vienna old town walking tour

A Self-Guided Walking Tour in Old Town Vienna (With a Map)

Wanderers can’t afford to miss the historic centers of beautiful cities, especially if they were the capitals of once-great empires.

For example, Vienna . As the heart of the Habsburg Empire, it truly is a dream destination for those who deeply admire breathtaking architecture. After exploring its Old Town, I can confidently say that it lives up to its reputation! I encountered numerous fascinating sights and impressive buildings . Stunning architecture greets you at every turn, and history permeates the air. 

Within the Old Town, you’ll discover that there are more stunning palaces in the city besides the famous Hofburg Imperial Palace , Schönbrunn Palace , and Belvedere Palace . Other noteworthy heritage sites beyond the city’s most renowned, such as Stephansdom and Karlskirche , await. I bet you’ll also be equally impressed by its smaller churches, such as Peterskirche . 

In the self-guided walking tour that I will share in this guide, you’ll encounter all the most visually impressive places I discovered in the Old Town . I have included a map with a route to assist you in locating these landmarks and attractions in the Old Town as efficiently as possible. 

• This tour is ideal for those who love to explore and take pictures .
• This walking tour of Old Town Vienna showcases a selection of the city’s architectural wonders , including the iconic sights along Ringstrasse and some little treasures of the historic center . Good to know, the route also encompasses prominent streets lined with excellent cafés .
• The tour is a loop , beginning and concluding at the Schottentor station, accessible by tram and subway. Heading clockwise, your initial point of interest is Schottenkirche. On the other hand, Votivkirche.
• The complete journey spans roughly 10 kilometers , translating to about 2 hours of walking . Plan for 4 to 5 hours, or half a day, to fully enjoy this walking tour, factoring in brief pauses, photo opportunities, and brief explorations of the landmarks that pique your interest.
• Based on the figures, you’ll find this walking tour quite demanding, particularly in the summer heat. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes since there’s plenty of ground to cover, and bring along a water bottle to stay hydrated. Despite the effort, it’s truly a fulfilling adventure. The photo ops spots alone are worth it!

Walking Tour Map + Route

Below is the map of Old Town Vienna. The locations marked in red represent the highlight of the walking tour, while those in yellow indicate other beautiful attractions and the hidden yet stunning spots waiting to be uncovered.

Legend : (1) Votivkirche (2) Vienna University (3) Rathaus or Vienna City Hall (4) Vienna Parliament (5) Justizpalast (6) Naturehistorisches Museum (7) Kunsthistorisches Museum (8) Hofburg (9) Mozart Monument (10) Albrechtsbrunnen (11) Vienna State Opera (12) Volksgarten & Theseustempel (13) Burgtheater (14) Stadtpalais Liechtenstein (15) Wiener Minoritenkirche (16) Kolmarkt (17) Graben (18) Peterskirche (19) Stephansdom (20) Ankeruhr (21) Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (22) Altes Rathaus (23) Holocaust Memorial (24) Kirche am Hof (25) Maria am Gestade Catholic Church (26) Schottenkirche (27) Palais Daun-Kinsky

Good to know : If you’re short on time during your visit to Vienna and can’t cover everything on this walking tour, no worries! I’ve put together a condensed version that skips some sights, saving them for your next visit. If you choose this option, the walking tour will no longer be a loop. Depending on your starting point, the tour could begin at either the Votivkirche or the Ankeruhr.

Complete Route

If you’re spending a few days in Vienna, I suggest taking the full tour. It’ll guide you to some of the city’s most impressive architecture, historic monuments, and Instagrammable spots—perfect places to snap a selfie as a keepsake. I also suggest this for those traveling on a budget who want to fully experience Vienna. Except for the palaces and museums, many of the attractions on this route offer free entry .

Shortened Route

If you’re in Vienna just for a quick day trip from other cities in Europe, this shortened walking tour is perfect. It’s designed to let you soak in the architectural wonders of the Old Town and still save time for the city’s other sights and experiences. Technically, this is about half the length of the full tour. Plan for about 2 hours to complete it, although your actual time will vary based on your pace of sightseeing and exploration.

A Glimpse to Every Stop

Allow the photos below to provide a glimpse of the stunning sights that await you on this walking tour. The order of the images corresponds to the sequence of stops on the tour.

Walking Tour Itinerary Details

Is this walking tour your first activity upon arriving in Vienna? Consider taking the walking route in a counter-clockwise direction. It will provide a stunning first impression of the city, with the Votivkirche as your initial stop. Below are the details. Good to know: the sections are packed with tips, insights, and details you’ll definitely find handy as you explore the stops on this walking tour.

1. Votivkirche ⭐️

There are many beautiful churches in Vienna, but the Votivkirche is one that I find particularly breathtaking. This neo-gothic church boasts intricate twin spires that puncture the sky gracefully. Its angelic appearance is sure to inspire you to take photos as soon as you step into Sigmund-Freud-Park.

What makes the Votivkirche interesting, aside from its appearance, is its historical significance. It’s like a ‘Royal Thank You’ to God from the Habsburgs when Emperor Franz Joseph survived an assassination attempt in 1853. During your visit, take a quick detour behind the Cathedral in Votivpark. The flying buttresses and all its architectural features outside the choir are simply eye-catching.

2. Vienna University ⭐️

A short stroll from the Votivkirche, you can find the University of Vienna. It’s another interesting landmark in the city with notable architecture. I am blown away by the main facade of the University of Vienna facing Ringstrasse, and I’m sure you’d also love to see its classical design. Did you know? Founded in 1365, it’s one of the oldest universities in the German-speaking world.

Consider exploring other parts of the building during your visit. For instance, check out the fascinating artworks on the second floor at the rear facade of the university. If you can manage to enter the university, you’ll see its most striking architectural feature, which is the Arkadenhof or arcaded courtyard. The arcaded courtyard is also home to monuments of notable bright minds related to the university.

Behind the main building of the university, you’ll find a street known as Reichsratsstrasse. This street is dotted with coffee shops, likely catering to students in need of a caffeine kick for their studies. Even at this early stage of our walking tour, Vienna’s vibrant café culture is already evident.

3. Rathaus (City Hall) ⭐️

From Reichsratsstrasse, you can already catch sight of the Rathaus. Its towers rise majestically, dominating the scene from the streets. The tallest tower, soaring at 98 meters, seems to whisper to anyone who gazes upon it: ‘Come closer, and I’ll make you forget all your worries for a moment.’

Interestingly, if you’ve visited Brussels before, the appearance of Vienna’s city hall might seem familiar. It was built in the same Gothic style with a touch of Flemish influence, just like Brussels’ city hall.

For the best view, find a spot in the middle of Rathausplatz, the square in front of the city hall. From there, you can take in the full view of the city hall’s imposing facade. You can also get a clear view of the pinnacle of the city hall’s tallest tower where the Rathausmann stands. He’s a standard bearer made of iron and a symbol of the city.

Imagine you’re standing in the middle of Rathausplatz, soaking in the view of Vienna’s City Hall. If you turn around, you’ll spot the Burgtheater, another picturesque landmark in the city. If you’re following the full walking tour route, you might want to wait until later to approach it and see it up close. However, if you’re opting for the shorter route, you could simply cross the street from Rathausplatz — it’s the perfect opportunity — since it isn’t included in that route.

4. Austrian Parliament ⭐️

From the moment you start this walking tour, you might notice that it’s one beautiful building after another when exploring Old Town Vienna.

For instance, just a few steps away from the Rathaus, you’ll find the Austrian Parliament. It’s an incredibly beautiful building that made me realize this: ‘Vienna is indeed a descendant of ancient Greek and Roman civilization; a true city of western civilization.’ The classical revival style, the gilded artworks beneath the ceiling, akroteria, relief above the roof, and the Athena fountain (Pallas-Athene-Brunnen) in front of the building should give you that impression.

When you visit, there are a few spots that you might want to check out for some great photo ops. Take a look at the space between the two gigantic columns at the back of the Athena fountain. I also think the spot in front of the fountain, facing the gigantic columns of the parliament building, is worth capturing.

5. Justizpalast ⭐️

Situated just behind the Austrian Parliament, the Justizpalast is a gem often missed by those exploring Ringstrasse. It’s a significant oversight, particularly for those who appreciate fine architecture. Simply put, the Justizpalast is the home of the Supreme Court of Austria and a remarkable architectural site—it’s a prime example of Renaissance style infused with elements of historicism.

While its facade may not be as grand as the parliament building or the city hall, the real treasure lies within: an elaborate covered courtyard and staircase leading to a statue of justice personified. Holding a golden sword, this statue stands as a beacon of reason and justice. I must admit, considering all the intricate details in the courtyard and of the staircase, this is among the most stunning Supreme Court buildings I’ve ever laid eyes on.

If you find yourself near the Justizpalast during its operating hours, which are from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday, I encourage you to step inside and marvel at its majestic staircase. Please remember, you’ll need to go through a security check to enter!

6. Naturhistorisches Museum ⭐️

If you’re standing in front of the Justizpalast and you glance to your left, you’ll see the Naturhistorisches Museum. In my opinion, it’s one of the most stunning museums in the city. It’s constructed like a palace, and its grandeur is evident even before you step inside. Just a look at the museum’s facade from Maria-Theresien-Platz will leave you visually impressed.

The facade of the building is adorned with figures and statues that represent the advancement of natural sciences and the might of nature. The imperial inscription in gold letters proclaims: ‘Dedicated to the realm of nature and its exploration.’

