Beautiful Vienna is brimming with imperial buildings and iconic landmarks that have centuries of history locked within their dense stone walls. But it’s Vienna’s fantastic café culture, friendly energy, endless museums and artsy atmosphere that all add to this cities allure.
We recently visited to explore Vienna’s heart-warming Christmas Markets, during our partnership with Jet2. Although the Christmas markets were truly fabulous and oozed festive cheer, we managed to fit so much more into our 3 night Jet2citybreak holiday to Vienna! From eating our way around the pretty city, to catching some thrills at the second oldest amusement park in the world!
Vienna actually consists of 23 districts, so you’d need a good chunk of time to explore all the different areas. However, we managed to stroll our way through 4 districts during our trip, covering parts of district 1, 2, 3 & 4. Although we visited Vienna nearing the end of November, this list isn’t just suited to a cold winter trip. You can do these activities come spring, summer, sunshine and rain … (apart from the last two which are seasonal!)
Here’s my list of 18 great things to do whilst visiting Vienna in Austria.
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1. Visit one of the oldest amusement parks in the world; Prater Wien
Prater amusement park is the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world! Falling just behind Bakken (also known as Dyrehavsbakken) in Denmark. If you enjoy rides, and the rush of adrenaline that goes with them, then Prater is definitely worth a visit whilst you’re in Vienna. There’s a brilliant selection of rapid rollercoasters, spooky ghost trains and other great rides both big and small. In fact, there are over 250 attractions nestled inside this park, providing heaps of fun for a variety of ages.
Because we visited during mid-late November, that meant only around half of the rides were open. Most importantly though, almost all of the larger-faster-scarier rides were all up and running. Prater park is free to enter, so you only need to pay for the rides that you wish to go on. All of which were around €4-€6 per person and we never had to queue for any of them. I’m not sure if this would be the case during the summer though? I imagine things will be far busier then.
There’s not really any dedicated theming at this amusement park, not like you get at Paulton’s Park with its different themed zones. Instead, each ride kind of has its own theme and decoration.
It took us just under 30 minutes to walk from the gorgeous hotel we stayed in during our Jet2CityBreak (I have a review of the Imperial Riding School hotel if you’re interested) to Prater, which sent us through some lovely parts of Vienna. Right before the amusement park we walked through Prater park, which I can imagine is extra beautiful in the summer. It has lots of green open space, a little pond, play equipment and had a cycle and running track around the perimeter.
I recommend having a go on Die Gesengte Sau and Volare those two rides were our favourite. Die Gesengte Sau only accepted card payments, but I would say most other rides only took cash – so make sure you bring some euros with you.
2. Enjoy the views from the ginormous ferris wheel; Wiener Riesenrad
The Wiener Riesenrad ferris wheel was erected in 1897 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I. You’ll find this towering ferris wheel at the entrance to Prater amusement park. It’s just shy of 65 meters tall, making it pretty easy to spot and a permanent feature in Vienna’s skyline
The enclosed red cabins on Wiener Riesenrad are large, and can fit multiple people inside. But if you’re seeking some extra adrenaline, you should get a ticket for ‘Platform 9’ which will have you harnessed onto an exposed steel frame whilst standing on a glass floor. It’s not for the faint-hearted, thats for sure!
Regular adult tickets are €14 each, and a child’s ticket is €6.50 (covering 3-14 year olds). Tickets for platform 9 start from €89. You can even get special tickets to dine inside one of the cabins, which would make for a very special experience.
3. Admire Hundertwasser House
This quirky building really stands out amongst Vienna’s normal imperial style buildings.
Hundertwasserhaus (Hundertwasser House) was a creative vision of Friedensreich Hundertwasser that was brought to life in 1985. It’s such an unusual apartment building. A patchwork of colours, shapes and wobbly lines. It’s not as bright as it looks in some peoples photos, time had dampened the vibrancy, but it’s still a colourful jig-saw puzzle masterpiece.
Opposite the quirky building you’ll see Hundertwasser Village. Step inside and you’ll feel like you’re no longer in Vienna, and that you’ve been whisked away to somewhere only Willy Wonka could dream up. It’s full of red brick archways, lamp posts and little nooks that are filled with tiny shops. There are vibrant columns made from a mismatch of shapes, and the middle opens up to a bar that has water trickling through its worktop. It feels like an underground village, from a wacky film set. Super unique.
This place was a brilliant find and it made a great spot to warm up with a hot drink and chunky slice of spiced apple strudel.
