Top 6 Tips To Sightseeing Vienna

Vienna is one of my favorite places to visit in Europe! It was clean, the architecture is such a beautiful blend of European culture, the people are friendly, you are surrounded by music, and it’s easy and convenient to get around. Sightseeing Vienna is so easy and budget friendly.

When I say that there is music everywhere I mean it. There were many options to choose from when sightseeing Vienna and that was without planning around any festival or concert. I stayed in the city center and was close to a tourist information office where they had a list of concerts and events going on. It was three pages long and that was just for the current week!

1. Karlskirche
2. State Opera House
3. City Center
4. St. Stephen’s Cathedral
5. Where To Eat
6. Schonbrunn Palace

Karlskirche

I was able to see Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed in Karlskirche. One of Vienna’s most famous and popular spots to check out. Not only is the inside beautiful but so is the detailed exterior. I highly recommend you attend a concert here you won’t regret it. 

Vienna State Opera House

Vienna is so passionate and generous that they have a large screen outside of the Vienna State Opera House for people who can’t afford a ticket to watch the opera. This was amazing to me. I had never traveled to a place that understood my love of the arts until then. I didn’t understand what was being sung in the opera but it was a great performance and even better to see the kind of community that Vienna has.

Vienna City Center

Since I stayed in the city center I walked to most of the sightseeing locations such as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Hofburg, Vienna City Hall, Australian Parliment, Karlskirche, National History Museum, St. Peter’s, etc. However, if you are staying outside the city you might want to look into a Vienna Card. This will allow you to travel on any tram, bus, and train around the city. This is only in the city zone and does not cover the airport. I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel for around 40 Euros. For more on the Vienna Pass click here 

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a must see when sightseeing Vienna whether you are Catholic or not. The Romanesque and Gothic architecture alone is something to marvel at. It’s free to enter into the church but there are tickets for the crypt below and other historical relics to visit inside.

Where To Eat

With the Vienna Pass or however you choose to get around the city, you should visit the Naschmarkt. There are various vendors, restaurants, and bars. The Secession Building is at the start of the market and if you look closely there will be several hidden turtles.

While on the topic of food Aida is supposed to be a famous coffee shop in Vienna. I love coffee and this tasted like hot liquid dirt. I don’t know how else to describe it. Maybe since I just spent three months prior in Italy I was used to the way Italians make coffee. This was not my favorite but I encourage you to try it and make an assessment for your own taste buds. Hotel Sacher is famous for their chocolate cake with whipped cream.  I have to say that it was pretty good and the cappuccino I had there was slightly better than Aida.

Schonbrunn Palace

Next on your list should be Schonbrunn Palace. This is not on your pass or around the city and you will either need a taxi or tour to get to the palace. I went on a guided tour since there is so much to see and history to navigate it made it easier going with a tour guide.  Normally I like to see things on my own without city tours because you get a better idea for the city and find little-hidden gems along the way. In this case, I’m glad I chose a tour instead since the ticket price for the tour was included.

The gardens were impressive but since I was here at the tail end of winter there wasn’t a huge display of flowers like in spring. They don’t allow you to take pictures inside but it’s worth the visit to check out and see for yourself just how beautiful it is!

I hope this helps in planning your stay in Vienna! Follow my blog for more travel updates, travel discounts, and savings! Auf Wiederschauen!