If you have at least two days to explore Vienna, you will more or less have time to visit all the sights. The main thing is that you are going to do it very sparingly, sparingly or moderately. In any case, the center of Vienna is a must-see. To do this, you can use the excursion tram along the Ringstrasse or excursion bus Hop on Hop off (it comes in two types: Vienna SightseeinhBigBus Vienna). Otherwise, be patient and walk. In short, the choice is yours.
If you only have one day to explore the city, I suggest the route Vienna in 1 day. Indeed, two days is not so much time to visit Vienna, but not so little either, and a whole sea of impressions and positive emotions awaits you.
The routes I have proposed are definitely not the only or alternative ones. You can move something in it, change the order, throw something out, or simply use it as an “assistant” and make a plan yourself. If you plan to travel by public transport, read the article Public transport in Vienna.
Article content
1. Day one - The historical center of Vienn
2. Day two - Away from the historical center
3. What to see in Vienna in 2 days - addition
1. Day one - The historical center of Vienna
This time we will start the tour from Stephansplatz. Here is the metro station of the same name, which is located at the intersection of the red line U1 and the yellow line U3. On Stephansplatz stands the symbol of Vienna, the unique and majestic St. Stephen's Cathedral, also known as Stephansdom, or Stef, as the locals call it.
Stef is for the Viennese what Notre Dame is for the Parisians. It is over 800 years old. The temple has two towers: the northern one is 68 meters high and the southern one is 137 meters high. You can go up and explore the city. Below the cathedral there are catacombs where many people are buried, including the famous Austrian knight Prince of Savoy. We also recommend inspecting the plug from the inside.
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If you are not too lazy, walk along Rottenturmstrasse from Stephansplatz and turn left, you will go out to Hoermarkt, where in rooms 10-11 you will see the “Anker Clock”, which since 1911 has connected the two buildings of the Anker insurance company " They are also called the dancing clock, because every day at 12 o’clock in the afternoon 12 historical figures (Charlemagne, Maria Theresa, Marcus Aurelius, Haydn, Eugene of Savoy, etc.) appear from there, accompanied by different music, and at 5 and 6 o’clock in the evening they are heard Christmas melodies.
Now let's return to Stephansplatz. Behind the cathedral is the avant-garde-style Haas House, and nearby, at Domgasse 5, is the Mozart House, where the famous Austrian composer lived from 1784-1787. These are Mozart's only surviving apartments. It was here that he wrote the opera The Marriage of Figaro.
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From here you will go to the Stock im Eisen square, where a tree with nails is placed in a glass cylinder (according to legend, Viennese blacksmiths hammered nails into it to attract good luck), and you will find yourself on the Graben street - on one of the most beautiful and luxurious streets in Vienna. It is worth mentioning two fountains named after St. Joseph and St. Leopold, as well as a statue erected at the end of the 17th century in honor of the victory over the black plague epidemic. This disease claimed the lives of 100 thousand people. Emperor Leopold I prayed to God for help and vowed that if the epidemic ended, he would build a memorial on this site. At the top of the statue is the Holy Trinity.
If you walk past this statue and turn right, you will find yourself in St. Peter's Square, where the Church of St. Peter (Peterskirche) stands. According to one version, it was founded by Charlemagne in the 8th century, although it took on its current form at the beginning of the 18th century. This is a striking example of the Baroque style, richly decorated with frescoes and sculptures.
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Turn from Graben onto Kohlmarkt. The name literally means "coal market". In XVI century there really was a coal and firewood market here, and after this street was located near the emperor's residence, its appearance changed radically, and now Kohlmarkt is one of the most famous and expensive shopping centers in Vienna. On this street there are several shops of popular brands, as well as the legendary Demel confectionery.
Demel has been around since 1778 and was founded on Kohlmarkt in 1888. From here the imperial palace was supplied with all kinds of cakes and pastries. Here you will be treated to the famous Sacher, Eszterhas, apple strudel and other delicious pastries, including candied violets, which Sisi, the emperor’s wife, loved so much.
From Kohlmarkt we can go to Michaelerplatz. On the square there is a church of the same name. By the way, part of Mozart’s immortal “Requiem” was performed for the first time in it (this work was completed by others after the composer’s death).
The outstanding landmark of Michaelerplatz is the Hofburg, the winter residence of the Austrian emperors. This is a large complex consisting of 19 buildings in Baroque and Renaissance styles. There are also many squares, courtyards, museums, gardens and parks.
