City guide · Austria (Vienna)
Vienna, imperial capital of coffee and palaces
Our guide to Vienna: the Hofburg and the Sissi Museum, St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Hundertwasserhaus, Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens, plus the city's Kaffeehaus culture and Christmas markets.
Vienna reveals itself between imperial palaces, historic coffeehouses and total art.
Capital of the Habsburgs for over six centuries, the city is easy to explore on foot or by tram, from the UNESCO-listed historic centre out to the summer palace of Schönbrunn. You explore it in stages, from the old town to Schönbrunn, by way of the cafés and markets that set the pace of Viennese life.
01
The old town — Habsburgs, cathedral and total art
Hofburg · Stephansplatz · Hundertwasserhaus
Vienna's historic core is best explored on foot, between the imperial Hofburg palace, St. Stephen's spire and, a short walk away, the city's most eccentric facade.
In the footsteps of Empress Elisabeth
The Hofburg & the Sissi Museum
The Habsburgs' former winter residence, the Hofburg houses the Sissi Museum, dedicated to Empress Elisabeth of Austria: over 300 objects and pieces of her wardrobe, with a French audioguide included (book a time slot on imperialtickets.com; allow around 2.5 hours). The palace gardens, free to enter, lead to the Natural History Museum and the Austrian National Library, whose ceilings are said to have inspired the sets of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
- Sissi Museum: €19.50
- 2.5h visit
- French audioguide included
- Hofburg gardens, free entry
Cathedral, imperial crypt and Mozart's house
Stephansplatz & the historic centre
St. Stephen's Cathedral dominates the square of the same name, its glazed-tile roof visible from the surrounding rooftops. Just below, the Capuchin Crypt holds the tombs of the imperial Habsburg family dating back to 1633 (paid entry). A short walk away, the house where Mozart lived, on Domgasse, is now a museum. The district is also home to the city's best shopping streets and confectioneries.
- Capuchin Crypt, imperial tombs since 1633
- Mozart's house-museum, Domgasse
Vienna's most eccentric building
The Hundertwasserhaus
Built in the 1980s by architect and artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, this 52-apartment residential building, with its 16 private terraces and undulating, multicoloured facades, evokes Gaudí, community gardens and fairy-tale aesthetics. It now houses 4 cafés-restaurants and several boutiques on the ground floor, best seen by wandering rather than on a guided tour.
- Free to view from outside
« In Vienna, you don't just visit a coffeehouse: you settle in, without watching the clock. »
02
Schönbrunn — the Habsburgs' summer palace
Palais de Schönbrunn · Gloriette
On the edge of the city, Schönbrunn Palace and its park deserve a full day: it's Vienna's most-visited site, for good reason.
Imperial apartments and the great gallery
Schönbrunn Palace
A 10-minute walk from Schönbrunn metro station (U4 line), the palace offers several tour options: the Grand Tour (€32), which includes the Napoleon rooms and Empress Maria Theresa's porcelain collections, or the Imperial Tour (€27), focused on the apartments of Sissi and Franz Joseph — a solid pick for a first visit. The audioguide is included in the ticket price; bags must be checked at the cloakroom (free, but expect a short wait).
- Imperial Tour: €27
- Grand Tour: €32
- U4 metro to Schönbrunn (€2.40)
- Audioguide included in the ticket
Greenhouse, Japanese garden and a view over the palace
The park & the Gloriette
Schönbrunn Park, free to enter, easily deserves a good part of the day on its own: a tropical greenhouse, a Japanese garden, a reconstructed Roman ruin, statues and a zoo (separate ticket). At the top, the Gloriette offers the best view back over the palace and the formal gardens stretching out below — best enjoyed on a sunny day with time to spare.
- The Gloriette, panoramic view over the palace
- Schönbrunn Zoo, the world's oldest
Tell us when, we'll tell you where.
That's the Les Voyagistes principle: tell us your dates, and we'll reveal the destinations that are in perfect season: Vienna is best visited in May, June and September, outside the Opera's summer recess and the peak summer crowds.
Find my destinations →03
Vienna day to day — coffeehouses, Christmas markets and an ice rink
Kaffeehaus · Prater · Rathausplatz
Beyond the monuments, Vienna is also a city to slow down in: a pastry at the counter of a historic coffeehouse, a ride on the Prater's Ferris wheel, or a giant ice rink outside city hall in winter.
Hot chocolate, Kaiserschmarrn and Sachertorte
Kaffeehaus culture
A Viennese institution, the historic coffeehouse rewards a slow visit. At Café Demel, the hot chocolate is the city's benchmark, best paired with a Kaiserschmarrn (a thick, shredded pancake served with a red-fruit compote) — arrive early and grab a counter seat to skip the queue. Café Central, more hushed in atmosphere, is a good alternative. Save room too for a slice of Sachertorte, the city's signature chocolate cake.
- Kaiserschmarrn at Café Demel
- Sachertorte, Vienna's signature cake
The world's oldest amusement park
The Prater & its Ferris wheel
Free to enter, with paid rides: the Prater blends 19th-century retro attractions — including the Riesenrad, the city's iconic Ferris wheel — with more modern rides, haunted houses and shooting galleries. The vintage atmosphere is worth the visit even without riding anything; take care after dark in the quieter lanes.
Rathausplatz in winter
City Hall — ice rink & Christmas markets
In winter, City Hall square (Rathausplatz) turns into a vast ice rink encircling the entire park, with illuminated underground passages — one of the largest in Europe. From mid-November to Christmas, the Christkindlmärkte Christmas markets also set up here and in front of Schönbrunn Palace, with mulled wine and lit-up stalls. On January 1st, the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert, broadcast worldwide, rounds out the city's festive winter atmosphere.
- Christkindlmärkte, mid-November to Christmas
- Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert
Schönbrunn deserves a full day: the palace in the morning, the park and the Gloriette in the afternoon.
Also worth seeing
- The Belvedere Palace, for Klimt's The Kiss
- The MuseumsQuartier and its modern art museums
- The Naschmarkt, the city's largest market
- The Vienna State Opera, on a guided tour or for a performance
- Danube Island (Donauinsel), for a break by the water
- Mozartkugeln, the city's signature chocolates