10 Best Things To Do in Vienna

Walking through the center of Vienna is a privilege and its palaces and monuments complete the charm of the Austrian capital. Few cities are as elegant as this one, but Vienna is not only facade: it is history, art, architecture and gastronomy. These are my 10 must-see places in the city.

You've probably heard stories about Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Sissi. Many of them have Schoenbrunn Palace as their main setting, which is located somewhat far from the center of Vienna, but easily accessible from anywhere in the city by public transport.

In addition to taking a guided tour of Schoenbrunn Palace, Austria's most important palace also offers more comprehensive premium experiences to travelers such as:

• Guided tour of Vienna with guided visit to Schönbrunn Palace-from $68
• Concert at Schoenbrunn Palace Vienna -from $61
• Concert at Schoenbrunn Palace Vienna with dinner and visit -from $153

If you are one of those who enjoy taking advantage of the cities with the sunset, include this plan among the best things to do in Vienna at night and discover the spectacular lighting of this and other buildings.

Vienna is a big city and although walking through its streets is a pleasure, if you have little time available and want to see all its corners avoiding walking, I recommend buying a pass for the tourist bus. There are several companies operating in the city, and the two main ones are Big Bus and Vienna Sightseeing.

The Austrian capital has a lot to offer to the traveler, but not only because of its most emblematic sights; also because of its geographical location. Vienna is close to wonderful landscapes and other European cities that can be seen in a day trip and back.

Some of the best tours and excursions from Vienna are:

• Excursion to Wachau, Melk Abbey and Danube valleys-from $117
• Excursion to Budapest-from $144
• Excursion to Bratislava -from $100
• Excursion to Hallstatt-from $149

If you prefer to go on your own to these and other destinations around Vienna, be sure to visit these posts where I tell you the best way to get there:

• How to get from Vienna to Budapest
• How to get from Vienna to Salzburg
• How to get from Vienna to Prague

There are all kinds of guided tours of Vienna; from electric vehicle rides through the city to walking tours where you have a local guide present. Regardless of your budget and your type of travel, there will be a tour tailored to your preferences and taking one is a way to learn more about the city and its way of life.

The variety of options is interesting and you are sure to find one that fits your travel profile, such as:

• Guided tour of Vienna with guided visit to Schonbrunn Palace-from 68
• Private walking tour of Vienna -from $171
• Vienna Bike Tour -from $52
• Private bike tour Vienna -from $194
• Segway tour of Vienna -from $99
• Private car tour of Vienna -from $409

This experience is the next best thing to touring Vienna with a friend who has lived there for years and is fascinated by all the secrets it has to offer.

Schönbrunn Palace is not the only palace you will come across in Vienna. In the heart of the city center is the Hofburg, the residence of most of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty. Today, the architectural ensemble of the palace is the most visited place in the city.

If you want to focus on the essentials, I recommend buying the Hofburg Imperial Palace ticket which includes access to the imperial apartments and the Sissi museum; it is the most worthwhile for those who want to get a general impression of the palace and are not interested in more specialized visits such as the silver museum or the riding school.

It is no secret that Vienna is known to many as the city of music. If you have walked, even briefly, through its streets, you will have already seen that the figure of Mozart rivals that of Empress Sissi in popularity in every souvenir store. That is why the Vienna State Opera is one of the most notable and visited monuments of the Austrian capital.

If you want to attend an opera in Vienna, I recommend two things when buying tickets: look online for the cheapest price offers (because you will find tickets from 5 to 150 euros) and book well in advance because with one or two days in advance it will be very difficult to find a seat.

For lovers of this art, you can't miss the House of Music in Vienna where you can discover in an interactive way historical instruments and personal objects of the great classical composers, among many other things! I explain in this link how to get your tickets.

And if you travel in December to the Austrian capital, one of the best Christmas plans in Vienna is undoubtedly the famous New Year's concert. It is not easy to get tickets to see the great musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, but in case you want to try, I leave you this post about the great musical event of the year in Vienna

The list of palaces to visit in Vienna is considerably long. And the Belvedere Palace is considered a baroque masterpiece that houses the Austrian National Gallery where you can see works such as Klimt's The Kiss. In addition to visiting the interior of the palace, it is essential to take a tour of its French gardens.

Depending on the areas of the complex you want to visit you can buy one or another ticket to the Palace both at the box office and online. Pay attention to what is included in each ticket since many of the areas to visit are in separate pavilions away from the palace.

A must for art lovers. The Habsburgs managed to gather a collection of world-famous masterpieces and they are all collected in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, also known as the Museum of Fine Arts. Caravaggio, Dürer or Brueghel the Elder are some of the protagonists of this museum. If you are going to visit it, pay special attention to its collection of Egyptian Art.

A tip: try to buy your tickets online and in advance to avoid, as far as possible, the long queues that form at the box office. Children under the age of 18 are free. But to understand the incredible collection of this museum I also recommend one of the guided tours, where they will tell you in detail the story behind the main works.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the best museums in Vienna, but not the only one. Tickets to this museum and many more are included in the Vienna Pass.

What is it like to eat in Vienna? Austrian cuisine is characterized by tradition and international openness and is accessible to all budgets. In Vienna you can eat in the typical street sausage stalls (one of the most popular varieties is the Käsekrainer that mixes pork and cheese) and also in the typical Viennese restaurants known as "Beisin" that will serve you traditional dishes.

My advice is to go by the recommendations of the locals, but if you want to play it safe you can order the Wiener Schnitzel**(veal** or porkescalope in batter) or the Tafelspitz (beef stew). If you are curious about Viennese food, don't hesitate to visit the Naschmarkt market, where you can also have access to great tastings.

In any other city, going to the amusement park is usually more of an activity reserved for locals than for those who are visiting the city. There are too many sights to see in a new place to see things you can find anywhere else, so why do I recommend spending a day at Vienna's amusement park? Because the Prater is not just any amusement park.

The Prater is the oldest amusement park in the world, the one with the largest hanging merry-go-round ever built and the largest discotheque in all of Austria. In addition to all this, there are 250 attractions open from March to October. In short, if you like amusement parks, going to the Prater during your visit to the Austrian capital is not a waste of time.

That it is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe is well known to all visitors to Vienna throughout the year. Undoubtedly, choosing this as the European capital for a few days getaway is a good decision.

My recommendation is to plan your trip, make sure you book your airport transfers in Vienna and get a tourist card, the Vienna Pass. Do not miss these tips to travel to Vienna and make the most of the city.

When is the ideal time to visit the Austrian city?

The cold temperatures of autumn and winter in Vienna can not make you avoid traveling to the beautiful city at this time of year, since even the snow has its charm there. On the other hand, spring and summer in this area, which bring you warmer and more pleasant temperatures, will also attract more tourists. To clarify if you still have doubts, take a look at these posts about the best activities according to the season in which you travel:

• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in summer
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in winter
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in Spring
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in autumn

Or maybe you prefer to know the options by month:

• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in January
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in February
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in March
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in August
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in September
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in October
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in November
• 10 things to see and do in Vienna in December

And now that we have the when, let me tell you what is the best travel plan depending on the time you have in Vienna:

• Vienna in 1 day: what not to miss
• Vienna in 2 days: the best itinerary
• Vienna in 3 days: everything you have to see
• Vienna in 4 days: a must-see guide
• Vienna in 5 days: get the most out of your trip