![How Many Days in Vienna is Best? [2 or 3+ day Vienna itinerary]](https://we3travel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Capriole_c-Spanische-Hofreitschule_Herbert-Graf-e1508970287721.jpg "How Many Days in Vienna is Best? [2 or 3+ day Vienna itinerary]")
Vienna, Austria is a wonderful, elegant metropolis stuffed with baroque structure and sprinkled with its quintessential espresso homes. Full of historical past, music, and tradition, it is usually certainly one of our favourite European cities. I’ve put collectively these Vienna itineraries that can assist you determine what number of days you want in Vienna and what to do while you’re there.
One warning I might give is that although there may be a lot to do, don’t let your Vienna journey itinerary get too full. If you’re anxious about what number of days in Vienna you may have, it’s possible you’ll be tempted to pack all of it into a brief go to, however it’s good to take the time to benefit from the coffeehouse tradition, the identical method you’d loosen up and other people watch at a Parisian cafe.
How many days in Vienna do you want?
If you’re questioning what number of days to spend in Vienna, I might say you need to spend no less than two full days in Vienna to get an actual sense of the town and have sufficient time to see the primary sights. if you’re planning on flying instantly into Vienna from the United States, I might suggest no less than 3 days in Vienna because the candy spot, particularly since your first day shall be your arrival day and you’ll be combatting jet lag.
We spent 5 days in Vienna on a mixed Vienna-Budapest journey. Between the 2, we most well-liked Vienna by far and we might have simply spent per week. Ideally, you’d keep as much as 5 days in Vienna, particularly if you wish to take any day journeys from Vienna to Salzburg, Bratislava, or elsewhere.
Where to Stay in Vienna
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Palais HAnsen Kempinski Vienna
We completely cherished our keep on the Palais Hansen Kempinski! The central location was ideally suited. It was proper off the Ringstrasse (Ring Road) and away from the touristy areas, making it tremendous handy. But it was additionally quiet and extra genuine feeling than the motels across the Vienna State Opera House. It was steps away from two tram stops and a block to an underground station.
The service on the Kempinski was the most effective of any resort now we have skilled. Every time we got here and went, we have been greeted by title. The doormen, bell employees, and concierge have been exceedingly useful. The housekeeping employees was additionally top-notch, with nightly turn-down service and kid-friendly facilities.
We had booked a Grand Deluxe Room however have been very comfortable to obtain the Virtuoso improve to a Ring Suite. The suite was so spacious with a really giant lounge with a pull-out couch mattress and views of the town. The master suite featured a comfortable king mattress, additionally with a wonderful metropolis view.
One of my favourite issues in regards to the Kempinski was the intensive world breakfast buffet (free, thanks to a different Virtuoso perk!) The breakfast options champagne, freshly squeezed juices (or a do-it-yourself juicer, eggs made to order, contemporary fruits, pastries, meats and cheese, cereals, and even a kid-sized baby buffet with cereal, juice containers, and different snacks.
Airbnb
If you’re on the lookout for a extra reasonably priced choice within the metropolis centre, there are many good Airbnb or vrbo choices in Vienna, a few of that are extraordinarily reasonably priced. When we returned to Vienna, we ended up selecting a two-bedroom house in a historic constructing close to Judenplatz, very centrally positioned throughout the Ringstrasse.
The house was very spacious, with two giant bedrooms, a full bathtub with bathe and tub, a kitchen, a eating desk, and a small couch. They say it may well match as much as six individuals (two on the couch mattress), and it was greater than sufficient house for the three of us. It was a terrific choice if you’re touring on a good funds.
What is the BesT time to Visit Vienna?
Many guests flock to Vienna to in search of the most effective Christmas markets in Central Europe in December, particularly these embarking on river cruises. However, the most effective instances to the capital of Austria shall be within the shoulder seasons of April and May or September and October. At that point you’ll encounter delicate climate and manageable crowds.
In the summer season months, one can find bigger crowds and better costs. We truly visited in March on a European spring break journey and located the climate ranged from raining and chilly to sunny and heat.
2 Day Vienna Itinerary
If you’re simply on the lookout for the most effective issues to do in Vienna in 2 days on a primary go to to Austria, here’s what I might recommend. We extremely suggest staying within the metropolis heart, the place you possibly can simply take public transportation or stroll to all the primary websites.
Day 1
With simply 2 days in Vienna, I might begin off on the Hofburg Palace and the Sisi Museum, which is the previous Imperial Palace of the Habsburg dynasty, positioned within the First District proper within the heart of city. Fans of The Empress collection on Netflix will get pleasure from attending to see and be taught extra about Franz and Elisabeth.
You can tour the Palace however you probably have restricted time, simply get pleasure from strolling by means of the gate and across the exterior. From right here, you’re in shut proximity to the Opera House, Museums Quartier, and the Spanish Riding School.
