely clean and safe to drink in Vienna, and all throughout Austria. For some odd reason though, the Viennese are not keen on serving tap water, and some will even charge you for it! (Always make sure to ask).
We suggest bringing your own reusable water bottle and filling up at whatever taps you can find in order to avoid extortionate water fees in supermarkets or restaurants.
If you do purchase bottled water, be aware that most of the bottles you'll find will be sparkling! Always double check the label before buying.
💸 Tipping Culture: Is Tipping Customary in Vienna, Austria?
The tipping culture in Austria is pretty flexible. Austrians tend to round up, rather than calculating a certain percentage of the bill. It's pretty typical to tip between 5-15% of your bill.
Note: Something we noticed in Vienna is the service overall is pretty awful. Not only can wait times get pretty high, but many servers seem simply miserable and annoyed by tourists. This isn't the case 100% of the time, but if you do encounter service like this, don't let it bother you too much, as it's pretty common there.
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What is Vienna Famous For?
So exactly what is Vienna famous for? This city is actually referred to the city of music, and was the birthplace or residence of a lot of talented classical musicians. Vienna is particularly proud of Mozart, and you'll find him all over the place.
The Austrian capital is also famous for the Hapsburg Family, which is the center of the history of the city of Vienna, and is involved with a ton of the top highlights and things to do in Vienna.
Want to know what Vienna is famous for also but the Viennese do not like to claim? It's where Hitler was denied from art school. Of course this a sore subject for the locals, but also an interesting topic to learn about while visiting Vienna.
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The Best Things to Do in Vienna
Now that you know what Vienna is famous for, let's talk about all of the great things to do in Vienna!
🚶🏻♀️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #1: Take a Free Walking Tour
There are so many things to see and do in Vienna that it can be overwhelming. The best way to be able to see the highlights and learn about the history though is by taking a tour.
We love free walking tours because the guides are usually super fun and energetic, making the tours way more interesting than the traditional ones. They work on a tipping basis, so you get to decide how much to give. These guides typically give great tips for other things to see in the city, as well hidden gems to check out.
For walking tours we always use GuruWalk, as they connect you with local tour guides around the world, and are easy to make bookings with.
Free walking tours give you insight into all the details around the city.
🕍 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #2: Admire the Architecture
Vienna is seriously one of the most stunning cities, and the architecture is just next level. Other than visiting all the highlights, we definitely suggest walking around and paying attention to the beauty of the buildings all around the city.
Vienna is full of stunning architecture.
☕️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #3: Dive into the Cafe Culture
One thing that Vienna is particularly known for is its cafe culture. The city is full of gorgeous cafes serving great coffee and local pastries to try out. We'll dive into some of the best ones to try out in our food & drink section of the article.
Vienna is known for its beautiful cafes.
🎤 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #4: Attend an Opera Concert
Being known for its music, it's no surprise that opera is a prominent part of Vienna's culture, The opera hall is definitely a place you'll want to visit, and going for a show is a must! Unfortunately in August they close for the month, so we didn't get to experience it, but it's definitely on the list for the next visit.
Something really cool about the opera is that they never have the same show two days in a row, so they actually have to change sets twice a day! There is also an underground passage leading there from the nearby yellow building, and they have 9 km of costumes.
Another fun fact is that the performers in the opera lose about 5-8 kilos during each show! If that doesn't make you intrigued to see a show, then I don't know what will.
The opera is one of Vienna's most iconic places.
🏰 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #5: Visit the Hofburg Palace
The Hofburg Palace was the former residence of the famous Hapsburg family, and is located right in the heart of the city. It is so massive that it has over 2,000 rooms, and 7 underground passages.
We definitely suggest getting a tour of the palace to get a better insight of all that is there, and take some time to walk around the gardens, which are free of charge to visit.
🗿 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #6: Stop by the Mozart Statue
Right inside the gardens of the Hofburg Palace is one of the most famous statues in the city of Vienna. The Mozart statue is a tribute to the famous musician. and also has a large musical note in front of it made from flowers.
