Top 5 Things You Must Do When You Visit Vienna, Austria

Vienna is a cultural city where the old and new seamlessly blend. Whether you’re a history buff, architecture lover, or a foodie, you’ll find something to enjoy. There are so many things to do, you could spend several days and not have done or seen everything. If your trip is short or you want to cut to the chase, here’s my pick of the top five things you must do when you visit Vienna, Austria.

Table of Contents

Top 5 Things You Must Do When You Visit Vienna, Austria

Below you’ll find a mix of tourist attractions along with experiences unique to Vienna.

1. Schonbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn)

Allow lots of time to tour Schonbrunn Palace

You should plan several hours to really enjoy your visit to Schonbrunn Palace (Schloss Schonbrunn), gardens, maze, and labyrinth.

The former summer home of the Habsburgs, this Baroque palace offers a wealth of treasures both inside and outside. Checking off UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites? The Schonbrunn was added to the UNESCO list in 1996.

Book your tour in advance:

2. Prater (Wurstelprater)

See all of Vienna from the top of the Wiener Riesenrad (ferris wheel) at Wurstelprater

Amusement parks are a dime a dozen in California. Living in San Diego we’re minutes away from Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Sea World, and Legoland California.

So an amusement park has to offer something different to stand out. Wurstelprater does that in spades.

You get free admission to Wurstelprater seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.

But all the attractions except the Wiener Riesenrad (Viennese giant wheel aka ferris wheel) are closed from November to mid-March. Keep that in mind when planning your visit, especially if you go in January like we did.

Wurstelparter is great for families with young children who are too small (or scared) to go on the rides. And for adults who enjoy a carnival atmosphere, people watching, or get burnt out after standing hours in long lines.

And because you only pay for rides vs paying to get into the park you’re not wasting valuable money on an admission ticket.

Enjoy a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad) and a visit to the Schonbrunn Zoo.

Or take a private Vienna Wine Tavern Night Tour with Giant Ferris Wheel

3. Hot Dog Stand (Würstelstände)

street food cart hot dog stand wurstelprate

4 euros gets you a tasty footlong hot dog or sausage from a street cart

You can grab a frankfurter or sausage from a street cart for a filling (and cheap) meal from Wurstelstands all over Vienna.

A foot long sausage encased in a crusty french roll costs under $4 (4 euro).

4. Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper)

Vienna State Opera House Wiener Staatsoper

You can enjoy an evening at the Vienna State Opera House for 3 euros

A visit to the Vienna State Opera, one of the most respected and busiest opera houses in the world, is a must while in Vienna. So you can book a tour of the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper).

Do make time to watch an opera. Here’s how you can get a ticket for as little as 3 euro ($3).

If you’re looking for a unique experience, consider attending a Mozart Concert where the orchestra is dressed in historical costumes.

Or enjoy a gourmet dinner and concert at the Vienna Opera House.

5. 1516 Brewing Company

Stop by 1516 Brewing Company for a cold brew

Although Vienna is known for its coffee, with wine following a close second, there’s plenty of beer to be found. But there aren’t a lot of breweries.

If you like a good craft beer or want to enjoy dinner in a non-smoking environment and where English is spoken (in case your German is a little rusty or non-existent), head to 1516 Brewing Company.

Go on a Vienna pub tour.

Conclusion

With so much to see and do, there are many top things to do in Vienna. But we’ve summed up the top 5 things you should do when you visit Vienna, Austria.

Everything from spending hours at Schonbrunn Palace to riding the ferris wheel at Wurstelprater.

Let’s not forget eating from street cart hot dog stand, enjoying the brews at 1516 Brewing Company, or seeing an opera at the Vienna State Opera.

Need more suggestions?

Find and book tours in Vienna with Viator.

What’s on your must do list for Vienna?

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Shannon

Saturday 9th of June 2018

I would love to visit Vienna one day! It just looks like one of those quintessential European cities you have to see! Awesome post!

Corinne

I need to get to Vienna. I've wanted to visit Prater ever since seeing The Third Man!

Rawan

I have been waiting to find something like this! VIENNA has been on my list for years, but never knew how much it offered or what tours I could book. Great feature thank you for sharing it. Very handy!!

Sarah - Borders & Bucket Lists

Friday 8th of June 2018

Wow I made it to Salzburg three times, but never to Vienna! Guess I know what I have to do when I finally get there!

Kate

Monday 20th of November 2017

The architecture in Vienna looks beautiful. I really like the giant ferris wheel at the amusement park as well. I think that the main draw for me would be the food, so it's nice to see that there are hotdog carts all over the city with different Austrian sausages. This is a good guide to keep in mind for future travels.

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