As you take in all the intricate details, you’ll be convinced that it’s truly one of the city’s most exquisite museums. And just wait until you step into the reception area. The ornate ceiling, the marble pillars, and the grand staircase, all immediately visible, will leave you in no doubt that you’re standing in an architectural marvel.

Inside, you’ll find fascinating exhibits about nature. Displays of fossils, prehistoric creatures, and more fill the museum. If you’re interested in exploring deeper, it would be best to do so after the walking tour. You know, to truly appreciate everything it has to offer, you’ll need more than just a few hours.

7. Kunsthistorisches Museum ⭐️

When you get to Maria-Theresien-Platz, you might be in for a surprise. There are two stunning architectural wonders there, standing like mirror images on each side of the square. To the north, you’ve got the Naturhistorisches Museum. Right across from it is the Kunsthistorisches Museum, another undeniably notable museum in Vienna.

Just like the Naturhistorisches Museum, it’s decked out with some real eye-catchers: a whole series of statues that bring the arts and their history to life. What’s cool is that it also has statues of some well-known artists, lined up in order from the old-timers all the way up to, I think, the Renaissance.

When I look at the front of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, I can’t help but be wowed and find myself falling even more in love with traditional architecture. The way they’ve used creativity to show what the building’s all about is just incredible.

Again, just like the Naturhistorisches Museum, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is also set in a palatial building. The facade of the museum is just the start of the many awe-inspiring sights you’ll see when you visit this landmark. The interiors of the Kunsthistorisches Museum is something to behold… and the exhibits it holds? They’re absolutely amazing.

You’ll come across art pieces from all over the globe, some of which are even over 2000 years old! For those who love to explore, this museum is a must-see. If you find yourself with a bit of extra time after this walking tour, setting aside 2 to 3 hours to spend inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum would be time well spent!

You can check out my guide about the Kunsthistorisches Museum for a sneak peek of the amazing exhibits that are waiting for you there.

By the way, in between Kunsthistorisches Museum and Naturhistorisches Museum, there’s the impressive monument of Empress Maria Theresa — the ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1740 o 1780. In that monument, she is depicted sitting on her throne, greeting her people with her right hand, and in her left, she’s holding a scepter and the Pragmatic Sanction, a state and constitutional treaty that allowed her to rule.

Around the base of the monument, you’ll find four female figures, each representing a cardinal virtue: justice, strength, mildness, and wisdom. And on each side of the plinth, there’s a relief and a free-standing statue that represent different aspects of her reign, like her advisors, her administration, the military, and arts & science.

8. Hofburg ⭐️⭐️⭐️

From Maria-Theresien-Platz, where Naturhistorisches and Kunsthistorisches Museums are located, you can already catch a glimpse of the Hofburg — one of the city’s crown jewels. It’s your next stop after appreciating the museums, and it’s certainly something to look forward to. Why, you ask? Of all the landmarks on this walking tour, the Hofburg, also known as the Imperial Palace, holds the highest significance.

Hofburg served as the winter residence of the Habsburg Emperors and now stands as a cultural epicenter filled with fascinating discoveries: from the stories of Empress Sisi to the Lipizzaner Stallions. The Austrian National Library, deemed the most beautiful library in all of Austria, is located within the Hofburg.

Of course, Hofburg is also a visual highlight of this walking tour. Hofburg offers the most opportunities for stunning photos. Visually appealing architectural features and picturesque spots await you seemingly at every corner of the palace.

One such spot is immediately accessible after you cross Ringstrasse from Maria-Theresien-Platz. This is the Outer Castle Gate — a piece of the city’s fortification constructed in 1660. Today, it is also a military monument honoring those who fell in WWI.

The arcades of the Outer Castle Gate provide excellent photo opportunities. You can use the arcades and the columns of the landmark to frame your subject, which could be the Neueburg of Hofburg or either of the two museums on the opposite side of Ringstrasse.

Passing through the Outer Castle Gate, you’ll find yourself in Heldenplatz, home to the statues of two of Austria’s heroes: Prince Eugene of Savoy and Archduke Karl. These two figures played pivotal roles in protecting the Austrian empire from invasions by the Turks and Napoleon, respectively.

The statue of Prince Eugene, in particular, is one of Vienna’s most photographed, owing to its prime location that allows for a striking photo with the grand facade of Hofburg’s Neueburg as the backdrop.

From Heldenplatz, you can find a pathway leading to In der Burg, the open area located between the Swiss Wing and the Leopold Wing of Hofburg. This space serves as the courtyard of Hofburg and is the location of the Schweizertor. Also referred to as the Swiss Gate, this Renaissance gate is among the palace’s oldest structures. Amazingly, it dates back to the mid-16th century!

If you’re facing the Swiss Gate now and you look to your left, you’ll notice another passageway. This leads to Michaelerplatz, where more architectural features of Hofburg are on display. Among these are the statues of Hercules and a mesmerizing, intricately wrought iron gate of the palace.

Just before you reach Michaelerplatz, though, you’ll pass by a circular hall with a dome that’s perfect for photos. The entrance to Sisi’s Museum and other sections of the imperial palace are also located there.

If you opt for the shorter route of this walking tour, your next activity after visiting the Outer Castle Gate would be to explore Heldenplatz, In der Burg, and Michaelerplatz. However, if you choose the complete route, you’ll have another chance later in the tour to see these parts of Hofburg.

The idea of pausing the walking tour upon reaching Hofburg, given the experiences and discoveries it offers, might cross your mind. If you’re able to resume the walking tour after exploring the palace, that could be a good plan. Take a look at my Hofburg guide , it’s designed to help you maximize your palace visit.

9. Mozart Monument 📸

Exploring the streets of Old Town Vienna also means discovering pieces of the city’s heritage and history, thanks to the monuments that dot the city’s streets and parks!

On this walking tour, you’ll come across a number of them. In fact, if you kick off your tour from Votivkirche, you’ll already have encountered three of them by the time you reach Hofburg. The first is the monument of Maria Theresa, nestled in her square between the twin museums, followed by the monuments of Prince Eugene of Savoy and Archduke Karl, both located in Heldenplatz.

Interestingly, did you know that you can also find monuments dedicated to the city’s artists, poets, and musicians scattered around? One of them is Mozart, which is quite easy to locate once you’re in Hofburg. Simply head to the park behind Neueburg, known as Burggarten. There, you’ll find it along with other monuments, including those of Franz Stephan von Lothringen, Kaiser Franz Joseph, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe — a renowned German poet and writer from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Mozart’s Monument, I believe, is one of the city’s most picturesque monuments. There, Mozart is represented in bronze, with reliefs illustrating scenes from his opera Don Giovanni —a heartfelt portrayal of a young Mozart creating music with his father and sister. Feel free to take a selfie there as a memento! And remember to capture the flower bed, designed in the shape of a G-Clef, in your shot!

10. Albrechtsbrunnen 📸

Once you arive at Burggarten where Mozart Monuemt is, you’re just a quick stroll away from the Albrechtsbrunnen. I think it is one of the most interesting fountains that I’ve discovered in Old Town Vienna. It’s also known as the Danube Fountain and it’s this beautiful Renaissance-style wall fountain that’s built right into the wall below the Albertina Museum. It was unveiled way back in 1869 and is named after Archduke Albrecht.

What’s really interesting about this fountain is the story it tells. It’s all about the relationship between Vindobona, which is the city of Vienna, and Danubius, the Danube River. The main part of the fountain shows three tritons (those are like merman) supporting Danubius who’s sitting down with his arm around Vindobona. This fountain, in a way, brings to mind the Trevi Fountain in Rome, given its unique position at the crossroads, much like the Trevi.

11. Vienna State Opera 💎

Starting from Albertinaplatz, where you’ll find Albrechtsbrunnen, you can already see your next stop: the Vienna State Opera. This is one of the world’s premier opera houses, renowned for staging works by legendary composers like Richard Wagner, Mozart, and Richard Strauss. It’s housed in a beautiful Renaissance Revival building that you’re sure to fall in love with at first sight.

After checking Albrechtsbrunnen, make your way across the streets to get a closer look at the Vienna State Opera. Feel free to stroll through its arcades. If luck favors you and the doors of the Vienna State Opera are open upon your arrival, seize the opportunity to peek inside and marvel at its magnificent staircase.

Here’s a tip: the Vienna State Opera offers a guided tour. This 40-minute tour requires an online booking. If you have a Vienna Pass, it’s free of charge. For this walking tour of Old Town Vienna, I suggest scheduling the opera house tour either before or after to keep your sightseeing schedule flexible.

To fully appreciate the exterior of the Vienna State Opera, I recommend taking in the main facade and the two fountains adjacent to the building. Consider pausing at the bus stop in front of the Vienna State Opera for an optimal view of the building’s facade. From this vantage point, you can simultaneously observe Hähnel’s five bronze figures perched atop the arches of the veranda. These figures represent, from left to right: heroism, tragedy, fantasy, comedy, and love. Don’t miss the statues of the two horseback riders, symbolizing Erato’s winged steeds, guided by ‘Harmony and the Muse of Poetry.’

Flanking the opera house are two fountains, each illustrating contrasting worlds. The fountain to the left is about music, dance, joy, and levity. On the other hand, the fountain to the right is about seduction, sorrow, love, and vengeance.

