Vienna is located in the heart of Europe and captivates with its impressive buildings and parks, as well as its classic coffee house culture. Vienna is bursting with variety. Whether in terms of architecture, cuisine or action – Vienna has a wide range of activities to offer, depending on the weather and your interests. It is not for nothing that the Austrian capital has been crowned the most liveable city in the world several times. Discover and experience Vienna!
Discover and experience Vienna
To provide a better overview of the numerous activities, these are divided into the categories of breathtaking buildings & parks, art & other museums, culinary delights, coffee house culture, adventure and shopping.
STUNNING BUILDINGS AND PARKS
If there is one thing Vienna definitely has, it is a multitude of magnificent buildings and parks. A walk or drive along the Ringstrasse is particularly worthwhile, as here you will find one impressive building after another. The Ringstrasse encircles the historic city center, so to speak, and allows you to see the Parliament, the University, the City Hall and the Volksgarten.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
The cathedral and its Pummerin are Vienna’s most famous landmark and are also a symbol of Austrian reconstruction after the Second World War. The Romanesque church of St. Stephen was consecrated in 1147. During the Second World War, a fire reduced the cathedral to rubble, but just seven years later St. Stephen’s Cathedral was reopened thanks to the help of the citizens. With a weight of 21,383 kg, the Pummerin is the largest and heaviest bell in Austria and rings on special occasions.
Hofburg Palace in Vienna
In earlier times, the Hofburg was the heart of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Today it is the official residence of the Austrian president and home to many museums and attractions. In the Hofburg, for example, you can learn more about the life of Empress Elisabeth in the Sisi Museum, admire the State Hall of the Austrian National Library or visit the Spanish Riding School.
Parliament
One of the most important buildings on Vienna’s Ringstrasse is the Austrian Parliament. It was built according to the plans of architect Theophil Hansen in the Greco-Roman style from 1874 to 1883. A tour of the 151 meter long and 132 meter wide building is definitely worthwhile, also to learn more about Austrian politics.
Vienna City Hall
The City Hall is a must-see when visiting Vienna. Various events take place on the square in front of City Hall almost all year round. Highlights include the Christmas market and the Vienna Ice Dream.
State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is a world-renowned opera house. With almost 2,000 seats and around 500 standing places, you can attend opera performances, ballet evenings and concerts every evening. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is world-famous and is made up exclusively of members of the State Opera Orchestra. Celebrities from all over the world are welcomed at the Vienna Opera Ball, which takes place every year on the last Thursday of Carnival.
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater creates a symbiosis of tradition, diversity and progress and is also Austria’s most important theater stage and the largest spoken theater in Europe. The theater, where plays are performed almost daily, also offers visitors a look behind the scenes.
Volksgarten
The Volksgarten is freely accessible, lovingly planned and very centrally located next to the Hofburg building. The blooming rose garden and the fountains promise a romantic backdrop and invite you to take a walk and a short break.
Castle garden
The castle garden was laid out in 1818 as the emperor’s private garden. The garden borders the Ringstrasse at the front and the Albertina at the back and covers an area of 38,000 m². The palm house in the Burggarten is also famous.
Volksoper – the second largest opera house in Vienna
If you would like to see an operetta, opera, musical or ballet, the Volksoper is the right place for you. The opera has been offering sophisticated musical entertainment for 120 years.
Maria Theresien Platz
The square is located directly on the Ringstrasse between the Natural History and Art History Museums. In the middle of the square is a monument to Maria Theresa, which was ceremoniously unveiled in 1888 in the presence of Empress Elisabeth.
St. Charles Church
The Karlskirche is a striking sacred building with a mighty dome. The last great work of the baroque star architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach can be visited. Church concerts are also regularly held here.
Schönbrunn Palace including palace park & Gloriette
Schönbrunn Palace is definitely one of the most popular tourist destinations. The history of the palace begins with a hunting lodge from the 17th century. This became the largest palace in Austria. The palace was shaped by the building activities of Empress Maria Theresa in the 18th century. At this time, a number of famous sights were built in the huge palace park, including the Gloriette and the Neptune Fountain.
