St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its patterned tile roof in the centre of Vienna

Updated 2026

14 best things to do in Vienna

Imperial palaces, a Gothic cathedral, Klimt and coffee houses.

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These picks cover imperial Vienna, its art and its everyday life: the cathedral, the Hofburg and Schönbrunn, Klimt at the Belvedere, the Naschmarkt and the Prater, plus a Danube day trip. For each: honest cost, time needed, best time and when to skip it.

Things to do in Vienna: tap a number to open it in Google Maps. Out of town (not on the map): 14. Day trip: Melk Abbey & the Wachau.

Tickets & tours in Vienna: compare before you buy

Official sites are often cheapest for single museums; resellers are handy for skip-the-line combos, tours and free cancellation.

Tickets on Tiqets Tours on GetYourGuide Tours on Viator

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom)

Stephansplatz, Innere Stadt

Vienna’s Gothic landmark. The south tower is 136 m high and the Viennese call it “Steffl”. The roof is covered with 230,000 glazed tiles in a zigzag pattern, including a double-headed eagle.

Cost: Entrance area free; South Tower or North Tower €8 each, all-inclusive ticket €29 (2026, check stephansdom.or.at)
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Best time: Early morning, or the towers late afternoon

Insider tip: Climb the 343 steps of the South Tower for the view, or take the lift up the North Tower to the Pummerin bell. The roof pattern looks best from the North Tower platform.

Skip it if: Never – at least step inside and look up.

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Hofburg Imperial Palace

Innere Stadt

The Hofburg has been the seat of power since at least 1279: first the Habsburgs and, since 1946, the Austrian president. Within its walls are the Imperial Apartments, the Treasury, the Spanish Riding School and the Austrian National Library.

Cost: Courtyards free; museums paid (check). The redesigned Sisi Museum reopens on 19 November 2026
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Best time: Morning

Insider tip: Walk through the Swiss Gate (Schweizertor) and out across Heldenplatz. That’s free and it shows the scale of the palace.

Skip it if: You’re doing Schönbrunn and only want one palace interior.

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Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens

Hietzing (13th district), U4 Schönbrunn

The Habsburgs’ Baroque summer palace and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace tour covers the rooms of Maria Theresa, Franz Joseph and Elisabeth. The huge park is free and climbs to the Gloriette, which has a view over the city.

Cost: Palace Ticket €42 (75 min), State Apartments €30 (40 min); the park is free (2026, schoenbrunn.at)
Time needed: Half day
Best time: First time slot of the day

Insider tip: Entry is by fixed time slot. Buy online at imperialtickets.com, the only official online seller, and do the gardens after your slot.

Skip it if: Palace interiors don’t interest you – just walk the free park up to the Gloriette.

Schönbrunn tickets Compare on Viator

Belvedere & Klimt’s The Kiss

Landstraße (3rd district)

Two Baroque palaces built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, with formal gardens between them. The Upper Belvedere holds the world’s largest Klimt collection, including The Kiss.

Cost: Upper Belvedere €23 (2026, check belvedere.at); the gardens are free
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Best time: Opening time (9:00)

Insider tip: Book a time slot online. Walk down through the gardens to the Lower Belvedere for the classic view back up.

Skip it if: You’d rather see Old Masters – go to the Kunsthistorisches Museum instead.

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Kunsthistorisches Museum

Maria-Theresien-Platz, on the Ring

Austria’s largest art museum, opened by Franz Joseph in 1891, with the Habsburg collections of Old Masters. The domed café hall is an attraction in itself.

Cost: €22 online, €24 on site; under 19s free (2026, check khm.at)
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Best time: Thursday evening (open until 21:00)

Insider tip: Closed on most Mondays. A time-slot booking has been required since September 2026.

Skip it if: You’re not a museum person and you only have two days.

Tickets & tours

Vienna State Opera

Opernring

The first major building on the Ringstrasse, built 1861–1869. Members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from its orchestra.

Cost: Guided tours and standing places are relatively cheap; seat prices vary (check wiener-staatsoper.at)
Time needed: 45 min tour, or an evening
Best time: An evening performance

Insider tip: Standing-room tickets are the budget way to see a performance. Check the official site for how and when they’re sold.

Skip it if: Opera isn’t your thing – the building is still worth seeing from outside on your way past.

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Albertina

Albertinaplatz, behind the Opera

A Habsburg palace on one of the last bastions of the old city walls. It holds one of the world’s great print rooms (with about 65,000 drawings) and major exhibitions of modern art.

Cost: Paid (check albertina.at)
Time needed: 1.5 hours
Best time: Late afternoon

Insider tip: Even without a ticket, climb the ramp to the terrace for the view of the Opera.

Skip it if: You’ve already planned the Belvedere and the KHM.

