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Vienna is a land of architecture, art, music, and scrumptious pastries. You can meander the streets admiring the Habsburg imperial buildings, sip Viennese coffee, and spend all day inside a museum viewing the royal family’s relics.
If you find that a bit dull, Vienna might not be for you. But if you do enjoy the arts, a slower pace of life, then Vienna could be on your list.
My Vienna travel guide will show you why Vienna is worth your time, the top things to do for first-time visitors that give you the essential Vienna, and where to stay that’ll maximize your exploration time and minimize commute.
Depending on the length of your trip, you might want to add in day trips. I’ll show you which parts of Vienna you could easily get to in a day that’ll complement your Vienna stay.
You’ll come away knowing whether Vienna is your next travel destination.
Short on Time? Is Vienna worth visiting at-a-glance
Your quick guide to Vienna: a city of imperial palaces, famous artwork, classical music, coffee, and scrumptious pastries.
🎨 Best for Art, History and Culture
Admire Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss at the Belvedere, explore Habsburg treasures at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, and soak up centuries of imperial splendour.
🎻 Best for Music Lovers
Catch a classical concert at St. Stephen’s Cathedral or enjoy an evening at the Vienna State Opera. Music is a major part of the city’s identity.
🍰 Must-Try Viennese Food
Savour a golden, crispy schnitzel at Figlmüller or Lugeck. Save room for sachertorte and a Viennese coffee at Café Central.
🎄 Best Time to Visit
Autumn and winter are my favourite seasons. Enjoy cooler weather, cozy cafés, and dazzling Christmas markets filled with festive ornaments and handcrafted treasures.
🗓️ How Many Days to Spend
3 days is ideal for exploring Vienna’s cultural highlights at a relaxed pace. Stay 5 days or more to squeeze in day trips without rushing.
🏨 Where to Stay
Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth is my pick for first-time visitors. Think old-world elegance, spacious rooms, a lovely breakfast, and a central location that saves precious commuting time.
🚋 Getting Around Vienna
Vienna is quite walkable. Explore the historic centre on foot or hop aboard a tram along the Ringstraßen for a budget-friendly sightseeing ride.
🚂 Best Day Trips
Visit Salzburg for its musical heritage and Café Sacher, then venture to Golling for charming Alpine streets and majestic mountain scenery.
💶 Is Vienna Expensive?
Spend on what matters to you. Budget for museums, comfortable hotels, and memorable meals, and consider transport or museum passes based on your plans.
🧥 What to Pack for Winter
Bring a lightweight puffer, waterproof outer layer, warm boots, and merino sweaters. Vienna’s winters can be wet, so staying warm and dry makes exploring much more enjoyable.
Why Should You Visit Vienna?
For art, architecture,and history
Vienna is a powerhouse when it comes to art, architecture, and history. If you admire mixed media art, you’ll want to see Gustav Klimt’s gold-flecked painting The Kiss at the Belvedere.
As for history buffs, you’ll relish Vienna’s long imperial history starting with the Habsburg empire, whose most famous family member Empress Sisi, is portrayed everywhere. She’s to Vienna as Anne of Green Gables is to Prince Edward Island!
Vienna encapsulates the liberal arts and all things aesthetic. If you want to take your time strolling and admiring the centre of that, Vienna should be on your travel list.
For music and coffee culture
Listen to Mozart’s requiem in St. Stephen’s cathedral of spiralling towers in December. Bring tissues. It’s a moving piece.
If classical music is your thing, you’ll enjoy Vienna. The locals head to the Vienna State Opera as a common pastime like it is to go to the movies, or stream Netflix.
With all that music, you need coffee to go with it. Sip a Viennese melange inside the Café Central where the great writers of the time gathered to read the news and talk politics. Vienna was the hub for intellectuals.
If you believe coffee, music and acquiring knowledge are the great pursuits of our time, then you’ll enjoy what Vienna has to offer.
For schnitzel, sachertorte and other gourmet goodies
Imagine, if you may, a gorgeous piece of meat pounded thin and breaded. That’s the quintessential schnitzel. It’s a great dish to ingest for staying warm in winter. For dessert, taste the delicate chocolate cake known as the sachertorte.
The story goes that the Prince of Austria, in 1832, wanted a special dessert one night, but the head chef was sick. So Franz Sacher, a 16-year old apprentice at the time, filled in and created the unforgettable sachertorte.