12. Volksgarten & Theseustempel 📸

After visiting the Vienna State Opera, we head to Volksgarten, another picturesque garden in Vienna. While I was exploring this garden, I stumbled upon countless photo ops. You can spot most of the iconic landmarks along Ringstrasse right from this park! The towers of Vienna’s Rathaus, the Austrian Parliament Building, and the dome of the Naturhistorisches Museum all peek out from above the park’s trees.

So, when you visit, let your inner photographer shine: use the water in Volksgartenbrunnen’s basin for reflection shots; frame the Franz Grillparzer Monument (it’s at the garden’s corner) with the Naturhistorisches Museum building in the background; or snap a picture of the Burgtheater from an angle near the flowerbeds!

If you’re feeling a bit tired during this walking tour, the Volksgarten is the perfect place to take a breather. It’s filled with shady spots and benches where you can kick back, relax, and soak in the beautiful views. If you’re feeling thirsty or peckish, the Café Meierei Volksgarten is right around the corner.

Before you leave the park, though, don’t forget to check out the Theseustempel. It’s this white building in the middle of Volksgarten, built in the style of a Greek temple. What’s really nice is that the temple hosts unique exhibitions, usually showcasing contemporary art, and guess what? They’re free to visit. These exhibitions switch up every year, as far as I know.

Just a quick tip, if you’re heading to Volksgarten from the Vienna State Opera, take this route to see more of the city: Start at Albertinaplatz, then take a slight left onto Augustinerstrasse. Continue onto Josefsplatz and then Reitschulgasse. Make a left at Michaelerplatz and proceed to In der Burg. You’ll end up at Heldenplatz, which is right next to Volksgarten.

13. Burgtheater 💎

Similar to the Vienna State Opera, the Burgtheater is another notable entertainment landmark located in Old Town Vienna. Known as “die Burg” among locals, this theater is one of the largest and oldest in the world, making it the most prestigious German-language theater.

Designed in a Neo-Renaissance style, the Burgtheater boasts an imposing semi-circular front facade. It features two levels of arched windows and a grand portal adorned with Corinthian columns. The use of classical elements such as columns, pilasters, and pediments lends the building a beautiful proportion and symmetry.

I suggest appreciating it up close—the sculptures adorning the Burgtheater are allegorical representations of the arts. At the very top of the attic, in the center, sits a seated Apollo. Crowned with a laurel wreath, he holds a lyre, symbolizing the divine inspiration of art.

If you are already at Volksgarten, getting to the Burgtheater is not a problem. This beautiful building is visible from most parts of Volksgarten. In case you haven’t photographed the Burgtheater, you can cross Ringstrasse to Rathausplatz. It’s in that square that you can find the best viewpoint for this landmark.

14. Stadtpalais Liechtenstein 💎

Just a short walk from the Burgtheater, you’ll discover the Stadtpalais Liechtenstein—a lesser-known jewel in the heart of Old Town Vienna. This palace is a prime example of High Baroque Architecture in the city. Its impressive architecture might not stand out immediately from the streets, unlike Vienna’s more famous architectural sites, but as you approach its facade, its beauty becomes apparent.

One of the standout features is the facade along Bankgasse. If you know the works of Bernini, a well-known Italian Sculptor, you’ll notice the strong influence of his style on the palace’s facade. I can’t help but point out the main gate, a central element of its facade. The two massive pilasters that frame the two main floors of the palace are quite eye-catching.

But the facade has more to show you. The relief sculptures decorating the windows are an intriguing sight. What’s interesting is that they display a variety of facial expressions, and some even depict faces of mythological creatures. It makes you wonder why the palace’s owner chose to place them there!

The Stadtpalais Liechtenstein is even more magnificent inside. The stunning blend of Baroque stucco ceilings, lavish neo-Rococo interiors, and authentic furnishings, all enhanced by Michael Thonet’s exquisite parquet flooring, come together to create a perfectly harmonious ensemble.

Sadly, the palace is not open to the public. However, there is a public tour that takes place a few times a month. The information can be found on the official website of the Liechtenstein City Palace.

A more special way to see the interiors of the Stadtpalais Liechtenstein is by attending a concert. This palace is one of the most stunning places in the city to watch a concert ! However, I suggest attending the concert or a guided tour outside of this walking tour of Old Town Vienna. Again, this is to allow for more flexible sightseeing time.

15. Wiener Minoritenkirche 📸

Your next destination after visiting the Stadtpalais Liechtenstein is just a short walk away: the Wiener Minoritenkirche. If you find yourself in Bankgasse, admiring the facade of the palace, take a left and then make a right. In just a little while, you’ll find yourself at Minoritenplatz, where the church stands.

On first look, you might think this church is just another Gothic Church you’d find anywhere in Europe. But it’s got its own charm in Vienna. It’s the only church here built in the French Gothic style. When you drop by, take a moment to appreciate its portal. It follows a French style that’s quite a rarity in Austria. And let’s not forget its windows along the nave. Each one follows a different pattern. You’ll find a window designed like a rose and another with a lacy style.

Anyhow, the Wiener Minoritenkirche is also known as the Italian National Church of Mary of the Snows, which is tied to the Italian Congregation that owns the church. One of the most amazing things inside is a mosaic copy of da Vinci’s Last Supper, which Napoleon himself commissioned.

16. Kolmarkt ⭐️

After visiting Wiener Minoritenkirche, it’s time to explore Kohlmarkt. This is one of the most photogenic streets in Vienna, thanks to the unique view of Hofburg’s St. Michael’s Wing that can be seen from here. This is where the iconic view of Hofburg is captured. Photographers frame the palace with the buildings that flank the street.

More than just a photo spot, Kohlmarkt is a well-known street in the heart of Vienna. It’s famous for its luxury shopping, boasting a variety of high-end fashion labels and jewelers. It’s part of what locals call the ‘Golden U’ – a trio of shopping streets that includes Graben and Kärntner Straße.

Fun fact: Kohlmarkt dates back to Roman times, when it was a route leading to the southwestern gate of the legionary camp Vindobona. There are also coffee shops along this street, where you can rest and replenish your energy for the rest of the walking tour. However, they are priced at a premium by my standards.

17. Graben ⭐️

When you reach the end of Kohlmarkt, you’ll come upon Graben, another wander-worthy street in Vienna. If your walking tour falls in the winter season, this street transforms into a magical spectacle—it’s aglow with twinkling Christmas lights!

Nevertheless, Graben is indeed another highlight of any walking tour in Vienna’s Old Town, with its stunning architecture and intriguing sights. It’s a lively street, offering the simple pleasure of observing the diverse crowd wandering in various directions. While I typically don’t shop during my travels, the high-end stores with their attractive storefronts piqued my interest as I explored Graben. Among them are Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Wagner, Swatch, and others.

If you’re looking for something really interesting, however, don’t miss out on the Wiener Pestsäule, also known as the Plague Column, and the Stock im Eisen, or Staff in Iron. If you’re making your way from Kohlmarkt towards Stephansdom, the first sight to greet you will be the Wiener Pestsäule.

The story of the Wiener Pestsäule goes back to 1679 when Vienna was hit by a really bad plague. It was so severe that tens of thousands of people died in just a few months. So, the ruler of the empire at that time, Emperor Leopold I, made a promise. He said that if the city was spared from further devastation, he would commission a mercy column. And he kept his word.

The Wiener Pestsäule, also known as the Vienna Plague Column or Trinity Column, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. It’s got three layers: the first one shows scenes from the Old Testament, the second one has statues of nine angelic figures, and the topmost part is a golden statue of the Holy Trinity. It’s like a story told in stone.

At the farthest end of Graben, where it adjoins Stephansplatz, Stock im Eisen awaits. It’s a chunk of a tree trunk from the Middle Ages, now safely encased in glass on a corner of the Palais Equitable. This spruce tree started growing around the year 1400, and for about forty years, people, mostly traveling smiths and apprentices, hammered nails into it as a gesture of thanks or for good luck.

18. Peterskirche ⭐️

Before you reach Wiener Pestsäule along Graben from Kohlmarkt, you might want to turn your attention to your left. Peterskirche, one of the most spectacular churches in Vienna, awaits you on that side. Specifically, you should be able to spot Peterskirche while wandering along Graben, once you reach the intersection with Jungferngasse.

Interestingly, Peterskirche is one of the oldest churches in Vienna. Legend has it that it was even founded by Charlemagne! While it’s not proven, the relief on one side of this oval-shaped church somewhat lends credibility to the legend. Unlike Votivkirche, which you saw at the beginning of the walking tour, Peterskirche does not boast striking exteriors. However, don’t judge a book by its cover!

The real beauty of Peterskirche is revealed once you step inside . The palatial baroque interiors of Peterskirche are absolutely stunning. I can’t emphasize enough how unmissable it is for travelers seeking beauty, especially since you can enter the church for free!

19. Stephansdom ⭐️⭐️

A spectacular sight awaits you at the end of Graben, once you step foot in Stephansplatz. That sight is Stephansdom, the largest and most important church in Vienna. Some people describe this Gothic church as the needle around which the city revolves. And it’s not hard to understand why, with its angelic gothic spire that dominates the view from Stephansplatz.

As someone who loves history, visiting Stephansdom is a must. Its story goes all the way back to the 12th century. It has stood strong through many battles, from the Turkish wars to World War II. Interestingly, there’s evidence that it was hit by cannonballs. One of these cannonballs is still stuck in the walls of the church’s south tower. It’s not easy to see from the ground, but if you have a camera with a good zoom, you might be able to spot it!

