15 Top Must-See Vienna Attractions

Learn the top 15, must-see attractions of Vienna, Austria’s capital and one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Known for its artistic and intellectual legacy from Mozart, Beethoven, and Sigmund Freud, you will marvel at its elegant architecture and Old World charm, while you experience its vibrant, modern energy, listen to amazing music, and see world-class art.

15 Top Attractions In Vienna

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn, the most visited site here, tops the list of attractions in Vienna. This baroque beauty was the main summer home of the Habsburgs for centuries. Its name Schönbrunn means “beautiful spring”, from artisanal spring water once used by the court.

There are over well 1,000 Rococo style rooms, 45 of which can be visited. One of its more famous rooms is the Hall of Mirrors, where 6-year old prodigy Mozart played for Maria Theresa, the only female Habsburg ruler.

Visit Schönbrunn to see various ticket options, depending on how much of the Palace you want to see. Alternatively, you can simply walk the grounds and gardens of the palace, which much of are free.

The Glorietta, one of the most beautiful features of the garden, is included with a free visit, offering great views of the palace and Vienna beyond. This alone will take about an hour to walk up to and back (although there is a mini-train option too). There is a cafe in the Glorietta if you want lunch or a snack, as well as a rooftop observatory. The latter, however, is only included as part of a purchased ticket.

As this glorious palace is Vienna’s most popular attraction, it’s best to pre-purchase tickets online to avoid the ticket line and subsequent wait for entry.

To get here, take the U4 to Schönbrunn Station.

Hofburg Palace and Burggarten

Hofburg Palace is the Imperial Palace, where the imperial family lived, worked, and ruled until the early 20th century. Originally built in the 13th century as a castle, as Habsburg power prospered and grew it became a sprawling complex of interconnected buildings.

Guided tours include the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, devoted to Empress Elizabeth (Sisi), and the Imperial Silver Collection.

It’s best to buy tickets in advance, but they can also be purchased at the Michaelerplatz entrance beneath the dome at the northeastern end of the complex.

You can wander the peaceful garden, Burggarten, for free. You can also stop at the cafe-restaurant, Palmenhaus, for lunch and see 100’s of butterflies in the Imperial Butterfly House.

To get here, take the U3 to the Herrengasse or Volkstheater Stations.

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, or Stephansdom, located in Stephansplatz Square in the heart of Vienna, is another of this city’s top attractions. This stunning gothic Cathedral, one of the tallest churches in the world, is where Amadeus Mozart was married, where his children were baptized, and where his funeral was held.

The area in front of the cathedral is always lively, teeming with people admiring it’s dazzling detail and taking selfies. Sometimes there are also street performers outside for entertainment which adds to the ambiance and making it a magnet of appeal.

Entry is free at the front end of the cathedral, although there is a paid audio tour of the cathedral, the catacombs, and north and south towers. You can also climb the tower for a fee.

This cathedral hosts classical music concerts regularly and is a beautiful space to appreciate it in. Check Saint Stephen’s Cathedral concert schedule to see the calendar of events and ticket prices.

Also make sure to check out the beautiful double swans on the roof on the side of the cathedral.

To get to this must-see cathedral, take the U3 to the Stephansplatz station.

Saint Peter’s Church

Saint Peter’s Church, or Peterskirche, is a beautiful baroque church, located a short walk from Saint Stephen’s Cathedral. It’s unassuming from the outside, but intimate and lavishly embellished inside. Entrance here is also free.

Saint Peter’s also hosts classical music concerts. I chose this smaller, more intimate church for a concert (over St. Stephen’s) and was amazed. Check their Saint Peter’s Church concert schedule for details and prices.

Saint Peter’s is about a 10-minute walk northwest of Saint Stephen’s.

Vienna State Opera House

Another one of the top attractions is the Vienna State Opera House. It simply can’t be missed, even if you don’t like opera, as it’s one of the leading opera houses. Built in the mid-1800’s, the architectural style is Renaissance Revival.

Sign up for a 40-minute guided tour, or buy a ticket for an evening show to experience it live. Events here include opera, ballet, and musical concerts.

It’s best to look at the schedule in advance to see what appeals to you the most as shows do sell out. If what you want to see is sold out, don’t fret! Stand in line for a standing room only ticket. These go on sale about 80-minutes before the show starts.

The door to queue for standing room only tickets is on the left-hand side of the opera house. Cash only. Your standing place will be on the top floor on one of the sides, so viewing is not perfect, but it’s a great way to see an outstanding event at a budget price. Make sure to arrive early for the queue. Especially for popular events.

I’m not sure if this happens every night, but the dynamic marching band below played down the side street and in front of the opera house the night before my show. A energizing prelude to the main event.

To get here, take the U1 to the Karlsplatz Square Station.

MuseumsQuartier

Built in the 18th century as Vienna’s Imperial Stables, the MuseumsQuartier complex is one of the largest districts for contemporary art and culture in the world.

There are a variety of institutions here from large art museums, like the Leopold, and Mumok, to contemporary exhibition spaces, and festivals. You can experience fine art, architecture, music, theater, photography, and more.

To get here, take the U3 to the Volkstheater station.