Belvedere Palace
Belvedere Palace is divided into the Upper and Lower Belvedere. Both buildings were commissioned by Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 18th century. The palace and gardens were built in the Baroque style. The Upper Belvedere houses a permanent exhibition of predominantly Austrian works of art, while the Lower Belvedere houses temporary exhibitions of mostly Austrian works of art. There is a large garden between the two buildings.
Hundertwasser House
The Hundertwasserhaus was built according to the vision of Friedensreich Hundertwasser without standards, specifications and straight lines. Everyone should have the option of creating a little paradise on earth. The house is located on the corner of Löwengasse and Kegelgasse.
Anchor clock
The Anchor Clock is located in the northern part of the city center on Hoher Markt square.
Danube Tower
Like St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Danube Tower is a Viennese landmark and a technical masterpiece. The tower includes a restaurant that invites you to linger. The restaurant rotates and you can enjoy a 360° panoramic view from a height of 170 meters.
St. Peter’s Church
St. Peter’s Church is a Catholic church in the first district, which can be seen from the Graben.
National Library
The National Library is a popular meeting place for researchers and students. With more than 12.5 million books and objects, it is the largest library in Austria.
Imperial Crypt
The Imperial Crypt, also known as the Capuchin Crypt, is located after the Augustinian Church. Here 146 aristocrats, emperors, empresses and queens are buried in lead-tin sarcophagi.
City Park
With an area of around 65,000 m², Stadtpark Vienna has been the largest park in the city center since 1862. The green space is popular with tourists and locals alike.
KUNSTMUSEUM and OTHER MUSEUMS
In addition to the countless famous buildings, the Austrian capital is also known for its art. For example, a number of Klimt paintings can be found in Vienna. All those who enjoy visiting museums but are not art lovers will also get their money’s worth, for example at the Sigmund Freud Museum.
Belvedere Museum
Anyone who has always wanted to see Klimt’s famous “Kiss Painting” in the original will love the museum in the Upper Belvedere. There are many more works to admire in this historic building.
Museum of Natural History and Art History
The Natural History Museum is one of the most important natural history museums in the world. It is home to unique exhibits such as the 29,500-year-old Venus of Willendorf and huge dinosaur skeletons. The Kunsthistorisches Museum was built for the extensive collections of the imperial family and today houses the most important art collections in the world. The two museums are separated by Maria Theresien Platz.
Sigmund Freud Museum
The founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, worked and lived at Berggasse 19 until 1938, when he was forced to flee to England due to Nazi persecution. In the museum, visitors can examine Freud’s archive and learn more about his most fascinating patients. The museum also provides an insight into intellectual life in Vienna at the time.
Jewish Museum
To ensure that the history of the Holocaust is not repeated, it is important to remember it. The world’s oldest Jewish museum was founded in 1895 and was closed and looted by the Nazis in 1938. Some objects have disappeared to this day. The museum is definitely worth a visit.
Museum Quarter
The Museumsquartier is home to the Leopold Museum. Here you will find a number of Schiele paintings as well as works by Gustav Klimt and Oskar Kokoschka. Those who are more interested in modern art will love the MUMOK. A collection of modern art can be admired here, including works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
CULINARY HOTSPOTS
All that exploring makes you hungry. To satisfy your hunger, there are a number of restaurants serving everything from classic Austrian delicacies to international cuisine.
Naschmarkt
The Naschmarkt is best described as a place where you can sample Austrian cuisine, but international dishes can also be found there – a must on any visit to Vienna.
Award-winning restaurants
Restaurants that have been awarded stars, toques or forks etc. can also be found in Vienna.