If you’re interested and if there’s still time left on your walking tour, consider taking a self-guided tour of the church. Typically, a self-guided tour in Stephansdom lasts about an hour, depending on your pace. If you’re pressed for time, you can just step through its main doors for a quick peek at its grand, lofty interiors. One thing you can’t miss is the Gothic pulpit – it’s definitely a sight to behold!

If you’re up for it, you can climb the towers of Stephansdom for a sweeping view of the areas you’ve just explored on this walking tour. If you’d rather not take a guided tour or climb the towers, at the very least, take a leisurely stroll around this church. There’s a lot to uncover, from its vibrant roof showcasing the Habsburgs’ coat of arms to the pulpit outside the church featuring a defeated Turk.

For more insights on what you can expect both inside and outside this church, I recommend checking out my Stephansdom Guide . It covers everything from the exterior details to the views from its two towers.

20. Ankeruhr ⭐️

Spectacular sights in Vienna come in all sizes. The towering cathedrals and government buildings in the city are among the larger ones, while Ankeruhr is one of the smaller ones. From Stephansdom, it’s approximately a 4 to 5-minute walk to Ankeruhr. Starting from Stephansplatz, turn onto Brandstätte and then take a right onto Bauernmarkt. Continue straight until you reach Hohermarkt, where Ankeruhr is located.

So, what makes Ankeruhr so interesting? It’s a piece of art that doubles as a bridge for the Anker Insurance Company’s building. It was built between 1911 and 1914, a time of great change in Austria. The designer, Franz von Matsch, was a student of Gustav Klimt. The clock features twelve historical figures that move across every hour, each one representing a different era in Austrian history.

If you manage to visit Ankeruhr at 12 noon, you can see all twelve figures parade across the clock with music from their era playing in the background. It’s a 12-minute journey through Austria’s history that you won’t want to miss.

21. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 💎

Fascinatingly, Vienna is a blend of architectural styles beyond the four usual ones: Classical, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. Other landmarks are touched with different local cultures, making wandering in this city so interesting. For instance, the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

It is one of the gems I uncovered in the area of the Old Town near the Danube Canal, dates back to the last quarter of the 18th century—the time when Greek Orthodox churches started to pop up around the city, thanks to the Patent of Toleration by Emperor Joseph II.

When you look at the church today, you’ll notice it’s a beautiful mix of Byzantine Revival and neo-classic styles. I like its two-tone brickwork and gilded archways that really catch the eye. Inside, there’s an ornate sanctuary that reminds you of the Baroque churches you’d find in southern Germany and Austria.

Interestingly, this church is the heart of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Austria. Since 1963, it has been where the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Metropolis of Austria and Exarchate of Hungary and Middle Europe are based. It’s also home to a Greek school and library, showing how it continues to be a hub for education and culture for the Greek community in Vienna.

The last time I checked, the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is open to the public. However, keep in mind that its opening hours are shorter during the weekend; it’s only open from 9:00 am until lunchtime. Please see its official website for more information.

It’s a four to five-minute walk to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church if you’re starting from Ankeruhr. To reach the church, stroll along Bauermarkt heading towards Fischhof, passing beneath Ankeruhr. Then, make a right onto Fleischmarkt. Continue straight ahead, and you’ll arrive at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in just a few minutes.

22. Altes Rathaus 💎

Did you know that the Rathaus visible from Ringstrasse isn’t Vienna’s original city hall? Before the construction of the new, grand city hall, the heart of Vienna’s governance was situated in the Old Town at a place known as Altes Rathaus, or Old City Hall. If you’re currently facing Ankeruhr in Hohermarkt, simply turn to your left and proceed down Wipplingerstrasse. Along this street, you’ll find the Altes Rathaus.

You can easily recognize Altes Rathaus from Wipplingerstrasse with its two columns topped with statues of two women flanking the main entrance. The coat of arms of the Habsburg Empire adorns the entrance with intricate baroque elements. As you can see from the streets, Altes Rathaus boasts baroque architecture. But when you see some elements of Gothic inside, you’ll realize it’s rather a mix of styles.

Altes Rathaus is also a historic place, bearing witness to some key local events such as the site of execution of Franz III Nádasdy on April 30, 1671, following the Magnate conspiracy. The site also housed meetings of the People’s Security Committee during Vienna’s March Revolution in 1848.

Today, Altes Rathaus serves as the municipal offices for the 1st and 8th districts and hosts two museums: the Inner City’s Local History Museum (Bezirksmuseum Innere Stadt) and Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance. If you think you have extra time, you can come inside Altes Rathaus and visit its interiors. You can also check out the museums inside it. There’s also a guided tour if you like. Please see its official website for more information.

23. Holocaust Memorial 💎

Vienna is a city filled with history, and its monuments and memorials are scattered throughout prove it. Each narrate a unique chapter of its past. Among the most impactful memorials I’ve encountered is the Holocaust Memorial. Although I’m not Jewish, as a person, I find it deeply significant to learn about and appreciate its history.

In a nutshell, the Holocaust Memorial, also known as the Nameless Library, is a powerful monument in Judenplatz, the heart of Vienna. It was created by artist Rachel Whiteread and opened to the public on October 25, 2000. This memorial honors the memory of 65,000 Austrian Jews who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Its design is striking: it looks like a giant stone library with rows of books. But these aren’t ordinary books; they’re empty, with their pages facing out, and their spines turned inward. This makes you think about the people who once were and how we can never know their stories.

Interestingly, the memorial is placed right where a Jewish synagogue used to be, which was destroyed long ago. This spot is full of history and reminds us of the Jewish community’s long presence in Vienna and the terrible times they faced.

To reach the Holocaust Memorial from Rathausplatz, keep walking down Wipplingerstrasse until you hit Jordangasse. Then, make a left onto Jordangasse. After a short walk, you’ll find yourself at Judenplatz.

24. Kirche am Hof 📸

Once you’re at Judenplatz, home to the Holocaust Memorial, you’ll find Kirche am Hof, another significant church in Vienna, just a short walk away. From Judenplatz, head out through Drahtgasse, and you’ll be at Am Hof, where the church is located. The church was originally built by the Carmelites back in the 14th century but was later handed over to the Jesuits by the order of Emperor Ferdinand I.

Like other churches in this walking tour, Kirche am Hof is a gem for being a unique architectural attraction and fascinating historical tidbits.

Today, Kirche am Hof may not be as spectacular as Stephansdom, but I like how this church stands as a gorgeous blend of different architectural styles. Just look at its facade; see the akroteria, there are touches of classical style on its baroque form. You’ll see more of blending architectural elements once you come inside. I love how they built its interiors with the lofty Gothic vaulted ceiling and the classicist altar.

During your visit, you can picture different historical events that took place in this church, like when Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI graced it with their presence. Interestingly, it was right from Kirche am Hof’s balcony that a royal herald declared the end of the Holy Roman Empire.

25. Maria am Gestade Catholic Church 💎

Maria am Gestade Catholic Church is undoubtedly one of the head-turners you’ll encounter while wandering in Old Town Vienna. I really love its unique openwork tower, constructed like a tall dome with intricate Gothic scrollwork. It’s simply spectacular. While taking in its beautiful appearance, I can’t help but wonder how creative humans can be for the glory of God. I’m sure it’s something to inspire you to take photos as you explore.

This church is specifically located in Passauerplatz, yet the most picturesque view awaits you along the staircase leading up to it from the crossroads of Tiefer Graben, Börsegasse, and Concordiaplatz. If you’re starting from Atles Rathaus, just head west on Wipplingerstrasse. Make a right turn onto Tiefer Graben, which is just two blocks away. You’ll catch sight of the church’s majestic presence shortly thereafter.

Interestingly, Maria am Gestade Catholic Church is among the oldest in Vienna. Historical records indicate its origins in the 12th century, though local rumors suggests it may have been established as early as the 9th century. The church’s most striking feature, its eye-catching tower, however, was constructed between 1419 and 1428 during a period of renovation.

26. Schottenkirche 📸

As the heart of the Habsburg Empire, it’s no surprise that Vienna has long been a melting pot of cultures, even before the term ‘globalism’ was coined. Indeed, this diversity has been a hallmark of the city since medieval times. The churches in the Old Town stand as testament to this, and Schottenkirche is yet another example that underscores this truth.

As its name suggests, Schottenkirche is a church founded by Irish Benedictine monks. It dates back to the 12th century and has since become a reflection of the city’s artistic and religious evolution.

The most significant change that took place in this church was in the 15th century when Benedictine monks from Melk Abbey took over. They introduced new artistic influences that are evident today. Indeed, when visitors enter, they are greeted by interiors that exemplify Baroque opulence. The ceiling scrollwork, with its elaborate patterns and vivid colors, is particularly striking.

To reach Schottenkirche from Maria am Gestade Catholic Church, it’s quite simple, though it may take a few minutes. For an enjoyable stroll, follow the path along Renngasse. Starting from Maria am Gestade, head down Börsegasse towards Ringstrasse. The first street on your left is Renngasse; turn there and you’ll arrive at Freyung in about five to seven minutes.

Freyung is the square where Schottenkirche is located. Renngasse boasts beautiful architecture, including the Vienna Board of Education building and Palais Schönborn-Batthyány.

Here’s an interesting tidbit: The Kunsthistorisches Museum houses a painting that transports you to 18th-century Freyung in Vienna. Titled ‘The Freyung in Vienna Viewed from Southeast,’ this masterpiece by Bernardo Bellotto, also known as Canaletto, vividly portrays the Schottenkirche and the bustling market stalls. Let this painting be your time machine, whisking you away to the historic charm of Freyung!

