How Many Days in Vienna is Finest? [2 or 3+ day Vienna itinerary]

Vienna, Austria is a phenomenal, elegant metropolis filled with baroque structure and sprinkled with its quintessential espresso homes. Stuffed with historical past, music, and tradition, it’s also one in every of our favourite European cities. I’ve put collectively these Vienna itineraries that can assist you work out what number of days you want in Vienna and what to do if you are there.

One warning I’d give is that although there’s a lot to do, don’t let your Vienna journey itinerary get too full. If you’re nervous about what number of days in Vienna you could have, chances are you’ll be tempted to pack all of it into a brief go to, however it’s good to take the time to benefit from the coffeehouse tradition, the identical approach you’d loosen up and other people watch at a Parisian cafe.

What number of days in Vienna do you want?

If you’re questioning what number of days to spend in Vienna, I’d say it is best to spend at the least two full days in Vienna to get an actual sense of town and have sufficient time to see the primary points of interest. in case you are planning on flying immediately into Vienna from america, I’d advocate at the least 3 days in Vienna because the candy spot, particularly since your first day will likely be your arrival day and you may be combatting jet lag.

We spent 5 days in Vienna on a mixed Vienna-Budapest journey. Between the 2, we most popular Vienna by far and we may have simply spent every week. Ideally, you’d keep as much as 5 days in Vienna, particularly if you wish to take any day journeys from Vienna to Salzburg, Bratislava, or elsewhere.

The place to Keep in Vienna

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Palais HAnsen Kempinski Vienna

We completely liked our keep on the Palais Hansen Kempinski! The central location was superb. It was proper off the Ringstrasse (Ring Street) and away from the touristy areas, making it tremendous handy. Nevertheless it was additionally quiet and extra genuine feeling than the lodges across the Vienna State Opera Home. It was steps away from two tram stops and a block to an underground station.

The service on the Kempinski was the most effective of any resort now we have skilled. Each time we got here and went, we have been greeted by title. The doormen, bell employees, and concierge have been exceedingly useful. The housekeeping employees was additionally top-notch, with nightly turn-down service and kid-friendly facilities.

We had booked a Grand Deluxe Room however have been very blissful to obtain the Virtuoso improve to a Ring Suite. The suite was so spacious with a really massive front room with a pull-out couch mattress and views of town. The main bedroom featured a comfortable king mattress, additionally with a phenomenal metropolis view.

Certainly one of my favourite issues concerning the Kempinski was the intensive world breakfast buffet (free, thanks to a different Virtuoso perk!) The breakfast options champagne, freshly squeezed juices (or a do-it-yourself juicer, eggs made to order, contemporary fruits, pastries, meats and cheese, cereals, and even a kid-sized little one buffet with cereal, juice bins, and different snacks.

Airbnb

If you’re searching for a extra reasonably priced possibility within the metropolis centre, there are many good Airbnb or vrbo choices in Vienna, a few of that are extraordinarily reasonably priced. Once we returned to Vienna, we ended up selecting a two-bedroom condominium in a historic constructing close to Judenplatz, very centrally situated throughout the Ringstrasse.

The condominium was very spacious, with two massive bedrooms, a full tub with bathe and tub, a kitchen, a eating desk, and a small couch. They are saying it could actually match as much as six individuals (two on the couch mattress), and it was greater than sufficient house for the three of us. It was an ideal possibility in case you are touring on a decent finances.

What’s the BesT time to Go to Vienna?

Many guests flock to Vienna to in search of the most effective Christmas markets in Central Europe in December, particularly these embarking on river cruises. Nonetheless, the most effective occasions to the capital of Austria will likely be within the shoulder seasons of April and Might or September and October. At the moment you’ll encounter gentle climate and manageable crowds.

In the summertime months, you’ll discover bigger crowds and better costs. We truly visited in March on a European spring break journey and located the climate ranged from raining and chilly to sunny and heat.

2 Day Vienna Itinerary

If you’re simply searching for the most effective issues to do in Vienna in 2 days on a primary go to to Austria, here’s what I’d counsel. We extremely advocate staying within the metropolis middle, the place you possibly can simply take public transportation or stroll to all the primary websites.

Day 1

With simply 2 days in Vienna, I’d begin off on the Hofburg Palace and the Sisi Museum, which is the previous Imperial Palace of the Habsburg dynasty, situated within the First District proper within the middle of city. Followers of The Empress sequence on Netflix will take pleasure in attending to see and study extra about Franz and Elisabeth.