🦋 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #7: Pop Into the Butterfly House
Located right next to the Hofburg Palace is a bit of a hidden gem. The butterfly house is not only cool to see, but it has a great cafe to enjoy breakfast, or some wine at sunset.
The Butterfly House has a great cafe to check out.
🐴 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #8: Look for the White Horses
Vienna is known for their famous white horses. The Lippazaners are known as the dancing horses of the city, and have been a special breed training and performing at Vienna's Spanish Riding School for over 450 years.
If you're lucky and the weather is perfect, you can actually see the horses next to the palace between 9 and 9:30 am.
The white horses are usually at the riding school, but on occasion you can find them outside Hofburg Palace.
🏤 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #9: Walk Around Maria-Theresian-Platz
Maria-Theresian-Platz is one of the most popular squares of Vienna, and is where you can find the museum quarter meeting with Ringstrasse. Check out the famous statue, visit the museums, or simply admire the beauty of all of the buildings in this area.
🏰 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #10: Go to Shonbrunn Palace
The Shonbrunn Palace is one of the top sites in Vienna. It was originally the summer residence of the Hapsburg family, and now visiting there is one of the most popular things to do in the city. It is located outside the city center, but can be easily reached by public transportation.
🪴 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #11: Roam the Palm House Gardens
The Shonbrunn Palace has some really beautiful gardens that are free to visit. But if you'd like to experience something a bit more, there are also green houses that you can see called the Palm House Gardens.
⛪️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #12: Stop by St Stephen's Cathedral
We all know that any trip to a European city includes a church or two, and St Stephen's Cathedral is definitely one of the most beautiful in Vienna with its Gothic style. It's located right in the heart of the city center, and connects the main pedestrian streets of Vienna.
St Stephens Cathedral is the most beautiful church in Vienna.
👩🏻⚖️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #13: Check Out the Vienna City Courthouse
If you're looking for a true hidden gem, then make sure to head to the Vienna City Courthouse. While it may just seem like a municipal budding from the outside, it is truly impressive inside, and definitely worth a visit. It's free of charge to enter, and you'll just need to go through a security check . (PS: no tripods are allowed).
🏛 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #14: Explore Albertina
The Albertina is one of the most famous things to see in Vienna, and is typically a place that a lot of tours will just walk by.
The museum is massive, and is home to over a million collections of artwork. Locals will recommend dedicating at least one full day to the museum. We aren't big museum lovers, but if you are then you'll definitely want to save a good amount of time for this one.
The Albertina Museum has enough to see for an entire day!
⛲️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #15: Admire the Albrechtsbrunnen
Right underneath the Albertina Museum and across from the opera house is a stunning fountain called the Albrechtsbrunnen. This is popular meeting point for any tours in Vienna, and is also a gorgeous spot to take a quick picture.
🦸🏻♀️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #16: Roam Around Hero Square
This is the biggest square in the city, and is located right in front of Hofburg Palace. Definitely make sure to stop here and admire the gardens, fountains, and statues on site.
Hero Square is home to the famous Hofburg Palace.
🗼 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #17: Visit the Twin Museums
Right across the street from Hero Square are two important museums in the city. Known as the twin museums, one is the national history museum, and the other is an art museum with mostly classical art. The history museum is home to the worlds largest collection of meteorites, and the art museum has a nice cafe worth checking out.
🎨 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #18: Hundertwasserhaus
Looking for something a little different? While most of the things to do in Vienna have to do with elegant architecture and history, this attraction is a fun and quirky one. Hundertwasserhaus is just a bit outside the center, and is an apartment building full of different colors that has now become a popular spot for tourists.
🏰 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #19: Explore Belvedere Palace
Hofburg Palace is the most popular palace in Vienna, and Shonnbrunn is also quite well-known.
Belvedere Palace is one that often gets overlooked, but it really is worth a visit! It is actually two palaces adjoined on one property, and has a large series of gardens as well. Located right outside the center, we suggest also pairing this with a visit to Hundertwasserhaus.
