FREE City Guide: Highlights of Vienna - 30+ Recommendations

Attractions

As a capital city, Vienna is full of history and culture in the form of hundreds of museums and historic buildings. Whether your interests are focused on royal palaces, art, or classical music, you'll find plenty to keep yourself entertained for days on end.

Below is a cultivated list of the highlights of the city, with recommended tours and activities linked to the locations. Click on details for insight and links for tickets - it's often advised to purchase tickets and tours in advance, especially in high season!

If traveling with children, check out the kid-friendly attractions and restaurants at the bottom of each section.

Historical

Schönbrunn Palace

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Highly recommend putting this as the first thing you do one day. Crowds can get intense here later in the day, especially in high season! If visiting Hofburg Palace too, look at getting the combined Sisi ticket to save on some money!

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St. Stephen's Cathedral

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Entrance to the cathedral is free, but if you want access to the towers or the crypts, a ticket must be purchased. A guided tour of the crypts is highly recommended!

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Vienna State Opera

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This opera house is open with a full opera and ballet season from September-June. If visiting in the summer, or if you just want to see the building and not a show, you can take a 1 hour guided tour of the building. Show and tour tickets can be bought online at https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/ or with a separate guide at the link below.

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Hofburg

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This sprawling palace has much to do around and inside it, including the Spanish Riding School and the popular Sisi Museum. Beautiful gardens in front of the palace are a perfect resting place for a midday break. Want to tour the palace and learn more about the Habsburg family? Check out the skip the line tour below!

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Austrian National Library, State Hall

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Looking for a beautiful building to tour, but don't want to pay the higher prices to see palace interiors? The National Library is the option for you! For only $11, you can enter the State Hall where more than 200,000 volumes are housed. Family entrance options include a group ticket for 2 adults + children for just under $18. Note that online tickets are valid for any point during open hours.

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Karlskirche

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The beautiful Karlskirche, or Church of St. Charles, can be viewed from the outside, but if you want to tour the inside or walk along the terrace, tickets can be bought at the link below. Adult tickets cost just under $11, with youth (10-17) and student tickets costing $5.50. Children 9 and under get in free!

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Imperial Treasury Vienna

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Located within the Hofburg Palace, along with the Sisi Museum and the Spanish Riding School - so you could plan a day or afternoon centered around this area of the city! Click the link below for skip the line tickets. Adult tickets cost around $18, student (25 and under) tickets cost $13, and children 19 and younger get in free.

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Imperial Crypt

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Separate from the catacombs of St. Stephen's Cathedral, these crypts contain the remains of 150 Habsburg family members. Ticketed entrance from 10AM-6PM, plus guided tours in English take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 3PM. Adult tickets cost about $9, children tickets (18 and younger) cost $5.50, and a family ticket costs about $20. A combined ticket for crypt entrance and a concert in the church costs $45 for adults and tickets for those 27 and younger cost $26. See link below for tickets!

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Museums

Museum of Natural History Vienna

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From dinosaur bones to beautiful gems, this museum is great for the whole family! Note that this museum is closed on Tuesdays. Adult tickets are $20, tickets for students and military personnel (aged 19-25) and senior citizens 65 and older are $15, and children 18 and younger get in free. See link below for tickets!

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Sisi Museum

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Highly recommended to purchase tickets in advance! Also look for ticket combos to save money - including the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartment combo linked below. Another recommended ticket combo is the "Sisi Ticket" that includes the Sisi Museum, the Hofburg Imperial Apartments, the Schönbrunn Palace Grand Tour, and the Vienna Furniture Museum.

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Albertina

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This is the largest modern art museum in Central Europe! Adult tickets to the main museum are $22 with those 18 and younger getting in free. Adult tickets to the Albertina Modern, which focuses on contemporary post-1945 art, are $18 with those 18 and younger getting in free.

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Furniture Museum Vienna

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Note that this museum is closed on Mondays. Look at the combo ticket, the Sisi Ticket, for entrance into the Furniture Museum, the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments, and the Grand Tour of the Schönbrunn Palace.

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Museum of Applied Arts

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Note that this museum is closed on Mondays. Those 18 and younger get in free!

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Kid-Friendly Attractions 

Schönbrunn Zoo

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Unlike American zoos, this one has some great food and drink options! Don't hesitate to stay here for both lunch and dinner. Enjoy prosecco as you watch the orangutans at the ORANG.erie or sit in the middle of the zoo upon the Emperor's Pavillion. There are many combination tickets available with the zoo, so plan your day ahead and purchase what suits your needs best and save some money! Combination ticket options include the Giant Ferris Wheel in Prater Park, the Danube Tower, Schonnbrun Palace, and the Children's Museum.

