Vienna
3
Day Itinerary •
Austria
Three days in Vienna give you the full sweep of the greatest imperial city in Europe, from the extraordinary Stephansdom at the heart of the first district to the baroque splendour of Schoenbrunn Palace with its 1,441 rooms, the Upper Belvedere with Klimt's The Kiss, the finest art museum complex in the German-speaking world on the Ringstrasse, and the extraordinary coffee house culture that has defined Viennese life for 350 years. This route covers the essential Vienna. The first district's extraordinary medieval lanes and imperial palaces, the Hofburg and the Spanish Riding School, the Kunsthistorisches Museum with the finest collection of Bruegel paintings in the world, Schoenbrunn Palace and gardens, the Belvedere with the world's finest Klimt collection, and the extraordinary Prater with the oldest Ferris wheel in continuous operation.
Best Time To Visit
April to June or September to October
Getting There
Direct flights from most European cities
Getting Around
Vienna Card covers all U-Bahn, tram and bus. Approx 17 euros for 48 hours
Budget Per Day
Approx 100 to 180 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and public transport
DAY 1
VIENNA OLD TOWN
MORNING
STEPHANSDOM AND THE FIRST DISTRICT
The Stephansdom is the most extraordinary Gothic building in Austria, its extraordinary patterned roof tiles and the south tower at 136 metres dominating the Vienna skyline for seven centuries. The catacombs beneath contain the bones of over 11,000 plague victims and the entrails of the Habsburg dynasty in bronze urns. The first district surrounding the cathedral is the most concentrated collection of imperial architecture in Europe, its extraordinary lanes and palaces built over 600 years of Habsburg rule. Tower entry approx 6 euros. Travel: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
THE HOFBURG AND THE SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL
The Hofburg Imperial Palace is the most extraordinary palace complex in Europe, its 19 courtyards and 2,600 rooms the seat of Habsburg power for six centuries. The Imperial Apartments show the extraordinary private rooms of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. The Spanish Riding School, where the famous Lipizzan stallions have been trained since 1565, gives morning training sessions open to the public. Imperial Apartments entry approx 16 euros. Travel: 20 min tram
AFTERNOON
THE NASCHMARKT AND THE SECESSION
The Naschmarkt is the finest outdoor market in Austria, 1.5km of market stalls between the Karlsplatz and the Kettenbruckengasse selling extraordinary produce from across Europe and the Middle East. The extraordinary Secession building beside it, built in 1897 by Joseph Maria Olbrich, contains Klimt's extraordinary Beethoven Frieze in the basement, 34 metres of painting created in 1902. Entry to Secession approx 9.50 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Augustinerkeller beneath the Albertina is the most extraordinary wine cellar in Vienna, a 14th-century vaulted cellar beneath the Habsburg palaces where Habsburg wine was stored for centuries. The cellar now serves outstanding Austrian wines with traditional Viennese food at extraordinary value. Entirely free to enter. The finest hidden restaurant in the first district.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Central, Vienna The most extraordinary coffee house in Vienna in a Gothic arcade. Melange and Kipferl since 1876. | Lunch: Gasthaus Poschl, Vienna Outstanding traditional Viennese restaurant. Tafelspitz and local Gruner Veltliner wine. | Dinner: Restaurant Meixner, Vienna The finest Viennese Beisl in the first district. Wiener Schnitzel and extraordinary Austrian wine.
