Vienna is a city of attractions, monuments, culture and art. In the Austrian capital, you will find numerous galleries, museums and palaces with rich collections. It is a city closely related to music, because it is here that famous artists such as Schubert, Strauss, Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn were born and created their music.
There are 120 concert halls and theaters in Vienna, including four operas.
In addition, there are over a hundred museums, numerous palaces and green areas in the form of gardens and parks.
In other words, there is no shortage of attractions in Vienna.
Tourist attractions of Vienna
The capital of Austria is an ideal place for lovers of architecture, art and music. It is also a nice idea for a trip abroad, due to the relatively close distance from our borders. Some people visit Vienna on their way to Croatia or go here in the pre-holiday season – see also other accommodations on the way to Croatia. The Austrian capital will also find families with children, couples in love and lovers of local cuisine.
After all, this is where the famous Sachertorte and the Viennese schnitzel come from.
So let’s start exploring the attractions and interesting places in Vienna with our travel guide.
Sightseeing of Vienna
There are so many attractions in Vienna that it is definitely impossible to visit them during one weekend. You need three days to see most of the attractions, even if only slightly. To visit the capital of Austria in more detail, you need to reserve about a week, although some say that it will be too little.
Vienna is most conveniently explored by public transport. The fastest of them is, of course, the metro. However, there are also trams and buses available for tourists, for which exactly the same public transport tickets are valid. Most of the attractions and monuments in Vienna are located close together, so that they can be explored on foot.
The capital of Austria can be visited all year round. Each season in this city has its own charm. Lush vegetation blooms in the parks in spring and summer, while in autumn, nature turns golden-brown, and in winter, some of the best Christmas markets are held here. Regardless of the season, there is always something going on in Vienna. The city hosts numerous concerts and festivals as well as world-famous balls.
Tourist attractions of Vienna
Visiting Vienna is also, or perhaps mainly, drawing attention to numerous attractions of Vienna.
Schönbrunn
One of the greatest and most famous attractions in Vienna is undoubtedly the Schönbrunn Palace. This is the summer residence of the Habsburgs, considered one of the most beautiful estates in Europe. Schönbrunn Palace has been entered on the UNESCO list, which only confirms its uniqueness. Tourists can visit 45 of the more than 1,400 rooms here. However, thanks to this, we can see the imperial palace rooms, bedrooms, lounges and representative rooms.
The very surroundings of Schönbrunn Palace are also an unusual attraction. You can stroll through the vast gardens, visit the palm house, or the local zoo (Tiergarten), where over 700 species of animals live. In addition, in the palace surroundings there is a large labyrinth made of thick bushes and a museum for children.
A tourist train runs around these attractions, taking visitors to all the most interesting places.
See on the map of Vienna how to get to Schönbrunn:
Hofburg
Another attraction in Vienna is the Hofburg, the largest palace complex in the world. It consists of as many as 18 buildings with 16 courtyards, spread over 24 hectares. There is a lot to see in the Hofburg, and one of the most popular attractions here is the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments. You can see what the everyday life of Sissi, the favorite empress of the Austrians and her husband – Franz Joseph I.
In addition, it is worth visiting the Imperial Treasury, where we can see the jewelry of the Empress Sissi and the crown of the Austrian Empire. An interesting facility is also the Spanish Riding School, where horses are taught specific old riding.
Within the Hofburg Palace we can also find such tourist attractions as the Butterfly House building, a collection of silverware, or the Albertina gallery with a collection of graphics.
See the Vienna attractions map on how to get to the Hofburg:
Prater
A big tourist attraction, especially for a slightly younger group of tourists, is definitely the Prater. It is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. There are over 250 attractions on its territory, including numerous carousels, roller coasters and a giant Ferris wheel.
The ground floor also houses the famous Maddame Tussauds museum, with wax figures of famous personalities. Interestingly, the entrance to the amusement park is completely free. You have to pay here for each attraction separately.
The Prater is also an ordinary park where you can relax on the benches, walk, run and cycle. There are playgrounds and skate parks for the youngest.
These are not all of Vienna’s tourist attractions that are worth seeing and visiting.
Vienna Opera
One of the symbols of the city is also the Opera House in Vienna. It was bombed during World War II and then rebuilt in 1955. Today it is considered one of the best operas in the world. Tickets for performances can be up to 200 euros per person.
You can also visit the opera house in Vienna from the inside without necessarily watching the play. These tours are guided, but you can see much more than the scene itself.
It is in the building of the Vienna State Opera that the annual sumptuous balls take place.
See on the map of Vienna where the Opera is located:
Sights in Vienna
There were a few words about attractions and now it’s time for the greatest monuments of Vienna.