If you’re watering at the mouth already, then you’ll love Vienna’s food scene. Pastries and meat dishes galore: Vienna must be on your food tour list.
Add the dishes you want to try to your free travel planner, so it’s handy when you’re ready to plan your trip.
Best things to do in Vienna for first-time visitors
Admire the splendour of the Habsburg empire and other oddities at the Kunsthistorisches museum
History buffs will adore this museum. If you want to see a giant altar piece that flips like a book where each panel is divided into grids depicting Jesus’ life, head to the first floor to gawk at the sheer size of this relic.
Does the concept seem familiar? I call this an ancient graphic novel on steroids, or the original Powerpoint presentation of its time. It’s a gorgeous and fascinating piece of theological pedagogical tool.
You’ll wind up your senses here; it’s a feast for the eyes. Spend a good half day here if you’re looking to fulfill your dream of seeing precious, historic relics in real life.
Savour schnitzel
Schnitzel is a piece of veal, chicken, or pork pounded thin and breaded. Then deep fried until they’re golden brown and delicious.
In Japan, they have a similar version called tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet). In France, they have le cordon bleu. It’s fascinating how culinary concepts make their ways across borders.
Enjoy schnitzel at Figlmüller or Lugeck. Book ahead of time to sit in the charming Alpine style chalet in the alleyway of Figlmüller. If they’re full, head to their sister restaurant Lugeck next door for modern decor, but with just as much charm.
Enjoy your schnitzel with a pint of cold beer and experience pure delight on your palate. If you want to taste the dish that makes Vienna Wiener, then make sure to try schnitzel.
See The Most Famous Kiss In The World
Head to the Belvedere if you’ve been longing to see The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. The museum touts that it’s the most famous kiss in the world (though the woman doesn’t look like she wants to be kissed).
The painting is flecked with pieces of gold and swirls of colours. The style is complex, yet childlike.
I personally loved seeing the half-done works that Klimt couldn’t finish in time. There’s a painting of a woman where part of the piece is only half-finished in sketches and the other half is fully painted in gold flecks.
The unfinished-ness of the piece is uncanny; a state of suspension.
Art and architecture lovers will appreciate the Belvedere. If you’re one of them, add the Belvedere to your travel planner.
When is the best time to visit Vienna?
The best time to visit Vienna is either fall or winter, in my opinion. Basically, when the weather is much cooler. If you sweat like a fountain (like me) in the baking heat, then it’s best to avoid the summer months. There is generally no air conditioning in many places in Vienna.
Winter is chilly but absolutely bearable. If you come from places like the True North Strong and Free (a.k.a Canada), you’ll find it practically warm! Winters in Vienna are mild, and perfect for walking while wearing warm layers.
Also, Christmas is in the air; there are lights galore. Winter is the best choice for you if you enjoy the festive season and prefer the cooler air to the summer heat.
Is Vienna worth visiting for the Christmas markets?
Only if you want to experience the spirit of Christmas. If you’re not a Christmas person (think lit up pine trees, baubles, Nativity scenes galore) then you might not care for the markets.
But if you are…then read on.
Christmas is celebrated in Vienna and they pay homage to the Sacred family with stunning, handcrafted nativity scenes. There was a gorgeous display of handmade crêches in Rathausplatz, the city hall and biggest market in town. The sheer overwhelming splendour of Christmas ornaments is a sight to behold.
Glühwein (I tried the pink sugary-type, which I found absolutely gross) is a hit here. It comes in a special Christmas mug you can keep as a souvenir, if you want.
There are large and small markets throughout town and each market has their own dedicated mug design. That alone is fun to pick up and pack up in your check-in luggage.
If you enjoy the festivities and want to celebrate the end of the year with Christmas, then it could be worth planning a trip for the markets themselves.
How many days do you need in Vienna?
For a cultural experience focused on Vienna, I find 3 days is a good balance. I’d recommend staying in Vienna to enjoy the cafés, tour the Belvedere, catch a concert inside a church, and eat a few classic dinners.
Do you want to add in some day trips that complement your Vienna journey of cultural exploration? Then 5 days or more would give you more breathing room to do that. You can add on complementary day trips to Salzburg (think: The Sound of Music) and get a taste of the famous sachertorte at Hotel Sacher.
Where should first-time visitors stay in Vienna?
At the Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth. That’s the hotel of choice I’d recommend for first time visitors. Why? Because the hotel is right in the middle of the city, tucked into a quiet alleyway.
