Ultimate First-Time Vienna Itinerary (+ Map 2023)

A complete Vienna itinerary for first-timers (+ a map, the best day trips and how to save more than €60 with Vienna Pass).

Vienna (Wien) is the capital of Austria and its largest city. Once home to the powerful Habsburg monarchy, the city still preserves its imperial grandeur. Splendour Baroque architecture, imperial palaces and lavish coffee houses, the capital of Austria has it all!

Vienna is also known as a City of Music. Many famous musicians and composers lived and worked here (for example Strauss, Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart and Brahms).

The perfect Vienna itinerary

This Vienna itinerary for three days is perfect for you if you are visiting the city for the first time. It covers all the places you must see.

If you want to try some of the restaurants from the itinerary for dinner, better make a reservation or go for an early dinner.

My favourite place to stay in Vienna: Hotel Kaiserhof Wien
Why: perfect location, walking distance to all must-see attractions and a metro stop
What I like: amazing breakfast, great Spa with Finnish sauna and steam bath

Already have a hotel booked? See whether your hotel is in a good area in my guide to Where to stay in Vienna.

At the end of the article, you can find a map of this Vienna itinerary (with all attractions and restaurants’ websites).


The perfect Vienna itinerary (for first-timers)

  • Day 1: St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Plague Column, St. Peter’s Church, Imperial Palace, Parliament Building, Vienna Rathaus, Giant Ferris Wheel

  • Day 2: Spanish Riding School, Burggarten, Vienna State Opera, St. Charles’s Church, Soviet War Memorial, Belvedere Palace

  • Day 3: Schönbrunn Palace, Danube Tower


Book tours or skip-the-line tickets with GetYourGuide or Tiqets (you get a mobile ticket + free cancellation). Tickets from attractions’ official websites are mostly non-refundable.

For my trip to Vienna, I used the Vienna DK Eyewitness Travel Guide. I love their travel guides, as they have practical information, walking tours and a durable map!

Vienna itinerary – Day 1

Morning

Have breakfast at Le Bol

08:30 AM – 09:30 AM
Start the day with a breakfast at Le Bol or L. Heiner.

L. Heiner has the typical atmosphere of a Viennese café. Take a cup of coffee and a delicious piece of cake to sweeten your day.

Le Bol is a French café and it is a great place if you want something substantial for breakfast. Their Croque-monsieur is mouth-watering.

Le Bol

See the iconic St. Stephen’s Cathedral

09:30 AM – 11:30 AM
The Gothic cathedral, Stephansdom, is one of the most famous sites in the city. The entrance is free, but there are areas within the church that you have to pay for.

You can book an all-inclusive ticket for Stephansdom, that covers the Treasury, the South Tower and a guided tour of the cathedral and the Dom museum.

The Treasury is worth it unless you are also planning to see the Imperial treasury in Hofburg. In this case, choose one of them.

The catacombs can be visited only with a guide (see more info here).

You’ll need about 2 hours to explore all areas of the cathedral (including the paid ones). The free visit takes no longer than 30min.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Admire the Plague Column

11:45 AM – 12:00 PM
The Plague Column (Pestsäule) is erected to celebrate the end of the Great Plague epidemic in 1679. The column is right in the centre of the most famous shopping street in the city – Graben.

Plague Column

Visit St. Peter’s Church

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche) is easy to miss, but don’t! Although this Baroque Roman Catholic church is small, it is a real gem inside.

It’s possible to attend a classical music concert at St. Peter’s Church (see details and available dates).

St. Peter’s Church

Have lunch at Trześniewski 

12:30 PM – 02:30 PM
For lunch stop at Trześniewski or Hopferl. Trześniewski offers delicious little sandwiches. You can choose from many variations. They go along great with a cold beer.

Trześniewski

Hopferl is a traditional Austrian pub and it is a nice option for a longer lunch.

Afternoon

Explore the Imperial Palace

02:30 PM – 04:30 PM
Hofburg is the former Imperial Palace. It houses three museums: the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum and the Silver Collection. Buying a ticket for Hofburg allows you to enter all of them.

To save money and skip all the lines, consider buying Vienna Pass (free admission to over 60 attractions, including a boat cruise and a walking tour).

