Vienna Travel Guide

The question I get asked the most is “what should I see in Vienna?” Obviously, there is a lot to see but prioritizing it in a short amount of time can be difficult. But guess what?? I can help with that! This guide will include food recommendations, sights to see, and general tips in navigating through this special city.

Sights

Kunsthistorisches Museum – Located on the U2 stop called Museumsquartier. FULL of amazing European art. Usually has an exhibition going on the side that require separate tickets. Entrance is 16 Euros and there is a combined ticket for the Habsburg treasuries that is 22 Euros. Under 19 years old, entrance is free. Something to consider if you’re doing a big museum day. Hours are Tue – Sun 10–18 and Thur 10–21. They are closed on Mondays except during June through August, then they are open every day.

Naturhistorisches Museum – Located on the U2 stop called Museumsquartier, right across the street from the KHM. Fun museum full of amazing taxidermy and rock collections. Trust me, it is worth seeing if you enjoy museums. Under 19 is free and adults are 12 Euros. Hours are Thur – Mon 9-18:30 and Wed 9-21. Be aware they are closed on Tuesday.

Belvedere – This is a beautiful palace and museum full of art and surrounded by amazing gardens. This is where the famous “Kiss” by Klimt is. I highly recommend taking the time to get out there. The gardens are stunning in the spring and summer. I recommend getting your tickets online as to avoid lines. There is a ticket for Upper and Lower Belvedere. For the combo ticket Adults are 22 Euros, Students (19-26) are 19 Euros, and Kids (0-18) are free.

Albertina – This is by far my favorite art museum in Vienna. I think it has the best variety and they always have amazing exhibitions. It is also very conveniently located right behind the Opera in the center of town. This is can be located the easiest by the U4 line, stop Karlsplatz.

Schönbrunn castle and gardens – This castle is amazing and the gardens are even better. Gardens are free to go in but the palace requires tickets. They offer two tours, the Imperial and the Grand. The imperial is only 30 minutes, costs 16 Euros, and you only get to see about half of the rooms available. The Grand tour is about 60 minutes, costs 20 Euros, but you get to see a whole lot more for just four euros more. I recommend the Grand tour. If you happen to come around Easter or Christmas, there are markets set up in front of the castle.

Mozart Monument – This statue of Mozart is located in the Burggarten located on the ring of Vienna. (Within walking distance of Museumsquartier and most major sights in the center of Vienna.) The park surrounding the statue is a wonderful place to have a picnic or just sit and rest on the benches. It's a great place to escape the city for a brief moment.

Jewish History Museum and Judenplatz – This is one of my favorite museums and areas in Vienna. It is simple but beautifully done. The hours are a little odd but once you know them, simple to follow. Sunday to Thursday 10–18, Friday 10–17, and closed on Saturdays. The monument in the center of the square in front of the museum looks simple at first but if you look at the detail, you will see that the ridges are representative of books with their spines turned in. Among the many emotions the artist intended to stir within the heart of the monument's viewers, on of them was to remember the many individuals who lost their lives in the genocide of European jews during World War II. Each book represents a life time. It is an incredibly touching place. It is located near the U4 stops Schottenring and Schwedenplatz. If you put Judenplatz into your map, it will take you there.

National Cemetery – This is a bit of a trek outside of the center but worth the effort if you have time. It is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe and even includes the tombstone of Mozart (even though he was buried in an unmarked grave). It is divided into religion and you can spend hours and hours walking around and spending time in the church. The address is Leberstraße 6-8. From April 1 to September 30 it is open from 6:30–20. From October 1 to March 31 it is open from 6:30–18:30.

Stadtpark – This is one of my favorite parks in the city. It is just beautiful. Located on the U4 station Stadtpark, it is very easy to walk to any of the other major sights listed on here. Another excellent place for a picnic or to take a rest from walking around all day.

Stephansdom – This is the big cathedral in the middle of the city. It is kind of the epicenter of Vienna. The square around it tends to get really crowded in the summer months but the cathedral is still worth seeing. It has free entry but if you want to go to the top of the tower, it will cost 9 Euros. Beware of the guys standing in Mozart-y looking costumes. Don’t buy tickets from them for anything. It’s a giant scam. It is located on the U1 station Stephansdom or about a five-minute walk from the U4 station Schwedenplatz.

Oper – What Vienna is truly known for is its opera. And the opera house lives up to the fame. There are various tours available on their website and tickets are available for the operas and ballets that are performed there. Tickets to see performances can get fairly pricy and not everyone is inclined to sit through a three-hour opera in Italian. There are cheap standing seats that range from twenty to five dollars, ideal for the student or beginning opera enthusiast.

Rathaus - This is the the town hall of Vienna. It is absolutely massive and usually has some festival or another going on around it. It's kind of a fun place to be if you don't mind crowds. There are excellent parks surrounding. It is fairly easy to locate on the U2 stop Rathaus but is also walking distance from the anywhere in the center of town. 

Food

Figlmüller/Lugeck – If you are craving true Austrian cuisine, these are the places to go to. Known for their Schnitzel, they offer everything one could need to experience Austria’s culinary art. These places do fill up incredibly fast so either go at an odd time or call ahead. They are located at Wollzeile 5 within walking distance of the U4 stop Schwedenplatz. And if you have time after eating, I recommend wandering the streets behind the restaurant. They are some of my favorite. There’s a pretty good French bakery close by.