If you want to see it all, keep in mind that it will take a lot of time, but it will be worth it, because you will really enjoy it, especially since you are in Vienna not for one day, but for two days. Here are some of the attractions: statues of the emperors, the Austrian National Library containing 7.5 million books, the Imperial Chancellery, the Imperial Chapel, the Imperial Treasury, the Silver Collection, the Sisi Museum, the richly and tastefully decorated rooms where the emperors and their families lived, the Winter Manege , where the Spanish Riding School operates, the Palfi Palace, where the six-year-old genius Mozart gave concerts with his sister in 1762, and many others.
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Here is the old Augustinian church, where the wedding and burial ceremonies of members of the emperor's family were held.
Now let's visit the Albertina Gallery. For more than 200 years, a rich collection of paintings has been exhibited in the former palace of Duke Albert. In total, about 1 million paintings are presented here, including works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Rubens, Picasso and other famous artists. From time to time, the gallery hosts thematic exhibitions of such famous painters as Edvard Munch, Van Gogh, Albrecht Durer.
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Right across the road from Albertina there is a memorial against war and fascism. There used to be a large Philip-Hoff house here, which collapsed during the bombing of March 12, 1945, which killed up to three hundred people hiding in its basements. The memorial consists of several statues. Among them is a kneeling Jew - it is known that after the occupation of Vienna, the Nazis forced Jews to clear the streets of anti-fascist slogans.
Then we head to Kärntnerstrasse, one of the oldest streets in Vienna. It has many shops, cafes and restaurants. The Hotel Sacher with its famous confectionery is located near the Vienna Opera, where you can try the Sachertorte, prepared according to the original recipe.
If you turn onto Anagasse from Kärntnerstrasse, you will soon find yourself at the House of Music.
You will not only be able to see the building and all kinds of musical instruments, but also conduct the Vienna Orchestra with an electronic baton, conduct sound experiments and create a symphony “together” with Mozart. If you are a music lover, this will surely interest you.
If we walk along Kärntnerstrasse, we will come to one of the main attractions of the capital - the Vienna Opera. The building was built between 1863 and 1869, and although it was initially criticized by Viennese residents, today it is a leading landmark in the city.
The largest opera house in Austria is famous not only for its opera and ballet performances, but also for its luxurious ball, where debutant couples traditionally perform. Another tradition is summer concerts in front of the building, which anyone can attend.
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Let's continue our walk along one of the most beautiful streets in Vienna - Ringstrasse, that is, the ring street. Along the "Ring", as the Viennese call it, there are beautiful buildings of different architectural styles.
Walking along the Ringstrasse, you can relax in the Burggarten park. There are statues of Mozart and Goethe. There is also a palm greenhouse with tropical plants and a butterfly house.
Next to the Burggarten is the grandiose Heroes' Square - Heldenplatz. We could have come here from the courtyard of the Hofburg Palace, but we first entered the Swiss Courtyard and visited other attractions of Old Vienna, and now we walked through the Ringstrasse and looked at the Hofburg from the other side. In the center of the square, Archduke Charles and Prince Eugene of Savoy are seated on bronze horses.
Right across the street from the Hofburg is Maria Theresa Square, decorated with a statue of the emperor's wife Maria Theresa. It was installed in 1888. Behind the square is the Museum Quarter, Vienna's largest museum space. This square also has two twin museums: the history of art and natural history.
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The next point is the Volksgarten, that is, the people's park. He is 200 years old. Spending time here is especially pleasant on warm summer days.
We walk along the ring street and approach the Parliament building, the construction of which was completed in 1884. Looking at it, you will immediately feel the influence of Ancient Greece.
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The next attraction on the Ringstrasse is the Vienna City Hall - a beautiful building with a tower 105 meters high. This is not only the place where the mayor and the city council work. Hundreds of events are held here every year: majlises, carnivals, festivals, holidays, Christmas trade. In front of the Town Hall there is the Town Hall Park. In the center of the park, films are shown on a huge screen in summer, and in winter there is a huge ice skating rink.
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In front of the town hall stands the elegant Burgtheater building. The Austrian Federal Theater has existed since 1741, and next to the “people's park” since 1888. It was here that the premiere of Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro took place.
So, you have seen the historical center. If you have time and energy, look through "Sights of Vienna" and other chapters on this site and add what you like.
2. Day two - Away from the historical center
The next day we will visit the Belvedere and Schönbrunn palaces. Before that we can visit some attractions. For example, the Church of St. Charles - Karlskirche is located in the vicinity of the Opera (tram stop Oper on Ringstrasse or metro station Karlsplatz).
