Are you planning a weekend trip to Vienna? Then you’ve come to the right place! In this blog post, we’re going to try and cover all the places you have to visit in Vienna if you’re in the Austrian capital for the weekend or just have a day or two while doing your European road trip.

Along with the must-sees and must-dos we will also give tips about a few not so touristy places, because who doesn’t love hidden gems off the beaten path?

Pin for Pinterest of a 2 day trip to Vienna.

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Here are The Best Places To Visit in Vienna

6 of the best places to visit in Vienna

Vienna is sort of spread out… so, unless you’re looking to walk all over the city like us lunatics, you should get a public transport pass and save yourself some time and money (see more information about this at the bottom of this post).

#1 Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace is a perfect place to visit in 48 hours in Vienna.

Since we came during one of the winter months we didn’t get a chance to see the Schonbrunn Gardens but hopefully next time. The garden covers the massive courtyard in front of the 1441 room palace. Once you get there you’ll understand why it’s one of Vienna’s famous attractions. We would highly recommend going in spring or summer to enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Not that it took away any of the beauty of this marvellous palace!

The history of the palace is long and detailed but a fun fact about Schönbrunn is that, if translated to English, it means “Beautiful Spring”.

#2 Stephansdom

The absolutely stunning gothic-styled church which is located right in the heart of the city is a must-see attraction when visiting Vienna and it is totally free to walk the grounds. A perfect place to stop by for any traveler wandering around Vienna.

With its 136.7 meter tall tower and its multi-coloured roof it really stands out. An interesting fact about the St. Stephen’s Cathedral is that it sits on the ruins of two churches that date back almost 1000 years, and the church itself will this year celebrate it’s 860th birthday. Quite rich in history, hey?

We’re sure most people visiting Vienna will tour around the city centre but this is one iconic church of Austria’s history you don’t want to miss while sight seeing around Vienna.

#3 Belvedere Castle

The Palace has absolutely no connection to Belvedere vodka, so, unfortunately, there will be no free vodka shots while you’re taking in the views of this stunning summer residence that was built for Prince Eugene of Savoy in the late 1600’s 😉

Pack a lunch and take in the views of the palace just outside in the courtyard. Those views are better than what any restaurant could offer 😉

#4 Hofburg

Almost every building in Austria feels like it’s linked to some sort of imperial dynasty that dates back to the middle ages. 48 hours definitely wasn’t enough time to see all the sights in Vienna but we did manage to make it here. The Hofburg Palace still serves a purpose as the official residence and workplace of the president of Austria.

This is actually very fitting since Hofburg translates to the “Castle of the Court” and has served as a residence for powerful dukes and emperors since its construction in the 13th century.

#5 Town Hall

Town Hall in Vienna during our 2 day itinerary.

If you’re in Vienna on a weekday, make sure you stop by the town hall and check out the paternoster elevators. What on earth is a “paternoster elevator”? We also had no clue up until we got here. A simple definition is essentially an elevator that constantly moves in a loop without stopping.

So yes, you can (literally) jump on and off on whatever floor you want. The elevator can be found through the Felderstraße entrance. The town hall is also any photographer’s dream with gorgeous neo-gothic-styled arches, courtyards, and beautifully decorated rooms.

It’s located just inside the town hall and completely free to use so go check it out if you have time while travelling through Vienna.

#6 Hundertwasserhaus

Hundertwasserhaus is an iconic monument in Vienna, Austria.

Hundertwasserhaus is an absolute must place to visit if you’re travelling through Vienna.

Of course, you have to go visit the places mentioned above as these are classic’s when it comes to sightseeing in Vienna as they are the buildings that define Austria and it’s heritage, but the Hundertwasserhaus is something completely out of the ordinary!

An architectural design that was created by Friedensreich Hundertwasser is like nothing you’ve seen before. At first hand it looks like a building that was designed by a kindergarten class. But the closer you look, the more you get the feel that every tile and every colour was thought out and was placed purposely.

Friedensreich also designed about a dozen other buildings in Austria but the Hundertwasserhaus is his most famous one and a must visit if you find yourself wandering the streets of Vienna.

