Vienna walking tour & city guide

The old town and the Ring

St Stephen's Cathedral, with its colorful tiled roof, is the heart of the old town. The Hofburg, the imperial palace, houses the Sisi Museum and the Spanish Riding School. The Ringstrasse, a grand boulevard, circles the center past the State Opera, the Parliament and the City Hall.

Palaces and museums

Schönbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs' summer residence, has 1,441 rooms and vast gardens. The Belvedere holds Gustav Klimt's The Kiss, and the MuseumsQuartier is one of the largest cultural areas in the world. The Prater park has the famous giant Ferris wheel.

A day in Vienna

Start at St. Stephen's Cathedral and walk through the old town to the Hofburg palace. Take a break in a traditional coffee house for a melange and a slice of cake.

In the afternoon, visit Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens, then end the day at the Naschmarkt or in a Heuriger wine tavern on the city's edge.

Good to know

Vienna's public transport is excellent. Standing tickets for the State Opera are very cheap and sold on the day.

December brings beautiful Christmas markets. Many museums are closed on Mondays.

Vienna's neighborhoods

Beyond the grand center, Vienna's districts have their own character. The MuseumsQuartier is a lively courtyard of museums and cafés. Spittelberg has Biedermeier houses and a small Christmas market. The Prater amusement park has the giant Ferris wheel, and the vineyards of Grinzing lie on the edge of the city. Vienna is regularly ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world, and it shows in its parks, clean streets and public pools.