Naturhistorisches and Kunsthistorisches

These two impressive looking neo-Baroque musuems, the Vienna Natural History Museum and the Fine Art Museum, are twins, virtually mirroring each other across Maria-Theresien Square. They sit in what was once the Imperial Forum.

The Naturhistorisches showcases fossils and dinosaur bones, as well as the 25,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf.

The Kunsthistorisches houses works of master painters including: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Titian, Caravaggio, and more. It also has the largest collection of Pieter Bruegel in the world.

To get here, take the U3 to the Volkstheater station.

Kaiserliche Schatzkammer

The Kaiserliche Schatzkammer, or Royal Treasury is another top attraction in Vienna. It is divided into the Secular Treasury and the Ecclesiastical Treasury, containing the impressive Crown Jewels and a variety of religious relics.

To get here take the U3 to the Volkstheater station. This museum is on the northeast side of the Hofburg Palace.

Albertina Art Museum

The Albertina Museum features modern and contemporary art including works from Picasso, Monet, Chagall, Degas, and more, housed in the Habsburg State Rooms.

This museum is located beside Hofburg Palace.

Belvedere Museum Complex

Built as a summerhouse for Prince Eugene of Savoy, this complex contains two magnificent Baroque palaces separated by a French-style garden. Together they create one of the largest art galleries in Europe.

The Upper Belvedere houses the largest collection of Gustav Klimt, like The Kiss, along with other Austrian Art from the Middle Ages to today. The Lower Belvedere mostly consists of temporary exhibits. Each requires a separate ticket.

KunstHausWien

The KunstHausWien, is a whimsial museum housing the world’s only permanent exhibition of Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s works. Friedensreich is a artist and architect that has a passion for organic, colorful forms and no straight lines.

He also designed the colorful museum here that’s just as interesting inside as it is outside. It also has a funky little cafe that’s perfect for lunch.

After the museum, walk down the street to see the apartments he designed, Hundertwasserhaus.

To get here, take the U3 to the Landstraße Station. The museum is a 15-minute walk northeast of the station.

Naschmarkt

The vibrant marketplace of Naschmarkt is almost 1 mile long (1.5 km) with a mix of about 120 market stands and restaurants. It features a variety of food from Viennese to Israeli, Italian, Vietnamese, Greek, and more. Most only accept cash, so best to bring enough (although there is an ATM machine here).

This market is also known for its lively, always crowded, Saturday flea market.

To get to Naschmarkt, take the U3 to Neubagasse Station. From there, it’s a 5-minute walk southeast of the station.

Central Cafe

This coffeehouse, once frequented by Freud, Trotsky, and several writers and poets, remains popular today. It’s a beautiful cafe, perfect to stop for traditional coffee specialties and sweet treats from the patisserie, while contemplating the heady conversations that must have taken place here.

To get here, take the U3 to Herrengasse Station. From the station it’s a 1-minute walk northwest.

Graben Street

This popular shopping street is Vienna’s most beautiful and another of the top attractions in Vienna. It dates back to Roman times and has been an important part of the city since then. They say Richard the Lionheart once even walked the streets here.

The fascinating looking baroque statue in the street is the Plague Column or Trinity Column, built in memory of the Great Plague of 1679.

This street is located just east of Stephanplatz Square, so perfect to pair with the Cathedral.

See a Jazz Show

Vienna is the capital of music, but there’s more than just great classical music here. Jazz is also a big deal in Vienna, in fact, some call it the Jazz capital of Europe.

There are several Jazz venues here to explore including Club Porgy & Bess, Jazzland, and ZWE, which I visited (and loved!).

Check their websites for details and look for links to the musician(s) to see which suits your preference.

Other Top Attractions in Vienna

Of course, there’s much more to see in Vienna than my 15 top attractions, but these are the 15 that I think are the best.

Some other sites I visited, but did not make my list, include the following.

Mozarthaus

This museum, on Domgasse 5, is the apartment Mozart lived in from 1784 to 1787, and wrote The Marriage of Figaro. I was excited about this, but honestly only recommend it if you are a huge Mozart fan.

The self-guided tour via a hand held audio takes you through rooms devoid of original decoration except a few select items and cases holding photos and memorabilia from his life. I found the audio guide a bit winded and there is no where to sit while listening.

To get here, take the U3 to Stephansplatz Square. From there it’s a 4-minute walk northeast. Follow the signs as it’s not entirely obvious.

Danube Tower (Donauturm)

I usually love these type of things, the ability to go up and view a city from a panoramic perspective, but it’s quite far from the center of town and not as exciting as I expected.

There is revolving 360 cafe, where you can have a sweet treat or light bite at Turmcafe, or make a reservation at revolving Turm Restaurant.

To get here, take the U1 to Kaisermulen VIC. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk, following the signs through Donaupark.

Mariahilfer Straße

If you are into shopping, another great shopping street is Mariahilfer Straße, the longest shopping street in Vienna. I personally enjoyed walking this street, but I can’t honestly add it to the top 15.

Start near the Westbahnhoff and walk along Mariahilfer Straße to MuseumsQuartier. This is where you’ll find popular fashions stores like Zara and H&M, some new ones, and many great local food cafes. I found myself often walking this street rather than taking the metro to sod people watching and check things out.

If you’ve enjoyed my list of the top 15 attractions in Vienna, please drop me a note below.

Safe Travels!

Julie