Saint Stephen’s Cathedral
One of the most important monuments of Vienna is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It is one of the tallest buildings not only in the old town, but also in all buildings in the Austrian capital. One of the four church towers, measures almost 137 meters, and the building itself is one of the nicer examples of Gothic in architecture.
For this reason, it was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is in this cathedral that as many as 22 bells were placed, of which the most famous of them, the 20-ton Pummerin, is located in the north tower. The temple, which is over 800 years old, remembers the wedding and funeral of Mozart himself.
Its characteristic element is the roof decorated with a geometric pattern, composed of 230,000 colored tiles. Inside, the marble sarcophagus of Emperor Frederick III Hohenzollern and the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy deserve attention.
MuseumsQuartier
Another historic place on the map of Vienna is definitely the MuseumsQuartier, i.e. the museum district. Here, on an area of 60 thousand square meters, the largest complex of buildings related to art and culture in the world was located. As part of it, you can visit the Leopold Museum, the Art Hall or the Zoom Children’s Museum.
In the first one, you can see mainly works by artists dealing with modernist art, for example Gustav Klimt or Egon Schiele.
Belvedere Palace in Vienna
An interesting monument in Vienna is also Belvedere, which is a perfect example of baroque architecture. The complex itself, like the more famous Schönbrunn, impresses with its size and the surrounding gardens. This is another summer residence, but this time it belongs to Prince Eugene of Savoy.
The Belvedere itself is actually two palace buildings – Belvedere Upper and Lower, connected by a French-style garden. The first one, due to its name, is located on a hill, from where there is a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Within the complex, you can also admire a winter conservatory and former stables.
Vienna City Hall
A monument that stands out in the Viennese buildings is also the building of the Capital City Hall. Built in a spectacular neo-Gothic style, it resembles the famous city hall in Brussels. It is a huge building with an area of 113,000 square meters, dominated by two towers. On top of one of them there is an armored figure called the Iron Man. In the middle of the town hall there are over 1,500 rooms, spread over eight levels (6 above ground and 2 underground). Check also the website of the town hall.
It is in front of the town hall that the largest Christmas market in Vienna takes place every year.
Interesting places in Vienna
Along with attractions and monuments, we found a few more interesting places in Vienna.
Albertina
One of the most interesting places in Vienna is Albertina, a gallery with a large collection of graphics. It was founded in 1768 and can boast works spanning almost 130 years. Inside, you can admire a collection of over a million (!) prints and 60,000 drawings.
Among them are also the most famous – “Field Hare” and “Hands Folded in Prayer” by Dürer and a series of Klimt sketches for portraits of women.
Butterfly house
Another interesting place in Vienna is also the local Butterfly House. There are over 50 species of butterflies in the palm house under the roof. These insects can fly freely here, among the exotic vegetation, waterfalls and bridges.
The Butterfly House is the perfect idea for a break among greenery in Vienna, even in winter.
Hundertwasserhaus
Hundertwasserhaus is probably the most interesting place in Vienna. It is a building designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser and Joseph Karvin, with a very unusual facade. It surprises mainly with its colors and shapes. Trees grow from the terraces, which also overlap the nearby windows.
The whole thing resembles the work of the Barcelona artist – Gaudi. The Hundertwasserhaus, like the buildings in Barcelona, is normally inhabited. Of course, it cannot be visited from the inside.
What’s worth seeing in Vienna?
All sights and attractions of Vienna are truly interesting places, but what else is worth seeing in Vienna while spending your trip to this city?
Natural History Museum
In Vienna, the Natural History Museum is definitely worth seeing. Over 100,000 exhibits are located here on two floors. Among them, various animals, including dinosaurs and a man from prehistoric times with his tools. Here you can see various minerals, precious stones and skeletons of long-extinct organisms. However, the greatest gem here is a tiny figure of “Venus of Willendorf”, which is almost 30,000 years old, found in 1908 in Austria.
In addition, the museum also houses a digital planetarium and a collection of the largest and oldest meteors in the world that fell to the ground.
Art History Museum
Right next to the building of the Natural History Museum in Vienna, there is the Art History Museum. This museum, in turn, is famous for the world’s largest collection of Bruegel’s paintings. In addition, there are works by artists such as: Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Velázquez, Rubens, Rembrandt and Rafael.
This collection began with the Habsburg family. Currently, it is one of the largest galleries in the world.
The National Library in Vienna
In Vienna, the National Library, located in one of the Hofburg buildings, is definitely worth seeing. It is considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Its collection includes over 200,000 books from the period from 1501 to 1850. In addition, you can admire marble sculptures and antique globes.
The most impressive thing here, however, is the Parade Hall, whose ceiling is entirely covered with colorful frescoes.
Tourist map of Vienna attractions
On the map you will find all the tourist attractions in Vienna that are definitely worth seeing:
What attractions and sights in Vienna do you visit the most? Do you know any other interesting places in Vienna? Let us know in the comments.