Enjoy magnificent Baroque architecture, including the Otto Wagner Pavilion, reminiscent of the Vienna Secession.
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At the beginning of the XX century, a group of Austrian artists rejected the traditional conservative associations in which style was assessed by a jury, and founded a new cultural association, Secession. The slogan chosen as the motto was “To every age its art, to every art its freedom”. The artists built the Secession House with their own funds on a piece of land provided free of charge by the state. On the ground floor there is a series of paintings “Beethoven Frieze” - a 34-meter virtuoso interpretation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, created by Gustav Klimt in 1902.
If you have time, take tram №1 to Ringstrasse and get off at stop Hetzgasse. Walk a little further and you will see the funniest house in the city - the Hundertwasser House. It is impossible not to notice.
This apartment building was built in 1986 by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. There are no right angles here; trees and plants grow everywhere, including on the roof. In short, the architect's philosophy is: no corners, environmental friendliness and individuality.
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Now let's go to the Belvedere Palace. To do this, we need to take the tram №71 (stop Unteres Belvedere) or №2, №D (stop Schwarzenbergplatz), or №18, №D, №O (stop Quartier Belvedere). Read about public transport in Vienna and tickets in the article Public transport in Vienna.
The Belvedere Palace was the summer residence of the famous knight Prince Eugene of Savoy. It consists of three parts: the upper Belvedere, the lower Belvedere with a greenhouse and a huge park. The Upper Belvedere houses an art museum where paintings by famous artists are exhibited, including the famous “The Kiss” by the Austrian Gustav Klimt.
The Lower Belvedere houses halls of marble, mirrors, gold, grotesques, a museum of Austrian Baroque, stables of a former palace, a greenhouse converted into an exhibition hall, and much more.
If you spare no expense and decide to visit both palaces, you will be very pleased.
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And now using the green U4 metro line, bus №10A or tram №10, №58we will get off at the stop Schonbrunn and head towards Schönbrunn Palace. One of the best and most beautiful palace complexes in Europe is located about 5 kilometers from the city center. This attraction is said to have the most visitors in Vienna.
Schönbrunn Palace and Park was the summer residence of the Austrian emperors. It is almost 500 years old. Here you will see beautiful rooms and halls (there are more than a thousand of them, but only forty are reserved for tourists), parks, gardens, fountains, labyrinths, statues of ancient characters, a house of palm trees, a chariot museum, a children's museum, Glorietta, Roman Ruins, and a zoo. Here you can enjoy “real” Austrian strudel. In short, if you invest your time and money, you will leave here with a wonderful experience, even though a walk through the park is free for everyone.
For those who haveVienna City Card/Vienna Pass , benefits are provided.
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Well, the “minimum program” of the second day is completed. If you have some free time and energy, check out the appendix below to find out what else there is to see in Vienna (this will of course be a partial list).
3. What to see in Vienna in 2 days - addition
If you have time left after completing the above routes or you missed something and want to see other attractions, I will suggest some of them.
Prater Park is the favorite park of Viennese residents. Here stands the Ferris Wheel, created by engineer Walter Bassett in 1896/97 - which also became a symbol of Vienna - and many attractions. Here is the famous beer restaurant "Schweizerhaus", and Madame Tussauds, where figures of Mozart, Freud, Schwarzenegger, the emperor's wife Sissi, Gustav Klimt and others are presented.
The average price of tickets for attractions is 3-5 euros, Ferris Wheel - 10 euros for adults and 4.5 euros for children under 14 years old.
How to get there: red U1 and purple U2 metro lines - stop Praterstern.
House of the Sea is an oceanarium, terrarium and zoo combined. It is located in a former air defense tower. At the top there is a terrace overlooking Vienna.
Here you will see sharks, piranhas, turtles, rainforest creatures, coral reefs and tides.
Admission fee: 17.60 euros - for adults, 8 euros - for children 6-15 years old, 5.40 euros - for children 3-5 years old.
How to get there: yellow U3 metro line - stop Neubaugasse, bus - №13A, №14A, №57A - stop Hous des Meeres.
To purchase tickets, read the article about public transport in Budapest.
Naschmarkt is a market where you can buy all kinds of new products, and on Saturdays there is a market for a thousand little things. Here you can buy what you like relatively inexpensively. There are many cafes and restaurants here.
To get to the market, take the metro: line U1, U2, U4 - stop Karlsplatz.
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