4. Go up one of St.Stephen’s Cathedral towers
I’ve already talked about the stunning Christmas market at St. Stehphen’s Cathedral in a previous blog post (read that here). However you can actually go inside this impressive medieval cathedral for free. The interior of this cathedral is incredibly detailed, and if you look up from where you entered you’ll see the large organ. There’s also the chance to go up either the South or North tower of St.Stephen’s Cathedral to gain some epic views over Vienna.
There are differences between the two towers though. We took the elevator up the North tower and the aerial views across the city didn’t disappoint! If you’re wondering which tower to go up, hopefully the below will help you choose the right one for you.
The North tower
The North tower is shorter, but offers the best and closest view of the ornate mosaic roof. Tickets for the North tower cost €7pp, which gives you a lift up to the viewing platform. It’s a very small elevator which can feel a little too snug if you happen to time your trip with a bunch of others. Thankfully it’s quick, but if you don’t like tight spaces, you might be better off asking if the lift operator can take you on a separate run. You’ll also get to see the Pummerin bell if you go up the North tower, which is the largest bell in Austria and the third largest swinging bell in Europe.
The South tower
The other option is to get yourself a marginally cheaper ticket for the South tower which costs €6.50. However there is no lift inside this tower, so you’ll need to trudge up 343 steps all the way to the top which becomes incredibly narrow (much like we experienced when climbing up the Belfort in Bruges.
5. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride around Vienna
Vienna is pretty well known for it’s horse-drawn carriages, a method of transport that suits it’s beautiful historic surroundings. In Vienna they are known as the fiakers, and you’ll find them dotted across the city in places such as Stephansplatz, Volksgarten, Petersplatz, Michaelerplatz and Albertinaplatz.
There were lots of carriages lined up waiting at the base of St.Stephens Cathedral (Stephansplatz) all of which had set prices. It cost €60 for 20 minutes, €105 for 40 minutes or €140 for 1 hour.
We don’t usually do things like this, as you never fully know how the animals are treated and cared for. However Austria has strict animal welfare laws that horses can only work 4.5 days per week, followed by 2.5 days off. Plus the city council has additional rules preventing them working in high temperatures. They looked well cared for too, so we did go for a short tour around a small central part of Vienna.
The 20 minute tour took us around a few famous sites including Vienna’s watch museum, St.Peters Church and the original fire station that’s still in use today. The carriages come in different colours and configurations. Ours was fully enclosed, but we asked if it could be opened up. Even though it was chilly, It gave us much better site-seeing opportunities.
6. Head back in time at Time Travel Vienna
If you fancy an interactive type of attraction whilst in Vienna, then consider heading to Time Travel Vienna.
This attraction is split into different sections, including a recreated war bunker, VR experience, plague pit and short 5D cinema film taking you through Vienna’s history. I think that was the best part, although it wasn’t on the same level as FlyOver Iceland which we did on our 7day Iceland adventure.
The tour guide obviously speaks German, but they do have audio guide headsets available which come preloaded in 10 different languages. We happened to be the only two who needed them on our group! They worked well though, and seemed to be synced in time with everyone else. The only thing I will say is they were very British voiceovers, I think it would have been better using someone with a local accent to make it more authentic.
Time Travel Vienna would be a great option if you’re coming with children too. They would get to learn a bit of Vienna’s history in a fun, interactive way that would keep them engaged.
Adult tickets cost €20.90pp, children were €17.10 and both students and seniors were €19. We didn’t prebook, but it might be worth pre-booking if you have zero flexibility in timings as it was popular. Tours seemed to start every 20 minutes, so we didn’t have to wait long when we turned up. There is also an option to get a discounted combined ticket for €7 more. This gives you access to Time Travel Vienna and a similar type attraction on the opposite side of the road which is all about Sisi’s journey.
If you’re coming in the winter and you’re all bundled up, they have plenty of hangers and lockers downstairs to put your stuff in. Just remember to bring some change as you’ll need a euro to operate it.
7. Eat Kaiserschmarrn at 15 Susse Minuten
This cafe seemed to be super popular as the queue was coming out the door when we arrived. The 15 Susse Minuten (15 Sweet Minutes) cafe is only small, and the seats are packed in super close to one another. We’re talking hand distance apart (much like the main restaurant onboard the MSC Euribia cruise ship) so don’t expect to have a lot of room in here or a private conversation.
