3 days in Vienna: the perfect itinerary

Vienna is famous for its imperial heritage, including Schönbrunn, Belvedere, and Hofburg palaces. Vienna shines with top-notch musical and cultural events in concert halls, museums, and various stages—from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein and the Kunsthistorisches Museum to the State Opera. Vienna is also known for its gastronomic culture, which has been developing for centuries in coffee houses and wine taverns, called "heurigers" by the Viennese. More than half of the city's territory is lush green parks and gardens, the Vienna Woods, and the banks of the Danube.

Vienna always has something to surprise true connoisseurs who prefer quality and a measured lifestyle. For them, it is ready to lift the veil on its extravagant Viennese charm. To make sure you don't miss the most interesting parts, take advantage of our 3-day Vienna itinerary.

Day 1

Vienna Ring Road

Start admiring the splendor and power of the former imperial capital with a stroll along the Ring Boulevard. Just 150 years ago, there was a medieval wall here, but today you can see a parade of palaces: the Vienna Opera, Parliament, City Hall, University, and the Stock Exchange. Choose your mode of transport based on taste and budget: tram, bicycle, Segway, or fiaker (horse-drawn carriage).

Tip: If you plan to visit museums and use public transport, I recommend buying the discount card Wienkarte. It offers discounts on museum entry tickets and free travel on all types of transport for 72 hours—just what you need!

A Visit to the Emperor at Hofburg

The imperial residence Hofburg originally served as a medieval fortress. The only reminder of those times is the surviving castle chapel. As the Habsburgs' power grew and their territories expanded, the fortress was transformed into a lavish residence. While walking through the palace, you might even encounter the President of Austria, as his office is located here.

Hofburg houses the famous Congress Hall, where the Vienna Boys' Choir performs. You can also see the Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School, as well as the Silver Collection and the Imperial Apartments.

Extravagant: Visit the Capuchin Church (Kaisergruft), where members of the imperial family are buried.

Don't Miss These Unique Spots in Hofburg:

• Silver Collection (Silberkammer)
• Treasury (Schatzkammer)
• National Library (Nationalbibliothek)
• Chapel (Burgkapelle)
• Spanish Riding School (Spanische Reitschule)

Imperial Chapel

Every Sunday at 9:15 AM, the Vienna Boys' Choir performs in the Imperial Chapel (Wiener Sängerknaben). The world-renowned composer Franz Schubert began his career in this choir.

Tip: Buy tickets to several museums at once. For example, the Hofburg, Schönbrunn, and the Furniture Museum (Hofmobiliendepot) can be visited with a Sisi Ticket (available for purchase at any museum). An annual pass to the Kunsthistorisches Museum allows you to visit a total of 7 museums.

Demel Confectionery

The world-famous Sachertorte was invented in 1832 by Franz Sacher. You can try the original cake at the family hotel of the same name. However, we know that the cake was created at the imperial confectionery Demel and is still produced there according to the old recipe, while the Sacher Hotel has a factory production. Try both for comparison.

Address: Kohlmarkt 14
Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Vienna State Opera

The Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) is one of the world's leading opera houses. Imagine this: it hosts 60 operas and ballets over 285 days each season—an impressive repertoire that places the Vienna Opera at the top of the world. And in February, it hosts one of the main events of the year—the Vienna Opera Ball.

If you don't manage to get a ticket for a performance, don't be upset. You can still visit the famous opera hall during the tour "Behind the Scenes of the Vienna Opera with Guide Vlada Nikiforova".

Address: Opernring 2

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to 65% on the website.

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom)

Next, head to St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom)—a symbol of Vienna and the most significant Gothic structure in all of Austria. It holds countless treasures, some of which can only be seen during a guided tour, such as the pulpit carved by a medieval master from sandstone, the main altar, or the sarcophagus containing Emperor Frederick III Habsburg. For the most athletic, there is an option to climb the south tower on foot—just 343 steps. For those unsure if they can manage, there is an elevator on the north tower (entrance fee €4.50).

Restaurant Plachutta — visit this place to try the emperor Franz Joseph's favorite dish, Tafelspitz—boiled beef cooked on low heat for 5 hours and served with broth and vegetables, apple horseradish, and creamy sauce.

