Vienna

Planning a trip to Vienna, Austria

Why Vienna?

Opera at the Staatsoper
Old Masters in the Kunsthistorische Museum
Sachertorte in a classic Viennese cafe
Amazing museums in the Hapsburg Hofburg palace
The music of the Vienna Boys Choir
The royal palace of Schloss Schönbrunn

An imperial city on the Danube river, Vienna retains some of the splendor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Vienna's attitudes, architecture, and interior decor exude the stately elegance of the 18th and 19th centuries when its Hapsburg ruling dynasty controlled much of central and eastern Europe.

It's a refined city of imperial palaces and art museums, of baroque churches and beer taverns, of ornate cafes and a grand opera house.

As birthplace of the waltz and home to the likes of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, the Strauss family, Brahms, Mahler, the Vienna Boys Choir (and, more recently, the late pop star Falco of Rock Me Amadeus fame), Vienna lays claim to one of Europe's strongest musical traditions.

Tips & Links

How long should I spend in Vienna?

Give Vienna at least two or three days—not only for the sights, but also because it is one the best European capitals for just walking the streets and people-watching in the coffeehouses while munching on flaky apfelstrudel.

Useful links & resources

SIGHTS

Tourist info: Wien.info (Vienna), Austria.info (Austria)

Sightseeing passes: Vienna Card (discounts at 210 attractions; free transport)

Tours & activities: Viator.com, ContextTravel.com, City-Discovery.com, Intrepidtravel.com, Gadventures.com

LODGING

Hotels: Booking.com, Venere.com, Priceline.com, Hotels.com

B&Bs: Booking.com, Bedandbreakfast.com, Venere.com, Airbnb.com, Innsite.com

Apartments: Rentalo.com, Vrbo.com, Booking.com, Venere.com, Airbnb.com, Interhomeusa.com, Homeaway.com

Hostels & campgrounds: Hostelbookers.com, Hostelworld.com, Hostelz.com, Booking.com

TRANSPORT

Airfares: Momondo.com, AutoEurope.com, Vayama.com, Cheapflights.com, DoHop.com , CheapTickets.com, CheapOAir.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Priceline.com, Kayak.com, Hotwire.com

Airport: Viennaairport.com

Trains: Oebb.at, Raileurope.com, Bahn.de, Seat61.com

Public transport: Wienerlinien.at (Regional: Vor.at); Vienna Card (free transport,;discounts at attractions)

Car rentals: Autoeurope.com, RentalCars.com, Momondo.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Kayak.com

Driving/parking: Wien.info

Get the Vienna Card

The Vienna Card gets you free transport on all buses, trams, etc. in town for 72 hours, plus discounts at 210 attractions—not free entry, but anywhere from 7% to 20% off admission.

You can get it bundled as part of various sightseeing packages, or pick it up in town at some hotels or at the info offices at the airport and on Albertinaplatz, plus at the info points in the major strain stations. Mroe info: Wien.info/en/travel-info/vienna-card

Vienna tours

Highlights & Art

• Context: Introduction to the 1st District
• Context: Custom Walk, Vienna
• Vienna Highlights Walking Tour
• Context: Vienna Secession
• Context: Kunsthistorisches Museum
• Vienna City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
• Family Vienna Combo: Vienna Card, Schonbrunn Zoo, Prater Ferris Wheel and Madame Tussauds
• Vienna Combo: Danube River Cruise, Dinner and Schonbrunn Palace Concert
• Empress Sisi Sightseeing Combo: Schonbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace, Dinner and Orangery Concert
• Welcome to Vienna Combo: Vienna Card, Hop-on-Hop off Tour, Morning Tea and Lunch or Dinner
• Private Tour: Austrian Wine Tasting in a Traditional Augustinerkeller

Music & dance
• Context: Counterpoint and Harmony, Music in Vienna
• Musical Vienna Combo: Vienna Card, Mozart Concert, House of Music and Waltz Dance Lesson
• Schonbrunn Palace Evening: Palace Tour, Dinner and Concert
• Vienna Mozart Evening: Gourmet Dinner and Concert at the Musikverein
• Experience Vienna: Viennese Waltz Dance Lesson for Couples

Bike tours
• Vienna Highlights Bike Tour
• Wine Tasting Bike Tour from Vienna
• Vienna City Bike Tour
• Vienna Super Saver: City Sightseeing Bike Tour plus Cultural Bike Tour
• Bike Tour Along the Danube

Daytrips
• Context: Vineyards of Vienna
• Wine-Tasting Tour: Wachau Valley
• Salzburg Day Trip from Vienna
• Vienna Woods and Mayerling Day Trip
• Bratislava Day Trip from Vienna
• Danube Valley Day Trip from Vienna
• Budapest Day Trip from Vienna
• Prague Day Trip from Vienna