Vienna in 3 days - sightseeing and activities

You’ve got only 3 days in Vienna and want to make the most of it? No problem. Read on to see all you can do in this amazing city in 72 hours.

First, get an overview of the city! Grab a map and explore the city on your own, or buy a HOP ON HOP OFF ticket and take the bus from sight to sight –  no matter which option you prefer, it will help you get your bearings in the city. J

You’ll find many of the top sights along Ringstraße boulevard, which circles the city center: the State Opera, Burgtheater, the twin Museums of National History and Art History, the Imperial Palace (Hofburg), Parliament, City Hall, and many more.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite sightseeing, It’s time to taste some typical Austrian delicacies: Viennese Schnitzel or Tafelspitz (prime boiled beef served with potatoes and horseradish), or a piece of Sacher cake or apple strudel. These restaurants serve some of the best Viennese schnitzel:

• Figlmüller, 1^st district
• Gasthaus Pöschl, 1^st district
• Schnitzelwirt, 7^th district
• Steman, 6^th district
• Plachutta, 1^st district

Did you know that the traditional Viennese schnitzel ("Wiener Schnitzel”) is made from veal,

while a “Schnitzel Wiener Art” is pork?

Vienna offers plenty of opportunities for exploration in the evening as well.

Summer in Vienna is best enjoyed outside. The Danube Canal is a perfect place to end your day. Numerous bars and restaurants along the promenade on both sides of the canal offer many opportunities to sit and relax. Take the underground to Schwedenplatz and stroll along the promenade to find a place you like –  there's even a sand-covered beach bar called "Strandbar Hermann".  

“Eat breakfast like an emperor,” as the Austrians like to say. A proper Viennese breakfast includes a fresh Kaiser roll (named so in honor of Emperor (Kaiser) Francis Joseph I) with butter and jam, cheese or ham, as well as scrambled eggs and a good cup of coffee.

These cafés serve excellent breakfast:

• Motto am Fluss
• 7Stern
• Cafe Ulrich/Cafe Erich
• Figar
• 25 hours

After breakfast, take a stroll through Burggarten, which you can reach easily by HOP ON HOP OFF bus by taking the yellow or red line to “Kunsthistorisches Museum”.

Burggarten is located along Ringstraße boulevard and is a garden in the traditional English style.  It is also home to Palmenhaus, a magnificent Jugendstil greenhouse designed by Friedrich Ohmann.

A trip to Vienna isn’t complete without a visit to a museum. The city has over 100 museums, ranging from internationally renowned collections to small exhibitions of curiosities. They are definitely worth a visit. We recommend the following museums:

Albertina

See Michelangelo's male nude studies, Rubens' portraits of children and Dürer's famous "Young Hare", as well as a comprehensive collection of classical modernism, from Monet to Picasso.

Museum of Art History

At Maria-Theresien-Platz, two impressive buildings face each other. If you are face to face with the statue of Maria Theresa in the centre of the square, the Museum of Art History (KHM) is to your left, and the Museum of Natural History to your right. In addition to its famous Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, KHM has a collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, a coin collection, a library, and the Kunstkammer, which houses unique, valuable curiosities from the Middle Ages to the Baroque.

Museum of Natural History

The Museum of Natural History is one of Austria’s largest museums. See the collection of minerals and meteorites, the famous “Venus of Willendorf”, and fascinating skeletons of dinosaurs.

Take the yellow or red line on the HOP ON HOP OFF bus to “Kunsthistorisches Museum”.

Other museums you should see in Vienna:

Haus der Musik - Sound Museum, Mozarthaus Wien, MUMOK, MAK, Leopold, KunstHausWien, Museum of Technology, Museum of Military History, Josephinum, and others. Did you know? The Vienna PASS gives you free admission to these museums.

Don’t leave Vienna without seeing Schönbrunn Palace! The former summer residence of the Habsburg emperors is one of Austria’s most important cultural monuments. See the emperor’s study and the magnificent hall of mirrors as well as the private rooms of Emperor Francis Joseph and Empress Elisabeth.

Another architectural gem is Belvedere Palace, once the residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Today, the palace houses collections of Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present day and works of famous international artists such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Max Beckmann. Its highlight is the world’s largest collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt.

Did you know? The “Schönbrunn Palace and Vienna City Tour” offered by VIENNA SIGHTSEEING TOURS is a great way to combine a city tour and a guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace with a visit to Belvedere Palace.

Stop number 30 on the yellow HOP ON HOP OFF line is right outside Schönbrunn Palace.

Now you’re ready for your trip to Vienna. What are you waiting for? As Billy Joel said, “Vienna waits for you!”