DAY 2
SCHOENBRUNN AND BELVEDERE
MORNING
SCHOENBRUNN PALACE AND GARDENS
Schoenbrunn Palace is the most extraordinary baroque palace in Austria, its 1,441 rooms the summer residence of the Habsburg emperors from Maria Theresa to Franz Joseph. The Grand Tour of 40 state rooms is extraordinary. The palace gardens are the finest formal gardens in Central Europe, the Gloriette on the hill above giving the most extraordinary panorama over Vienna. The imperial zoo in the grounds, founded in 1752, is the oldest zoo in the world. Palace Grand Tour approx 29 euros. Travel: 30 min tram to Belvedere
MIDDAY
THE UPPER BELVEDERE AND KLIMT'S THE KISS
The Upper Belvedere palace is the most extraordinary baroque garden palace in Vienna, built for Prince Eugene of Savoy between 1714 and 1723. The Austrian Gallery within contains the world's finest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings, including The Kiss, the most famous painting in Austria, displayed in its extraordinary gold leaf in Room 1. The Belvedere gardens between the Upper and Lower palaces are the finest formal gardens in Vienna. Entry approx 22 euros. Travel: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE BELVEDERE LOWER PALACE AND ORANGERY
The Lower Belvedere houses the extraordinary Baroque Museum and the Museum of Medieval Austrian Art, with the finest collection of Austrian Baroque sculpture in the world including the extraordinary figures by Georg Raphael Donner. The Orangery beside it gives temporary exhibitions of extraordinary quality. The extraordinary stable building houses the Gustinus Ambrosi Museum. Entry to Lower Belvedere approx 15 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Hermesvilla in the Lainzer Tiergarten west of Vienna is the most extraordinary imperial hideaway in the city, a villa built by Franz Joseph for Empress Elisabeth in 1886 in the middle of a 2,450-hectare walled forest. The rooms decorated by Hans Makart for the empress are extraordinary. Entry approx 8 euros. The forest is free and contains red deer and wild boar.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Residenz, Schoenbrunn Outstanding imperial breakfast in the palace cafe before the morning crowds arrive. | Lunch: Steirereck im Stadtpark The finest restaurant in Vienna in the extraordinary Stadtpark pavilion. Austrian haute cuisine. | Dinner: Zum Wohl, Vienna Outstanding natural wine bar in the fourth district. Local Gruner Veltliner and Viennese small plates.
DAY 3
THE RING AND THE PRATER
MORNING
THE KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is the finest art museum in the German-speaking world, its extraordinary collection assembled by the Habsburg emperors over five centuries. The Bruegel room contains the largest collection of Pieter Bruegel the Elder paintings in the world, 12 panels of extraordinary quality. The Egyptian collection, the coin cabinet and the extraordinary decorative arts collection are all outstanding. The museum building itself, designed by Gottfried Semper, is an extraordinary work of architecture. Entry approx 21 euros. Travel: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
THE RINGSTRASSE AND THE VIENNA STATE OPERA
The Ringstrasse boulevard, built by Emperor Franz Joseph between 1857 and 1865 to replace the city walls, is the most extraordinary collection of monumental buildings constructed in a single generation anywhere in Europe. The Vienna State Opera, the Parliament, the Rathaus, the Burgtheater and the Kunsthistorisches Museum all stand on the Ring within 15 minutes walk of each other. Free guided tours of the State Opera run daily at 1pm and 3pm. Opera tour approx 9 euros. Travel: 20 min tram to Prater
AFTERNOON
THE PRATER AND THE RIESENRAD
The Prater is Vienna's extraordinary public park, given to the people by Emperor Joseph II in 1766. The Riesenrad, the giant Ferris wheel built in 1897 at 64.75 metres, is the most extraordinary historic fairground ride in Europe, giving extraordinary views over Vienna from the top of each revolution. The Prater chestnut tree avenue, 4.5km of extraordinary baroque perspective, is the finest urban promenade in Austria. Riesenrad entry approx 13 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Michaelergruft beneath the Michaelerkirche on the Michaelerplatz is the most extraordinary church crypt in Vienna, containing the mummified remains of over 4,000 Viennese buried between 1631 and 1784, including Habsburg court officials with their uniforms and jewellery still intact. Entry approx 6 euros. The most extraordinary and unsettling hidden attraction in the first district.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Landtmann, Vienna The most celebrated coffee house in Vienna opposite the Rathaus. Frequented by Sigmund Freud. | Lunch: Figlmuller Wollzeile, Vienna The most famous Wiener Schnitzel restaurant in Austria. The schnitzel overhangs the plate. Book ahead. | Dinner: Meixner am Graben, Vienna Outstanding modern Austrian on the Graben. Local fish and the finest Austrian Riesling.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
First District Hotel Sacher or Palais Hansen Kempinski. Walking distance to everything. Approx 150 to 500 euros. Budget Option Hotel Daniel or Wombats City Hostel. Excellent value near the Ring. Approx 60 to 130 euros per night.
Top Tips
1. The Stephansdom south tower opens at 9am. Climb it before the tour groups arrive for the finest rooftop view in Vienna.
2. Book the Spanish Riding School morning training session, not just the performance. Far cheaper and equally extraordinary.
3. The Kunsthistorisches Museum opens at 10am. Arrive at opening for the Bruegel room with nobody else in it.
4. Vienna's coffee houses are protected UNESCO cultural heritage. Order a Melange and a Kipferl and stay as long as you wish.
5. The Naschmarkt on Saturday morning is the finest food market in Austria. Go between 8am and 10am for the best produce.
6. Stand-by tickets for the Vienna State Opera are available from 80 minutes before curtain. The cheapest way to see the world's finest opera.
Total Budget
100 to 180 euros/day