Art and culture are embedded in the soul of Vienna: imperial splendour, world-class museums, opera and classical music heritage. Modernist legacy and a cosmopolitan flair add delicious contrast to the old-world charm. Walk down the parks and grand palace-lined Ringstrasse, experience the centuries-old cafe tradition and admire the astonishing architecture of a buzzing modern capital filled with history.
Vienna is located on the Danube, just at the centre of Europe and near the north-eastern extension of the Alps, largely surrounded by the Vienna Woods.
The city is world-famous for its magnificent imperial heritage, with the Schönbrunn Palace, the Belvedere and the Imperial Palace. The city is also appreciated around the world for its top-notch music and cultural offer with many renowned concert halls, museums and institutions — from the large Musikverein Hall to the prestigious Museum of Fine Arts and the Vienna State Opera.
And let’s not forget that Vienna is considered one of the world's most liveable cities and has been awarded this distinction eighth times in a row, confirming the city's status as a metropolis for bon vivants and art lovers, offering its guests an abundance of unique attractions at any time of the year.
Besides the many sights sought after by tourists, Vienna has something more to offer: there are many hidden gems in the city that often provide a deeper understanding of its history and a real insight into its current daily life. Here are a few tips to check out for an off-the-beaten-track trip to Vienna.
Campus of Vienna University of Economics & Business Administration
Augarten
Zeinlhofergasse
Jewish Cemetery
Street Art along Danube Canal
Brotfabrik
Public & Street Art
Vienna Woods
Horse Carriage Ride
Spittelberg
Freihausviertel
Bitzinger Hot Dog Stand
Austrian Film Museum
Steinhof Church
Yellow Fog Lights Installation
Therme Wien
Gartenbaukino
Vienna has over 100 museums and countless examples of great architecture seamlessly combining old and new designs. When you've got enough sightseeing for the day, rest in one of the 280 parks and gardens scattered around the city.
St Stephen’s Cathedral
Vienna State Opera
Musikverein
Schönbrunn Zoo
Madame Tussauds Vienna
MuseumsQuartier
Belvedere Palace
Hofburg Imperial Palace
The Prater & Giant Ferris Wheel
Konzerthaus
Schönbrunn Palace
Mozarthaus Vienna
Church of the Most Holy Trinity (Wotruba Church)
Christmas Markets in Vienna
Secession
Danube Tower
St Charles Church
Spanish Riding School
Kunst Haus Wien
Leopold Museum
Albertina
Mumok — Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation Vienna
Museum of Natural History
MAK — Austrian Museum of Applied Arts
Kunsthalle
Museum of Fine Arts Vienna (KHM)
House of the Sea
Imperial Treasury
House of Music
Central Cemetery
Vienna Boys' Choir
Jewish Museum
Wien Museum
Every evening thousands of enthusiasts gather in concert halls, big and small, to experience live classical music in Vienna. The city has a reputation as the 'capital of classical music' largely owing to the immensely popular composers who lived and worked here in the late 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, numerous performance halls were built to accommodate the overwhelming boom of musical talent.
Major music venues in Vienna include the State Opera House, the People's Opera House, the Burgtheater, and the Theater an der Wien. Pick a venue that suits your liking and schedule and let the art vibrate through you.
Vienna State Opera
Musikverein
Strauss & Mozart at Kursalon Vienna
Konzerthaus
People's Opera House — Volksoper
Concert in St Anne's Church
Concert in St Peter’s Church
St Charles Church
Chamber Music at Mozarthaus Vienna
Concert at the Palais Schönborn-Batthyány
Vienna Residence Orchestra at Palais Auersperg
The Austrian capital has a rich choice of great restaurants: from gourmet dining establishments perfect before (or after) a night at the opera to down-to-earth local eateries. First time visitors simply must try a hearty Kaisersemmel, traditional Viennese bread, or a Kaiserschmarrn, Austrian chopped pancakes dusted with powdered sugar.
Vienna is the only metropolis in the world that grows a significant enough amount of wine within city limits, so prepare to find plenty of good local wines to match your Viennese dinners.
The most popular time for dinner in Vienna is around 7 or 8 pm, so if that's when you plan to sit down for your dinner meal — book a table in advance.
Palmenhaus
Figlmüller
Motto am Fluss
Das LOFT
Food, Coffee & Market Walking Tour
Pizzeria Mafiosi
Mochi
Fabios
Thell
Naschmarkt Deli
Market Restaurant
Glacis Beisl
ShanghaiTan
Labstelle
Tian
Augustinerkeller Bitzinger
Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper
Gasthaus Wolf
Kussmaul
Restaurant Konstantin Filippou
Silberwirt
Since 2011, the traditional Viennese coffee house culture has been regarded as part of the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. Legend has it Vienna's café culture had its beginning back in 1683 when a sack of coffee beans was left behind by the retreating Ottomans.
In the late 19th and 20th centuries, coffee houses became the go-to places for intellectuals and creatives, including the likes of Sigmund Freud, Gustav Klimt, James Joyce, and Leon Trotsky.
Traditional cafes entice visitors with a wide variety of coffee-based specialities, heavenly pastry creations, and a unique cosy and friendly: Austrian gemütlichkeit. If you are in the mood for something more modern, there are hundreds of third-wave coffee places in Vienna.