Vegan food – vegan ice cream
Regardless of whether you eat vegan or meat-based food, it is worth visiting restaurants with vegan food. There are also ice cream parlors in Vienna that offer exclusively vegan ice cream varieties, from chocolate and cookies to unusual flavors such as basil.
Cobenzl winery – wine tasting
There are around 700 hectares within Vienna that are used to grow grapes for wine production. Various delicious types of wine can be tasted at the Cobenzl winery, for example, as part of a wine tour.
COFFEE HOUSE CULTURE
Coffee house culture belongs to Vienna like pizza belongs to Italy. Apart from the excellent coffee, the most famous cake is probably the Sachertorte. The chocolate-covered pastry is coated with apricot jam and chocolate icing, but the exact recipe is a secret. You can try this cake at the Hotel Sacher, among other places.
Café Demel
The café was founded in 1786 and can therefore look back on centuries of history. A typical Viennese café is not just seen as a simple café, but as an extended living room for the Viennese.
Café Central
Café Central is one of the most venerable cafés in Vienna. It was opened in 1876 and has always been a favorite place for locals. Freud and Trotsky both enjoyed their coffee here. Waiting in line at the entrance can be a bit tedious, but as soon as you see the interior with its domed ceilings, everything else is forgotten.
Café Fürth
The café in the seventh district invites you to taste coffee and relax. The small coffee house also offers sweet snacks and cold drinks
Experience and discover Vienna – ERLEBNISSE WIEN
The Austrian capital also has a lot to offer for all those who like to experience a lot.
Prater including the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel
The Prater is an amusement park in the middle of the city. Probably the most famous attraction in the Prater is the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, which can be seen from afar. The Giant Ferris Wheel was built in 1897. A ride on one of the gondolas takes you back in time and from the top you have a great view over the whole city.
Schönbrunn Zoo
The zoo was founded in 1752 and can therefore call itself the oldest zoo still in existence in the world. However, this in no way means that Vienna Zoo is old-fashioned. Quite the opposite – it is characterized by species-appropriate animal husbandry according to the latest findings. More than 700 animal species are kept on around 17 hectares, from tigers and penguins to elephants.
Spanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School is the oldest riding school in the world. The famous Lipizzaner performances are the result of many years of training and enchant young and old alike.
Musicals at the Raimund Theater & Ronacher
The Vereinigte Bühnen Wien regularly presents musicals in both theaters.
Palm House
The Palmenhaus is in a particularly central location. The glass house is located on the edge of the Burggarten in the 1st district. Here you can marvel at particularly tall palm trees from all over the world and when you get hungry you can satisfy your hunger in the included restaurant. The restaurant and bar serve Austrian specialties, such as Wiener Schnitzel, as well as Mediterranean snacks and cocktails. Right next door, you can admire the variety of butterflies in the butterfly house.
Amalienbad
Those looking to cool off in summer will find what they are looking for at the Amalienbad. Impressive pools are available here.
Vienna Woods – recreation area
The Vienna Woods border directly on Vienna and ensure good air quality in the city. An excursion here is worthwhile, as there are numerous hiking trails near Vienna. City hiking trails also lead into the Vienna Woods, as do the Wienerwald lookout points and the Wienerwaldsee lake.
SHOPPING – Shopping Streets and Shopping Centers
Vienna offers a variety of shopping opportunities, which are briefly presented below.
Graben
Vienna’s Graben is home to exclusive, traditional shops that were once considered “purveyors to the emperor’s court.” It’s worth browsing in the vibrant pedestrian zone. Here, you’ll find Julius Meinl, an exquisite gourmet supermarket. Shopping here becomes an experience and is also ideal for picking up edible souvenirs.
Kärntnerstraße
In Roman times, Kärntnerstraße was a central connection between the city center and the city walls. In 1974, the shopping street was converted into a pedestrian zone. This makes it a popular shopping destination for both Viennese residents and tourists.
Neubau District
One of Vienna’s hippest areas is the seventh district. This area is home to numerous boutiques, bars, and restaurants, as well as countless shops.