27. Palais Daun-Kinsky 💎

As you walk through Freyung on your way to Schottenkirche, don’t miss the chance to see Palais Daun-Kinsky. This palace is one of the city’s most stunning, and its facade in Freyung clearly shows its elegance.

For some context, this Baroque gem was initially built for Count Wirich Philipp von Daun. His son, Leopold, rose to become a Field Marshal under Empress Maria Theresa. The Kinsky family later became the owners, and the palace is often known as Palais Daun-Kinsky

Similar to other palaces in the Old Town, the main entrance of Palais Daun-Kinsky is striking. The entrance is framed by columns with sculptures, giving the impression of stepping into a place of beauty. This feeling will be confirmed when you enter and see its impressive staircase and Ovaler Festsaal (hall).

The staircase is adorned with frescoes and statues, making it one of the most remarkable staircases in the Old Town. I think the awe you feel there could match that of the Kunsthistorisches Museum! The Ovaler Festsaal, however, stands out as Vienna’s only oval banquet hall, famous for its lavish decorations that even impressed the imperial court.

If the palace is open during your walking tour, you can enter without a fee and admire the staircase! It’s a short but memorable moment that you wouldn’t want to miss. If you’re interested in seeing other parts of the palace, such as its oval grand hall, you can attend exclusive concerts held there. It’s certainly one of the special experiences you can enjoy when visiting Vienna.

And there you have it: my walking tour of Old Town Vienna — one of the most thorough guides available, right? If you like this itinerary, go ahead and bookmark it for easy access. 🙂 For more details on the landmarks highlighted in this tour, the links below will provide you with the latest info.

• Votivkirche
• Vienna University
• Austrian Parliament
• Justizpalast
• Naturhistorisches Museum
• Vienna State Opera
• Theseustempel
• Burgtheater
• Stadtpalais Liechtenstein
• Wiener Minoritenkirche
• Altes Rathaus (museum)
• Maria am Gestade Catholic Church
• Schottenkirche
• Palais Daun-Kinsky

Vienna is an absolutely wander-worthy city, isn’t it? If you’re planning to stay in the city for a few days and haven’t found accommodation yet, check out the best hotel deals here . This is my go-to hotel search and booking platform, featuring a handy map that helps you find the perfect hotel location quickly. Please note, this is an affiliate link. If you book through it, WanderInEurope may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us create more guides like this, which could be beneficial for you in the future. Thank you!

The Old Town is just the beginning of the fun and incredible experiences awaiting you in Vienna. For instance, just beyond the Old Town lies Karlskirche , a visually stunning church that promises an unforgettable musical experience! The Danube Tower , offering breathtaking views of the city , is also a short train ride from the Old Town. Don’t miss the Museum of Military History for its fascinating weaponry exhibits and stunning interiors.

After exploring Vienna, consider a day trip to magical places in Austria . Here are some top destinations, from closest to farthest: Laxenburg Castle Park for an easy day trip, Liechtenstein Castle for a truly unique experience, Kreuzenstein Castle for a blend of nostalgia and adventure, Melk Abbey , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Salzburg , known for its charming streets and hilltop fortress.

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11 Top Walking Tours of Vienna Austria in 2024

Vienna, Austria is a gorgeous city full of ornate palaces and wide boulevards. It is packed with history, from the Hapsburgs and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, through Anschluss and World War II. So much has happened on these streets and behind these palace walls. A walking tour of Vienna is a great way to not only get to know the old town but to learn more about this complex history and the cafe culture Vienna is known for.

We spent a month in Vienna with our kids, walking the streets, visiting the top sights, and of course tasting some of the famous pastries! We also had my parents visiting for the holidays, so we were three generations all learning about this city together.

In this post, we’ll cover the best Vienna walking tours, these five-star tours range from classic Vienna old-town walking tours that are a terrific introduction for first-time visitors, to in-depth tours that cover the history of a specific period. You might also like a market and food walking tour or even a dessert and pastry walking tour.

This article may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase.   As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. All our recommendations are our own and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

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Editors Pick: Best Classic Old Town Walking Tour of Vienna Book our Top Pick: Vienna Old Town Highlights Walking Tour

Table of Contents

Why Take a Walking Tour in Vienna Austria?

A walking tour of Vienna is a great introduction to Vienna for first-time visitors. A classic old town walking tour will cover the basic history of the city, from the famous Empress Sisi and the Hapsburg Empire to the bombings during World War II. As the capital city of Austria and the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so much has happened here.

For those who are already familiar with Vienna, historical walking tours or food tours offer a way to learn more about Austrian culture- from sites specific to Hitler and World War II, to a Christmas market tour focused on Austrian holiday traditions.

All of these walking tours are best if you can arrange them toward the start of your visit to Vienna. On a walking tour, you’ll pass by many interesting sites, but usually not go inside, so you’ll want time to return to places that interest you.

Walking tour guides are also wonderful sources of local information, and will often give you tips on where to eat and where to go in Vienna that will be useful for the remainder of your visit.

Quick Guide: The Best Walking Tours of Vienna Austria

Vienna Old Town Highlights Walking Tour

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 2 1/2 hours, 6 People or Less

Hitler and WWII Walking Tour of Vienna Covers Hitler’s time in Vienna, Anschluss, and WWII

Vienna Food, Coffee, and Market Walking Tour

6 Hour Market and Food Tour Includes Lunch and Drinks

11 Best Walking Tours of Vienna Austria

These are the best walking tours of Vienna, from the classic old town walking tour that helps you navigate and understand the city, to historical tours that dig deeper into Vienna’s tumultuous past.

We’ve also got the best Vienna Christmas market tours, a Jewish heritage tour, and of course, several food and pastry tours! We found that Vienna is a largely flat city, which makes it very easy to walk around.

1. Old Town Highlights Classic Vienna Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 2 1/2 Hours   ✅ Very Small Group, City Center   🔎 Check Rates

This highly rated, very small group tour starts at the Albertinaplatz, home to the Albertina Museum, and visits such iconic places as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg Palace complex, the Volksgarten (a park known for its roses), and the Vienna State Opera House.

“ Highly recommend this tour if you’re into history, architecture and the best places to get coffee in Vienna! Our guide was amazing and very informative. “ eva_T ( Read more reviews )

This classic walking tour of Old Town Vienna is limited to 6 people or less, you’ll get a very personal experience. This is the perfect introduction to Vienna and the history and culture of Austria.

We love this tour for all ages- if you have older family members visiting with you, this tour is a great introduction for everyone.

Book Now: Old Town Highlights Classic Vienna Walking Tour

2. Vienna City Center Small Group Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 2 1/2 Hours   ✅ City Center, Small Group   🔎 Check Rates

On this walking tour of Vienna’s city center, you’ll see the highlights of the old city, from St. Stephens to Graben Street and the Hofburg.

You’ll also visit a few places you might miss on your own- like the former residence of Ludwig van Beethoven, and the Frestel Passage, which is even more interesting with a bit of explanation and history.

“ Wonderful tour given by our guide Dace! We learned so much Austrian history and architecture. She gave us so much tidbits to keep even my teens engaged. We loved this tour on a VERY hot day. “ jabina_R ( Read more reviews )

This tour ends at St. Stephen’s Church, so you’ll be free to explore more from there. This tour has more than 600 5-star reviews. It is limited to 15 people or less, so a fairly small group for a walking tour.

Book Now: Vienna City Center Small Group Walking Tour

3. Historical Walking Tour of Vienna

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 3 Hours   ✅ Led by a Historian, Small Group  🔎 Check Rates

This historical walking tour of Vienna starts at Michaelerplatz, where you’ll learn about the city’s kings, queens, and revolutionaries while viewing the ornate architecture of the Hofburg Palace. You’ll head down the famous streets of Kohlmarkt and the Graben to visit Stephansdom, the central Cathedral.

“ We enjoyed the history along with the anecdotes about various elements of Austrian and Viennese history like the kidnapping of Richard the Lion Hearted. This was our best walking tour by far on our trip across Europe. “ richard_S ( Read more reviews )

This walking tour also includes the old city walls, Belvedere Palace, the Museums Quartier and Maria Theresien Platz, as well as the Naschmarkt. Since this is a slightly longer tour than others, you’ll cover a bit more ground. This is a very small group, with a maximum of 8 travelers.

Book Now: Historical Walking Tour of Vienna

4. Vienna Food, Coffee and Market Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 6 Hours   ✅ Food Tour, Includes Lunch   🔎 Check Rates

On this 6 hour market tour you’ll learn where the locals eat and shop. This tour starts with a Vienesse breakfast of coffee and strudel and then works its way from the city center to the bohemian district of Mariahilf, and then back through the Naschmarkt market.

You’ll visit Vienna’s longest street market, and have a typical Austrian lunch including dessert and local wine or beer.

“ Lots of amazing food, history and laughter. You will be truly stuffed by the end of this tour so bring your appetite. Highly recommend this tour. “ kimberly_P ( Read more reviews )

This tour provides plenty of tastings, travelers report being stuffed! You may take public transportation for part of this tour. The maximum group size for this walking tour is 16 people.

This is the tour for foodies! You’ll go really in-depth, and eat your way through the city. My kids always make fun of me for buying all the snacks and local specialties.