⛪️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #20: Stop by St Charles Church
If you're looking for some beautiful buildings, then St Charles church is definitely a place worth stopping by. With its gorgeous green domes and big fountain in the front, it's one of the most Instagrammable spots in Vienna.
🚏 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #21: Check Out Michaelerplatz
This star-shaped plaza is the intersection of a lot of major streets in Vienna, and a popular point of interest for reaching some of the best things to do in Vienna. Not only that, but it is full of beautiful buildings, and some gorgeous fountains worth checking out.
🛍 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #22: Walk Through the Ferstel Passage
The stunning Fersel passage is an enclosed path inside a building that is real gem of Vienna. With a variety of upscale shops and cafes, definitely pop by and check out this beautiful area.
🎞 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #23: Enjoy the Activities at Rathausplatz
The square in front of the city hall is home to the biggest celebrations in Vienna. Whether it's the film festival in August or the Christmas market in December, there are so many great events taking place at Rathausplatz. Definitely swing by and see if you can catch an event there!
💒 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #24: Go to Church Votivkirche
Another beautiful architectural piece right in the heart of Vienna is Church Votivkirche. It was actually built as a tribute to God for saving the life of emperor Franz Joseph after an attempted assassination.
📚 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #25: Admire the Austrian National Library
Here is another beautiful hidden gem to check out in Vienna. The National Library may just be one of the most stunning libraries in the world! It's 10 euros to enter, and we suggest booking your ticket in advance, as we weren't able to get one when we showed up.
While we didn't get to see everything, we did get a peak in and it was simply stunning.
⛵️ The Best Things to Do in Vienna #26: Sail Down the Danube
Vienna is situated right along the Danube River, which is one of the most popular bodies of water for doing river cruises in Europe.
If you aren't cruising to Vienna, you should definitely check out one of the many boat trips that are offered. It'll give you a chance to experience Europe's biggest river, while admiring the city from a different angle. Some boats even have dinner and drinks included!
🚐 The Best Things to Do in Vienna #27: Take a Day Trip to Bratislava
Did you know that the capital of Slovakia is just a quick ride away from Vienna? If you've already done most of the best things to do in Vienna, we definitely suggest making a quick trip to Bratislava. It's small, but very charming, and easy to walk around. It has a beautiful castle on a hilltop, it's located along the river, and also has a cool tower with a rotating restaurant.
You can easily get a train from Vienna to Bratislava, and be there in just 45 minutes!
Want a more complete package? Here are some fun tours that go to Bratislava that you can sign up for.
Local Food & Drink in Vienna
Now that you know all of the best things to do in Vienna, let's dive into the food scene!
🥧 What is the Traditional Food in Vienna?
The food in Vienna is very similar to the cuisines of some of the surrounding countries, such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany. The Austrian cuisine is very big on sausages, stews, and they have a big array of pastries and cakes.
Here are a few things you should try while in Vienna:
- Apfelstrudel: the traditional apple dessert with a flaky crust
- Sachertorte: an iconic chocolate cake with a layer of apricot jam
- Wienerschnitzel: breaded and fried meat cutlet- the traditional one is made with veal, but you can now find pork, chicken, or a variety of other options.
- Frankfurter: the original Vienna sausage, similar to a hot dog
- Kasekrainer: a thicker sausage with cheese stuffed inside
- Bratwurst: the classic German sausage
- Debreziner: lightly smoked sausage with paprika, giving it a red color
- Goulash: tender beef in a thick gravy with onions - served more like a stew rather than the Hungarian goulash which is more of a soup
Vienna is known for its sausages and its cafe culture.
🍴 The Best Cafes (& Restaurants) in Vienna
There are an endless amount of amazing cafes and restaurants in Vienna. Here are a few of our top recommendations:
- Cafe Central: the most famous cafe in the city
- Demel: the fanciest cafe in town
- Cafe Sacher: one of the most beautiful cafes in Vienna
- Cafe Hawelka: an old time cafe known for its sweet rolls
- Cafe Restaurant Braunerhof: a local recommendation for an authentic Austrian experience
- Figlmüller Bäckerstraße: home to the original schnitzel
- NeunDreiviertel: Harry Potter themed bar
- Adlerhof Cafe: a beautiful cafe full of greenery inside and a cute spiral staircase
Adlerhof Cafe is one of our favorite cafes in Vienna.