Address: Stephansplatz 8
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Day 2

Maria-Theresien-Platz

This square is easily recognizable by the colossal monument to Empress Maria Theresa — the largest in Vienna.

It is worth visiting the Kunsthistorisches Museum here, home to countless masterpieces such as Raphael's "Madonna in the Meadow", portraits by Velázquez, works by Vermeer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Dürer, Titian, and Tintoretto. The museum also houses the world's largest collection of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Be sure to also visit the Kunstkammer at the Kunsthistorisches Museum to see rarities from the Habsburg dynasty's "cabinet of curiosities", including the world-famous golden salt cellar by Benvenuto Cellini, which was stolen in 2003 but later recovered and returned to the museum.

Tip: If you're on an art history high, check out the museum's branches in the Neue Burg, which include the Ephesus Museum, the Collection of Arms and Armor, and the Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments. Also, note the balcony of the Neue Burg—from here, in 1938, Adolf Hitler proclaimed the annexation of Austria to the German Reich.

Museumsquartier

A hotspot for the youth, Museumsquartier (MQ) is one of the world's ten largest cultural venues. Housed in the former imperial stables covering 60,000 square meters, it features all types of art, restaurants, cafes, and shops.

Grab a bite at one of the many eateries, such as MQdaily, Kantine, the Corbaci café-restaurant famous for its tiled vault, or Leopold Café.

Afterwards, visit the Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation Vienna (MUMOK) or the Leopold Museum, which boasts the world's largest collection of Egon Schiele paintings, or the Architekturzentrum Wien. Choose according to your interest.

Vienna Secession

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, a group of artists left the conservative art community to form a new cultural association—the Vienna Secession. Their motto: "To every age its art, to art its freedom". The dome of the Secession Building, adorned with a laurel leaf pattern, is nicknamed the "golden cabbage" by the Viennese. The basement houses the "Beethoven Frieze", a masterful 34-meter interpretation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, created by Gustav Klimt in 1902.

Address: Friedrichstraße 12
Opening hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Naschmarkt

Towards evening, head to Vienna's most famous market, which boasts over 120 stalls and restaurants offering a variety of culinary delights. The market is a favorite meeting place for gourmets, alternative youth, and typical Viennese locals. On Saturdays, the flea market offers fantastic vintage items and antiques.

Tip: For the best fish, visit the La Mare or Fischviertel restaurants.
Opening hours: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Belvedere Palace

The Austrian National Gallery, located in the Upper Belvedere, features works by Gustav Klimt, including the famous "The Kiss" and "Judith". Masterpieces by Schiele and Kokoschka, as well as works by French Impressionists and Viennese Biedermeier artists (Waldmüller, Amerling, Fendi), are displayed alongside paintings by Makart, Böckl, Wotruba, Hausner, and Hundertwasser.

Afterwards, take a leisurely stroll through the expansive park surrounding the palace complex.

Tip: Visit the Botanical Gardens of the University of Vienna near the Belvedere. Here, you can admire not only alpine herbs, exotic trees, and ferns. The gardens are open from April to the end of October.
Opening hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Hundertwasser House

Colorful surfaces, irregular shapes, and abundant greenery characterize Hundertwasser House. This residential building, where trees "live" alongside regular tenants, grows greenery on the roof and even out of the windows. Locals joke that the trees pay rent in the form of oxygen. Artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser not only brought new life to Vienna's architecture but also created an exhibition center featuring his works and interesting contemporary art exhibitions.

Address: Kegelgasse 36-38

Prater

This beloved Viennese amusement park is home to the Ferris wheel, another symbol of Vienna. They say if you haven't ridden the wheel, you haven't truly been to Vienna. Challenge accepted.

The Ferris wheel was built in 1896/97 by English engineer Walter Bassett and is one of the oldest in Europe. Similar attractions—public favorites of the late 19th century—were installed by Bassett in Chicago, London, Blackpool, and Paris.
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday – 12:00 PM-10:00 PM; Friday – 11:30 AM-10:30 PM; Saturday-Sunday – 11:00 AM-11:00 PM

The nearby Madame Tussauds museum features prominent Austrians and global stars like Amadeus Mozart, Sigmund Freud, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Empress Sissi, and Gustav Klimt.