However, the food was delicious (mine more so than James’ choice) I had Kaiserschmarrn which is a popular Austrian scrambled pancake. You can get it with many different flavours – I went for Biscoff, which was delicious. However, I think a berry compote would have topped it! That mix of sweet and sour would have been utter perfection. The portion was huge and could have easily been shared. James went for a full english, which he said was tasty. But 50% of it was homemade baked beans, so everything was swimming in a pool of beans, which was a bit much to say the least.
The vibe of this cafe was lovely, service was quick and both of our breakfast’s were served inside a frying pan which was fun!
8. See the largest meteorite collection inside Vienna’s Natural History Museum
Just like London’s Natural History Museum, Vienna’s is also housed inside a fabulous old building. I would say the Vienna Natural History Museum is on a smaller scale in comparison, although you could still easily spend hours in there looking at all the artifacts.
This Natural History Museum has taxidermy animals including giant giraffes and African elephants, a whopping dinosaur skeleton and a fascinating collection of meteorites. Which actually happens to be the largest and oldest meteorite collection in the world! We also saw a toad that appeared to have teeth, which is now an unwanted image that’s been sketched into my brain forever.
At the heart of the museum there is a breathtakingly beautiful cafe, which makes the most special place to enjoy a bite to eat or enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee. The details and architecture is seriously impressive and it’s right beneath a large dome with circular windows that flood the area with natural light.
We didn’t prebook our tickets and there was no queue when we rocked up around midday. Tickets cost €18 per adult and under 19’s are free. Ideally you want to allow a minimum of 2 hours in here, but if you wanted to really take it all in and read the signs you would need far longer.
9. Step inside St.Peters Church (Peterskirche)
The exterior of Peterskirche is pretty gorgeous with its turquoise turreted dome, and old narrow street that circles it. However the inside is teaming with gold and will seriously blow your socks off.
Entry into St.Peter’s Church is free, so don’t pass it by. Step inside to admire all the gold embellished architecture, and don’t forget to look up at the magnificent painting on the ceiling. This building must have taken forever to build, as it’s so intricate inside.
10. Have a slice of Sacher torte in Cafe Central
Cafe Central is rather famous in Vienna, it’s where everyone likes to go for a slice of Sacher torte. This cafe has become increasingly popular, and I can see why as the building is incredibly beautiful. There was a pianist playing inside too, which did create an extra special ambiance.
However, I don’t actually recommend Sacher torte. Eeek, controversial, I know! I just found it pretty dry, and I didn’t actually think it was that amazing. To me, it was a dry chocolate sponge with the thinnest layer of apricot jam running through the centre, and a slightly bitter chocolate icing. James thought it was ok, but nothing special.
The other Patisserie options in here all looked far better, thankfully we bought two options and shared. I recommend trying some of the other sweet treats at Cafe Central, as the other chocolate cake we had was divine. So soft, flavourful and totally moreish! You can have sandwiches and cooked meals in here too, which is perfect if you’re wanting something a little more hearty than a pretty slice of cake.
Booking a table is advisable, and you’ll need to prebook this in plenty of time. We’re talking weeks in advance! Otherwise you can just queue up outside and wait to be seated. We joined the queue around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and it only took 20 minutes to get inside which wasn’t too bad at all.
There are plenty of other cafe’s in Vienna where you can buy Sacher torte, so you don’t have to come to Cafe Central to try it. However, the building really is special, so I do recommend going there to experience it – perhaps just order something different!
11. Find Vienna’s cute traffic lights
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled to find some of Vienna’s cute pedestrian crossing lights whilst you’re out exploring the city. It reminded me a little bit of the heart traffic lights we found in Akureyri in Iceland, although Vienna’s couple lights were even cuter!
We found this one near the museum quarter, but they are dotted at different spots across the city. They are to signal equality, showcasing mixed, all-female or all-male couples to highlight the diversity of Vienna’s population. I think they are super cute, and a fun little addition to the streets of Vienna.
12. Visit Hofburg Imperial Palace & see Hitlers balcony
If you payed attention during history class at school, you may recognise this particular balcony. It’s where Hitler stood on the 15th March in 1938 to announce the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. It’s hard to stomach the thought that around 200,000 Nazi troops and supporters once stood right here on this lawn cheering on their leader.
You can’t go onto the balcony, you can only see it from the ground. However you can purchase tickets to go inside the Hofburg palace if you want to. Adult tickets cost €19.50 and children are €12.