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What is the Best Way to Get Around Vienna?
You may have realized that there are a ton of things to do in Vienna! It's actually a pretty big city, so we're going to help you get around in the best way possible.
🚶🏻♀️ Is Vienna a Walkable City?
Most of the top things to do in Vienna can certainly be reached on foot, and this is personally our favorite way to get around. As far as the city center goes, we definitely suggest starting on one end of the city, and making your way by walking as much as possible.
🚗 Driving in Vienna
While we tried to walk most of Vienna, there were quite a few places on the outskirts of the center where we couldn't get to on foot. We decided to rent a car in Romania for a 2-month road trip, so we had a car while we were in Vienna.
🚙 Do You Need a Car in Vienna?
We'll be honest we really didn't like having a car in Vienna, but do think it's a good option if you plan on doing a lot of day trips.
🏎 Is it Easy to Drive in Vienna?
Driving and parking in Vienna isn't really that fun, so we would suggest parking outside the city center, and using the car for some of the things to do in Vienna that are outside the center, like Belvedere Palace, Shonbrunn Palace, and Hundertwasserhaus.
Wherever you are, be careful where you park. Sometimes it can be a little confusing, and you don't want to end up with a parking ticket like we did for not double checking. (There are certain areas only locals can park so be aware of this).
🚌 Public Transport in Vienna
If you don't want to rent a car in Vienna, but want to visit some of the things to do in Vienna outside the city center, you can always rely on the public transportation.
The four types of public transportation that Vienna offers are:
- U-Bahn (subway)
- Schnellbahn or S-Bahn (local trains)
- Straßenbahn (trams)
- Autobus (buses)
🤑 Is Public Transport in Vienna Free?
Vienna, as well as many other Austrian cities, work on an honors system. There aren't any gates or ticket checks, but it certainly is not free. (The only country we know of that has free public transportation is Luxembourg).
🚕 Private Transport in Vienna
If you aren't comfortable getting around with public transportation in Vienna, you can also rely on getting private transportation.
🚘 Is Uber Available in Vienna?
Uber is available in Vienna, so if you have a specific place you want to go and would rather pay with a credit card, this is the easiest option.
🚖 Taking Taxis in Vienna
Taxis are also available all around the city of Vienna, but this is definitely one of the most expensive options to get around, and not necessarily one that we'd recommend.
🏍 Bicycle Taxis in Vienna
Want to get quickly from one place to another in a more fun way? Well, you can easily find a bicycle taxi around some of the most popular things to do in Vienna. It's probably the most expensive option, but it's definitely a unique way to see the city if your feet are tired from all of the exploring.
Bicycle taxis are one of the most fun ways to get around the city.
*PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE CARRIAGES!
It may seem cute or romantic to ride around in a carriage pulled by a horse, but it is cruel for the horse, and a really outdated way to enjoy the city. Please refrain from contributing to this, so that hopefully one day they will stop using horses for this recreational activity.
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Where to Stay in Vienna, Austria
Now that you know the best things to do in Vienna and where to eat, let's figure out where to stay!
📍 What Part of Vienna is Best to Stay in?
Vienna is a pretty big city, but most of the best things to do in Vienna are located in the city center. When looking for a place to stay, we suggest searching for Innere Stadt, which is the heart of the city.
The best area to stay in Vienna is Innere Statd, which is where the best things to do in Vienna are.
🏨 Recommended Hotels in Vienna
We've decided to round up the best hotels to stay in the city center, for any type of budget you may have.