Book Now: Vienna Food, Coffee and Market Walking Tour

5. Vienna Pastry and Dessert Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 3 1/2 Hours   ✅ Pastry and Dessert   🔎 Check Rates

This 3 1/2 hour walking tour explores the sweet side of Vienna’s famous cafe culture. You’ll visit some of the best bakeries, pastry shops, and chocolatiers in the city. But don’t worry about having too many sweets, your third stop will be a savory stop where you’ll enjoy schnitzel or dumplings, so you’ll be ready for more desserts!

Simply the BEST tour we did in Vienna. Incredible food while learning about life in Vienna. Each stop brought us to parts of the city we would have never thought to visit. Such an amazing and thoughtful host/guide!” shawn_F ( read more reviews )

This walking tour in Vienna gets solid 5-star reviews, while you’ll mostly be walking, you may take public transportation between areas of town. This is a small group tour, expect to have ten or fewer travelers.

We love trying all the delicious pastries in Vienna- this tour gives you an excuse to do that for a few hours!

Book Now: Vienna Pastry and Dessert Walking Tour

6. Vienna Christmas Markets Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 4 1/2 Stars   ⏳ Up to 3 Hours   ✅ Christmas Markets, Small Group   🔎 Check Rates

This walking tour of Vienna’s Christmas markets is a small group tour that includes four lovely Christmas markets, each of which is quite different. You’ll start at Mariahilfer Kirche, then head to the Spittleberg market, then to the MuseumQuartier, one of the hippest markets, and then end in Maria Theresien Platz at the Christmas Village there. Throughout the walking tour, you’ll learn about Christmas in Austria- from local traditions to specialty foods.

“ What a wonderful way to visit a few of the Christmas Markets with a local guide. We were able to see some of the markets that were more intimate with organic food and drinks from local merchants. “ ingrid_S ( Read more reviews )

Drinks and snacks are included, so you’ll have a chance to taste some of the most traditional foods at the Christmas markets. This walking tour has a maximum of 20 travelers, children are welcome, but guests must be 18 or older for alcoholic drinks (non-alcoholic are also available).

Book Now: Vienna Christmas Markets Walking Tour

The Christmas markets are such a fun part of the Vienna experience in the winter, we loved visiting each and every one!

7. Private Vienna Christmas Market Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 2 1/2 Hours   ✅ Christmas Markets, Private Tour   🔎 Check Rates

Take a walking tour through the Old Town where you learn about Christmas traditions and visit Vienna’s famous Christmas markets. On this private tour, you’ll start at the Art Mart at Karlskirche, stroll along the famous pedestrian street Graben past the Hofburg Palace, and visit the most traditional Christmas Market at Freyung.

“ Walter was a great guide. The tour was interesting and the markets were really fun! It was just the right amount of time and walking. “ melinda_F ( Read more reviews )

This private tour can be customized to your interests, or you can choose specific markets. You’ll end your tour at the world-famous Rathausplatz Christmas market, the largest of the Vienna Christmas markets, where you can continue to explore on your own.

Book Now: Private Vienna Christmas Market Walking Tour

Visiting Vienna in Winter? We’ve got the best things to do in Vienna in December as well as a full guide to the Vienna Christmas markets . We’ll help you figure out where to visit and what to eat!

8. Hitler and WWII Walking Tour of Vienna

🌟 Rating: 4 1/2 Stars   ⏳ 2 1/2 Hours   ✅ Hitler, WWII Focus   🔎 Check Rates

This WWII walking tour focuses on the history of Vienna from Hitler’s time in the city as a youth (where he was rejected from art school), through Anschluss, to the end of World War II. This tour includes visits to the Jewish synagogue, as well as the Memorial to the Austrian Jews killed in the Holocaust.

“ Very knowledgeable about the historical involvement of Vienna during WW2. Kept everyone engaged and provided insight of Hilter’s life in Vienna. Highly recommend this tour to every age group. “ angiekrebs ( Read more reviews )

You’ll also see areas of the city damaged by bombing during the war, including where the Metropole Hotel stood. This hotel became one of the most brutal Gestapo headquarters during the Third Reich. This tour has a maximum of 25 travelers.

This is a great tour for families with slightly older kids, who can handle this difficult history.

Book Now: Hitler and WWII Walking Tour of Vienna

9. Vienna Poverty and Homelessness Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 2 Hours   ✅ Poverty, Ex-homeless Guide   🔎 Check Rates

This tour on poverty and homelessness in Austria is run by an ex-homeless person who can speak to their personal experience as well as to the politics and policies in place in Vienna and throughout Austria today. This is not a history tour, but rather a walking tour focused on the current situation and the contrasts within the city.

“Vlads tour included educational facts, insights in austrian policy, his own story (which was moving as well as thought provoking), and some interactive back-and-forth with the group. This experience will likely stay with me longer than I can imagine at this time.” Fer_T ( Read more reviews )

This tour has over 500 5-star reviews. This is a great way to get off the main tourist track and gain a new perspective on Austria and the city of Vienna. Please note that the tour does not visit shelters or expose homeless people. This educational small-group tour is limited to 15 people.

This is a fantastic tour to get older kids and teens to think differently about the city they are exploring, and their own privilege as a traveler.

Book Now: Vienna Poverty and Homelessness Walking Tour

10. Jewish Culture and Crisis in Vienna Walking Tour

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 3 Hours   ✅ Jewish History, Small Group   🔎 Check Rates

This unique walking tour covers the history of the Jewish people in Vienna. Once one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe, you’ll learn about expulsion, genocide, and finally, the revival of the Jewish population in Vienna. This tour also includes information about famous Jewish Viennese intellectuals, from Sigmund Freud to Gustav Mahler.

“ The tour covered a broad history of the Jewish community in Vienna, and Annelie brought every moment alive with her narration and her visuals. She gave us the benefit of her wide range of knowledge and understanding of Viennese Jewish life through the ages. “ susan_K ( Read more reviews )

You’ll visit the site of two synagogues, as well as a holocaust memorial. This tour may use public transportation, it has a maximum of 8 travelers so you’ll always have a personal experience.

Whether you are Jewish or not, this is a timely tour to think about how Jewish history and the greater world around us. Perfect for families with older kids and teens.

Book Now: Jewish Culture and Crisis in Vienna Walking Tour

11. Historical Crimes Walking Tour of Vienna

🌟 Rating: 5 Stars   ⏳ 2 Hours   ✅ Crimes, Dark History  🔎 Check Rates

This historical crimes tour is a fun take on Viennese history, focusing on tales of crimes and legendary tales of nobles. You’ll learn about the “Bloody Countess” and visit St. Stephens to learn its dark history.

“ There were so many fascinating stories, the explanation was very vivid and it felt like traveling in time.The tour guide is very knowledgeable and knows the stories in depth and is generally very passionate about history. “ besa ( Read more reviews )

This tour may accommodate up to 25 people. It is the perfect tour for fans of dark legends, true crimes, the macabre, or those looking for fascinating behind-the-scenes stories not told in most guidebooks.

This is a great tour for families with teens or preteens who may not be interested in a more traditional old town walking tour, without dealing with difficult or heavy subjects.

Book Now: Historical Crimes Walking Tour of Vienna

What Will I See on a Walking Tour of Vienna?

Vienna is a very safe city , you can walk alone in the central districts during the day and at night without worrying about safety. It is also an easy city to walk around , you’ll find that many of these longer walking tours of Vienna include a short ride on public transportation in between neighborhoods.

There’s so much to see in Vienna, which is one of the reasons we like visiting this city so much. No tour will cover everything, even in the historic center.

Depending on the theme of the guided walking tour, you may see different locations, or have a different focus. However, many of the best Vienna walking tours will include the following locations in the old city.

St. Stephens Cathedral

The tallest church in Austria, Stephansdom is in the center of Old Town Vienna. Its four towers are a landmark in the city- you can go to the top of two of them. The Roman Catholic seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, this cathedral is a symbol of Austria and the burial site of many Habsburgs as well as cardinals and archbishops.

Hofburg Palace

The home of the Hapsburg royal family for more than 600 years, this palace complex started as a Medieval castle and was slowly expanded into almost an Imperial city-within-a-city.

It now contains more than 2,600 rooms that house multiple museums, the Spanish Riding School, the offices of the Federal President of Austria, and the offices of various government ministries.

Vienna State Opera House

The Vienna State Opera House is the opera house with the largest repertoire in the world- they put on a different ballet or opera each evening, necessitating a set change every day. Each season they put on more than 50 different productions. This beautiful building is also the site of the annual Vienna Opera Ball each spring.

The Graben is Vienna’s most famous shopping street. On this pedestrian-only street you’ll find the Plague Column, as well as many expensive stores. This street dates back to Roman times, legend says that Richard the Lionheart walked here.

Rathausplatz

The Vienna city hall, the Rathausplatz is an ornate neo-gothic building that sits in front of a City Hill park famous for its festivals and winter Christmas market. This is part of the Ringstrasse- the outer ring that circles Vienna’s old town.

It is important to note that walking tours in Vienna generally do not enter cathedrals or museums but give you a historical overview, you’ll then want to plan to return to certain landmarks to explore them in more depth.

FAQ: Best Vienna Walking Tours

Yes, Vienna is a walkable city , especially its city center. There are also trams, buses, and trains to get you from neighborhood to neighborhood easily and inexpensively.

