Best time
April - June, September - October, December
How long
3-4 days
Best for
Couples, culture, calm city breaks
Perfect for
Couples / Culture / Calm City Break
Why go to Vienna
Vienna is a city for slow days. Coffee houses expect you to sit for two hours with one melange and a newspaper, and the museums are large enough to justify it. The imperial sights are impressive, but the ordinary parts, markets, parks, the tram ring, are what make a few days here pleasant rather than merely cultural.
It is also one of the easiest cities in Europe logistically. Transport is punctual and cheap, tap water is excellent, and almost everything is signposted in English as well as German.
What to do
Sit properly in a coffee house
Cafe Central is the famous one; Cafe Sperl and Cafe Prueckel are more comfortable. Order a melange and stay.
Visit Schonbrunn early
The palace and gardens fill up by mid morning. The gardens themselves are free.
Choose one of the great museums
The Kunsthistorisches for old masters, the Belvedere for Klimt, the Leopold for Schiele.
Ride the ring tram
Circles the historic centre past most of the grand buildings, for the price of a normal ticket.
Eat at the Naschmarkt
A long market with food stalls and restaurants. Busy on Saturdays, and good for lunch.
Walk in the Prater or along the Danube
Big green space and river paths, useful for a slower afternoon.
Where to stay
Innere Stadt
The historic centre, walkable to everything and priced accordingly.
Neubau (7th)
Creative, full of small shops and restaurants, close to the museum quarter. The best mid range choice.
Leopoldstadt (2nd)
Across the canal, quieter and better value, with quick tram access to the centre.
Getting there and around
- Vienna airport (VIE) connects to the centre in 16 to 25 minutes by train, with a cheaper regional option alongside the express.
- Excellent rail links to Prague, Budapest, Munich and Salzburg, all in a few hours.
- Night trains connect several European cities, which can save a hotel night.
The U-Bahn, trams and buses are integrated and reliable. A 24 or 72 hour pass covers everything and is worth it from day one.
What it costs
Budget: Sausage stands, supermarket lunches, free parks and cheap transport passes keep the daily spend low.
Mid range: Hotel in the 7th, two museums, a concert ticket and dinner out.
Higher end: Grand hotels on the Ring, opera tickets and long formal dinners.
Read next
Articles about Vienna style trips
Related
You might also like
Czech Republic
Prague
A compact old city that looks like an illustration. Step two streets off the main route and it also gets quiet and affordable.
France
Paris
The most visited city in Europe, and still worth it if you treat it as a set of neighbourhoods rather than a list of monuments.
Denmark
Copenhagen
Design, bicycles, harbour swimming and some of the best casual food in Northern Europe. Plan the budget honestly and enjoy it.
Thinking about Vienna?
Send us your dates and we will tell you whether it is the right call, and what to book first.