$ Budget-friendly Hotel Recommendations in Vienna
- CH Hostel: the most budget-friendly option, located right in the heart of Vienna
- Pension Lehrerhaus: simple but sufficient, and also has a courtyard
- Central Living- Stefansdom Apartments: affordable apartments with kitchens
$$ Mid-Range Hotel Recommendations in Vienna
- HeyMi Apartments: stylish apartments in the city center with kitchens and washing machines
- Grand Hotel Wien: beautiful hotel with rooftop terrace, spa, and a variety of restaurants and bars
- Hotel Josefshof am Rathaus: has a nice courtyard and great breakfast selection
$$$ Luxury Hotel Recommendations in Vienna
- DO&CO Hotel Vienna: an elegant hotel located right in front of St Stephens Cathedral with excellent views and great restaurants
- Hotel Sacher Wien: one of the most famous hotels, known for its art collection and incredible cafe, and is located across from the opera house
- Palais Coburg Hotel: has a great spa with an indoor pool, and guests get champagne and fruit assortments upon arrival
Sacher Cafe Is part of the famous Sacher Hotel.
Is Vienna a Safe City?
Vienna is a super safe city to visit! Like most big cities, you'll always want to keep an eye out for pickpockets. But other than some petty crime, Vienna is a beautiful and safe place to explore.
🌚 Is it Safe to Walk Around Vienna at Night?
It is perfectly safe to walk around Vienna at night! The first time I visited as a 23 year old girl traveling solo, and I felt completely safe. Walking around as a couple in our thirties, we also felt very comfortable.
😊 Is Vienna Friendly to Tourists?
We hate to say this, but we truly did not feel that the Viennese were very friendly towards tourists. The city itself is very well-established for tourism, and you can certainly meet lovely people, but as far as friendliness, we definitely have found other nearby cities to be better at this.
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Other Things to Know About Visiting Vienna
Now you know all of the best things to do in Vienna, how to get around, and almost everything you need to know. But don't go yet! Here are a few last things you may want to keep in mind.
☀️ Weather in Vienna
Vienna is notorious for having pretty terrible weather, even sometimes in the summer! The city receives a lot of wind from the alps, and gets pretty chilly. When we visited in August, it was surprisingly cold and wet, and we learned that this is pretty common.
Vienna is a city that has four seasons. However, it used to receive a lot more snow, and now it mostly just rains. The Austrian capital typically has 6 months of cold weather, and 6 months of mild and warmer temperatures.
📆 What is the Best Month to Visit Vienna?
In our opinion, the two best months to visit Vienna are in June and in December. We like June as it a warm month, and you can really enjoy walking around the city. July is too crowded and expensive, and in August it's crowded, but also, a lot of important things close like the Opera.
December is also a fabulous month to visit Vienna because you can experience the incredible Christmas market that they have!
🧳 Packing For a Trip to Vienna, Austria
When it comes to packing for a trip to Vienna, it really depends on what time of year you plan on going. However, here is our list of some of the things that you should consider bringing:
- Reusable Water Bottle (we use this water bottle from Cafago because it holds the temperature)
- Umbrella (it tends to rain a lot)
- Jacket (even a light one if you visit in the warmer months)
- Comfortable shoes for exploring the city
- Trendy clothing to wear out at night
- Zippered Bag or Backpack (to secure your belongings) - take a look at these backpacks for travelers!
- Power Bank (we use Anker power banks, as they are super long lasting and sturdy)
- Travel Adapter if you are not from Europe (we use Insignia travel adapters)
- Camera (we use the Sony A7Riii)
- Standard Lens for a dynamic range (we use the Sony GM 24-70)
- Wide Lens to capture buildings (we use the Sony GM 14 F1.8)
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⏳ How Many Days is Best in Vienna?
With so many things to do in Vienna, we suggest visiting at least 2-3 days minimum, but really would recommend 4 days!
There are so many things to do in Vienna, that it definitely deserves quite a few days.
🤔 Is Vienna Worth Visiting?
Vienna is absolutely worth visiting! While the weather might not always be great, and service might not be the best, there are so many great things to do in Vienna. It is rich with history and culture, and it is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe!
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So are you ready to explore all of the fun things to do in Vienna, Austria? We know you'll love this gorgeous city, and are happy to help if you need help organizing your stay.
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