Coffee House Walking Tour
Café Central
Cafe Sacher
Cafe Landtmann
Cafe Sperl
Cafe Hawelka
Cafe Museum
Cafe Drechsler
Akrap Espressobar
People On Caffeine
Demel K.u.K Hofzuckerbäcker
Cafe Leopold
Phil Bar & Bookstore
Das Café (formerly Das Möbel Furniture Cafe)
Cafe Europa
Cafe Mozart
Kaffeefabrik
Balthasar
A world-famous electronic scene, live music, relaxed cocktail bars and a top-notch cultural offer. A young scene of microbreweries, waterside bars along the Danube sides and retro bars populates the bohemian neighbourhoods and are the perfect places to spend a more relaxed evening. During the weekend, head towards one of the famous underground clubs.
Fluc & Fluc Wanne
Volksgarten Club Disco
The Loft
Tanzcafe Jenseits
Red Room
Austrian Wine Tasting
Grelle Forelle
U4
Roxy Club
SASS Music Club
Rhiz
DonauTechno
Spelunke
An original souvenir for friends at home or a pretty memento for yourself: shopping is an essential part of any stay in Vienna. From the many colourful markets and shops filled with countless mouth-watering Viennese specialties to design boutiques and luxury shopping experiences: whatever is your budget you'll find a sweet gift to bring back with you.
Kärntner Straße
Mariahilfer Straße
Naschmarkt
Altmann & Kühne
Kohlmarkt & Goldenes Quartier
Flea Market at Naschmarkt
Augarten Porcelain Flagship Store
Mühlbauer Hat Manufacturer
Karmelitermarkt
Hamtil & Söhne
Zur Schwäbischen Jungfrau
Ringstrassen-Galerien
Gerstner K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker
Lindengasse
Blühendes Konfekt
MQ Point
Brunnenmarkt & Yppenplatz
Gumpendorfer Straße
Zuckerlwerkstatt
Lena Hoschek
Vienna Silver Factory
You can find more than 400 hotels, guest houses and apartments in Vienna, together with addresses, photographs and room prices, in our latest hotel list. Our list of accommodation can help you find the right place to stay in Vienna. Our team at Vienna Hotels & Info will be pleased to help you choose and book your accommodation in Vienna.
Passport/Visa
Austria can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, UAE and most countries in America. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country. International (non-Schengen) travelers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the Schengen zone. Citizens of Schengen countries can travel without a passport, but must have a valid ID with them during their stay.
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Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Vienna in around April–May in the spring and September to mid-October in the autumn. The weather is mild and the low-peak tourist season means that visitors can expect lower prices on average.
The warmer summer months are very popular with tourists but expect prices to be higher.
Many travellers will make their way to Vienna in the winter to visit Christmas markets, wander the streets and spend time with loved ones in the famous Viennese cafes.
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Vienna International Airport (VIE)
Vienna’s International Airport is at Schwechat, 20 km from the centre of Vienna. There different options to reach the city:
– The city airport train, CAT, takes 16 minutes to the centre and departures from the airport every half an hour.
– The journey with the busses of Vienna AirportLines links the airport with the main transport hubs in the city. It takes 20 minutes to the centre and departures are every half an hour.
– The fast train (S-Bahn) is the cheapest option and takes 25 minutes to the centre. Trains leaves every 30 minutes, with additional services at peak-time.
– The taxi stand is located just outside of the arrival building. For information about the different taxi companies ask at the City Transfer counter in the arrival hall.
Address: Flughafen Wien-Schwechat, Schwechat
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Phone: +43 1 70070
Website: www.viennaairport.com/en/passengers
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Public Transport
The public transport company Wiener Linien provides a broad network of tram, underground (U-Bahn) and bus lines, which make getting anywhere in and around Vienna very easy.
There are single, 24- and 48-hour tickets, beside passes for longer periods. The same ticket is valid everywhere and can be bought at tobacconists (Vienna’s 850 Tabaktrafik), at the vending machines available in any underground station, via the online shop or ticket app of Wiener Linien or at one of their ticket office.
Tickets must be validated before boarding. To validate your ticket stamp the ticket at the blue machines located at the entrance of underground stations as well as on buses and trams.
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Email: post@wienerlinien.at
Phone: +43 1 79090
Website: www.wien.gv.at/english/transportation-urbanplanning/public-transport
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Taxi
Taxis are easy to find at the taxi stands and train stations and are relatively cheap compared to other European destinations. Some reliable companies are:
Taxi 401 00
+43 1 401 00
www.taxi40100.at
Taxi 313 00
+43 1 313 00
www.taxi31300.at/en
You can download and use the Mytaxi app to get a taxi without having to make a phone call.
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Post
There are many branches of the Austria's Postal Service in Vienna, as well as many of the bright-yellow postboxes. Post offices tend to have long opening hours.
Address: Central Post Office: Fleischmarkt 19, District 1, Vienna
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Website: www.post.at/en
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Pharmacy
Pharmacies in Vienna usually have same opening hours as most shops. However, there are always 24/7 pharmacies operating at night and weekends located throughout the city: a list of the nearest ones is posted outside of each pharmacy.
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Phone: 1455
Website: www.nachtapotheke.wien
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Electricity
The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. Power plugs and sockets are of type F common in Continental Europe.
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Telephone
Country code: +43
Area code: 01
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