Stand on the Ringstraße at dusk and the whole city seems to arrange itself around you: the bulk of the Kunsthistorisches Museum on one side, the green dome of the Hofburg behind, and the spire of Stephansdom rising over the rooftops of the Innere Stadt. Vienna rewards the traveller who walks slowly and looks up.
The city suits anyone drawn to imperial architecture, classical music and long afternoons in grand museums, and it is easy to navigate on foot and by U-Bahn. This guide covers the historic centre and its museums, the palace at Schönbrunn, the Ringstraße, and the city's music and seasonal events, using only places named in the source material.
Top things to do in Vienna
1. Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral)
Stephansdom is the cathedral at the heart of the Innere Stadt and one of the historical buildings the city is best known for. It sits within easy walking distance of the three most well-known museums, so it makes a natural starting point for a day in the centre.
Combine it with the museums of the Innere Stadt, all of which are close by, and use it as a landmark to orient yourself when you first arrive.
2. Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts)
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is one of the three most well-known museums in Vienna, and it is located in the Innere Stadt. It is one of the principal reasons to spend a full day in the historic centre.
Pair it with the Naturhistorisches Museum and the Albertina, which are in the same part of the city, rather than trying to see them on separate days.
3. Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History)
The Naturhistorisches Museum is the second of the three most well-known museums, also in the Innere Stadt. Like its neighbour, it belongs to the group of historical buildings and museums that cluster in the centre.
Visit it on the same day as the Kunsthistorisches Museum, since both sit in the Innere Stadt and are among the city's most prominent museums.
4. Albertina
The Albertina is the third of the three most well-known museums, located in the Innere Stadt. It is also the meeting point for the tip-based free walking tours, which gather in front of the building.
If you join a free tour, note that Good Vienna Tours runs two-hour walking tours in English daily, meeting at 10:00 and 14:00 in front of the Albertina. This is described as probably the best and cheapest way to get an overview of the city.
5. Ringstraße
The Ringstraße is a circular road surrounding the Innere Stadt and is one of Vienna's main sights. Its architecture is typical of the eclectic, historicist style called Ringstraßenstil, of the 1860s to 1890s.
Walk it rather than rush it, and look out for the MAK, the first museum building on the Ringstraße, built in the Renaissance style to plans by Heinrich von Ferstel.
6. MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art
The MAK is the first museum building on the Ringstraße, built in the Renaissance style according to plans by Heinrich von Ferstel. It is worth the time both for its collections and for its place in the story of the Ringstraße itself.
Combine it with a walk along the Ringstraße, since the building is part of that boulevard's architecture.
7. Schloss Schönbrunn
Schloss Schönbrunn is a palace in the Outer West area and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is one of the city's major historical sights and sits outside the Innere Stadt, so plan it as its own excursion.
Because it lies in the Outer West, give it a half day rather than trying to fit it between stops in the centre.
8. Classical music at the Musikverein and the Staatsoper
Vienna is considered by many to be the spiritual home of European classical music, and composers including Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert and Johann Strauss II spent a significant part of their careers here. For a serious program, concerts at the Musikverein and the Staatsoper can be attended for as little as €3–4 for standing room, featuring some of the best musicians in the world, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Be aware that much of the musical scene is absent during the summer months, with the exception of ensembles that cater to tourists; the source suggests travelling to Salzburg in summer, where the Vienna Philharmonic resides.
9. Vienna State Opera
For those who wish to watch opera, the Vienna State Opera is the most famous opera house in the city. It is also the venue for the Opera Ball, described as one of the most widely known and elegant balls.
If you are in Vienna during carnival season, check whether your visit coincides with the Opera Ball, and otherwise look for standing-room opera tickets as an affordable way in.
