Vienna, the city of art and History, also called as city of music, is one of the best places to Visit in Austria and in Europe. Being second home to famous composer Mozart, the rhythm of Music is nestled in every corner of the city.
The city is one of the most popular tourist destination due to its rich History. The History of Vienna is well preserved in Museums that has unique collection of evolution of European history from the ancient era till the modern times. The historic city of Vienna is treasure for Historians around the world.
This article is all about Vienna. We will cover everything from the History of the city to the best places to visit in Vienna. There are plenty of things to do in Vienna and this article has everything that you need to know for your visit to Vienna.
So let's start exploring the beautiful city of Vienna!!
1. Vienna- The City
Vienna is a city that has a lot to offer to its tourists. Whether you're looking to explore the historic districts or simply want to take a stroll down the lively streets, Vienna will never disappoint you. Vienna has world-renowned art galleries, historic collections, royal palaces, music concerts, and many more!
Vienna is a historic destination that suits every taste, which makes it a great place to visit for everyone. City also has many parks and gardens to explore, as well as a wide range of shopping areas, cafes, and restaurants. The city also Hosts the world’s oldest Zoo which was opened in 1752.
German is the main language of the city. In fact, Vienna is second largest German speaking cities in the world after Berlin. Also, the vibrant city center of Vienna was listed in UNESCO world heritage sites in year 2001.
Vienna History
Vienna has a long and interesting history, dating back to the Stone Age. The city has come to light after the roman settlement in the 11th century to become one of the most important trading sites in Europe. During the 19th century, it became the capital of the Austrian empire which also included Hungary. Later since World War 1, Vienna is the capital of the Austrian republic with a population near to 2 million citizens which is one third of Country's population. Currently, Almost 50% of the citizens in Vienna are expats. Vienna has survived many wars fought in history. The major ones from them are the Battle of Vienna in 1683, World war-I and World war-II.
The city has been home to many famous people, including Mozart, Freud, and Sigmund Freud. The museums dedicated to archaeology, art, history, and music are widely spread in the city.
2. The Hofburg Palace
The Hofburg Palace is one of the most famous attractions in Vienna and exploring the palace is a top thing to do for anyone visiting the city. The Baroque style architecture was originally built in the 13th century and later became the residence of the Habsburg dynasty. Today, the palace is a museum that contains a great collection of art and historical artifacts. The palace also served as the Imperial winter residence.
The palace also hosts numerous concerts and festivals throughout the year. Hofburg Palace is a great place to start your tour of Vienna. The palace is located just a short walk from the city center and is easily accessible by public transportation or by walking.
Hofburg Palace also hosts the Museum of Imperial Treasury which has a collection of secular and religious tressures covering thousands of years of European history. If you are planning to visit the Museum of Imperial Treasury on weekend, then it is better to book your tickets in advance to avoid the waiting.
3. Spanish Riding School:
Spanish Riding school in Vienna is also one of the famous attractions of Vienna. Locates in the vicinity of Hofburg palace, The Spanish riding school is the institution for the training of Lipizzaner Horses which is the oldest horse breed in Europe. It maintains the long tradition of the Haute Ecole dressing. For the visitors, the Spanish riding school offers the classic performance of Lipizzaner horses which is mesmerizing to watch. The hall has a unique Baroque ambiance with Viennese classical music. The show is performed by famous school stallions and riders from Vienna.
If you are visiting Vienna, then Spanish riding school is must visit place. Due to its increasing popularity, the last moment tickets are hard to find. Therefore, it is important to book your tickets in advance.
You can buy the advance entry ticket for Spanish Riding School Lipizzaner Classic Performance at the following link:-
4. The Belvedere
The Belvedere is one of the most iconic spots and a must-see sight of Vienna. Belvedere palace is a Baroque art building consisting of two palaces: upper and lower Belvedere.
Upper Belvedere, also called Belvedere palace hosts the museum with some interesting exhibits on Austrian history. The museum has a collection of 800 years of art history including the masterpieces of Klimt, Schiele, Funke, Messerschmidt, and van Gogh.