Yes, there are free walking tours of Vienna, but of course, tips are expected at the end of the tour. These free walking tours are generally about 2 hours, and give you a basic introduction to Vienna. Many of these tours accommodate groups of up to 35 or more people. These tours are offered to give the tour companies a chance to introduce you to other tours they offer that you may be interested in. Free tours can be great if you are looking for a basic introduction to the city. The walking tours we recommend here are smaller group tours that go deeper into a specific part of Austria’s history or have a more specific theme (such as a food tour).

There You Have It: Best Walking Tours in Vienna Austria

There are so many wonderful walking tours in Vienna, Austria. Which is the best walking tour in Vienna for you? We love walking around Vienna as a family and learning new things about the complicated history of this city.

If you are a first-time visitor, we recommend our top pick: Vienna Old Town Highlights Walking Tour . For food lovers, from schnitzel to pastry, we recommend a day-long food and market tour .

If you are already familiar with Vienna and its history, consider a more in-depth Hitler and WWII Walking Tour of Vienna , or treat yourself to a pastry and dessert walking tour !

Cynthia Matthews von Berg is the founder of Sharing the Wander. She is a passionate traveler, mom, and travel coach specializing in long-term travel and family travel. She and her family embarked on a Family Gap Year in 2021, and haven't looked back.

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Visiting Vienna

Walking tour of Vienna

The compact centre makes it easy to walk between the sights in Vienna, but which route should you take? Here my suggestion for your walking tour, with insider tips along the way, links to detailed descriptions of sights, and information on guided alternatives.

• Route starts at the opera house and ends at the cathedral
• Includes the top sights in the centre
• Takes about 90 mins without too many pauses
• Book a walking tour * of the city
• Overview of Vienna tours

This is part 1, which takes you from the opera house to the edge of the central Hofburg complex.

Part 2 covers the Hofburg, Part 3 a section of the Ring, and Part 4 takes you back through the old town to the cathedral.

Walking route for the centre

(The west side of the opera house with its arched colonnade)

We shall begin at the main entrance to the Staatsoper opera house, since you can reach this easily from just about anywhere: either on foot from the centre or via trams to Oper/Karlsplatz (lines 1, 2, D, 62 and 71) or subway to Karlsplatz (U1, U2 and U4).

(Incidentally, if you’d prefer to tour the city from the comfort of a seat, then the opera house is a main stop for Vienna’s hop on hop off buses .)

The opera house

(The back of the opera house)

Opened in 1869, the Staatsoper counts as one of the world’s top opera venues and also provides a home to the state ballet.

Performances change each night thanks to an experienced ensemble and an orchestra drawn from the expert ranks of the Wiener Philharmoniker.

Despite the uniformly historical look, what you see of the building is only partly original: the rest is an accurate reconstruction after WWII bombing damage.

Casual visitors can view little of the interior. However, the opera house kindly hosts guided tours so you can walk around the insides without attending an actual performance.

As you face the main entrance of the Staatsoper, walk along to the left and take the road on your right (down the lovely colonnade that funnels you past the standing ticket office and the stage door).

This is Operngasse and leads into the centre.

The Albertina

As you emerge from the colonnade, look across to the other side of the road; you see a wall fountain and, above it, an equestrian statue with the Albertina palais and art museum behind:

(The chap on the horse is Archduke Albrecht)

Cross over the road to walk past the Albertina on your left, but not before you take everything in.

The Albertina itself dates back to the 1740s. Once a home to various archdukes, it now houses an extraordinary collection of art.

A visit includes a permanent exhibition featuring the likes of Picasso, a self-guided stateroom tour , and a changing repertoire of special exhibitions that cover everything from Renaissance art to contemporary sculpture.

(View of the opera house from the Albertina platform)

The 1899 equestrian statue is Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), one-time owner of the Albertina and Habsburg military personality.

The 1869 roadside Albrechtsbrunnen wall fountain has a river theme, with the personification of the Danube at its centre, his arm around Vindobona representing Vienna. The other figures all represent tributaries of the Danube.

(Bitzinger sausage stand)

Two contrasting culinary treats sit nearby:

• The Bitzinger booth in front of the fountain might be Vienna’s most famous sausage stand and often has queues (Mick Jagger popped in on a recent Rolling Stones tour). The rooftop hare hints at the nearby Albertina’s most famous artwork: Albrecht Dürer’s 1502 Young Hare
• One of Vienna’s traditional coffee houses lives opposite the Albertina. Café Mozart has a long history that includes becoming a favoured haunt of the cast and crew of The Third Man

(Part of the monument against war and fascism)

An entranceway just behind the Bitzinger booth and opposite the Albertina offers another chance to experience some modern and contemporary art: the Heidi Horten Collection at Hanuschgasse 3 (home to special exhibitions drawing on that prestigious archive).

As you continue walking down past the Albertina, look back to see the museum steps with their artful stair painting and across to the monument against war and fascism by Alfred Hrdlicka (erected in 1988, which feels a little belated given the topic).

Augustinerkirche

(Augustinerstraße)

You should now be following the pavement and road a little to the left down Augustinerstraße.

Before you leave the open square area, though, look right to spot the Theatermusuem building: the 17th-century Palais Lobkowitz hosted the first performances of Beethoven’s 3rd and 4th symphonies.

Your route now takes you down the side of the 14th-century Augustinerkirche , former long-serving court church to the Habsburgs.

The location presided, for example, over weddings for Emperor Franz Joseph (to the famous Sisi), Empress Maria Theresa, Napoleon Bonaparte, and King Louis XVI of France (the latter two in the absence of the grooms, which I didn’t realise was an option).

(The Sobiesky plaque)

The road continues past Dorotheergasse, which houses, for example, the Jewish Museum ‘s main site and the local cultural icon that is the Hawelka coffee house (try the Buchtel pastries).

Just after the junction with Dorotheergasse, look for a plaque on the outside wall of the Augustinerkirche bearing the name Jan Sobiesky.

The Polish king attended mass in the church on September 13th, 1683, fresh from defeating the Ottoman forces and lifting the siege of Vienna in a seminal moment for European history.

Josefsplatz

(Josefsplatz)

You now reach Josefsplatz square , which marks the effective boundary of the great Hofburg complex, one-time home to the Habsburgs.

Consider Josefplatz your first real taste of historical Vienna, since just about every building on it still looks much like it did decades or centuries ago.

As you continue down the road you pass two palais buildings on your right: Palais Pálffy (reconstructed after WWII) and the 18th-century Palais Pallavicini .

(The entrance caryatids to Palais Pallavicini)

The scantily clad statues outside Pallavicini led to some “excitement” at the time. More recently, that same portal and palais appeared in The Third Man as the home to Harry Lime, whose “fatal” road accident took place outside.

The square itself has the unassuming entrance to the Augustinerkirche on one side. Nip inside to see the remarkable 1805 Canova memorial for Archduchess Marie Christine , who died in 1798.

The side opposite the road has the entrance to the State Hall of the National Library. I would urge you to take a break and have a look at the so-called Prunksaal inside.

(Yeah, not your average municipal library. Good luck trying to borrow one of the books on display; press photo © Österreichische Nationalbibliothek/Hloch)

This is one of those libraries you see on Instagram: a towering haven of Baroque architecture, ceiling frescoes, and books that look like leather-bound grimoires full of dark magic.

The final side of the square is the exterior of the Redoutensäle rooms.

Habsburg monarchs put these chambers to good use for concerts, banquets, balls and various events intended to entertain and/or impress in equal measure. They now serve as administrative areas and (commercial) event locations.

And in the centre of the square we have yet another equestrian statue: this time from 1807 and featuring Emperor Joseph II (1741-1790) himself. (It seems spelling was more flexible back in the day.)

(The statue mimics the one of Marcus Aurelius that once stood on the Capitoline Hill in Rome)

The Joseph statue has reliefs on the surrounding pillars that represent events and accomplishments from the monarch’s reign.

Walk on past the square while keeping the road to your left and head toward the archways.

Before you reach the exit from the square, though, glance down the road leading away to the right (Bräunerstraße): Tanzschule Elmayer is one of Vienna’s more notable ballroom dancing schools.

(You pass Bräunerstraße on your right)

The archways will take you to and past the Renaissance Stallburg stables used by the stallions of the Spanish Riding school. Here we’re now on the second part of your walking tour: the Hofburg and Habsburgs .

Austria ‎ > Vienna   > Free Vienna Walking Tour  

Top 10 Vienna Tips | Suggested Itineraries For Vienna

• Top 10 Things To Do
• Old Town Walking Tour
• Ring Tram Tour
• Schönbrunn Palace
• More Sights
• Best Day Trips
• Helfpful Visitor Tips
• Suggested Itineraries

Old Town Vienna Walking Tour:

Location :  Vienna’s Historic City Center Cost :  Free, Self-Guided ( Museum and sight costs below ) Style :  Do-It-Yourself Walking Tour ( Self Guided ) Start :  State Opera House ( Karlsplatz Metro stop ) End :  Museum Quarter ( Volkstheater Metro stop ) Walking Distance :  2.5 miles Time :  90 minutes for walk ( with sights 4-5 hours ) Fun Scale :  9.5 out of 10

The heart and soul of Vienna ( Wien ) is by far its beautiful Old Town which is filled with historic sights.  Modern buildings mix in with tons of Medieval and Renaissance elements, making the city center quite magical.  From cathedrals to beer gardens, and shopping to museums, there is diversity to entertain all travelers.  Maybe the best thing about our free Vienna walking tour is that most of Old Town is very compact and easily seen on foot.  Because the city center is so easy to walk, we created this free do-it-yourself Vienna walking tour map for you to follow which covers all the best stops with some insider tips.  Enjoy our free Old Town Vienna walking tour!