Hofburg

Continue your walk through the imperial Wien with a visit to the Imperial Treasury. It is a stunning museum and a must even for a limited time. Here you can see one of the largest emeralds in the world. You need to buy a separate ticket for the Imperial Treasury (it’s not included in the ticket for Hofburg palace).

Austrian Parliament Building

04:45 PM – 05:00 PM
You can’t pass without noticing this beautiful white building in a Greek style. Since the 19th century, this is the place where the Austrian parliament conducts its sessions.

Austrian Parliament Building

Be amazed by Rathaus

05:00 PM – 05:15 PM
Rathaus is the City Hall. The word “Rat” in German means council. The Neo-Gothic building of the Rathaus is outstanding, especially at night. If you have a chance to take a look at it in the evening, do it!

Rathaus

Prater and Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel

05:45 PM – 07:00 PM
No visit to Wien is complete without a ride on the Giant Ferris wheel. The 64.75-metre (212 ft) tall Ferris Wheel does only one slow turn (a 20min ride).

To avoid waiting in line, book your ticket to the Giant Ferris wheel in advance.

This attraction is in the Prater, a huge amusement park. If you are not into such parks, you can skip it. Just go for the Ferris Wheel.

To get there take metro line U2 (Direction Seestadt): from station Rathaus to Praterstern Bf – 4 stop.

Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel

Dinner

For dinner, I suggest you take the metro back to the city centre instead of looking for a place to eat around the Prater. There are two great places to dine close to St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

If you love spare ribs, go to Ribs of Vienna. They offer more than 20 variations of ribs.

Ribs of Vienna

If you prefer a traditional Austrian restaurant, try Gasthaus Pöschl.

Gasthaus Pöschl

More ideas for your Vienna itinerary – Day 1

If you have more time check out these attractions, too. They are close to the sites from the first day, so you can easily add any of them to your Vienna itinerary (if you are ahead with time).

Learn more about Mozart’s life

Mozarthaus is the only remaining home in the city of the famous composer Mozart. He lived here from 1784 to 1787. Discover the musical side of Wien by visiting Mozart’s former apartment (book your ticket here).

Watch the clock show at Anchor Clock

Ankeruhr Clock is a famous clock in Art Nouveau style. At every hour the clock shows some historical figures and at noon all of them parade. If you want to see the show at 12:00 PM, go 15 minutes early as there is usually a big crowd.

Anchor Clock

Clock Museum

I found the Uhrenmuseum fascinating. It houses about 700 clocks from around the world, some of which date even to the 15th century.

Clock Museum

Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial

Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial is a moving memorial in the heart of the Jewish quarter. It commemorates the Austrian victims of the Holocaust. It’s also known as the Nameless Library. This concrete library is filled with books put backwards on the shelves.

To learn more about what happened to the Jewish community in Wien during WWII, take a historical walking tour.

Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial

Visit the cat café Neko

Tucked away in some side streets, this cat cafe is a must for every cat lover. It’s not fancy, has no entrance fee and five lovely cats are there to welcome you. Go early on weekdays for fewer crowds.

Café Neko

Votive Church

If you take a walk along Ringstraße a beautiful sandstone church in neo-Gothic style will come in your sight. The history of Votive Church (Votivkirche) began with a failed assassination attempt. In 1853 during one of his regular walks around the city, Emperor Franz Joseph was attacked from behind.

He was stabbed in the collar with a knife by the Hungarian nationalist János Libényi. The attack was unsuccessful. Although the emperor was heavily wounded, his life was out of danger. János Libényi was arrested for an attempted regicide and later he was executed.

The emperor’s brother, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, decided to build a church in gratitude to God for the salvation of the emperor. Maximilian asked the people for donations and after a year the needed amount was gathered.

The name of the church Votive Church (Votivkirche) derives from the fact that it is built entirely by donations (votive offerings).

Votive Church

Vienna itinerary – Day 2

Morning

Have breakfast at Joseph Brot

08:30 AM – 09:30 AM
Start the second day of the Vienna itinerary for 3 days with breakfast at Joseph Brot. A great bakery for pastries, coffee and of course Eggs Benedict.