The lower Belvedere was the formal palatial residence of a former Austrian Prince named Eugene. The palace hosts medieval art collections Including the treasury from the Middle Ages.
Both palaces have their uniqueness and are worth the visit. If you are visiting these palaces on Weekends, then remember to book your ticket in advance to avoid the waiting period for the entrance. You can book your timeslot in advance by following the link:-
Belvedere is also surrounded by beautiful gardens where you can take a walk around or have a picnic lunch. There are also lots of lovely shops and restaurants in the area, so there's plenty to do.
5. Imperial Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens:
Imperial Schönbrunn Palace is another masterpiece of Baroque art in Vienna. Built in the 18th century, the palace was home to empress Maria Theresa. The palace has around 1440 rooms and apartments. The palace also has royal settings for the residence of Austrian Emperors including rich design of furniture and interiors. The main highlight of this palace is the garden apartment of Empress Maria Theresa.
Another highlight of Imperial Schönbrunn Palace is its Gardens which are part of UNESCO world heritage sights. The Calm and serene Gardens are widely spread across the palace and open to visitors free of cost. It is a great place to spend your afternoon when you are in Vienna.
To enter the palace, you need to buy a ticket at the entrance. Remember to always book your entrance ticket in advance to avoid waiting time.
6. The Stephansdom
The Stephansdom is the biggest and most famous church situated in the heart of Vienna, and it is worth a visit. The Stephansdom is also referred as one of the main Vienna landmarks. The Gothic-style church built in 1147 is made out of a variety of different materials including limestone, marble, and terra cotta. The church is also called as the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and is also a symbol of Vienna.
Stephansdom church is also the site of Marriage as well as the Funeral of Austrian legend Composer Mozart. Stephansdom also has its cathedral museum which has a collection of religious paintings and sculptures. The main highlight of the church is its south and north tower which offers mesmerizing views of the Cathedral’s multi-colored roof as well as Vienna City. The church is famous for its multi-colored roof which was made of thousands of tiles in a very unique pattern. It reflects the double-headed eagle which is the symbol of the Habsburg dynasty.
7. Vienna State Opera House:
Vienna State Opera is one of the largest and most prestigious Opera houses in the world and one of the top attractions in Vienna. Featured in the famous Tom Cruise film, Mission Impossible, the Vienna State Opera house is heaven for Opera and ballet lovers. The Opera house host either ballet or Opera performances almost 300 times a year.
Vienna State Opera house was built in 1869, unfortunately, it was later severely damaged during World war II. Even though the damaged part was renovated later, the entrance of the Opera house is still the part of original Architecture. Many famous composers of History including Mozart and Richard Wagner have performed in Vienna State Opera.
To enter the Opera, you need to Either book a ticket for a concert or a guided trip to the Vienna opera house.
The concert tickets can be booked directly in Vienna city. You can find people with vintage costumes selling tickets for concerts everywhere near the opera house.
The guided tour of the opera house can be booked directly in the opera house but you need to stand in the queue for your turn. You can also book your tickets online and enter directly without a queue. A guided tour can be booked from the following link:-
8. Hundertwasserhaus
Hundertwasserhaus is the building of unique colorful houses in Vienna which is a must-see place in Vienna. The building was designed and constructed by the painter ( who later became Architecture) Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The houses are decorated with different colors and are magical to watch from outside. Also, it is one of the famous spots in Vienna for Instagram pictures.
The houses can only be viewed from the outside, however, a glimpse of the interior can be seen in Hundertwasser Village which is on the opposite side of the Hundertwasserhaus and open for tourists.
9. The Museums
Vienna is cramped with a variety of museums with a collection of History, Fine arts, music, science, etc. In addition to the museums we mentioned above, the following are must-visit museums in Vienna: -
Kunsthistorisches Museum: Collection of History, Ancient Fine Art, Egyptian, Greek and roman antiquities.
Museum of Natural History: Collection of natural history including anthropology, earth science, Biology, and archaeology.
Jewish Museum: The collection of Jewish history from the Middle Ages to the present day, collection of Jewish culture and religion.
Albertina: Collection of most valuable graphical pieces and drawings, modern graphics collection, photographs, etc.
