Vienna is the national capital of Austria, a German speaking country with a unique intertwined history with three of it’s bordering countries: Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with amazing architecture, delicious food and is the city of music (Mozart and Beethoven called Vienna home). Vienna is “Wien” in German. Vienna was ranked first in a 2015 list of most livable cities. There is a fantastic mix of activities for everyone to love Vienna: historic palaces (schloss in German), a vibrant night life, an amusement park with a giant Ferris wheel, fine arts (including the ballet and opera) and more! Read on for a full 3-day itinerary to explore Vienna with a mix of everything. I visited Vienna in September/October 2018 and this post is based on personal experience and additional research since then!
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Where to Stay in Vienna
For the first timer, Vienna 1 (Innere Stadt) and MuseumsQuartier are the best places to book accommodations. If you’re looking for more local (less touristy) neighbourhoods, try Neubau (7th Distrist), Wieden (4th District) or Mariahild (6th District). For those on a budget, try Landstrasse (3rd District) or Margareten (5th District).
When to Visit Vienna
The most expensive months to travel are when most people are travelling: July, August and December. If you can plan your trip around the shoulder seasons, you’ll travel to places when they’re a little cheaper and less busy. Exploring Vienna is no different. If you plan to head to Vienna in April to May or September to October, you should get amazing weather and miss some of the crowds. Spring and fall are mild and a perfect time to visit.
If you’re interested in visiting Vienna for an event, travel there for the following:
- Christmas Markets in December
- Viennale Film Festival in October
- Oktoberfest in October
- Vienna Festival in May and June (a music festival in the City of Music)
- Donauinselfest in June
How many days in Vienna is enough?
Generally speaking, three days in Vienna gives you ample time to explore the city. I spent a full three days in the city and I saw and enjoyed a lot. Give yourself more time in the city if you want to visit the plethora of museums, a few tours and have some time to relax in the Viennese coffee houses that are so popular.
Vienna Packing List
Austria is in central Europe so the country experiences all seasons. The summer months are hot and sunny. The winter months hover around 0°C (32°F) and does get a fair amount of snow. It’s not a particularly rainy country but you may get some rainy days at any time of the year. A general packing list works here:
- Choose items in three coordinating colours. I like white/black outfits with pops of colour from a hat or jacket.
- 2-3 neutral coloured shirts
- 1-2 bottoms (shorts or skirt for warmer climates and pants for colder climate)
- 1 scarf
- 1 dress/nice outfit for dinner
- One sweater (for colder months) and a warm jacket for chilly evenings
- A hat (I’m absolutely in love with this one I just got from Lack of Color)
- This yellow jacket (read here for why you need one)
- A pair of comfortable walking shoes (Vessi’s are great because they are waterproof)
- Enough underwear for every day and a pair of pajamas
Read more: Ultimate Travel Packing List to be Prepared
Vienna City Card – Is It Worth It?
I don’t always recommend the City Card because ultimately it depends on what you’re looking for in your trip. What I like about the Vienna City Card is that it is by hours, not days. So, if you purchase a city card at 8 pm, it is valid until 8 pm the next day! This is great for taking the city public transit. I do recommend it but take a look at the discounts available, and see if it’s worth it for you!
Explore Vienna | Suggested 3-day Itinerary
Three days in Vienna is a perfect amount of time to explore. Here’s a suggested 3-day itinerary for visiting Vienna.
First Day in Vienna
I always recommend booking a walking tour for your first day. Not only do you get to wander the city for a few hours with a group, the tour guides also have the best recommendations for local restaurants and tips. If you’re travelling solo, it’s also a excellent way to meet other solo travellers! Try one of the free tours (note: they are by a recommended donation). You’re likely to be shown around to the following: Hofburg Palace, Austrian National Library (outside), Memorial against War and Fascism, Neuer Markt and Donner Fountain, Graben and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
The Belvedere Palace is a historic building complex and is absolutely stunning. There are two Baroque palaces (the Upper and Lower Belvedere), the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. When Vienna was both the imperial capital and the home to the ruling Habsburg dynasty, extensive construction was completed in the city, including The Belvedere. It’s a complex rich in history and deserving of a visit! You also get a 14% discount with the Vienna City Card. There is a change in ticket price depending on which of the buildings (or all three) you want to visit in a day.
