An intellectual visit to Austria’s capital
I spoke to a few friends who have visited Vienna, Austria before to get an idea of what to expect—they all unanimously said that it was a beautiful city, but there wasn’t much to do beyond a few days.
So when one of my friends from college suggested that I meet her in Vienna for a few days, I lowered my expectations, only to discover that Vienna has so much to offer the curious visitor.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire may be long gone, but traces of Vienna’s historical opulence survive in the city’s urban architecture and artistic circles.
Steph and I were ambitious in our sightseeing while we were in Vienna—we covered a lot of ground during the three days and two nights we stayed despite the cold and the snow.
- Getting Around Vienna, Austria
- Where to Stay in Vienna, Austria
- Sightseeing Checklist in Vienna, Austria
- Where to Eat in Vienna, Austria
Getting Around Vienna, Austria
I took the CAT train from the airport and it was very easy to figure out. It arrives every half an hour and takes 16 minutes to reach the city center via Landstrasse. I bought a 72-hour Vienna pass for all public transportation so that I didn’t have to worry about constantly buying tickets throughout my stay. With that being said, we ended up walking to most places and probably could have gotten away with the 48-hour pass instead.
Where to Stay in Vienna, Austria
We booked our stay at Wombats City Hostel by the Naschmarkt. We booked our room on the top floor which offered an amazing view of the Naschmarkt and the main street by the hostel, Linke Wienzeile. Two buildings by city architect Otto Wagner—The Majolikahaus at 40 Linke Wienzeile and 38 Linke Wienzeile, which stands out with gold accents—are prime examples of art nouveau or jugendstil.
Sightseeing Checklist in Vienna, Austria
Many of the attractions in Vienna suit a variety of different people. We didn’t make it a number of popular recommended attractions—Belvedere Palace, Schonbrunn Palace, Prater, etc.—but we felt accomplished in taking our time and enjoying what we did visit.
This just means we need to come back to Vienna in the summer to check out the palace gardens and outdoor parks.
Naschmarkt
The Naschmarkt is a great place to visit for any visitor, because it transcends all ages and interests. Visiting large museums or small galleries are one way to experience wherever you’re visiting, but trying local cuisine is always great way to get a real taste of the area’s culture.
Not only is the Naschmarkt a great place to pick up fresh produce, ingredients and gifts, but there’s also a variety of restaurants with different cuisines. If you’re craving something in particular—even if it’s not Viennese dishes—it’s highly likely that you’ll be able to find it in the Naschmarkt.
NASCHMARKT, THE PERFECT PLACE FOR FOODIES IN VIENNA
Secession
Secession’s facade is impressive in pictures, but I didn’t realize how large the building was until we saw it in person. I couldn’t get a great picture of the golden dome on the roof without having to cross the street—even then, the pictures still failed to capture all of the unique architectural elements in one image.
SECESSION, VIENNA’S CENTER FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Hofburg, Sisi Museum, Kaiserappartements
Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral)
Sigmund Freud Museum
When you approach the Freud Museum, it’s clear that it isn’t your typical tourist experience. And, for the record, you don’t need to be interested in psychology to check out the museum—it’s just a great way to get an intimate glimpse of living history in Vienna.
You press the apartment building doorbell to enter the building. Once you are admitted, follow the signs to travel up the staircase and find the door to Dr. Freud’s office. The purpose of this is to experience how patients would visit Dr. Freud.
sigmund freud museum, vienna
Votivkirche
Where to Eat in Vienna, Austria
Similar to how writers and artists would congregate at cafes in Paris, cafes also have historical significance and cultural relevance in Viennese culture. The cafe is a place to read the newspaper and drink your morning coffee or enjoy a midday beer with schnitzel and linger until the early evening. Regardless of how old-fashioned or modern a cafe is, the most important thing is that you experience what it feels like to take your time and enjoy the moment.
Cafe Sperl
Gumpendorfer Str. 11, 1060 Wien, Austria
Cafe Dreschler
Linke Wienzeile 22, 1060 Wien, Austria
Zwllings-Gewolb
Jasomirgottstraße 2, 1010 Wien, Austria
New England Parisienne 
Such a great read and I loved the photos you are so talented!
LikeLike
I can not wait to visit Vienna! The food looks amazing and the architecture is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your itinerary and tips.
LikeLike
I loved Vienna when I was there for a few days, and felt like I didn’t have enough time to see everything. So I’m glad that you didn’t let your friends’ takes on the city discourage you. It’s so beautiful, and anyway, I could spend a weekend eating in Vienna!
LikeLike
Sometimes the best vacations are when you don’t go into it with many expectations. It looks like you had a lot of fun. Also, your pictures are gorgeous.
LikeLike
Vienna looks absolutely regal! Exactly how I pictured it, would love to see a performance here!
LikeLike
Vienna is a city that I’ve always been near but have never had the chance to visit! It looks like I’ll have to though, it seems so cool!
LikeLike
I went to Vienna on a day trip from Bratislava and didn’t really like the place, but your pictures make it look so pretty, maybe I should visit again!
LikeLike
Vienna has been on my agenda for quite some time. I’m a sucker for architecture and seeing these pics has me wanting to plan a trip asap!! It really is a charming city!
LikeLike
Such beautiful and intricate architecture all around. The food pictures had me drooling. Haha. Seems like you made the best of these 72 hours. 🙂
LikeLike
This is so helpful as we plan our Vienna trip! We are also ambitious travelers.
LikeLike
Glad to hear it was helpful! I wasn’t able to write a blog post on each place that I visited, but some of the destinations have hyperlinks to some blog posts if you want to learn more information (Naschmarkt, Freud Museum, Secession)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vienna seems lovely and the pictures are absolutely amazing! I’ve never been to Austria but maybe I should put it on my bucket list 🙂
LikeLike
Vienna was rated one of the best places to live in the world, it’s a fascinating city with great people 🙂 It makes me want to explore other parts of Austria!
LikeLike
Great post! Will be passing this blog on to friends who are planning their trip to Vienna this summer.
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your photos are BREATHTAKING!!
And you won me with Sigmund Freud. Lol. Vienna has been on the travel list for a while now and this post makes me want to find a way to make this happen tomorrow!
LikeLike
Thank you! I hope you’re able to plan a trip, it’s an amazing city
LikeLike
Oh my gosh, your photos are gorgeous! I had 2 days in Vienna but would love to go back and check out the things on this list, especially the Freud Museum and Naschmarkt (going to check out that post next! 😉 )
LikeLike
It really is a beautiful place that has a ton to offer travelers! I would love to go back this summer and visit the Prater Park and the palace gardens outside of the city center
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vienna looks and sounds like such an amazing place to visit. It’s been on my bucket list for years! Hopefully some day 🙂 Your photos are beautiful, too!
LikeLike
It’s a great idea to book a place by a market! Love your Vienna guide and your snaps!
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂 Being by the marketplace is always a great way to learn a country’s culture
LikeLike
This is incredible! I need to go back, I didn’t have time to stop in Vienna. Your pictures just motivated me to start looking for tickets!
LikeLike
Oh those buildings are stunning. Looks like you had an amazing trip!
LikeLike
Vienna is one my most favorite places in the world!! And when somebody says there’s not much to do, I’m not sure if they’ve been to the same city as I was 😉 plus it’s a foodie paradise, too! Only to taste all of their desserts would take you a week 😉
LikeLike
Couldn’t agree more! I really want to go back in the summer, it’s an incredible place
LikeLiked by 1 person
I keep coming back all my life 🙂 luckily, it’s not too far from Prague where I’m based! I can never get enough! 🙂 my next trip will hopefully be before Christmas ❤
LikeLike