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Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel

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Located in Prater Park, this is a must-do for kids (and adults) of all ages! More daring children can find plenty of other higher-thrill rides further in the park. Skip the line to buy tickets by purchasing in advance with the link below!

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Spanish Riding School

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Check training and show times for your travel dates! During summer months, only a morning training is open to the public - but this is still worth a stop, especially if you or any of your kids love horses!

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Danube Tower

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A fun way to get a birds-eye view of the Vienna cityscape! To guarantee your spot, purchase your tickets in advance at the link below.

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Haus des Meeres

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Vienna's aquarium, located within a multi-story building with a rooftop terrace and restaurant. Here you can see sharks and fish, as well as Komodo dragons and lemurs. A fun experience for all! Note that discounted student tickets are available but must be purchased at the ticket counter and not in advance. Discounted evening tickets, after 5:30PM, are also available at the ticket counter.

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Children’s Museum Schönbrunn Palace

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You and your children both can learn more about the everyday life of the Habsburg family at this museum! Recommended to purchase tickets in advance and note that select entry time must be chosen at time of purchase.

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Recommended City Tours 

Easy ways to see the city and fun for the whole family!

Restaurants

Classic Austrian Restaurants

Griechenbeisl

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This is Vienna's oldest restaurant! Recommended that you make reservations in advance. Note that it is warned most waiters here do not speak English so be ready to communicate appropriately with them!

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Figlmüller at Wollzeile

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A favorite of locals and tourists alike, this is the ideal place to get the classic Vienna meal, Wiener Schnitzel!

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Lugeck

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Owned by the same family that owns Figlmuller, this is another great option for classic Viennese food and might have less of a wait than the previous two restaurants.

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Restaurant Vienne/OnurChefs

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Another great option for classic Austrian food, with low need for reservations. Also, a good option for families due to the large menu.

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Cafes 

Café Central

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The most famous cafe in Vienna. Highly recommended to make reservations here.

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Café Hawelka

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A lesser-known cafe, but even tastier than the more popular cafes. Many recommend this cafe for having the best coffee in the city!

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Café Mozart

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Centrally located across from the Albertina Museum, this cafe is a great option for any time of day - for breakfast, dessert, or just coffee!

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Family Dinners

Brasserie Palmenhaus Wien

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Located next to the Hofburg Palace, this restaurant is a perfect midday stop for the whole family. The menu includes dishes geared towards children as well as plenty of options for parents - food and drink alike!

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Glacis Beisl

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On weekends, look for the kids corner with face painting and other fun activities. And don't skip out on the ice cream!

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ROLLERCOASTERRESTAURANT Vienna

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The bright and lively atmosphere will appeal to both children and parents alike! Reservations are recommended.

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Parents Night Out

DO & CO Restaurant Stephansplatz

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One of the nicest restaurants in Vienna, and this location has some of the best views. Reservations recommended.

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Buxbaum Restaurant

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This Michelin-starred restaurant is perfect for a date night out in Vienna! Reservations are recommended.

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1516 Brewing Company

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Located in the Innerstadt, this brewery is a great stop for a midday break or for drinks before dinner.

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Weinstube Josefstadt

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For fans of wine, this place is for you! Note that they are cash only.

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Day Trips

Bratislava

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The closest day-trip location to Vienna, making it the easiest and most affordable. Public transportation on both trains and buses are an option to keep costs low. Popular sights include the Blue Church and Michael's Gate. Spend your time exploring Old Town and its many restaurants and bars. Just remember that most places here are cash only! If you want to spend the extra money for a small group tour (which I recommend based on my experience of attempting this day trip on my own), check out the link below! Having a guide and guaranteed transportation is well worth the money.

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Hallstatt

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If you want to see the Austrian Alps, then this is the day trip location for you! Due to its distance from Vienna, it is recommended you book a guided tour with transportation to visit Hallstatt. See the link below for a guided tour option including air-conditioned transport and admission to the Hallstatt Skywalk.

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Graz

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Graz is known as the culinary capital of Austria, so if you're a foodie, make this a day trip during your time in Vienna. The FlixBus can take you directly to Graz from Vienna in less than 3 hours.

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Salzburg

@mackenziewoods

If you're a fan of classical music or the Sound of Music, Salzburg is a top destination for you when in Austria! Public transportation can be taken from Vienna to Salzburg and back, but the long distance each way can make this tough to do alone. It's recommended to do a small group tour, like that linked below, to ease travel logistics and to get the most of your one day in the Salzburg area.

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