Prater is also home to the legendary Schweizerhaus beer restaurant, known for the best pork knuckle in the city.

If that's not enough, the night continues—Prater comes alive at night. Traditional Vienna meets youth pop culture here. The club Fluc, located near the Ferris wheel, set the trend. Fluc Wanne, a former pedestrian underpass, is perfect for parties.

Day 3

Schönbrunn Palace

Leave the city center for a breath of fresh air! Visit the former summer residence of the emperors — Schönbrunn Palace. Highlights of this Baroque complex include the magnificent park, the Palm House, the Gloriette pavilion, and the Orangery. You can spend an entire day here. Tour the palace halls, admire the grandeur of the "Bergl Rooms", and wander through the garden labyrinth.

The next stop is the zoo, the oldest in the world, which has been named Europe's best zoo three times. Here you'll see the local "star" — the panda cub, baby elephants, and many other animals.

For a snack, enjoy a Viennese strudel with coffee. The best apple strudel in Vienna is baked in the palace's court bakery using a 300-year-old recipe. At Café Residenz, you can not only taste the pastry but also watch a strudel show.

Tip: Climb up to the Gloriette. Here you'll find a café with delicious pastries and an incredible view of Vienna. On Sundays, there's a chance to hear live music during breakfast.
Address: Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47
Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Walk Through Vienna's Parks

City Park (Stadtpark)

Looking for the perfect Instagram spot? You'll find photogenic locations in Vienna's Stadtpark. Meadows, flower beds, exotic trees, and a large pond make the City Park a true green oasis in the city's heart.

Volksgarten and Burggarten

Find the beloved Empress Sissi monument in Volksgarten. Mozart fans should make a pilgrimage to his statue in Burggarten. Once accessible only to the imperial family, we can now enjoy it too. Here you'll also find a monument to Emperor Franz Joseph, erected in 1957 through private initiative.

Burggarten is also home to the Palmenhaus, one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings designed by architect Friedrich Ohmann. Inside this tropical oasis, you'll find the Butterfly House (Schmetterlinghaus) and a café-restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere.

Rathauspark

The park of the Vienna City Hall is symmetrically laid out between the university and parliament. The Rathausplatz in the middle hosts various events almost year-round, including the "Vienna Ice Dream" at New Year and Austria's largest Christmas market.

Don't miss the City Hall itself, which is almost a replica of the medieval Brussels Town Hall. Free tours are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1:00 PM, showing the largest reception hall in Vienna, the mayor's office, and the city's oldest elevator, which requires you to jump on while it's moving.

The Austrian Parliament is worth visiting at least from an educational perspective — to learn, for example, how the democracy of the Austrian state, one of the oldest in Europe, is structured. Practically all the prime ministers of the states formed after World War I, including Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia, came from the Imperial Council of Austria-Hungary.

Tip: Have dinner at the Palmenhaus restaurant, which offers a good selection of fish and wine.

MAK

This museum is fascinating for anyone interested in design. The Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) pays special attention to this field. It features exhibits from the Middle Ages to the present day, including glass and porcelain, silver and textiles, as well as furniture. You will see priceless works by craftsmen of the Vienna workshops, bentwood furniture from the Thonet factory, and masterpieces of Viennese Modernism, including Gustav Klimt's gilded sketch for the frieze in the Palais Stoclet in Brussels.

Address: Stubenring 5
Opening hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Haus der Musik

In Vienna, the city of music, there's a place where you can even conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. What does a baby hear in the womb, and how does the capital of China sound? Intrigued?

Tip: Tickets to Bratislava cost 30-50 euros, and from Bratislava to Vienna, you can travel by bus in 1-1.5 hours.
Address: Seilerstätte 30
Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday – 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM; Sunday – closed.

For those who wish to save time on leisurely park strolls, an excellent solution is to take the tour "Welcome to Vienna!". This way, you will get acquainted with the main attractions of the city in just one day and have more time to enjoy your rest.