If you’re loving this place we got good news for you… There’s a Hundertwasserhaus Village right next to it! And inside they have a souvenir shop and a little art exhibition, so you can easily spend a lot of time here – definitely worth checking out!

Where to stay in Vienna

Vienna is divided into 23 different districts. From our own experience and from local advice we definitely recommend you to stay in the lower districts (1-9) since they are closer to the town centre and still very reasonably priced for any budget traveler. And if you only have 48 hours, you don’t want to spend half of your time on public transport instead of visiting all the attractions, do you?

Beautiful Belvedere Castle which you can find in Austria's Capital, Vienna

We stayed in district 3 at a really cute Airbnb. It was close to the Belvedere Castle which is a must see (read more in the next section) and located in walking district from downtown Vienna!

District 6 and 7 might also be worth checking out. They are known as the districts for Yuppies (Young Urban Professionals), so if you’re working remotely like us, maybe this is the place for you?

High-end accommodation in Vienna

If you want to take in all the beauty of Austria’s capital then the SO/ Vienna is the place to stay. Take in the authentic experience right in the heart of downtown at one of Vienna’s finest hotels. A night will on average cost you $220. But it truly is one of the best places in the whole city and worth every penny.

Book your stay at SO/ Vienna here.

Moderately priced accommodation in Vienna

Boutique Hotel Donauwalzer is the perfect place to stay in Vienna if you’re traveling on a mid-range budget. Boutique Hotel Donauwalzer brings you close to downtown and the price will average around $90 a night. The hotel itself has a 24 hour bar, free breakfast, the occasional live music, and a classic feel.

Book your stay at Boutique Hotel Donauwalzer here.

Budget-friendly accommodation in Vienna

Wombat’s City Hostel Vienna NaschMarkt will cost you on average $33 a night and is perfect if you’re on a budget and just need a place to stay for a few nights. It’s located right next to the famous NaschMarkt and also in walking distance to to many attractions – and public transport is right out the front door.

Book your stay at Wombat’s City Hostel here.

Places to eat in Vienna

#1 Der Wiener Dewan

Deewan restaurant has the coolest concept, especially if you’re travelling on a budget and are looking for a big meal. Imagine a small hostel that is turned into a three-floor dining room. You can sit and eat on a bed, on a carpet that has been taken straight out of Aladdin, or at a table like a regular, boring person (like us, haha).

At the entrance of this restaurant there is a little buffet with Pakistani food (lots of chickpea centered dishes). It has a good variety of fresh food, along with vegan options as well.

For drinks, there is table service and for desert… Well, they have this interesting mango mush pudding sorta thing. Like most people you’ll walk by this orange looking bowl multiple times and wonder what in the world it is… But seriously, you have to try it! If you like mangos and have a sweet tooth don’t be thrown away by the appearance of the mush. It is SO good!

At the end of it you pay (wait for it) AS MUCH AS YOU WANT! So basically this means that if you didn’t like the food, potentially you could just leave 2€ and get out. We don’t recommend this though. We really liked the food and the staff is super friendly.

The standard is between 5 and 10€. We paid 7.5€ each, which we think is a really good price for a buffet where we had two big servings each, dessert, free water, and good customer service. All of that for 15€ for two people. Again though, if you’re on a bit of a budget and maybe didn’t have the biggest plate you could get by with paying 4-5€ a person.

#2 Pfudl

If you’re looking for authenticity and a true Austrian experience, Pfudl is absolutely the place to go. From the moment you enter you’re greeted by waiters who surprisingly aren’t wearing lederhosen or a checkered short dress (I know right?!). But the restaurant itself has the typical Austro Bavarian feel to it. The furniture and the decorations have been there since the beginning of time when the gasthaus first opened back in 1922. At least it looks that way.

Anyways, let’s get to the important part… What should you order?

You should definitely order schnitzel, goulash, or roast pork (you’re in Vienna after all… If you’re looking for pizza, this is not the right blog for you wink wink). The food is truly authentic to the way dumplings are made to the taste it feels like you’re eating some food that’s been made by your friends grandma who has been doing this for eternity.