10. Vienna Hofburg Orchestra concerts at the Hofburg
From May to December you can attend concerts of the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra, which take place in the Festival Hall and the Redoutensäle of Vienna's Hofburg Imperial Palace. The program is composed of Viennese waltz and operetta melodies by Johann Strauss, Franz Lehár and Emmerich Kálmán, along with opera arias and duets by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Note that these concerts, along with those from similar ensembles, are quite expensive for what they offer and are intended for the entertainment of tourists. Each year on the evenings of December 31 and January 1 the orchestra performs traditional Viennese New Year's Eve and New Year's Concerts in the Hofburg's festival halls.
11. Ball season
If you visit during the carnival season, attending one of the city's glamorous balls is something not to miss, with some held in elegant locations such as the Vienna Hofburg or the City Hall (Rathaus). The most widely known and elegant are the Opera Ball in the State Opera and the ball of the Wiener Philharmoniker, and many professional guilds hold their own, such as the Kaffeesiederball by the Vienna coffee house owners.
A different twist is the Life Ball, an AIDS/HIV benefit featuring celebrities and other attendees in outrageous costumes. The ball calendar can be found on the pages of the Vienna City Council.
12. U-Bahn-Stars
The Vienna U-Bahn-Stars are a free music event, running daily in the subway stations Westbahnhof, Praterstern, Karlsplatz, Stephansplatz, Neubaugasse and Spittelau.
Because it is free and runs daily, it works well as something to catch while moving between the sights above rather than as a destination in itself.
13. Open-air film festivals in summer
In summer there are a lot of open-air film festivals, for example at Karlsplatz, the Vienna Turf Krieau, the Prater, the Arena, the rooftop of City Library on Urban-Loritz-Platz and Schloss Neugebäude.
These are seasonal, so check what is running during your dates if you are visiting in the warmer months.
14. ImPulsTanz Festival
In the summer there is also the ImPulsTanz Festival for contemporary dance and performance. It is a good option if you are interested in dance workshops as well as performances.
Like the open-air film festivals, this is a summer event, so it only applies if your trip falls in that period.
15. Football at Ernst Happel Stadium
International soccer matches are played at Ernst Happel Stadium on the riverbank in the Inner East district. The city has two club teams playing in the Austrian Bundesliga, the country's top tier: SK Rapid Wien play at Allianz Stadium in the Outer West, and FK Austria Wien play at Generali (or Viola) Arena in the Outer South.
Note that the club stadiums are outside the centre, in the Outer West and Outer South, so allow time to reach them.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start in the Innere Stadt at Stephansdom, then walk to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Naturhistorisches Museum and the Albertina, which are all in the same district. If you prefer an overview first, join the free walking tour that meets in front of the Albertina at 10:00.
Afternoon: Walk the Ringstraße and visit the MAK, the first museum building on the boulevard. If you have time, take the U-Bahn out to Schloss Schönbrunn in the Outer West.
Evening: Look for standing-room tickets at the Musikverein or the Staatsoper, or attend a Vienna Hofburg Orchestra concert at the Hofburg if you are visiting between May and December. If you are travelling during carnival season, a ball at the Vienna Hofburg or the City Hall (Rathaus) is the alternative for the evening.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to get an overview of Vienna?
A tip-based free tour. Good Vienna Tours offers daily two-hour walking tours in English, meeting at 10:00 and 14:00 in front of the Albertina, and this is described as probably the best and cheapest way to see the city.
Can I attend classical music in Vienna on a small budget?
Yes. Concerts at the Musikverein and the Staatsoper can be attended for as little as €3–4 for standing room, and they feature some of the best musicians in the world, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Is the Vienna music scene active in summer?
Much of the musical scene is absent during the summer months, with the exception of ensembles that cater to tourists. The suggested solution is to travel to Salzburg, where the Vienna Philharmonic resides during the summer.
When do the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra concerts take place?
From May to December, in the Festival Hall and the Redoutensäle of Vienna's Hofburg Imperial Palace. The orchestra also performs traditional Viennese New Year's Eve and New Year's Concerts on the evenings of December 31 and January 1.
Decide your dates, check the ball calendar and the summer festival listings, and start building your days around the Innere Stadt, the Ringstraße and Schönbrunn.