Vienna, austria
Attractions Guide

Austria's capital of Vienna is a beautiful city which hosts many grandiose palaces and amazing attractions. Additionally Vienna is known for its countless festivals held throughout the year. The best and least expensive way to experience the city's many attractions is by purchasing a Vienna Pass. This pass grants entry into nearly all of the city's main sights for a very reasonably low price.

You'll find many attractions in the center of the city, including the royal 13th century Hofburg Palace, which sits on the grandiose Heldenplatz (Heroes Square). This expansive palace has been the royal residence of Austria for centuries and is quite extravagant. Be sure to also see the side of the palace which faces Michaelerplatz plaza

Within the palace you can explore the many lavish rooms of the Imperial Apartments, as well as the opulent and historic items contained within the Imperial Treasury. Also within the palace complex is the breathtaking Austrian National Library, which is known for its extremely intricate and decadent hall.

Very close-by the Hofburg Palace is Time Travel Vienna, a highly engaging and enjoyable interactive experience where you'll learn about the city's epic history. Also in this area is the lovely baroque St. Peter's Catholic Church, with its magnificent highly embellished interiors.

A bit further away from the Hofburg Palace is the city's main church, the stunning 12th century St. Stephen's Cathedral. The roof of this gothic church is covered in highly intricate glazed tiles, which create giant images and patterns. Two of the cathedral's towers are open to visitors. The south tower provides the best views overlooking the city, however the north tower can be reached via elevator.

On the western side of Heldenplatz and the Hofburg Palace plaza are two massive museums housed within grandiose 19th century palaces. These are the Museum of Natural History and the Kunsthistorisches museum of fine art, both of which host world-class collections set amongst opulent, highly ornate interiors. The museums sit across from one another on the lovely Maria-Theresien-Platz plaza.

To the north of Heldenplatz is the towering Rathaus city hall building, which displays highly intricate gothic architecture. The buildings sits above Rathausplatz plaza, which hosts many festivals throughout the year. Try to also see the Rathausplatz when it lights up at night. Just across from Rathaus is the magnificent Burgtheater, a lovely and glamorous theater you can tour.

To the south of the city center is the sprawling baroque Belvedere Palace, which consists of two extravagant palaces with giant formal gardens and fountains in between them.

Museum of Military History

Further south of Central Vienna is the vast Museum of Military History, which hosts countless exhibits ranging from the Middle Ages to the present. The castle-like complex containing the museum is quite a sight to behold as well.

Vienna's most impressive palace is the Schönnbrunn Palace, which is located just out of Central Vienna to the the southwest. The UNESCO listed Schönbrunn Palace is the former summer palace used by Austrian royalty. This enormous baroque palace is Austria's version of the Palace of Versailles and contains incredibly opulent and highly embellished interiors, filled with historic furnishings.

Apart from the palaces many stately rooms, the palace complex also hosts the Imperial Carriage Museum.

Behind the palace are the expansive Schönbrunn Palace Gardens, which contain many monuments, gardens, and woodlands. Most notably the palace gardens are home to the oldest zoo in the western world, the Schönbrunn Zoo. This amazing zoo hosts animals from around the world, including endangered species and even a bat cave which you can walk through.

Prater Amusement Park

To the east of Vienna's center is the city's famous Prater amusement park, which is home to the iconic Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel.

Hundertwasserhaus & Kunst Haus Wien

Nearby Prater are two incredible structures, which are so eccentric and unique that they have become UNESCO world heritage sites. Both of these buildings were designed by the famous architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser who strived to create structures with more naturalistic designs and curves rather than straight lines.

North of Vienna is one of the most gorgeous medieval castles in Vienna, the Kreuzenstein Castle. The castle displays striking gothic architecture throughout its design. Inside the castle is an armory, as well as elaborate medieval rooms.

Franzensburg Castle

Just south of Vienna is the Laxenburg Castles complex, which includes a palace in the town of Laxenburg which you can admire from outside, as well as the charming Franzensburg Castle. This lovely 19th century castle is located on a small island in a lake, which is surrounded by a vast beautiful park. In order to reach this castle you'll need to walk through the park from Laxenburg, which is approximately 1.2 miles (1.9 km) each way.

Another notable attraction outside of Vienna is the Römerstadt Carnuntum, an ancient Roman archaeological site which has been partially reconstructed with several structures. These buildings have been reproduced with great historical accuracy and are even furnished as they would have been 2,000 years ago. This attraction gives you amazing insight into the lives of the ancient Romans and is overall a very fascinating experience.