The Top 10 Best Things to Do in Vienna, Austria
#10 - Get a Taste of the Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher
Chocolate is the flavour of Vienna, and the best way to experience it is by trying a sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher. The Hotel Sacher was established in 1876 on the grounds of an old theatre. The Sacher family, particularly Franz Sacher, created the sachertorte during an event for the Austrian State Chancellor in 1832. His son, Eduard Sacher, formed the Hotel Sacher and later died 16 years later. His wife tested her business and communication skills, making the Hotel Sacher a prominent hotel in Vienna. Of course the cake that made the family famous would obviously be served at the hotel. And today, nothing has changed. You can get a taste of this luxurious cake any time of the year, but you’ll probably need to wait in a long queue before you can get a slice. We think it’s worth it!
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Average Cost: € 8,90
#9 - Schönbrunn Palace
The Schönbrunn Palace may just have the best Christmas market in Vienna, but that’s not going to help you if you’re coming during the majority of the year. During other parts of the year, especially in the summer months, the palace is blushed with bright red roses, greenery, and freshly-cut hedges. You can also see the outdoor landscape for free any time of the year, or you can pay to go inside this exquisite palace. The palace was built in 1700 and was later remodeled under the direction of Empress Maria Theresa, whom received the palace and land as a wedding present. This remodeling led to the palace in its present form.
Hours: November - March (8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.); April - October (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Average Cost: € 8,50
#8 - St Charles Church (and St Stephen’s Cathedral)
I couldn’t just name one cathedral on this list because there are 2 prominent churches in Vienna. Out of the 2, my personal favourite is St Charles Church, but others would disagree and say that St Stephen’s Cathedral is more beautiful. To each his own.
St Charles Church (Karlskirche) was completed in 1737 after Vienna had experienced a horrific plague. The Emperor, Charles VI, promised that he would build a church in honour of Charles Borromeo, whom was a patron saint believed to heal during the plague. You can walk through the church walls, the chapel, and even up the stairs to get a great view of the city.
St Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom) is right in the heart of the city. It was built in 1578 (foundation laid in 1137). Many people go for the iconic rooftop, the record-breaking bell (2nd largest free-swinging bell in Europe), and to see a statue of Christ with a toothache (yes, that is a thing).
St Charles Church:
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Sundays)
Average Cost: € 8
St Stephen’s Cathedral:
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Sundays)
Average Cost: FREE (pay for additional activities)
#7 - MYTHOS MOZART
This has to be one of the most fun and emotional experiences in Vienna. It’s essentially an interactive art experience. The Viennese are very proud of their historical link to Mozart, the famous musician and composer. The people of Vienna often say when Mozart died, his music was just beginning. His influence on Vienna is evident everywhere. Literally you cannot go somewhere and not see something that doesn’t mention Mozart. One of Vienna’s love letters to Mozart is through this experience.
The experience is comprised of 5 rooms. Each room has a unique experience and story to tell. The rooms last about 15 minutes, and you can stay in each room as long as you want, but you can’t leave for the next room until you’ve completed each one. These rooms show stories of his death, his influence on culture today, and how AI is learning from him. The tickets are a bit expensive, so we initially hesitated. But, we did it and were SO happy we got to experience it. It was one of the most memorable experiences we had in Vienna!
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Average Cost: € 19
#6 - Freud Museum
Fun fact: I first experienced this museum while on a psychology study abroad back in 2015. We kind of had to go for “study” since we were psychology students. Honestly, Hunter and I still talk about our experience visiting the Freud house for the first time… maybe best to leave your children at the hotel for this one. There’s a very large “thing” on display. I’m trying not to have a Freudian slip while writing this, if you know what I mean. If you know anything about Freud, you know there will be a lot of discussion around “things.” In all seriousness, it is a great museum to visit, even if you’re not into psychology or social sciences. You can see Freud’s contributions not only to psychology, but to society as well.
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (closed Tuesdays)
Average Cost: € 15
#5 - Hofburg
The Hofburg is a beautiful palace that was the primary palace for the Habsburg dynasty in Austria. Built in the 13th century, it had additions that spanned over hundreds of years. It has housed the kings of Austria, the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, and the presidents of Austria (currently). It is also the home of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. While you can’t see absolutely everything, you are allowed to see some of the apartments, the silver collections, bathrooms, and other rooms/halls. It is a must when you visit Vienna.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Average Cost: € 15
#4 - Hapsburg Crypt
Now that you’ve gone to the Hofburg and seen where the Habsburgs lived, you can see where they’re buried, too. (Not intrusive at all). The Habsburgs are like the Medici dynasty in Italy - they’re a big deal. The Habsburgs ruled from 1248 until 1918. You can walk around and see these incredibly elaborate coffins. Most of them are made of silver with gorgeous designs. Some of the more prominent Habsburg family members will have plaques detailing their lives and contributions. With a long family history, sometimes it can feel like it takes forever to walk through and see them all. But, you’ll definitely want to take your time to see everything.
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Average Cost: € 8,50
#3 - Mozart’s Apartment
Perhaps one of the coolest experiences in Vienna is to actually visit Mozart’s apartment. While this wasn’t his sole apartment in Vienna, it was one of his best that he could afford. Much of the apartment is empty space. Nobody know exactly how it was decorated, but the museum makes some assumptions throughout the walkthrough. You can do a self-guided tour, free of charge. It contains audio guides that will walk you through the history during the time of Mozart in combination with some fun facts about his life and contributions to music.
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Average Cost: € 14
#2 - Belvedere Palace
The Belvedere Palace is a glorious Baroque style palace built over 300 years ago. It was used as the summer palace for Prince Eugene of Savoy. You can take in its lush gardens, beautiful rooms, and gorgeous halls and ballrooms. You can even learn about its history as the location for the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955. But many people see the palace for its extensive art collection. If you haven’t seen The Woman in Gold, we recommend you watch it before your visit. It originally housed the Woman in Gold (portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer) by Gustav Klimt. While that’s not here anymore (you’ll find out why in the movie), you will still see some Klimts and other notable pieces on display at the palace.
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Average Cost: € 24
#1 - Mozart Concert
A trip to Vienna would not be complete without listening to some of Mozart’s own music. Obviously from this blog, you can tell that there’s a lot of influence that Mozart has on the city. You’ll want to treat yourself just as the aristocrats did during his time and experience a Mozart concert for yourself with the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. This is a fancy production of musicians and opera singers comprising a medley of music within 4 opera houses around Vienna. You’ll want to get dressed up for this occasion. It’ll be a night to remember!
Hours: Varies
Average Cost: Varies
