Vienna Traveller Tips

Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Vienna is famous for its historic palaces, its connection to classical music and its imperial museums, so a visit to the charming Austrian capital is always a good idea.

If you are planning your next holiday to see all there is to see in Vienna, pay attention to this collection of tips aimed at making your trip to this wonderful imperial paradise more enjoyable, fun and organised.

Once in the city you will find that, as an avant-garde capital, the transport options in Vienna are diverse and public transport, specifically the Vienna underground, is really cheap.

However, in my opinion Vienna is an ideal city to explore on foot, as its historic centre and main attractions are extremely close to each other.

With the exception of a few monuments such as Schonbrunn Palace which are located quite far from the heart of the city, my advice is to walk around Vienna as much as you can and marvel at the beautiful historical treasures and monuments that adorn its streets.

However, if you travel to the city during the winter in Vienna, you may find it too cold on the streets to walk long distances. In this scenario I recommend the Vienna Sightseeing Bus, an internal transport service designed for travellers who will be in the city for two days or more.

The route includes stops at at least 22 sights and you can hop on and off as many times as you like. On board you also have an audio guide with commentary in your language that gives you information about the city as you travel through it.

If you have little time to explore the city, a tourist card such as the Vienna Passis an option to consider.

This resource has been specially designed to help travellers save time and money on their holiday by including in the special pass a total of 60 attractions scattered throughout the city.

Some important monuments or historical sites included in this special pass are: Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace, Belvedere Palace, the Natural History Museum, and Mozart's House in Vienna.

Also included is usually at least one day's use of the sightseeing bus so that you can move from one attraction to another without major inconvenience and without additional costs.

Vienna is a city of art with impressive museums and galleries that are a must-see.

If you organise your itinerary properly, you will find several free museums in Vienna, some all year round and others at special times. In addition, many art galleries are free for children under the age of 19.

Reduced-price museums

• The MAK (Museum of Applied Arts) has a reduced admission price of about €5 on Tuesdays from 18:00 to 22:00.
• The MUMOK (Museum of Art Nouveau) has a reduced admission price of approximately €8 on Thursdays between 18:00 and 21:00.
• The Vienna House of Music has half-price tickets every day from 20:00h and 21:30h.

Free museums in Vienna

• Photomuseum (the Radio Museum in Vienna)
• Geldmuseum (Vienna's Coin Museum)
• Feuerwehrmuseum (Firemen's Museum)
• MOYA (Museum of Young Art) and many others.

The Burgtheater (Austrian National Theatre) offers guided tours for tourists who want to get to know the city every day at 15:00h. If you want to get to know this important monument, I recommend you organise your day of exploring the city to be on time for this activity.

You should arrive at least 15 minutes before the tour starts and buy your entrance ticket. The interior of the Burgtheater is well worth a visit to see the impressive main staircase and the Gustav Klimt Mural.

The building was badly damaged during the bombings of World War II and underwent a thorough restoration process.

The Vienna Museum of Art History is the most visited museum in Vienna.

Unlike other important historical museums, such as the Louvre in Paris or the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Vienna Museum was one of the first old museums not to be housed in a renovated former palace, but in a purpose-built building.

A guided tour of the Museum of Art History in Vienna is worthwhile not only for the art on display in its halls, but also for the architecture of the majestic and elegant building itself.

Vienna is a city with an impressive historical past and if you want to really learn and soak up this knowledge, guided tours are an alternative to consider.

If you enjoy classical music, it would be a sin not to attend a concert in Vienna! Don't like classical music? Maybe listening to some of the world's best performers will change your mind on this particular subject.

Both in its past and present Vienna is a city renowned for its musical history; over the years it has produced some of the greatest musicians in history.

For this reason, a classical music concert in Vienna is not only an experience to be recommended, but a unique one of its kind.

As you would expect, you will find many alternatives in the city. My favourites are those that combine dinner and a concert for a perfect evening out with your partner, family or on a trip with friends.

The best way to make the most of your Vienna sightseeing days is to get up early. Start your tours when part of the city is still asleep and when the flood of tourists have not yet taken over the streets.

For example, the Hofburg Palace is a must-see on any tour of Vienna. Although the official opening time is 8am, 42% of tourists visit the Palace after 1pm.

If you're an early riser, the Naschmarkt is another great early morning visit, as it officially opens at 6am.

The Stephansdom is the German name for St. Stephen's Cathedral, the most important religious temple in the city and a must-see on your tour of Vienna's Old Town. Here you will find a spire-like tower in Gothic style that rises impressively above the surrounding buildings.

This tower is known as the Steffl and visitors can reach the top of the tower by walking up the spiral staircase. The reward at the end of the path is a viewing platform with the most impressive views of the heart of Vienna, the most important old buildings and the roofs of the important Cathedral.

Personally, although Vienna is equally impressive at all times, I love the view of the tower from the Cathedral at sunset. With the sunlight falling on the beautiful streets, don't forget your camera or your phone! You'll want to keep pictures for your memories.

Vienna is known for being a city with a high cost of living that can be a bit expensive to explore. That's why I recommend saving money by visiting the free attractions. Some of them are even some of the best in the city.

• Parks and Gardens, the city's main parks are free, as are the gardens of important palaces such as Schönbrunn Palace and Belvedere Palace. Although you can visit the gardens free of charge, the interior of Schönbrunn Palace is worth a visit.
• The Prater The oldest amusement park in the world. You don't need to pay an entrance fee to enter, only if you want to go on one of the rides.
• The city cemetery, access is free and you can visit the grave of important historical figures such as Beethoven.
• Churches, almost all religious temples are free of charge in the worship space.
• Ringstrasse The wide boulevard known as the most important avenue in the city and around which some of the most important monuments in the centre of Vienna are located.

If you're visiting the city on a budget, you'll want to know that taverns, Gasthaeuser and local markets are the best way to sample the most popular local dishes at a good price, without having to plan too much and without making reservations.

Their location, in Vienna's busiest tourist and shopping areas, makes them easy to find during a day of exploring the city - especially if you decide to explore Vienna on foot as I suggested at the beginning of this article.

My advice? Have a list of the most famous Viennese dishes and try as many of them as possible during your trip.

In Vienna, most shops and commercial spaces are closed on Sundays, while the usual opening hours for most restaurants in the city are from 11am to 2pm for lunch and in the evening from 6pm to 10pm.