Spanish Riding School

09:30 AM – 11:30 AM
The Spanish Riding School is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses with a history of more than 450 years. You can attend a morning exercise of the school and see the beautiful and lively Lipizzan horses in action.

The Spanish Riding School Training is one of the most popular activities in Vienna, so book your tickets in advance here.

The performances take place at the Winter Riding School (Winterreitschule) in Hofburg.

To look behind the scenes, take a Spanish Riding School Guided Tour. You’ll learn about the lives of the horses and even see them in their stables.

Burggarten and Mozart Statue

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Take a rest in the Burggarten and see the famous Mozart Statue that is created in 1896.

Mozart Statue

Wien State Opera

12:15 PM – 12:30 PM
Pass along the beautiful 19th-century-old building of the Wien State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper).

Vienna State Opera

Lunch

12:30 PM – 02:30 PM
Choose between Café Museum and Phil. Café Museum is a traditional Viennese café where you can order a lunch beside the usual cakes and coffee. Or you can eat a few pieces of cake instead of lunch as I did. Phil combines a regular coffee shop with a bookstore.

Afternoon

Visit St. Charles’s Church

02:30 PM – 03:00 PM
St. Charles’s Church (Karlskirche) is an outstanding Baroque church from the 18th century. There is a fee to visit the church, but the entrance ticket also includes the elevator to the dome.

It’s possible to attend a classical music concert at St. Charles’s Church (see details and available dates).

St. Charles’s Church

Schwarzenbergplatz and Soviet War Memorial

03:15 PM – 03:30 PM
The memorial is built to commemorate the Soviet soldiers who fell in the Battle of Vienna in World War II.

Soviet War Memorial

Tour the royal Belvedere Palace

03:45 PM – 05:30 PM
Belvedere Schloss used to be the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. The Palace is housed in two buildings separated by a huge park.

The Upper Belvedere houses the world’s largest collection of Gustav Klimt’s paintings. Here you can see his iconic masterpiece the Kiss (Lovers).

The Lower Belvedere houses temporary exhibitions, but it’s worth visiting because of the few restored rooms. So if you want to find out how the palace looked back in its glorious days, don’t miss the Lower Belvedere.

You can visit each of the buildings with a separate ticket. Book your ticket to Belvedere here.

Belvedere Palace

Taste some Viennese food

Finish the day with dinner at Wiener Wiazhaus or Salm Bräu.

Salm Bräu is a few centuries old brewery. It is worth visiting for the beer.

Salm Bräu

However, I love the food in Wiener Wiazhaus more.

Wiener Wiazhaus

More ideas for your Vienna itinerary – Day 2

Natural History Museum and Kunsthistorisches Museum

These identical buildings from the 19th-century house the Habsburgs’ collections.

If you are into art and history, Kunsthistorisches Museum is the better choice. I found their Egyptian and art collections fascinating. You can buy a combo ticket for the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Imperial Treasury and save some money.

On the other hand, the Natural History Museum houses the unique 29,500-year-old statue of Venus of Willendorf and enormous dinosaur skeletons. It’s a really tough choice if you’re short on time.

Natural History Museum

Admire the art at Albertina

Albertina served as a residence of Habsburgs for more than 100 years. Nowadays it’s a must-see art museum. You can admire exhibitions of French and German expressionism, Russian avant-garde and many more. The museum also houses one of the largest graphical collections in the world.

Tour the sumptuous staterooms and see some incredible art. Get your fast-track ticket to Albertina here.

Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library is a must-see for every book lover. Its lavishing interior is something not to be missed. You can visit the State Hall, Literature Museum, Globe Papyrus and Esperanto museum. Keep in mind that State Hall is located separately from the other museums.

Austrian National Library

Imperial Crypt

The Imperial Crypt lies beneath the plain-looking Capuchin Church. It’s the final resting place of the Habsburg dynasty. About 150 Habsburgs are laid to rest here, among them are 12 emperors and 18 empresses. You can tour the crypt on your own.

Imperial Crypt

St. Michael’s Church

Michaelerkirche is one of the oldest churches in the city. The church is mostly known for its crypt. Around 4,000 bodies are buried in the crypt from 1631 to 1784. Due to specific climatic conditions, the corpses are well preserved. The crypt can be visited only on a guided tour. It takes place from Thursday to Saturday at 11:00 AM and 01:00 PM in front of the church.

