Vienna – 12 top sights and things to do

Get inspired for your trip to Vienna, one of Europe’s most fascinating capital cities. From palaces and opera to parks and zoos, you’ll easily fill a long weekend in Vienna and be desperate to stay longer!

Vienna is one of my favourite European cities. The grandeur or the palaces and other buildings is amazing, but it’s also super clean and organised. With so many great sights and choices, it’s hard to choose what to do! I was there over New Year, so a lot of my photos feature Christmas markets. Read my blog for a guide to the New Year and Christmas celebrations in Vienna! And make sure you check out this great guide to Vienna with a helpful map to help you plan your trip (affiliate).

1. Hofburg Palace

Situated in the centre of Vienna, this is likely to be one of the first palaces you see in Vienna when you first start walking around the centre. The Hofburg is currently used as the official residence of the President of Austria, but it was formerly the main imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. The distinctive green dome contrasts with the bright white pillars as you walk through to the courtyard.

After enjoying the exterior, you can pay to go into the palace – I definitely recommend booking online if you’re visiting during peak tourist season as the queues were fairly long. The entry ticket includes admission to Sisi Museum (all about Empress Elisabeth), the Imperial Apartments and the Silver Collection. I’m sure many people will enjoy all three parts of the tour, but my favourite was definitely the Imperial Apartments. The grand decor of the rooms, rich reds and golds, was amazing and you could really imagine the Habsburg family living there in all their splendour. The Silver Collection, which was mainly just a collection of cutlery and plates, just didn’t capture my imagination in the same way.

2. Spanish Riding School

There are so many concerts and operas and show to choose from in Vienna, it can be hard to choose what to do if you have a limited amount of time. But I’d definitely recommend the Spanish Riding School as something completely different to things you can see in other countries. Tickets range from super expensive to more reasonable prices – I got tickets for the Galavorführung and sat near the back in the Gallery. The view was fine if you leaned forward a bit, and the style and technique of both horses and riders was amazing (even if one horse did fall over on one of his jumps…but he was fine!). Technically you’re not allowed to take photos during the performance, but most people were sneaking just one photo to remember the evening.  

3. Rathaus

The impressive neo-gothic building of Vienna’s City Hall (the Rathaus) is captivating whenever you walk past. I spent a lot of time around here on my trip to Vienna as the huge square in front of the town hall, the Rathausplatz, was home to one of my favourite Christmas markets in the city as well as a huge stage for New Year celebrations. Read my Vienna at Christmas blog to read more about the Christmas markets here!

4. Schonnbrunn Palace

Slightly further out of the city, but still easily reachable by excellent public transport, lies the main summer residence of the Habsburg imperial rulers. The extensive gardens and grounds are beautiful even in winter, but I imagine the flowers in summer would be lovely.

It’s definitely worth going inside this palace as well – like the Hofburg palace, I’d recommend booking tickets online to go inside if you’re visiting at a busy time of year, and there are lots of different ticket combinations to choose from depending on your interests. Visit their website to find out more about the different ticket options. I chose the Imperial Tour and felt like it gave access to a good variety of rooms. This was my favourite palace on the inside – the rooms are just stunning.

5. Schonnbrunn Zoo

Located in the grounds of the Schonnbrunn Palace is the Zoo. It’s a fairly small zoo in terms of area, but manages to pack in a lot of different animals while giving all animals plenty of space to roam. All the animals looked well cared for and there were some animals I haven’t seen in zoos much before – including polar bears and pandas.

6. Weiner Schnitzel

One of the most famous Austrian foods – Weiner Schnitzel! It’s a big, thin piece of breaded veal, usually served with parsley potatoes. Definitely one to try when you’re in Austria!

7. Belvedere Palace

Another impressive palace complex with gardens, the Baroque Belvedere Palace is another great attraction. The grounds and outside of the palace are stunning, and inside the palace is an art museum. Like the other palaces, there are a range of ticket options so visit the website to choose the best option for you.

8. Museum of Illusions

A slight contrast to grand imperial museums, the Museum of Illusions was really good fun! There were lots of interactive activities, and the number of people allowed inside was limited so it didn’t get too crowded and you didn’t need to wait long to have a go at things and take some fun photos. A great way to spend an hour or two!

9. Museumsquartier

There’s one indisputable fact about Vienna: there are a lot of museums. And if you’re not already museum-ed out from all the palaces, there are even more museums to choose from in the Museumsquartier – including the Leopold Museum housing important art collections and the Zoom children’s museum. Lots of options to explore on their website!

10. Wiener Staatsoper – Opera House

Another huge and impressive building with one of the best opera houses in the world. Performances run throughout the year so have a look at what’s on when you’re visiting. I was in Vienna over New Year and on New Year’s Eve they live streamed the performance of Der Fledermaus onto huge screens just outside the Opera House for everyone to enjoy – read my blog to find out more. I have to admit it was freezing sitting outside to watch opera in December, but the atmosphere was amazing and the talent of the performers was outstanding. But maybe next time I might choose to watch the performance in the warmth inside!  

11. Hotel Sacher and Sacher Torte

Another famous food in Austria – Sacher Torte! Rich chocolate-y cake inside an extremely fancy hotel/café. Perfect for a mid afternoon sightseeing break.

12. Stephensdom – St Stephen’s Cathedral

Just a short walk from the Hofburg Palace in the centre of Vienna is the imposing gothic cathedral with an equally impressive interior. Definitely worth a visit on your way past. And the square outside, Stephansplatz, really comes alive on New Year’s Eve with a huge stage and free Viennese Waltz lessons for everyone! Read more about it on my blog about New Year in Vienna.

So there’s my top 12 sights and things to do in Vienna! Remember to check out this great guide and map ready for your trip to Vienna (affiliate). Follow Rays of Adventure on social media for more photos, and check out my blog on Vienna at New Year for lots of tips for festive fun in this amazing city. Of if you fancy heading to another European city, why not visit Berlin or Prague.