You’ll be able to tour the Palace however if in case you have restricted time, simply take pleasure in strolling by the gate and across the exterior. From right here, you’re in shut proximity to the Opera Home, Museums Quartier, and the Spanish Driving College.

The Spanish Driving College has been practising the UNESCO-recognized equestrian type of Haute Ecole, a really specialised type of dressage, for over 450 years.

Attending to see these Lippizaner stallions and their riders carry out is sort of a deal with! You’ll want to test the schedule earlier than you go to see should you can match a efficiency into your journey (tickets should be bought prematurely), or maybe peek in on one in every of their morning practices.

After visiting the Spanish Driving College, make a beeline for one in every of Vienna’s well-known coffeehouses. When you can arrive earlier than midday the strains will likely be shorter. I’ve an entire record of our favourite espresso homes in Vienna, and from the Hofburg, it’s a quick stroll to Demel, Cafe Central, or Cafe Sperl.

After you have completed lunch, artwork historical past followers ought to head to the Museum Quarter or go to both the Albertina, Leopold Museum, or Belvedere Museum within the Higher Belvedere Palace, the place you’ll find the “Kiss” by Gustav Klimt, made well-known by the “Girl in Gold” film. When you aren’t into artwork, Vienna has an exquisite Pure Historical past Museum.

When it’s time for dinner, make sure you attempt some conventional wiener schnitzel and strudel. You will get the traditional Viennese delicacies at Griechenbeisl or Figmüller (try my put up on the place to eat in Vienna for extra choices.)

Day 2

On your second day in Vienna, head out to the Schönbrunn Palace, the summer season residence of the Habsburgs. The Schönbrunn was constructed within the late seventeenth century by Emperor Leopold I, who commissioned the Baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach to design an imperial looking lodge for his son, Crown Prince Joseph, who later to grew to become Emperor Joseph I. 

Take an Imperial or Grand Tour of the Royal Residences and Rooms. That is simply a half-day tour, or longer should you additionally go to the world’s oldest zoo or take pleasure in any particular occasions that could be occurring on the time. The Imperial tour gives perception into the completely different eras of the imperial monarchy and contains visits to the staterooms and personal residences of Franz Joseph and Sisi.

The Grand Tour additionally contains the 18th-century interiors from the time of Maria Theresia. If visiting with tweens/teenagers that aren’t historical past buffs, the Imperial Tour is ample. However if you wish to be awed by ornate interiors, spring for the Grand Tour.

If you’re visiting with younger youngsters, you have to additionally go to the Youngsters’s Museum at Schönbrunn Palace. Right here, youngsters will study toys from the previous, get to set the imperial eating desk, participate in a themed tour, and even gown up as a prince or princess!

You’ll want to go away time to benefit from the outside gardens and take a stroll as much as the Gloriette for sweeping views of the Palace and town past. The strains might be lengthy so I’d advocate a skip-the-line tour.

When you have youngsters, they might take pleasure in a go to to the zoo subsequent door, Europe’s oldest. Households may additionally spend the afternoon on the Prater amusement park again in Central Vienna, and experience the enormous Ferris wheel (learn how to skip the road.) The Prater was as soon as an imperial looking floor and solely accessible for the aristocracy, however as we speak it’s an amusement park and inexperienced house with swings, curler coasters, the Big Ferris wheel, and occasions areas.

For these not visiting with households (and even in case you are!), make time to go to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which towers over town middle. Constructed within the 12th century, the roof of St. Stephen’s is roofed in colourful tiles, laid to create the coat of arms of town of Vienna.

The Cathedral is open to the general public, and it’s also possible to take a guided tour of the cathedral, catacombs, and two towers. The tower room is sort of a climb — 343 steps to the highest, however you may be rewarded with lovely views over Vienna. Within the reverse tower hangs the Pummerin, the second-largest free-swinging chimed church bell in Europe.

Within the night, I’d additionally advocate squeezing in a go to to the opera or different musical efficiency if you are in Vienna. Even when there isn’t one thing enjoying on the State Opera Home, there are different venues within the metropolis. Plan forward to soak up a night efficiency, simply make sure you analysis the efficiency prematurely. We went to a really avant-garde efficiency of Don Giovanni by Mozart and it was nothing like what we anticipated.

3 Days in Vienna Itinerary

When you have 3 days in Vienna, the extra day offers you time to dig a bit of deeper into town’s tradition and historical past. Begin off by following the two days in Vienna itinerary above, after which for the third day, plan a guided tour (after all you possibly can at all times shuffle the times and occasions round to fit your schedule.)