To explore the city’s dark side, check out my dark tourism Vienna guide. It will show you the creepiest places to visit (including weird museums and cemeteries).

Explore the food market, Naschmarkt

Naschmarkt is the best-known market in the city since the 16th century. The market has about 120 stands and restaurants, that ensure you a colourful culinary experience.

To learn more about Naschmarkt and try delicious delicacies, take a gourmet food tour.

Vienna itinerary – Day 3

Morning

Have breakfast at Waldemar Tagesbar

08:30 AM – 09:30 AM
Start the last day of the 3 perfect days in Vienna itinerary with breakfast at Waldemar Tagesbar.

Explore the royal Schönbrunn Palace

09:30 AM – 01:30 PM

Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) is the former imperial summer residence of the Habsburgs. It has over 1400 rooms! The rooms in the palace are well preserved and you can see only 40 of them. There are different kinds of tickets for Schönbrunn Palace.

To get to Schönbrunn Palace take metro line U4 from Karlsplatz or Schwedenplatz to Schönbrunn metro station.

Schönbrunn Palace

The gardens are huge, so be prepared for a long walk.

Schönbrunn Palace Gardens

There a lot of fearless squirrels you can feed with nuts. I don’t go there without a package of walnuts in my pocket.

A hungry squirrel

The most interesting sites in the gardens are Gloriette, the Maze and the Palmenhaus. For all of them, you will need a ticket.

Gloriette

At the entrance of the palace, there is an Imperial Carriage Museum (Kaiserliche Wagenburg).

Imperial Carriage Museum

As you see there are a lot of options to choose from and you will have to make a choice. If you want to see all of this you will need a full day, not only the morning. It is up to you.

Also, you can attend an Apple Strudel Show. You’ll see how the original Viennese apple strudel is made. Also, a tasty warm piece of strudel will wait for you at the end of the show.

Don’t forget to book your Apple Strudel Show ticket in advance.

Where: Schönbrunn Palace’s Café Residenz
When: Daily 11:00 AM – 04:00 PM at the top of the hour
Duration: 15-20 min

Apple Strudel Show

Lunch

01:30 PM – 02:30 PM
Have lunch at Café Restaurant Residenz or Landtmann’s Jausen Station. Both of them are located on the grounds of the palace.

Afternoon

Zoo or Danube Tower

02:30 PM – 06:00 PM
If you are done with the palace and the gardens you have two options for the afternoon. You can visit the amazing zoo in the garden of the palace or the Danube Tower.

Zoo

The Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) is the oldest one in the world and it is huge. It takes hours to see it all. You need an additional ticket for the Zoo unless you choose a Schönbrunn Pass that includes an entrance to the zoo.

If you stick with this option you can have dinner at Brandauers Schlossbräu or Plachutta. Brandauers Schlossbräu is a typical Austrian pub, while Plachutta is a little more formal.

Brandauers Schlossbräu
Brandauers Schlossbräu

Danube Tower

The tower (Donauturm) is far away from the palace and you have to use public transport.

Take metro line U4 (Direction Heiligenstadt): from station Schönbrunn to Schwedenplatz – 9 stops. Then change to metro line U1 (Direction Leopoldau): from station Schwedenplatz to Kaisermühlen – 5 stops. From there you have to walk about 1,5km to reach the Danube Tower.

A huge calm park surrounds the tower. From the top of the 252 metres (827 ft), you can enjoy spectacular views. Book your skip the line ticket for Danube Tower here.

Vienna Danube Tower

Dinner

For dinner return to the city centre and try Gasthaus Pfudl or Restaurant Pürstner. Both of them serve delicious Austrian food.

Gasthaus Pfudl
Gasthaus Pfudl
Restaurant Pürstner
Restaurant Pürstner

Mozart and Strauss Concert

Finish the day with the magical works of Mozart and Strauss. Attend a concert of Wien Mozart Orchestra in period costumes at the Golden Hall (it’s the most famous concert).

More ideas for your Vienna itinerary – Day 3

Museum of Technology

This is one of the best technology museums I’ve ever been to. It’s very interactive and it’s huge. The museum is close to Schönbrunn Palace, so you can combine it with a visit to the palace.