Tickets & tours

Naschmarkt

Linke & Rechte Wienzeile

Vienna’s best-known market, about 1.5 km long, with fruit, spices, cheese and small restaurants. A market has stood here since the 16th century.

Cost: Free to browse
Time needed: 1 hour
Best time: Saturday morning (flea market 6:30–15:00)

Insider tip: The market stalls are closed on Sundays; some restaurants stay open.

Skip it if: It’s Sunday.

Prater & the Giant Ferris Wheel

Leopoldstadt (2nd district)

The Wiener Riesenrad was built in 1897 and was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel from 1920 to 1985. The Prater around it is part funfair, part enormous green park.

Cost: Ferris wheel €14.50 adults (2026, check wienerriesenrad.com); the park is free
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Best time: Sunset

Insider tip: Take U1 or U2 to Praterstern. The long Hauptallee avenue is great for a walk or a run.

Skip it if: You don’t like funfairs – the Gloriette at Schönbrunn has a free view.

Tickets & tours

#10

MuseumsQuartier

Neubau (7th district)

Opened in 2001 in the former imperial court stables. It is one of Europe’s largest culture complexes, with the Leopold Museum (Schiele), mumok and the Kunsthalle around big courtyards.

Cost: Courtyards free; museums paid (check)
Time needed: 1–3 hours
Best time: Summer evening in the courtyards

Insider tip: The courtyard furniture is free to sit on. It’s a popular evening spot in summer.

Skip it if: Modern art isn’t your thing.

Tickets & tours

#11

Hundertwasserhaus

Landstraße (3rd district)

Colourful council flats designed by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser with the architect Josef Krawina, and built in 1983–1985. Its uneven floors and trees growing on the roof make it one of Vienna’s most photographed buildings.

Cost: Free to look at from the street
Time needed: 30 min
Best time: Morning light

Insider tip: People live here, so you can’t go inside. Stay on the street and keep your voice down.

Skip it if: You’re short on time – it’s a little out of the centre.

#12

Karlskirche

Karlsplatz

Emperor Charles VI vowed to build this church in 1713, after Vienna’s last great plague. Fischer von Erlach designed it, and it was finished in 1737 with a green dome and two huge columns inspired by Trajan’s Column.

Cost: Paid entry (check)
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Evening, when it’s lit up and reflected in the pond

Insider tip: It’s on the way between the Opera, the Belvedere and the Naschmarkt.

Skip it if: You’ve seen enough churches – the outside is the best part.

Tickets & tours

#13

Imperial Crypt (Kaisergruft)

Neuer Markt, Innere Stadt

The Habsburg burial vault under the Capuchin Church since 1633. Its metal sarcophagi include the double tomb of Maria Theresa and her husband, and the tombs of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth.

Cost: €15 adults (2026, check kaisergruft.com)
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Any time (daily 10–18)

Insider tip: Combine it with the Hofburg: it’s just a 5-minute walk away.

Skip it if: Crypts make you uncomfortable.

Tickets & tours

#14

Day trip: Melk Abbey & the Wachau

About 1 hour by train from Wien Westbahnhof

The Benedictine abbey of Melk (founded 1089) sits above the Danube at the start of the Wachau valley, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of vineyards and wine villages.

Cost: ÖBB Wachau-Ticket with train, boat and abbey entry €77 (2026, check)
Time needed: Full day
Best time: April–October, when the Danube boats run

Insider tip: Take the train to Melk, visit the abbey, then cruise downstream to Krems and take the train back.

Skip it if: You only have two days.

Wachau trips Compare on Viator

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Vienna?

Two days covers the old town, the Hofburg and Schönbrunn. Three days adds the Belvedere, a museum and the Prater at a relaxed pace.

What is the cheapest way from Vienna airport to the city?

Take the ÖBB train for €5.50 (€2.30 to the city boundary plus €3.20 for Vienna). Until the end of October 2027 the REX7 goes to Wien Hauptbahnhof and the S7 only as far as St. Marx because of rail works. Checked October 2026.

Do I need to book Schönbrunn Palace in advance?

Yes, it’s strongly recommended. Entry is by fixed time slot and the official online seller is imperialtickets.com. The Palace Ticket costs €42 for adults (2026). The park is free.

Where can I see Klimt’s The Kiss?

At the Upper Belvedere. An adult ticket costs €23 in 2026 and you book a time slot online.

Is there still a 72-hour public transport ticket in Vienna?

Wiener Linien now sells single, 24-hour and 7-day tickets: the 7-day ticket costs €25.20 digital. The Vienna City Card adds sightseeing discounts. Check wienerlinien.at for current options.

Plan your next step

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Neighbourhoods compared, with hotel picks per budget.

3-day itinerary →

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Vienna travel guide →

Quick facts, getting around and every guide.

Packing list →

A printable checklist for city breaks.

Tours & tickets in Vienna

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