House of Music: The modern museum has collections of a variety of musical instruments from History till the present time.
10. The Ringstrasse
Located in the heart of Vienna, The Ringstrasse is a beautiful avenue that circles the city. The Ringstrasse is the perfect place to spend an afternoon walking and admiring the beautiful architecture of the city. The Ringstrasse is also home to some of the city's most popular tourist attractions, including the Hofburg Palace, the Stephansdom, and the gardens of Schönbrunn. If you're planning a trip to Vienna, be sure complete this circle of Ringstrasse.
If you don’t want to walk, then you can also complete the Ringstrasse circle by Tram. The Ringstrasse route is around 5 Km long. So, you can either choose to walk or complete the circle by Tram. Anyways, if you are spending a good time in Vienna and visiting the top attractions of the city, you will ideally complete most of the path.
11. Vienna during Christmas:
Vienna gets transformed into a magical fairy tale city with decorations of Christmas trees, lights, and Christmas markets.
Vienna has plenty of Christmas markets to visit, and the best in all of them is The Christmas market in front of the city hall. It is filled with real Christmas charm. The magical decoration of lights makes it must visit place during Christmas.
Several other Christmas markets to visit in Vienna during the Christmas season are the Christmas village at Belvedere Palace, the Christmas village on Maria Theresa square, Christmas markets on a university campus, Christmas markets at Schonbrunn palace, etc.
12. Getting around:
Vienna has a great network of public transport including, Metros, trams, and buses. All the main attractions of the city are connected by public transport.
You can buy tickets for 24 hours, 48 hours, or 72 hours to explore the city. The tickets can be purchased at ticket machines at many underground metro stations. In addition, you can also purchase an online ticket for public transport from the following link. The tickets for public transport in Vienna are comparatively cheaper than in other popular cities in Europe. The 24 hours ticket costs 8 euros, 48 hours ticket costs 14.10 euros, and 72 hours ticket costs 17.10 euros.
13. Day Trips from Vienna:
Hallstatt:
Hallstatt is the most charming and picturesque village in Austria and is equally popular in the world. It is one of the top places to visit in Austria.
Even though Hallstatt is far from Vienna city, it is possible to make a comfortable day trip to Hallstatt from Vienna.
You can book a day trip from Vienna with a private tour agency. During the whole trip, the guide will give you unique information of Whole Austria from the Roman era till the present day. If you are in Vienna and have a day spare, it is strongly recommended to take this day trip to Hallstatt. You can book a day trip to Hallstatt from the following link:-
Budapest:
The charming capital of Hungary, Budapest can be reached from Vienna in 2.5 hours by train. Although the city can’t be completely visited only in one day, you can visit the main attraction of this city in a day and come back to Vienna on the same day.
Bratislava:
The Vibrant Slovakian capital Bratislava is a neighboring city of Vienna and can be reached in one hour by train in Vienna. The day trip from Vienna to Bratislava is worth a visit.
14. Best Budget Hotels in Vienna:-
There are plenty of hotels to stay in Vienna, however, here are some of our top picks for a good price.
Qualities: Clean, Connections with Trams and Metro lines, Spacious rooms. Good Breakfast, reasonable price, friendly staff.
Qualities: Clean, Connections with Trams and Metro lines, Spacious rooms. Good Breakfast, reasonable price, friendly staff.
Qualities: Clean, Connections with Trams and Metro lines, Good Breakfast, reasonable price, friendly staff.
Qualities: Clean, Good touch, public transport. Good Breakfast, Good price, friendly staff.
Qualities: Clean, Good touch, public transport, Good Breakfast, Good price, friendly staff.
15. Takeaways:
In summary, Vienna is a great place to explore. The city will greet you with its musical rythm and send you off with unforgettable memories and knowledge for a lifetime. Everyone should visit this Austrian capital once in their lifetime and embrace the city’s journey from ancient times till the present day.
We hope that this article will help you to plan your trip to Vienna. If you need any professions advice or support for planning your trip to Vienna, then please contact Guidemyvoyage. Our experts will help you to book a perfect Vienna trip for you.
Very useful information 👍