Museum of Technology

St. Francis of Assisi Church

The church is built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. It’s very different from the other churches in the city, it resembles a small castle. The church is located a bit out of the city centre. Yet you can easily reach it from the metro, getting off at Vorgartenstraße station.

St. Francis of Assisi Church

Hundertwasser House

Hundertwasser House (Hundertwasserhaus) is a colourful and extraordinary house. It’s designed by the famous architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The house can’t be visited, but you can tour Kunst Haus Wien. It is also designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Hundertwasser House

Must buy tickets in advance

Schönbrunn Palace – it’s one of the most popular attractions with long queues. Buy your tickets in advance from the official website or use Vienna Pass to skip the line.

Spanish Riding School – one of the most popular activities in Vienna, so book tickets in advance here.

Giant Ferris Wheel – if you don’t have a Wien Pass, book tickets ahead to avoid waiting in line.

Attend a classical music concert – tickets for the most popular concerts sell out fast, so book as early as you can (see all concerts here).

How to save money on your Vienna itinerary

The Wien Pass is a great way to save money from entrance fees. Find out more details in this Vienna Pass review.

The pass includes:

  • free admission to over 60 attractions
  • fast-track entry at many sites
  • unlimited rides on the hop-on-hop-off buses
  • boat cruise along the Danube Canal
  • guided walking tour
  • guidebook

By using Wien Pass (€149 for 3 days) you will save €61.

  • sightseeing – €135 (all sites from the itinerary except Karlskirche)
  • hop-on hop-off buses – €36
  • boat cruise – €24
  • walking tour – €15

Total without the card – €210
If you use the card – €149

Total savings – €61


Getting around in Vienna

Find a detailed map of the itinerary here.

Wien has a well-developed public transport network. You can get to every part of the city in no time. In most cases, you’ll need to use the metro only to go to Schönbrunn Palace or Danube Tower. Otherwise, the city can be explored easily on foot. There are different types of tickets.

During my trip, I mostly used the Weekly Pass (Wochenkarte). It’s a great option for a longer stay within a week. This ticket is valid from Monday 12:00 AM until next Monday 09:00 AM. To reach the airport by the S-Bahn (if you have the weekly pass), you’ll need only a supplementary ticket for Vienna outer zone (Aussenzonen).

Another option is the hop-on-hop-off bus. It’s a great and easy way to tour the city.

Also, you can take a ride on the famous Vienna Ring Tram. This tram is the only one that completes an entire round of the Ringstrasse boulevard.

How to get to Vienna

By train

Vienna is easily accessible by train from any major European city. The Central train station is about 2km away from the Historic centre (you can easily reach it by metro). Check timetables and book tickets online at ÖBB official site.

By car

If you’re arriving by car, it’s best to choose accommodation with available parking. Find more information about parking in Vienna.

To get the best car rental rate, take a look at Rentalcars (they compare deals from all major companies, giving you the best price).
By air

Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien-Schwechat) is located about 20km outside the city. There are several ways to get to the city centre from there:

Day trips from Vienna

Wachau Valley and Melk Abbey

A trip to the magnificent Melk Abbey is one of the most popular excursions from Vienna. Leopold II, Margrave of Austria founded the abbey in 1089. Soon it became famous for its extensive manuscript collection. Today, the abbey is a stunning example of Baroque architecture.

During the winter you can visit the abbey only with a guided tour.

How to get to Melk Abbey

  • organized tour – this Wachau Valley tour is one of the most booked day tours. It combines a visit to the medieval Melk Abbey with a boat cruise on the Danube River.
  • by train – take a regional train from Wien Westbahnhof to Melk Bahnhof (1-hour journey). From there it’s about 800m to the abbey.

Bratislava

Bratislava

Bratislava, the charming capital of Slovakia, is one of the most popular places to visit near Vienna. It’s a vibrant city with a unique mixture of 18th-century buildings and Soviet-era architecture. An impressive castle, quirky statues and a modern UFO tower add a little bit of atmosphere to the city.

