Best things to see and do in Vienna, Austria

Vienna is such a beautiful location to visit, with plenty of history, culture, and attractions to keep you busy throughout the entire time you’re there. This is where Mozart was from, the Habsburg family has their history here, and there are antiques that you can shop through for days. You’ll find that a lot of what you want to see is right in the heart of Innere Stadt. There are still some places you may want to travel outside of this area, but it doesn’t take long to get where you want to go. You can purchase the Vienna Pass, which provides you with access to sightseeing at more than 60 different attractions in the area. You won’t have to pay for access to everything separately. You also get some great discounts along the way. Let’s take a look at some of the best things to see and do in Vienna, Austria.

The Vienna State Opera House

Vienna is very much well known for its musical culture. The Vienna State Opera House is as much known for its impressive architecture, and the fact that is was one of the first performance houses ever built in the world. It’s located right in the middle of the Innere Stadt district. Arched windows all over the building make it look intriguing from the exterior. A lot of people comment that it seems more like a home for royalty than a performance location. You can attend a show here, or you can take a 40-minute guided tour that walks you through all of the architecture within the building.

Schönbrunn

The Schönbrunn is where a lot of the rich culture comes from in Vienna. It was constructed back in the 1600s, with 1,441 different rooms designed in a Baroque style architecture. It’s a stop that almost every tourist in Vienna makes when they travel here. This is also where the Habsburgs lived for many years, acting as the emperors of Austria. There are fully furnished rooms that you can tour, still with the original items that were there so many years ago. If you want to see how royalty lived, this is a top pick for your daily activities.

The Hofburg

This is another royal building that has roots in the Habsburg family dynasty. It’s a very large complex of buildings that was the winter home for these rulers. The building now functions as the offices of the president of Austria. Consider it to be The White House of Austria. Some necessary changes were made over the years, but you can still enjoy the beautiful architecture that makes The Hofburg such as delight and one of the best see locations in Vienna.

St Stephen’s Cathedral

This is the most important church that you will find throughout Vienna. It towers above you as the tallest church tower in all of Austria. It's the best place to catch a bird's eye view of Vienna. The exterior design is based on Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The main roof is protected by hundreds of tiles that are in various colors and patterns, forming an interesting design. Once you head inside St Stephens, you’ll find 18 altars and several smaller chapels. There are tombs and catacombs within the depths of the structure. It’s a great place to take photos, enjoy some quiet reflection, and explore.

Schönbrunn Gardens

The Schönbrunn Gardens are a magical area that extends outwards from the Schönbrunn Palace. They’re so vast, you could spend hours here. There are even hedge mazes and rows of flowers to walk through. If you’re looking for art and architecture, you’ll love the Neptune Fountain and the Roman Ruins stone statue collection. The Gloriette is near the main building within the gardens. It has a pool and a building where drinks and light snacks are served throughout the day. It has a magnificent view of the entire gardens.

The Vienna Zoo

The Vienna Zoo is also known as Tiergarten Schönbrunn. It is within the ground of the Schönbrunn Palace. As the oldest zoo in the world, you can view a number of animals or learn more about species preservation. It’s a beautiful place to take a walk during the warmer months of the year. There are several lovely buildings you can scope out. You’ll also see pandas, giraffes, sloths, sea lions and much more. Guided educational tours and talks are given each day throughout the zoo. What is really notable at Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the quality of care that each animal receives. Many people in the United States rebel against the treatment of animals within our zoos. At The Vienna Zoo, animals have ample space to roam, they are fed well, and they are treated kindly.

The Belvedere Museum

In the 1600s, The Belvedere was a summer residence for many Austrian princes. It’s an extremely large complex that you can now take a tour of when you’re visiting Vienna. If you visit Upper Belvedere, you’ll take note of the extremely detailed towers at the entrance. The Lower Belvedere area is a lot simpler, with palaces that are overlooking amazing gardens. There is plenty of artwork and architecture throughout the museum. You can easily make a day of walking around and taking everything in.

Rathaus

The Rathaus is the Town Hall of Vienna. It was built in the 1800s in Neo-Gothic architecture styling. There are five different towers within the Rathaus. You can take a guided tour through Rathaus. Just make sure that you check ahead of time to see if there is a tour going on the day that you’re passing through. They aren’t currently scheduled daily. The interior is something special with its beautiful offices and rooms. It has offices for the current mayor of Vienna, along with other offices. With the population on the rise, this is an important location in Vienna.

The Vienna Natural History Museum

This is a great place to stop if you want to really learn a lot about the area that you’re visiting. The Natural History Museum has everything from local minerals, precious stones, and fossils to insects, mammals, and extinct species taxidermy. A planetarium shows films on earth and astronomy throughout the day. There are currently over 30 million items within the collection of the museum, so expect to take your time when you come by. It’s an excellent place for both adults and children to spend the day.

Vienna is well known all over the world for its must-see historical buildings, expansive gardens, and amazing architecture. The most populated area of Austria is Vienna, with approximately one-third of the country’s population living here. This is also the primary city for things like the United Nations and local politics. If you are going to be visiting Vienna, you’ll want to plan for April to May or September to October. This is when the crowds are a bit thinner. It’s also when the weather is at its best.

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