Vienna Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Vienna tours, Schönbrunn Palace and Hofburg skip-the-line tickets, classical Mozart concerts, coffee-house food tours, Vienna Woods wine tastings and day trips to Hallstatt and Salzburg. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Vienna itinerary.
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Explore Vienna by interest
Whatever brings you to Vienna — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Schönbrunn Palace
The Habsburgs’ summer palace and baroque gardens.
ExploreHofburg & Sisi
The imperial palace and the Sisi Museum.
ExploreClassical concerts
Mozart and Strauss in grand halls and churches.
ExploreCity tours
St. Stephen’s, the Ringstrasse and the old town.
ExploreCoffee & food
Sachertorte, schnitzel and historic coffee houses.
ExploreWine & Vienna Woods
Forests, Heuriger taverns and wine tasting.
ExploreHallstatt & Salzburg
The lakeside village and Mozart’s city.
ExploreWachau Valley
A Danube cruise, Melk Abbey and vineyards.
ExploreTop attractions in Vienna
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Schönbrunn Palace
The Habsburgs’ summer palace and baroque gardens.
Hofburg & Sisi
The imperial winter palace and the Sisi Museum.
Belvedere & Klimt
The baroque palace and Klimt’s “The Kiss”.
Classical concerts
Mozart and Strauss in grand historic venues.
Coffee houses
Sachertorte and apple strudel in historic cafés.
Hallstatt
The fairy-tale lakeside village in the Alps.
Salzburg
Mozart’s baroque city and Sound of Music scenery.
Wachau Valley
A Danube cruise, Melk Abbey and vineyards.
Vienna in 1 day
- 1Schönbrunn Palace
- 2Historic centre & St. Stephen’s
- 3Hofburg
- 4Evening classical concert
Vienna in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Schönbrunn & old town
- 2Classical concert
- 3Day 2: Wachau Valley
- 4Coffee house & wine
Vienna in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Schönbrunn & old town
- 2Day 2: Wachau Valley
- 3Day 3: Hallstatt or Salzburg
- 4Concerts & coffee houses
Vienna with kids
- 1Schönbrunn & zoo
- 2Prater funfair
- 3Danube boat
- 4Horse-carriage ride
Vienna music day
- 1Haus der Musik
- 2Mozarthaus & House of Strauss
- 3Kursalon or Musikverein concert
- 4Dinner & concert at Schönbrunn
Rainy day in Vienna
- 1Kunsthistorisches Museum
- 2Coffee house & Sachertorte
- 3Belvedere & Klimt's Kiss
- 4Hofburg, Sisi & the Lipizzaners
3.5 hrs awayHallstatt
The fairy-tale lakeside village in the Alps.
2.5 hrs awaySalzburg
Mozart’s baroque city and Sound of Music scenery.
1.5 hrs awayWachau Valley
A Danube cruise, Melk Abbey and vineyards.
1 hr awayBratislava
Slovakia’s charming castle-topped old town.
2.5 hrs awayBudapest
The grand “Pearl of the Danube” and thermal baths.
45 min awayVienna Woods
Forests, the Seegrotte lake and wine villages.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Vienna visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) bring mild weather and thinner crowds — the best times to visit.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Blooming gardens and pleasant temperatures make spring ideal for the palaces and the Vienna Woods.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm, long days and lively terraces, plus open-air concerts — the busiest season, so book ahead.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Golden parks, the wine harvest and Heuriger taverns — a beautiful, comfortable time to visit.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Cold and elegant, with magical Christmas markets and the famous ball season; cosy and atmospheric.
Advent & ball season
December’s Christmas markets and the January–February ball season are enchanting but busy — book early.
One day
Enough for Schönbrunn, the historic centre and Hofburg, and an evening concert.
Two days
Add the Belvedere or Sisi Museum and a Wachau Valley Danube day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, the Wachau Valley, and Hallstatt or Salzburg.
Four to five days
Add more museums, the Vienna Woods, and a Bratislava or Budapest day.
A week or more
Use Vienna as a base for the Alps, the lakes and the neighbouring capitals.
Travelling with kids
Mix Schönbrunn’s zoo, the Prater funfair and a Danube boat at a gentle pace.
U-Bahn & trams
The metro, trams and buses are fast, clean and extensive; a day or multi-day pass is excellent value.
On foot
The compact UNESCO old town is best explored on foot, with the cathedral, palaces and coffee houses close together.
Tram round the Ring
The Ringstrasse tram (or a hop-on bus) is a scenic way to see the grand boulevard’s landmarks.
Fiaker carriages
Horse-drawn fiakers offer a classic, romantic ride around the historic centre.
Day-trip transport
Trains and tours reach the Wachau, Hallstatt, Salzburg, Bratislava and Budapest.
From the airport
Vienna Airport links to the centre by the City Airport Train (CAT) or S-Bahn in about 16–25 minutes.
Book Schönbrunn ahead
Schönbrunn uses timed entry that sells out — book skip-the-line tickets in advance, especially in summer.
Concert tickets
Popular Mozart and Strauss concerts sell out — reserve ahead for the best seats at top venues.
Vienna City Card
A Vienna City Card or Pass can cover transport and discounts if you’ll visit several sights.
Currency & tipping
Austria uses the euro; cards are widely accepted, and a small tip (rounding up) is customary in cafés and restaurants.
Coffee-house etiquette
Linger as long as you like over a coffee; order by name (Melange, Einspänner) and enjoy a slice of cake — it’s the Viennese way.
Pack for the season
Bring warm layers in winter for the Christmas markets and comfortable shoes for the cobbled old town.
Schönbrunn Palace
Timed tickets sell out, especially in summer — book ahead.
Classical concerts
Top-venue Mozart and Strauss concerts sell out — reserve early.
Hallstatt & Salzburg trips
Popular long day trips fill up in summer — book ahead.
Spanish Riding School
Lipizzaner performances have limited seats — reserve well in advance.
Food & wine tours
Small-group coffee-house and wine tours fill up — book a few days ahead.
Advent & ball season
December and the winter balls fill hotels and tours — plan early.
Schönbrunn & Hofburg
Around €25–50 for skip-the-line palace tickets or a guided tour.
Classical concerts
Roughly €40–90 depending on the venue and seats.
City tours
About €20–40 for a guided historic-centre walking tour.
Wachau Valley trips
Around €60–100 for a Danube cruise, Melk Abbey and wine tasting.
Hallstatt & Salzburg
Roughly €90–140 for a full-day trip with transport and a guide.
How to save
Use a transit pass, walk the free old town and gardens, and join group tours.
Vienna through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Blooming gardens and mild weather — ideal for the palaces and Vienna Woods.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A top time before the summer crowds.
- Best for
- Warm days, open-air concerts and lively terraces.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- The busiest season — book palaces and concerts early.
- Best for
- Golden parks, the wine harvest and Heuriger taverns.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Beautiful and better value as summer fades.
- Best for
- Magical Christmas markets and the elegant ball season.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold but enchanting; pack warm layers.