Spend the evening of the first day of this Vienna itinerary on a Pub Crawl or dinner at a nice restaurant.
A Pub Crawl is an excellent way to meet people. You might get a mix of locals or other fellow travellers! Always be aware when you’re out in a new and unknown city while drinking, especially if you’re travelling alone. You do not have to drink at a pub crawl, it’s just a great way to be social while travelling. The Vienna Travel Shack is an absolutely wild bar, with the most outrageous shots I’ve ever heard of. The Chuck Norris involved taking a shot and getting slapped and then back handed across the face by the bartender and the Cock Shot was a milky alcoholic shot in a fake dildo.
If a Pub Crawl doesn’t speak to you, head out to a nice restaurant for dinner. The national dish of Austria is a Vienna Schnitzel or Wienerschnitzel: a breaded and fried veal escalope. Here is a list of the 15 best restaurants in Vienna. End your dinner with the Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel), another Viennese classic!
Second Day in Vienna
Head to the Austrian National Library to start your morning on the second day of this Vienna itinerary. It is an absolutely beautiful library filled with centuries of history. There were two pairs of globes (four of the oldest in the world). There’s just something about stepping foot in a library that is so beautiful. Note: There is likely to be a line to get in to the library at opening but it’s your best chance to get photos without people. There is a fee to enter.
After the library, head to Cafe Mozart for a bite to eat. The cafe has a history over 200 years old. The most recent owners renovated the cafe back to it’s classic Viennese roots.
For the afternoon, walk around Vienna and stop at a few locations. The city is filled with beautiful gardens. Museums Quartier is a great place to spend a few hours: the museums are free on first Sunday of each month. Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty and open for tours. St. Stephen’s Cathedral has an amazing lookout over the city (stairs only). Plague Monument was erected after the Great Plague epidemic in 1679 and found in the main square. Vienna City Hall (Rathaus) is a beautiful monumental building and also the location for a few festivals, include a Christmas Market.
A unique experience is the Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House). It’s a humid room filled with butterflies that flit around. There are over 400 live, free flying butterflies. The building itself is in a palm house and in the centre of Vienna. It is part of the Hofburg Royal Palace and is situated on the edge of the Burggarten palace gardens, just by the Albertina Art Museum and 200 meters from the Opera House.
For dinner, I recommend Restaurant D’Landsknecht and get the Schinkenfleckerl (a ham/cheese/Viennese noodle dish). The prices are reasonable and I still talk about that dish to this day!
End the evening with a ballet. You can book tickets online but if you’re really on a budget you can get a standing ticket for cheaper. You can purchase a remaining standing ticket on the day of the performance. Head to the dedicated “Stehplätze” ticket office in the southwest corner of the building. (Look for the long line). This office opens 80-120 minutes before the start of a performance and cost €13-€18. At the Volksoper, a remaining standing ticket typically costs around €3 to €8. I recommended going at least an hour before the show starts, and if you bring a scarf you can use it to save your spot in the standing only section.
Third Day in Vienna
On the last day of the Vienna itinerary, there’s still so much left to do! There are a few fairly unique churches to see in Vienna: the Votiv Church, Jesuit Church, Peterskirche and Karlskirche. The Votiv Church is a neo-Gothic style church located on the Ringstraße. The Jesuit Church is a baroque style and the inside is truly stunning. St. Peter’s Catholic Church (Peterskirche) is a Baroque Roman Catholic parish church and makes for a great spot for photos. Karlskirche is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz (Charles Square).
Grab a slice of Sacher Cake at Cafe Central. Sacher Cake is a type of chocolate cake invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna. You can go to the Hotel Sacher for a slice, but I recommend Cafe Central (or any other cafe) for a fraction of the price.
Head to the Prater Theme Park, which opened in 1766. It’s a huge theme park in the city with the Viennese Ferris Wheel. Admission prices range, depending on the games or rides you want to take part in.
The Schönbrunn Palace was an imperial summer residence. It is a beautiful Baroque complex and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar to the Belvedere, you can purchase tickets to multiple parts and the gardens are free.
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