The Spanish Riding School has been working towards the UNESCO-recognized equestrian type of Haute Ecole, a really specialised type of dressage, for over 450 years.
Getting to see these Lippizaner stallions and their riders carry out is sort of a deal with! Be positive to test the schedule earlier than you go to see in case you can match a efficiency into your journey (tickets have to be bought upfront), or maybe peek in on certainly one of their morning practices.
After visiting the Spanish Riding School, make a beeline for certainly one of Vienna’s well-known coffeehouses. If you possibly can arrive earlier than midday the traces shall be shorter. I’ve an entire listing of our favourite espresso homes in Vienna, and from the Hofburg, it’s a brief stroll to Demel, Cafe Central, or Cafe Sperl.
Once you may have completed lunch, artwork historical past followers ought to head to the Museum Quarter or go to both the Albertina, Leopold Museum, or Belvedere Museum within the Upper Belvedere Palace, the place you’ll find the “Kiss” by Gustav Klimt, made well-known by the “Woman in Gold” film. If you aren’t into artwork, Vienna has an exquisite Natural History Museum.
When it’s time for dinner, you should definitely strive some conventional wiener schnitzel and strudel. You can get the traditional Viennese delicacies at Griechenbeisl or Figmüller (try my submit on the place to eat in Vienna for extra choices.)
Day 2
For your second day in Vienna, head out to the Schönbrunn Palace, the summer season residence of the Habsburgs. The Schönbrunn was constructed within the late seventeenth century by Emperor Leopold I, who commissioned the Baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach to design an imperial looking lodge for his son, Crown Prince Joseph, who later to turned Emperor Joseph I.
Take an Imperial or Grand Tour of the Royal Apartments and Rooms. This is well a half-day tour, or longer in case you additionally go to the world’s oldest zoo or get pleasure from any particular occasions that may be taking place on the time. The Imperial tour gives perception into the totally different eras of the imperial monarchy and contains visits to the staterooms and personal flats of Franz Joseph and Sisi.
The Grand Tour additionally contains the 18th-century interiors from the time of Maria Theresia. If visiting with tweens/teenagers that aren’t historical past buffs, the Imperial Tour is ample. But if you wish to be awed by ornate interiors, spring for the Grand Tour.
If you’re visiting with younger youngsters, you have to additionally go to the Children’s Museum at Schönbrunn Palace. Here, children will study toys from the previous, get to set the imperial eating desk, participate in a themed tour, and even gown up as a prince or princess!
Be positive to depart time to benefit from the out of doors gardens and take a stroll as much as the Gloriette for sweeping views of the Palace and the town past. The traces will be lengthy so I might suggest a skip-the-line tour.
If you may have children, they might get pleasure from a go to to the zoo subsequent door, Europe’s oldest. Families might additionally spend the afternoon on the Prater amusement park again in Central Vienna, and trip the enormous Ferris wheel (learn the way to skip the road.) The Prater was as soon as an imperial looking floor and solely accessible for the aristocracy, however right this moment it’s an amusement park and inexperienced house with swings, curler coasters, the Giant Ferris wheel, and occasions areas.
For these not visiting with households (and even if you’re!), make time to go to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which towers over the town heart. Built within the 12th century, the roof of St. Stephen’s is roofed in colourful tiles, laid to create the coat of arms of the town of Vienna.
The Cathedral is open to the general public, and you too can take a guided tour of the cathedral, catacombs, and two towers. The tower room is sort of a climb — 343 steps to the highest, however you’ll be rewarded with lovely views over Vienna. In the alternative tower hangs the Pummerin, the second-largest free-swinging chimed church bell in Europe.
In the night, I might additionally suggest squeezing in a go to to the opera or different musical efficiency while you’re in Vienna. Even if there isn’t one thing taking part in on the State Opera House, there are different venues within the metropolis. Plan forward to absorb a night efficiency, simply you should definitely analysis the efficiency upfront. We went to a really avant-garde efficiency of Don Giovanni by Mozart and it was nothing like what we anticipated.
3 Days in Vienna Itinerary
If you may have 3 days in Vienna, the extra day provides you with time to dig a bit of deeper into the town’s tradition and historical past. Start off by following the two days in Vienna itinerary above, after which for the third day, plan a guided tour (after all you possibly can all the time shuffle the times and instances round to fit your schedule.)
There are two guided excursions that we actually loved once we visited Vienna.
Jewish History Tour in Vienna
The first was a Vienna Jewish historical past tour with Context Travel. This three-hour tour led to very attention-grabbing discussions about Vienna’s previous, how its tragic Jewish historical past is being remembered, and the rebirth of the Viennese Jewish neighborhood.
