Things to do in Vienna

Planning your trip to Vienna

Best time to visit

April to June and September to October bring pleasant weather for walking the city and its parks. Summer is warm and lively with outdoor events, though some concert and opera seasons pause. Late November through December brings Christmas markets across the city, with cold, short days.

How many days you need

Three days covers the Ringstrasse, Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg, a major art museum or two and several unhurried coffeehouse breaks. Add a day for a trip to the Wachau Valley or a day in Bratislava, which is close by train or boat.

Getting around

Vienna's U-Bahn, trams and buses are frequent, clean and easy to use, and the center inside the Ring is very walkable. Tram lines that run around the Ring pass many of the grand buildings. Standing-room tickets for the opera are a well-known low-cost way to see a performance, but they require queuing ahead of time.

What to skip

Costumed ticket sellers around St. Stephen's Cathedral and the main squares sell concert packages aimed at tourists; buying directly from the concert hall or opera house gives a clearer picture of what you are getting. Famous coffeehouses can have long lines at peak times — many equally traditional cafés nearby have no wait.