There are two guided excursions that we actually loved after we visited Vienna.

Jewish Historical past Tour in Vienna

The primary was a Vienna Jewish historical past tour with Context Journey. This three-hour tour led to very attention-grabbing discussions about Vienna’s previous, how its tragic Jewish historical past is being remembered, and the rebirth of the Viennese Jewish neighborhood.

The historical past of Jewish Vienna goes all the way in which again to 1190 with the founding of the primary synagogue within the metropolis. But should you stroll round Vienna as we speak, it’s simple to cross by the proof of the as soon as vibrant Jewish neighborhood with out noticing. 

As within the historical past of Jewish teams all through the world, the historical past of Jews in Vienna is sort of turbulent, with a sequence of pogroms and expulsions. After a few centuries of relative peace, the Jews have been first expelled from Vienna in 1420, after they have been suspected of opposing the Habsburgs. Then, within the seventeenth century when the Protestants and Catholics have been at conflict they usually wanted cash, Vienna introduced again the Jews.

In 1825 the Metropolis Temple was constructed and later, in 1867, a transfer was made to permit for equal rights for all religions in Vienna, ushering in practically 70 years of prosperity till the Nazi rise to energy. By 1938, there have been 170,000 Jews in Vienna, representing about one-tenth of the inhabitants. Tragically, after World Conflict II, solely 5,512 Jews have been left in Vienna, and of those, solely 3,000 have been initially Viennese.

On November 9, 1938, the night time of Kristallnacht (or night time of crystal or damaged glass), 24 synagogues have been fully destroyed. At present, there are someplace between 12,000-20,000 Jews in Vienna and lots of synagogues have been rebuilt. 

Even when that is extra time than you need to dedicate, at the least take the time to go to the Holocaust Memorial in Judenplatz. This Memorial is within the type of a library, the place all of the titles face in and the library door doesn’t have a deal with, representing all of the lives with tales unwritten and untold. The symbolism is extremely highly effective.

Vienna Meals Tour

If you’re extra of a foodie, I’d advocate a meals tour with Meals Excursions Vienna. Certainly one of my favourite methods of exploring a metropolis is thru its meals.

Lukas, our tour information/chef, confirmed us fairly a number of small companies we’d not have discovered on our personal and launched us to a few of Vienna’s specialties. Even should you don’t take a meals tour, spend a while wandering by the kilometer-long Nashmarkt outside meals market.

We began our tour in one in every of Vienna’s class espresso homes, Cafe Sperl. Inbuilt 1880, Cafe Sperl has lengthy been a favourite hang-out for composers, singers, writers, and artists. At present, it maintains its historic really feel and native attraction and is among the solely cafe that also bakes its personal pastries in-house each day.

You’ll be able to actually style the distinction and should you go to, make sure you attempt the unassuming Sperl cake. It doesn’t appear like a lot however this chocolate cake is scrumptious. Of all of the cafes and low homes we visited in Vienna, Cafe Sperl was in our high two and I favored the Sperl cake far more than the well-known Sacher Torte.

Certainly one of my favourite stops was on the Bitzringer’s Sausage Stand — probably the most well-known sausage stands in Vienna. We had already stopped by right here the day earlier than, however we have been blissful to pattern one other model. Between the smoked and the cheese sausages, the cheese-stuffed was my favourite — not overly tacky however a number of scrumptious taste.

Except you order a “sizzling canine”, the sausage is sliced and served on a plate with mustard, ketchup, and freshly shredded horseradish. You’ll want to watch by the window as they put together it if somebody orders a sizzling canine. It’s cool to see how they poke a gap within the bun, squirt in some ketchup, after which stuff within the sausage. Positively make this a cease should you go to Vienna!

We additionally actually loved sampling Austrian wine at Melker Stiftskeller, a cute underground wine bar that includes wines from up close to Melks Abbey. 

When you want extra ideas on what to see in Vienna in 3 days, cease by the Haus der Musik Sound Museum. It’ll solely take one to 2 hours however it’s quite a lot of enjoyable to play with the assorted sounds and study Vienna’s classical composers. It is a very enjoyable and interactive museum for music lovers of all ages.

What if in case you have extra time in Vienna?

When you have 4 days in Vienna, you’ll want to spend a while visiting a number of extra of Vienna’s many museums (and low retailers) and take any excursions you will have missed.

With 5 days in Vienna, you should have time to take a day journey to Salzburg, Bratislava, or Melk Abbey. When you have greater than that, you possibly can embody a facet journey to Budapest or Prague.

Steadily Requested Questions

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