And as a first-time traveller to the city, time is your most precious asset. With this hotel as your base, you’ll spend your time exploring the city, instead of fighting a commuter’s nightmare, with this hotel as your base.
Besides being right in the city centre, you’ll also get a peaceful night’s sleep here. Two essential traits I look for in every hotel I stay in.
Rooms are spacious at the Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth and you get an old-fashioned bronze key to enter them. Charming, indeed. The real treat is the sumptuous breakfast you get while dining in their sumptuous dining room.
Sip Viennese coffee and croissants with Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz Joseph surveilling the room. The entire hotel and dining room has an old regal feel, adding to the imperial ambiance of your stay.
If you’d like a hotel with regal charm, a central location, and a stylish breakfast, then you should consider the Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth.
Is Vienna easy to get around?
I find it a very walkable city. Trams are simple to navigate and if you want a cheap, unofficial tour of the city, take a ride on the Ringstraßen route. It’s a loop that’ll take you around the route where the major architectural buildings, like the Rathausplatz (Vienna city hall), are located.
Taxis are widely available. Subways are simple to navigate. There are trains that go directly from the airport to the city centre. Just buy a ticket from the counter and you’re on your way. No fuss, no muss.
By the way, look out for the singing toilet in one of the subways downtown. Vienna is truly a city of music!
Where else can you visit from Vienna?
Salzburg for sachertorte and Christmas market
For a complementary day trip, I say tour Salzburg. It’s a 2-hour train ride from Vienna and it still gives you the imperial atmosphere without the constant crowds.
Head straight to Café Sacher for a quick bite of the wonderful sachertore and admire the collection of Toulouse Lautrec paintings on the walls in the lobby. A piece of Moulin Rouge in this stunning hotel.
Salzburg is a quick trip with little to no hassle that complements your Vienna itinerary.
Golling for alpine charm
If you want to feel what it’s like strolling in a tiny, historic alpine town surrounded by mountains, then take a quick trip to Golling from Salzburg.
It’s a teensy-town full of spirit. Walk up to the main historic district and you’ll be greeted by the mountains on all sides. Then hike past the local church and into the cemetery on the hill to witness the Alps in all its majesty.
Don’t miss the plaque the church’s outside wall explaining how Father Joseph Mohr, the composer of Silent Night, served as a priest there for a bit.
Definitely take a quick trip here if you’ve been longing to soak up the charm of Alpine towns you’ve only seen in movies.
Is Vienna expensive? What does a trip cost?
It all depends on what you value and where you want your money to go. However, do expect that most of your budget will probably go to hotels, food, transport, and museums.
For example, if touring a few museums are your thing, then springing for a museum pass to save on buying individual tickets could be worth it (it’s about 20 EURO a ticket. Pretty hefty). If you’re travelling often all over the city, then a subway or tram pass could really help offset the costs.
Personally, I’m all about eating at great restaurants and staying in comfy, central hotels, so most of my money goes there. I walk almost everywhere, so a bus pass isn’t really for me. My main tip for travellers is to balance the experience you want with the cost of getting it, and you’ll come to a budget you can be satisfied with.
What should you wear in Vienna in winter?
Vienna in winter is mild but pretty wet. I love a good puffer for warmth. It’s light and easy to pack. And I make sure to bring a waterproof shell to wear on top of the puffer. This way I stay warm and dry even in the rain.
Warm and waterproof boots help with keeping your feet dry and make it comfortable to walk. I love my pair of short winter boots lined with sheep fur and built with treads that grip better on the roads. It’s not slip proof, but it reduces the chances of me slipping on those wet cobblestone streets.
Then I usually pack my thin, yet cozy, merino sweaters. They’re lightweight too, and stylish enough to go from exploring to dinner. The best part? They pack easily into a carry-on because there’s no bulk to them.
When you’re stylish, warm, and dry in winter like that, you’ll enjoy your hot Glühwein even more at the winter Christmas markets.
Is Vienna right for you?
Are you enraptured by the idea of cakes and coffee in a baroque, ornate setting? Do you want to witness, in real life, the Habsburg jewels and relics up close?
And can you imagine spending your days strolling in an imperial-esque city where opera is still appreciated?
Then Vienna could be the next city for you on your bucket-list trip.
Starting planning your trip with my free travel planner. Add in the boutique hotels, restaurants, and museums you want to see, and relish in the glory of Empress Sisi galore when you arrive.