13. Have breakfast at Karl & Otto
This place is unique; a cafe during the day but club come night. With decor that looks like you’ve stepped straight back into the 1970’s with your nan’s net curtains, green leather booths, dark mahogany wood and a disco ball hung from the ceiling. It certainly had a retro vibe!
If you like eggs, then this is a brilliant breakfast spot as everything on the menu involved eggs in one way or another. I went for scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, and I didn’t realise until I started eating it, but the scrambled eggs had been made with some type of melted cheese mixed into it (I don’t remember seeing that mentioned on the menu) Whilst James went for ‘Otto’s Dirty Favourite’ which was a bagel, omelette, bacon, avocado and siracha-mayo combo. He said his was delicious, and it did look far more impressive than mine.
The cafe is downstairs, and as its right next to the railway line you do feel the vibration every now and then. It looks like during the summer they would have outside seating in front of the beautiful Karlsplatz building. During the festive season you’ll find the Art Advent Christmas market right next to this place.
14. Watch the Lipizzan stallions at the Spanish Riding School
If you love horses then you should factor in a trip to the Spanish riding school in Vienna. Here you can watch the incredible Lipizzan stallions perform in perfect harmony to classical Viennese music. Something I can imagine is very beautiful to watch.
On selected dates you can book a 60 minute guided tour which takes you through the stables, the summer arena and you’ll get to see one of the world’s largest oval horse walkways. There are different ticket options available to help suit a variety of budgets, from cheaper training sessions to full blown gala performance tickets. The white building itself is also super impressive, and worth a look even if you don’t plan to go inside.
15. See the Austrian parliament building
You can actually go inside the Austrian parliament building, although it was closed the day we were there. The outside was still gorgeous to explore though, with its sweeping driveway, gigantic columns and impressive statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and peace out the front.
If you do wish to go inside, you need to register in advance (ideally 5 days prior to your visit) and then you will be emailed a QR code. You’ll need to bring some form of ID with you too, and they will also do a security coat check before you’re allowed inside. To be honest, we were pretty content just admiring this one from the outside.
16. Admire the Neo-Gothic style Rathaus city hall
The Rathausplatz square was full of festive fun during our trip, as Christkindlmarkt was in full-swing. The entire area out the front of the Rathaus was transformed into a winter wonderland, with Christmas market stalls, a ferris wheel and ice-rink, and not forgetting Vienna’s magical Tree of Hearts too. It’s a great gathering spot and in the summer they do film and gaming festivals here. Along with other events throughout the year, like food and bike events to dancing on New Years Eve.
If you would like to go inside the Rathaus, free guided tours are available at 1pm on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You’ll need to get a free ticket from the the City Information at the city hall, and it’s first come first served – so go early if its something you would really like to do as they open up at 8am. The tour guide will speak German, but there are audio headsets available if you need them. This imposing Neo-Gothic building is almost 98 meters tall and has a crazy 3000 rooms, some of which you’ll get to see on the tour.
17. Shop Graben street and admire the Christmas lights
Graben is the main shopping street in Vienna, and it’s also the one with the best Christmas lights – in my opinion. This pedestrian friendly area has huge glistening chandeliers suspended across the street, created from 1000’s of warm white Christmas lights which looks truly magical. It has a great atmosphere but things do get rather busy here at night, so be sensible and keep check of your phone and wallet.
If you like designer items, then this is where you need to shop. High-end stores line the streets from Dior, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, and Chanel to name a few!
18. Find the red Popp & Kretschmer bow
You’ve probably seen this bow on Instagram before! It’s a popular photo spot in Vienna which sits right on a zebra crossing, so expect to see lots of people snapping photo’s on this particular corner.
This beautiful glistening bow is attached to the side of the Popp & Kretschmer department store. Which is where you want to go if you wish to find a posh frock that costs multiple of thousands, whilst being treated like true royalty.
Time to wrap it up
So there we have it; my list of 18 great things to do whilst in Vienna. On top of that, this city has over 100 museums, so you’ll never be short of something to do! I hope this list has given you some inspiration for your upcoming trip, and if you’re still looking to book something, don’t forget to check out Jet2, as they have loads of great deals on holidays to Vienna. We had a brilliant time on our Jet2CityBreak, and can’t thank them enough for sending us on this fun winter adventure together. In our three night stay, we managed to cram all this in, along with exploring Vienna’s beautiful Christmas markets which are dotted all over the city.
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