Find out how to see everything in just one day with this Bratislava itinerary

How to get to Bratislava

  • by bus – it’s the cheapest option (3 times cheaper than the train, 1h journey). Take FlixBus from the Erdberg bus terminal (the FlixBus station is right next to the metro station Erdberg).
  • by train – take a train from Wien Hbf to Bratislava hl.st. (1h journey). From there it’s about 1.5km to the Old Town.
  • by water – take the Twin City Liner boat (1h 15min journey).

Salzburg

Salzburg Located at the heart of the Alps, this picturesque city is a true Baroque gem. It’s also the birthplace of the world-famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Highlights of Salzburg include the Cathedral, Mirabell Palace, Hohensalzburg Castle and Mozart Museum.

You’d better spend at least 2 days here and explore the city at your own pace. See the best hotels to stay in Salzburg.

The easiest way to get from Vienna to Salzburg is by train (2h 30min journey). Check timetables at ÖBB official site.

Budapest

Budapest

Budapest is known as Paris of the East. And there is a reason why. It’s an outstandingly picturesque city due to its architecture spanning from Baroque to Art Nouveau style. Some of the top attractions are Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Hungarian Parliament Building and St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Find out the must-see sites in this Budapest itinerary. It’s better to add an overnight stay for this destination.

How to get to Budapest

  • by bus – the cheapest option. Take FlixBus from Erdberg bus terminal (about 3h journey).
  • by train – take a train from Wien Hbf to Budapest-Keleti train station. (2h 40min journey).

Prague

A colourful city with medieval charm. Prague is located about 4 hours away by train or car. Thus you’d better add it as a next stop in your itinerary, not a day trip. For more information check out my complete itinerary for 3 days in Prague

How to get to Prague

  • by bus – the cheapest option. Take FlixBus from Erdberg bus terminal (about 4h journey).
  • by train – take a train from Wien Hbf to Praha hl.n. (4h journey).

How many days in Vienna

Are 3 days in Vienna enough?

3 days (or 3 nights in Vienna) is the perfect amount of time. You’ll need 2 days to explore the main attractions in the Historic Old Town and 1 full day for Schönbrunn Palace.

I hope that my suggested itinerary for Vienna will be helpful for you.

2 or 3 days in Vienna?

The Historic Centre is walkable and you can tour it in one day. However to visit the Imperial Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Spanish Riding School and Belvedere Palace you’ll need one more day. So, 2 days in Vienna are enough to visit almost all popular attractions (without Schönbrunn Palace).

Regarding the Schönbrunn Palace, it’s located out of the city centre (a 30min journey from the city centre). You’ll need at least half a day to explore the palace and its gardens. In addition, there is a lovely zoo. Thus, if you want to see everything you’ll need one whole day.

What if I don’t have 3 full days in Vienna?

If you have less than 3 days, skip the last day of the itinerary that includes Schönbrunn Palace, Zoo and Danube Tower. They are all located a bit far from the city centre and you’ll lose time in transportation. All other attractions are within walking distance from each other.

Best time to visit Vienna

For sunny weather, visit the city from May to September. The high season starts in June and ends in August. If you want to avoid the crowds, visit the city in late spring or early autumn.

Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert takes place every summer in May-June in the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace. It’s a spectacular event, not to be missed.

In September-October, the famous Wiener Wiesn-Fest takes places. This is the Viennese version of Oktoberfest.

Winters are freezingly cold and windy. Nevertheless, December is a great time to visit Vienna because of the Christmas markets. Find out which is the best Christmas market in Vienna.

Practical information about Vienna

Visas

Austria is a part of the Schengen Agreement (the European border-free area). So you don’t need an Austrian visa, but rather a Schengen visa. If your country is part of the Schengen Agreement, you’ll need only a valid passport or ID card.

Money

The official currency of Austria is Euro. The most popular credit cards are Visa and Mastercard and they are accepted in many places. However many of the restaurants or even supermarkets accept payments only in cash. Also, American Express is not popular and accepted in only a few places.

Language

Austria is a German-speaking country. However, most people speak good English, too. If you want to learn some German, check out this German phrasebook (it’s one of the best rated).

Travel adapters

Austria operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. The associated plug type is F.
If you’re from the US, this is the only travel adaptor that you’ll need.
If you’re from the UK, this is the best-rated travel adaptor.


