The best indoor activities in Vienna – Fun for rainy days

If the sky is no longer bright blue and a thick layer of grey clouds has spread, that's no reason to mope, because even on rainy days Vienna can convince with its many offers and banish boredom.

We show you what activities you can do in Vienna even when it's pelting down! Rainy Vienna can be beautiful!

With around 100 museums and collections, Vienna is a true museum city. Visitors and residents of Vienna can look forward to a wide range of museums, which is also ideal for grey rainy days.

We would like to show you which museums you should definitely visit and definitely not miss.

Additional bonus: With the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass you have free admission to many museums.

With an impressive collection of over 30 million specimens and artefacts, it is one of Vienna's most prestigious, but also most popular museums. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock here to see the impressive collection. With 39 themed rooms, the museum invites you on an exciting journey of discovery through its Prehistory and Saurian Room, the Human Evolution Room and the Room with the largest collection of meteorites in the world.

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off: Red Line, Station Nr. 2 „Kunsthistorisches Museum“

Admission: Free admission with the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass

Directly opposite the Natural History Museum is the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which with its extensive collection is also one of the most important museums in the world. The museum was once commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph for the imperial collection and today houses numerous objects from five millennia - from Ancient Egypt and Greek antiquity to the end of the 18th century.

With its magnificent historical rooms, the museum invites you to discover and explore, let yourself be enchanted by the history of this place.

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off:Red Linie, Station Nr. 2 „Kunsthistorisches Museum“

Admission: Free admission with the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass

The Belvedere is one of Vienna's most popular sights and one of the most visited museums. No wonder, because the Belvedere is home to the largest Klimt collection in the world. A total of 24 works by the famous Austrian artist can be admired here, including the world-famous painting "The Kiss".

Besides Klimt, however, there are many other works by famous artists that have found their home in the Belvedere, such as Schiele, Funke, Monet or van Gogh.

In seven different themed rooms on three floors, the Upper Belvedere shows a total of 420 works. Works of art from the Middle Ages, Baroque, Classicism and Biedermeier can be admired. Viennese Modernism and art from around 1900 have their own large area on the first floor.

Incidentally, the two Belvedere palaces were built at the beginning of the 18th century by the famous Baroque architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.

The Upper Belvedere was completed in 1723 and served primarily representative purposes. In addition, the Belvedere was one of the first public museums and also served as a place for the signing of the Austrian State Treaty.

This place is definitely worth a visit, and not only on rainy days!

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off:Yellow Line, Station Nr. 34 „Belvedere“

Admission: Free admission with the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass

The legacy of imperial Vienna can still be found in many places. If you would like to see more of the former imperial city, you can look forward to numerous castles and attractions that will bring you a little closer to the Habsburg dynasty. Even a rainy day can be transformed into a day full of splendour and glory.

If you don't just want to escape the rain, but travel straight back in time, our latest tour Virtual Realtiy Schönbrunn Palace is just the thing for you!

In the Crown Prince Apartment of Schönbrunn Palace, visitors can expect an incredible journey back in time to the Austrian Empire and experience the everyday life of the imperial family up close.

Using VR glasses, you will go on a multi-sensory adventure and become part of historical moments as well as eventful scenes of the 18th century. Be a special guest at the wedding of Sisi and her Franz Josef, listen to the compositions of the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or dine with the imperial family. 

The ideal experience for all those who have always wanted to see how Sisi and Co. actually lived.

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off:Yellow Line, Station Nr. 30 „Schloss Schönbrunn“

What would a visit to Vienna be without the famous Schönbrunn Palace? It is probably one of the most important and popular sights in Vienna. Even on rainy days you can discover a lot here and follow in the footsteps of Empress Sisi and Co. This is for sure one of the most wonderful things to do in Vienna when it rains.

In the former summer residence of the Habsburgs, you can still admire the original imperial state rooms and living quarters. On a guided tour through the palace you will see how the imperial family spent their daily lives and learn more exciting information about them.

Strolling through the imperial palace park is an absolute must, especially on sunny days it shows its most beautiful side. But even on rainy days, a walk through the garden can be a wonderful diversion.

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off:Yellow Line, Station Nr. 30 „Schloss Schönbrunn“

Admission: Free admission with the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass

When visiting Vienna, there is no way around the Vienna Hofburg, and even on a rainy day it is worth stopping by!

The Imperial Treasury is located in a part of the Hofburg dating back to the 13th century and houses, among other things, the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Imperial Crown and priceless objects and treasures of the Habsburgs.

Other highlights include the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece and objects from the magnificent and rich collection of the Duke of Burgundy from the 15th century. But you will also discover legendary treasures such as an agate bowl associated with the Holy Grail or the horn of the legendary "unicorn".

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off:Red Line, Station Nr. 2 „Kunsthistorisches Museum“

Admission: Free admission with the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass

If you want to get a little closer to the rain clouds, you should definitely climb the Danube Tower. At 252 metres high, the tower is the tallest building in Austria and one of Vienna's most important landmarks. See Vienna on a rainy day with a different perspective.

The Danube Tower offers its guests a spectacular view over the old town, the Danube Park and the Vienna Woods. In the restaurant, you can also enjoy a relaxed meal while watching the rain clouds pass by.

More info here.

Hop On Hop Off:Blue Line, Station Nr. 21 „Danube Tower“

Admission: Free admission with the Vienna PASS and Vienna FLEXI Pass

For those who like to see as much of Vienna as possible while being protected from the rain, a Hop On Hop Off bus tour is the perfect choice.

With our typical yellow Hop On Hop Off buses from Vienna Sightseeing, guests get a quick overview of the most important sights in Vienna.

With our four different colour-coded routes you can put together your own individual sightseeing programme. Our modern and comfortable buses offer you a perfect view of the city.

With a Hop On Hop Off ticket, you can hop on and off as often as you like at the various stops. The Hop On Hop Off tickets are available as a 24-hour, 48-hour or 72-hour option! 

More info here.