Eis Greissler – The best little ice cream shop, this side of the Danube. Oliver and I go a LOT and it’s delicious. Their flavors change seasonally and are made in Austria. We love supporting local shops! It’s located on the long stretch of road in front of the U4 stop Schwedenplatz (which you’ll realize you might be using a lot).

La Romana – This is a Gelateria actually established in Italy but they made their way to Vienna and holy cow it’s delicious. They have an option to fill your cone with melted chocolate…so yeah if you don’t go there you’re missing out. And it’s a great place to go if you’re in Italy as well.

Gelateria Hoher Markt – This is another local ice cream shop (can you tell I love ice cream??) that a friend just introduced me too. Embarrassingly I have walked by it hundreds of times but never went in and now that I have, no going back. They have an awesome peanut butter flavor that I will definitely be having again. This one is a tad trickier to find but it’s about a five-minute walk from Schwedenplatz on a side road, Hoher Markt 4.

Gerstner – This place. Another friend introduced me to this wonder as well (I have awesome friends!) and it’s a game changer. Located directly next to the opera, it has a chocolate shop downstairs but upstairs is where the magic happens. Cake. So much cake. You can order it by the slice and they have something for everyone, fruity to chocolaty to vanilla to more interesting combinations. It is the perfect place to rest your feet and fill your stomach.

Wienerwurstel Stand by Albertina – Now I don’t actually know what this place is called but it is on the other side of the opera next to the Albertina museum. You can’t miss it because it has a giant green hare on top of it. They have the best sausages (in my opinion. There are a lot of opinions on this). Great on the go snack.

Vollpension – If you are looking for a Viennese coffee house vibe, this is the place to come. They have the cutest atmosphere, yummiest brunch, brunch and delicious beverages. There are board games littered about and the comfiest sofas. So cute. This one is tricky to get to, the easiest to get off at Karlsplatz with the U1, U2, or U4. They have incredibly European hours: Breakfast is Mon. – Fr.i 7:30-14, Sat. 7:30–14, and Sun. 8–14, Lunch and dinner are Mon. – Fri. 12–21, Sat. 14–21, Sun. 14–18.

Supersense – Another fabulous local café. It is a restaurant attached the most eclectic amazing shop. You can turn MP3 tracks into records, create a scent memory kit, buy a book on calligraphy, record your own vinyl record, and take giant polaroids. Seriously, it’s amazing. It is located about five minutes from the U1 stop Praterstern at Praterstraße 70. I recommend visiting their website https://the.supersense.com. They are closed on Sundays, Mondays, and holidays.

Honu Bowls – Poke is exploding over here. And everyone goes to Honu Bowls for their lunch break. It is so good. I am obsessed and would probably go there every day. The location that is easiest to get to, is a ten-minute walk from Schwedenplatz. If you go to Hoher Markt just keep walking down the road to Schultergasse 2. Worth it.

Juice Factory – I am a little biased because this is where I work, but we have got awesome juices, smoothie bowls, and sandwiches. There are a few around the city but the three that are easiest are Schottengasse 4 located by the U2 stop Schottentor, Marco d’Aviano Gasse 1 (by the giant Swarovski, this is my store J) located near the U1/U3 stop Stephansplatz or the U2 stop Karlsplatz, and Rotenturmstraße 24 located super close to Schwedenplatz on the U4. Come say hi!

Hotel Sacher – This place is known for one thing and one thing only, Sacher Torte. In my opinion, it is the best and only place worth getting it. Don’t be intimidated by the line, it moves fast. Sacher Torte is a very complex chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle. Kind of odd but worth trying! Hotel Sacher is right across from the Oper, you can’t miss it.

Naschmarkt – This is for all your snacking needs. It is a long stretch of small restaurants and bars with everything from Middle Eastern to Asian to Italian to whatever you can dream of. It’s a pretty fun date night and in my opinion, best at sunset. It is located between Karlsplatz and the U4 stop Kettenbrückengasse. Such a fun place just to walk around. It open 9–18 every day and is closed on Sundays.

Leberkas Pepi - I am not sure if anyone outside of Eastern Europe knows what Leberkäse is but basically it's like the consistency of a hot dog in giant meat loaf form. Now, I am sure that does not sound amazing to you, but trust me. Get the chili-käse one on the normal white roll with sweet mustard and thank me later. It's cheap too! It is located by the Oper and behind the Aida in front of the U1/U2/U4 stop Karlsplatz. Address is Operngasse 12. Open from 9-2am Mon. - Sat. and closed on Sundays. 

Han am Stadtpark – I am obsessed with this place. It is a Korean restaurant owned by the cutest mom and daughter and they will make you feel so welcome. Located by the U4 stop Stadtpark, they have the best modern take on Korean cuisine. Ask for recommendations and they will give you the best for your tastes! I recommend calling ahead about a week in advance because they fill up quick.

Some quick tips!

Carry cash, most places close by six on Saturdays and almost nothing is open on Sundays. Ice cream is your best shot at a late-night snack. Walk everywhere! You never know what you’ll stumble across. And before you go out, try downloading the maps.me app and download Vienna. It runs without wifi and data and you can save locations. 

So, there you go! My Vienna recommendations! This list will be updated as I discover more amazing places of course. And if there is anything you think I should add, feel free to send me and email or private message on Instagram! Have the best time exploring this amazing city.

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