The historical past of Jewish Vienna goes all the best way again to 1190 with the founding of the primary synagogue within the metropolis. Yet in case you stroll round Vienna right this moment, it’s straightforward to cross by the proof of the as soon as vibrant Jewish neighborhood with out noticing.
As within the historical past of Jewish teams all through the world, the historical past of Jews in Vienna is sort of turbulent, with a collection of pogroms and expulsions. After a few centuries of relative peace, the Jews have been first expelled from Vienna in 1420, after they have been suspected of opposing the Habsburgs. Then, within the seventeenth century when the Protestants and Catholics have been at warfare and so they wanted cash, Vienna introduced again the Jews.
In 1825 the City Temple was constructed and later, in 1867, a transfer was made to permit for equal rights for all religions in Vienna, ushering in almost 70 years of prosperity till the Nazi rise to energy. By 1938, there have been 170,000 Jews in Vienna, representing about one-tenth of the inhabitants. Tragically, after World War II, solely 5,512 Jews have been left in Vienna, and of those, solely 3,000 have been initially Viennese.
On November 9, 1938, the evening of Kristallnacht (or evening of crystal or damaged glass), 24 synagogues have been fully destroyed. Today, there are someplace between 12,000-20,000 Jews in Vienna and plenty of synagogues have been rebuilt.
Even if that is extra time than you need to dedicate, no less than take the time to go to the Holocaust Memorial in Judenplatz. This Memorial is within the type of a library, the place all of the titles face in and the library door doesn’t have a deal with, representing all of the lives with tales unwritten and untold. The symbolism is extremely highly effective.
Vienna Food Tour
If you’re extra of a foodie, I’d suggest a meals tour with Food Tours Vienna. One of my favourite methods of exploring a metropolis is thru its meals.
Lukas, our tour information/chef, confirmed us fairly just a few small companies we might not have discovered on our personal and launched us to a few of Vienna’s specialties. Even in case you don’t take a meals tour, spend a while wandering by means of the kilometer-long Nashmarkt out of doors meals market.
We began our tour in certainly one of Vienna’s class espresso homes, Cafe Sperl. Built in 1880, Cafe Sperl has lengthy been a favourite hang-out for composers, singers, writers, and artists. Today, it maintains its historic really feel and native allure and is among the solely cafe that also bakes its personal pastries in-house each day.
You can actually style the distinction and in case you go to, you should definitely strive the unassuming Sperl cake. It doesn’t appear like a lot however this chocolate cake is scrumptious. Of all of the cafes and occasional homes we visited in Vienna, Cafe Sperl was in our high two and I preferred the Sperl cake far more than the well-known Sacher Torte.
One of my favourite stops was on the Bitzringer’s Sausage Stand — some of the well-known sausage stands in Vienna. We had already stopped by right here the day earlier than, however we have been comfortable to pattern one other type. Between the smoked and the cheese sausages, the cheese-stuffed was my favourite — not overly tacky however numerous scrumptious taste.
Unless you order a “hot dog”, the sausage is sliced and served on a plate with mustard, ketchup, and freshly shredded horseradish. Be positive to look at by means of the window as they put together it if somebody orders a sizzling canine. It is cool to see how they poke a gap within the bun, squirt in some ketchup, after which stuff within the sausage. Definitely make this a cease in case you go to Vienna!
We additionally actually loved sampling Austrian wine at Melker Stiftskeller, a cute underground wine bar that includes wines from up close to Melks Abbey.
If you want extra strategies on what to see in Vienna in 3 days, cease by the Haus der Musik Sound Museum. It will solely take one to 2 hours however it’s numerous enjoyable to play with the assorted sounds and study Vienna’s classical composers. This is a really enjoyable and interactive museum for music lovers of all ages.
What you probably have extra time in Vienna?
If you may have 4 days in Vienna, it would be best to spend a while visiting just a few extra of Vienna’s many museums (and occasional outlets) and take any excursions you will have missed.
With 5 days in Vienna, you should have time to take a day journey to Salzburg, Bratislava, or Melk Abbey. If you may have greater than that, you possibly can embrace a aspect journey to Budapest or Prague.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not in any respect. Four days is an ideal time to spend in Vienna if you want to go to plenty of Vienna’s museums and sights (in that case it’s possible you’ll need to put money into the Vienna Pass). You could have time to go to all of Vienna’s highlights, take just a few excursions, and nonetheless have time to understand Vienna’s espresso home tradition.
You can actually get a way of the town and see lots of Vienna’s highlights in two days. Ideally although you’d spend three to 5 days in Vienna.
Two days in Vienna is absolutely the minimal. Ideally you’d spend no less than three to 5 days in Vienna.
Five days in Vienna offers you time to take a day journey to close by Salzburg, Melk Abbey, or Bratislava. Otherwise, you should have extra time to loosen up, store, and benefit from the metropolis. If you get pleasure from artwork and music you’ll not end up bored.
Visiting Vienna?
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