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About the author

AvatarMilena Yordanova
I’m a full-time travel blogger based in Sofia, Bulgaria. I love to travel and to discover new places, cultures and food. I’m an expert in travel planning and I am here to help you plan your dream vacation.

18 Comments

  1. Thanks a lot for this itinerary. I just came yesterday from Vienna where i spent 3 days and followed your itinerary. It was very usefull and it really covers all the most important sightseeing spots. For the Schönbrunn Palace, i recommemd everyone to buy tickets online as the line can be very long. Thanks again.

  2. hi. Very informative and well written.
    We are planning a 3 day trip to Vienna as a part of 16 days Central Europe vacation in July 2017. We are travelling with a 2 year old. Will it be feasible to do a day trip to Salzburg from Vienna? Can we do the important tourist attractions in Vienna in 1.5 day? Also which area should we stay in Vienna? We just want hotel to be well connected to the main tourist spots.

    Thanks
    Sharvani

    • Hi Sharvani,

      Salzburg is a 2:30 hours journey by train (3 hours journey with a car) from Vienna. So you’d spend at least 5 hours of the day in travelling. Keeping in mind that you are travelling with a little kid, better spend a night in Salzburg or choose another city for a day trip. Bratislava is a good option. It’s one hour journey with a train.

      If you’re not into museums you can do the most important attractions in Vienna in 1.5 day. However, if you want to visit Schonbrunn, spare a little more time. There is a great zoo, besides the huge gardens and the palace. It all depends on your interests.

      If you plan to go back to the hotel for some rest during the day, the best choice to stay is in the Historic Centre. Yet, Vienna has a well-connected public transport, so you can easily reach every part of the city.

      Have a great time in Vienna!

  3. Hi Milena:

    Thank you so much for this detailed information. I have a few questions I would appreciate your input!

    1) Do you recommend any passes for transportation? I see the Vienna pass is for admission to places AND includes the hop on and hop off.

    Is the hop on and hop off to any of the places listed on the Vienna pass or should I get a local city bus pass for the 8 days I am there? Day 1 is arrival from the airport and day 8 is departure.

    2) Is there a separate pass or ticket I should buy for getting from the airport to the city?

    3) I am considering a few stays that are in:
    -Hietzing
    -Donaustadt
    -Penzing

    Do you know which district is closest to the main landmarks or is most convenient on the transit route (minimal transfer, shorter ride)?

    4) Are there any other cities (or perhaps countries?) that you recommend going to in addition to Vienna? I’m thinking staying around 4 days in Vienna and then I would have about 3 days for another place. Not sure if I should go somewhere else close by in Europe or explore another city in Austria.

    Thanks very much in advance, Bonnie

    • Hi Bonnie,

      1) If you stay in the Innere Stadt, you’ll be able to walk pretty much everywhere (except to Schönbrunn Palace). If not – the hop-on hop-off bus will take you to the most popular attractions, including Schönbrunn Palace. I can’t say for all the 60 attractions, covered by the pass, but the bus will take you to the most popular ones.

      There are weekly passes (as well as tickets for 24, 48 or 72 hours) for public transport. It depends on your itinerary if you’ll need to use any of these besides the hop-on hop-off bus. For more details and links see part Getting around in Vienna from this itinerary.

      2 – This depends on your way of transportation. For the City Airport Train you need a separate ticket (it is not covered by any passes). The S-Bahn is partly covered by single-journey public transport tickets and network passes for Vienna, but you need to buy an additional single ticket because the airport is located in another tariff zone.

      3- I’d not recommend you staying there – these are residential areas, and you’ll waste a minimum of 30-40min each time to get to the city centre. If you go out in the evenings as well this will be 2-3 hours a day travelling. If possible choose an area, neighbouring to Innere Stadt.

      Still if this is your choice, please check with google maps -> directions – for each of the chosen accommodations how long it takes to get to the city centre (because it all depends on where the hotel is located).

      4 – Please take a look at the part Day trips from Vienna from this itinerary. I’ve listed there several great options for cities to visit (with easy access from Vienna), in which you can easily spend a few days.

  4. Hello Milena!
    I just spent two full days exploring Vienna last week and me and my husband would like to thank you very much for the work you put into making this itinerary. It helped us SO much during our trip!!

    Wishing you all the best for the New Year ahead!

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