Once you’ve devoured your entire meal (there are BIG servings here), there is no way you’ll say no to dessert. Because that’s when you should treat yourself to an Apfel Strudel (classic) or a Kaiserschmarrn which is basically very thick pancakes ripped into pieces and topped with powdered sugar with a side of stewed plums on the side.

We split an Apfel Strudel and a Kaiserschmarrn three ways, which was enough for us, so there’s no need for everyone to get their own. For drinks we recommend hot wine, Viennese beer, or Almdudler which is a very tasty sparkling kind of apple juice.

We’d consider this a more moderately priced place to eat in Vienna but it was definitely worth it. It truly is an authentic place to go and it does give you that feeling of eating with the locals.

#3 Cafe Einstein

Cafe Einstein is a fun little Austrian pub and restaurant next to the Town Hall with lots of seating and friendly staff. We, unfortunately, only had coffee there so we can’t recommend any of the food but from what we saw the food looked delicious.

We did, however, peep at what other people were eating and if we would’ve had the time we definitely would have stuck around to try some of the dishes out. You can find the menu for Cafe Einstein on their website here.

#4 Naschmarkt

1: Go to Naschmarkt
2: Eat falafels 
3: Repeat

A picture of a fruit stand at Naschmarkt in Vienna

We got 10 falafels for 2€ and they were SOOO yummy! So if you’re looking for a budget meal to eat in the capital then this is it. But common for 2€ you can go wrong. Of course, you have to get some sort of dip with them, and what better dip to get than hummus? . We tried the olive hummus and it was incredible.

A quick heads up though, when buying the falafels just make sure to not overpay. There are some stands that charge about double of what we paid. The stand we went to was called Lyotin No 405-409.

This market has it all from fresh vegetables to every spice imaginable, great if you need to replenish your kitchen back home. So bring some cash and save big while you get some fresh produce at the market.

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Other useful info

  • You can get an ‘all you can ride’ ticket in Vienna that works for all public transport (metros, trams, and busses) for 24, 48, or 72 hours. You can buy these at the metro stations in the machines, at a ticket office, or at tobacconists! After you’ve purchased the ticket, make sure to stamp it to validate it! These ‘stamp machines’ can be found either before entering the metro platform or on the busses and trams.
  • BRING CASH! We can not state this enough. Despite Vienna being a modern city they surely haven’t figured out how a credit card works yet (jk, but seriously). The only place we can guarantee you that they take card is when you buy tickets for public transport. Apart from that we only found a few other places, and there we had to make a purchase of minimum 10€.
  • Tipping isn’t mandatory in Vienna, but it is kinda frowned upon not doing so. We highly recommend you to tip. Just remember, that if you pay by card (if you can) you have to mention how much you want to tip them before inserting your card in the machine.

Oh, and let’s end off this post with a little fun fact!

Did you know that sometimes apartments have showers right in the kitchen? And some also have their toilet in the hallway outside the apartments which they share with other people in the building? These apartments tend to be cheaper and that way some people can save money on rent. Pretty funky, right?

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6 Comments

  1. redwhiteadventures on June 23, 2019 at 9:30 pm

    It truly is. We loved the architecture and the pretty gardens and parks everywhere! 🙂
    – Jo

  2. redwhiteadventures on June 23, 2019 at 9:31 pm

    You’re welcome! When are you going? I’m sure you’ll love it 🙂
    – Jo

  3. Josy A on November 16, 2019 at 8:50 pm

    Okay, so I already knew I want to visit Vienna at some point, but your post just makes me want to eat!!

    Der Wiener and Dewan and Pfudl both sound truly awesome! I never knew I needed to try mango pudding in Vienna! 😉

    • redwhiteadventures on November 20, 2019 at 8:13 pm

      Hey Josy,

      Seriously..who knew Mango pudding would be something you’d have to try in Vienna! Both places are amazing though so I hope you get a chance to go to both when you visit!:)

      -Dom

  4. Andrea Peacock on November 17, 2019 at 3:41 am

    What a beautiful city! Vienna looks like a nice place to explore, and probably not as busy as other European cities, great tips!

    • redwhiteadventures on November 20, 2019 at 8:08 pm

      Hey Andrea,

      Honestly it is really busy but again depending what time of year you go! It truly is a lovely European city and also so close to Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary! 🙂

      -Dom

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