History Of Old Town Vienna:

Settlement of Old Town Vienna began with Celtic tribes in 500BC with a riverfront camp called Castrum.  The area grew thanks to the Romans who arrived in 15AD and built a walled military fort in 97AD to ward off Germanic forces.  The Roman fort,  called Vindobona  ( meaning White Village ) took up about 1/3 the area of today’s Old Town.  While mentioned in the movie Gladiator, Vindobona was where the real-life Emperor Marcus Aurelius died in 180AD.  On this free Vienna walking tour, we will see some of the original Roman ruins, follow the outlines ancient camp’s wall, and give you a better understanding of early day Vienna.

At its peak, Vindobona had 6,000 legionary soldiers in its walled fort and 24,000 civilians in the surrounding suburban area, but was much smaller than the 50,000-person regional capital of Carnuntum.  The Hun armies crossed the Volga River into Europe in 370AD and invaded as far west into the Roman region as Castra Constantias ( modern-day Budapest ).  This broke down the Limes Road connecting the Roman camps along the Danube and the large regional capital of Carnuntum was sacked by Germanic tribes ( Goths ) in 395AD.  By 433AD most of the Northen Roman Empire had fallen apart, the soldiers withdrew, the remaining citizens around Vindobona moved inside the walls of the abandoned camp.

The old Roman camp was refortified including a small castle Berghof Restsiedlung built in 800AD over the thermal baths to help defend against Magyar ( Hungarian ) armies.  Shortly after, in 881, Vindobona took the name Vienna ( Wein ) after the Vienna River ( Weinfluss ) which is  Celtic for Wood Creek .  Under the rule of the  Babenbergs and the Habsburg Dynasty  ( 1153-1918 ), Vienna’s Old Town wall expanded outward and the city even became the seat of the Holy Roman Empire for over 300 years ( 1483–1806 ).

Vienna truly blossomed into one of the cultural hubs of Europe during the 18th & 19th centuries through the arts, classical music, and opera.  The Waltz and Viennese Balls were born here and Vienna’s city center  became home to musicians  such as Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Strauss.

Emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife Elizabeth ( Sisi ) made the biggest changes to modernize Vienna in the 1800s replacing the Medieval wall with the Ringstrasse Boulevard, fixing up nearby palaces, and tearing down homes in the Old Town to make way for new grand buildings.  During this transformation, the Austrian Empire and Kingdom of Hungarian were merged and Vienna’s population quickly grew.  While losing two World Wars greatly stunted city’s 200 years of booming progress, a modern second coming has made the historic Old Town Vienna a world class place to visit once again.

Free Vienna Walking Tour:

1. vienna state opera house ( staatsoper ):.

About The State Opera House :  In a city famous for music and the arts, it is the grand Vienna State Opera House ( Staatsoper ), that definitely takes the prize.  Opened in 1863, this gorgeous 1200 seat theater has housed some of Austria’s most famous classical musicians and still hosts over 300 performances a year.  The beautiful theater and grand common areas make touring the Opera House amazing.  If you are looking to catch a show, you can expect to choose from famous operas, ballets, and can even take part in large Viennese Balls each February.

This  monument to music  is the perfect place to start our free Vienna walking tour as the arts have been such an important part of the city’s culture and history.  It was in Vienna where the Waltz was born and where Mozart wrote his famous opera The Marriage of Figaro.  The building of the opera house was part of a larger protect in the mid-1800s where the Emperor replaced Vienna’s Medieval moated wall with grand buildings and a modern boulevard known as the Ringstrasse.  Will will revisit the Ring Road at the end of this walking tour.

Guided Tours : 9€ for Adults; 4€ for kids; also includes the Opera Museum; 1-6 tours daily ( check website ).  Tour is great and brings you to a lot of backstage areas.   Live Performances : Tickets range from 16-215€, can be bought online , and go fast.   Ticket Tip :  If a show is sold out or if you just want a taste of a show without sitting through a 3-hour opera or ballet, they sell 567 standing room tickets the day of each performance, 160 of these tickets are right below the Emperor’s Box.  Standing Room tickets are cheap, 2€ upstairs and 3.50€ downstairs, and allow you to easily leave when you’ve had your fill.  These tickets go on sale 60 minutes before each show at the front door and 80 minutes before the show inside the side door at the Standing Room ( Stehplätze ) booth which always has a short line.   Interactive 360 Degree Tour : ( 360 Degrees During a Viennese Ball ).   Opera House Website : ( HERE ).

2. Castle Park ( Burggarten ):

About Burggarten :  Covering the entire backside of Hofburg Palace’s Neueburg wing is the large and peaceful Castle Park ( Burggarten ).  From the 1200s through the 1500s, the Castle Park you see today part of a wide protective moat that circled Vienna’s Medieval city wall.  It was these strong defenses that protected the city and stopped the Ottomans from taking over Europe in Siege of Vienna in 1529.  After some further attacks in the mid-1600s, this Western section of the city wall was bumped outward to create a buffer zone for the nearby Hofburg Castle which also allowed the castle to gradually expand into a sprawling multi-wing palace.

By 1710, there was a vast private Royal park that started here and stretched a 1/2 mile to the Northwest along the inside of the expanded city wall.  With the new found space in this huge Castle Park, the Habsburg rulers were able to build over their former private park, called the  Paradise Royal Garden , to establish the Winter Riding School and National Library.  We will visit both the riding school and library later on this free Vienna walking tour.

In 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte and his French forces heavily damaged the city wall and bastions near Castle Park before occupying the city, declaring an end to the Holy Roman Empire , and later marrying into the Habsburg family in 1810.  A new curtain wall was added to repair the damage left by the French and Emperor Franz Joseph I got to work transforming this section of the park into a fenced-off  private English Garden .  During the park upgrades, around 1819-1820, Emperor Franz Joseph I had a statue of himself on a horse moved from the old Paradise Royal Garden to the pond in Castle Park.  Cast in 1781, the statue is the oldest equestrian statue in Vienna  and still a focal part of Castle Park.

Today the Castle Park has an awesome backdrop of the enormous Neueburg wing of Hofburg Palace ( built from 1881-1913 ), which was we will visit later on this free Vienna walking tour.  The new building divided the Royal park in two separating the English Garden which forms today’s park from the rest of the grounds.

Just five years of Neueburg was finished, the monarchy fell in 1918 and the private Castle Park  became a public park  almost overnight.  More statues were brought into Castle Park from around Vienna after WW2 including one of Hercules originally cast in 1770.  Our favorite piece that was brought in is the  white-wash Mozart statue  which was carved in 1896 and previously sat in nearby Albertina Square.  Make sure to take time to relax in the park just like the Viennese royals used to do.

3. Palm Tree House ( Palmenhaus ):

About The Palm House :  While revamping his private Castle Park in 1823, Emperor Franz Joseph I also had a huge two-winged greenhouse built on the Northeastern end of the royal garden dubbed the Palmen House.  This  gigantic greenhouse was built right over the foundation of a section of Vienna’s Medieval city wall that dated back to the year 1200.  The Palmen House was a huge luxury for the royal family as it was able to grow tons of tropical plants and palm trees even in the coldest Austrian days.

In 1902, the Palmen House was expanded to over 22,000 square feet and remolded in its current  Art Nouveau-style .  In modern times, the Palmen House has been turned into a really unique restaurant where you can eat under the palms trees even in the dead of Winter.  Especially if you have kids with you, consider stopping at the tropical  Butterfly House  ( website ) which is attached to the North side of the restaurant.

Palmen House Restaurant Hours : Monday-Friday 10am-Midnight; Saturday 9am-Midnight; Sunday 9am-11pm.  The outdoor terrace bar is open until 2am in Summer.   Restaurant Website : ( here ).   B utterfly House Cost :  Adults 7€; kids 4€.

3. Albertina Museum :

About The Albertina Museum :   The Albertina Museum is a breath of fresh air house priceless art inside a stately villa.  The most prized pieces are the works by Albrecht Dürer including the Young Hare from 1502 ( original is displayed twice every 5 years, but an exact copy is shown daily ).  Other paintings & sketches include works by Monet, Picasso, Chagall, Klimt, Raphael, Warhol, and Rubens.

Like the Palmen House, the Albertina Museum was built over part of the early-Medieval wall section ( called the Augustine Bastion ) dating back to the 1200s.  The property first served as the office for the Royal Court Building Authority before it was rebuilt as a mansion for Count Emanuel in 1744.  This stately villa was later gifted to Duke Albert by Emperor Franz II in 1794.  After moving in, the powerful Duke Albert started to display his private collection of works from old world master painters  in the mansion which laid the groundwork for today’s museum.  The works include the artists Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dürer, Rembrandt, and Ruben.

Over the generations the Duke Albert’s family owned the villa, the back of it was expanded into parts of the neighboring Augustiner Monastery .  The historic Augustiner Church was the only part of the block-long monastery complex ( built in 1327 ) which was spared from the expansion of the Albertina Mansion.  The church is famous as the location of many of the Habsburg imperial weddings including that Marie Louise to Napoleon Bonaparte  in 1810.  The Augustiner Church also holds the hearts of the former Hapsburg rulers.

The most famous of the 20 staterooms added onto the villa are the ones built for Maria Christina  ( 1858-1929 ), the only one of Marie Antoinette’s siblings who was allowed to marry for love.  The opulent rooms are typically called the Spanish Apartments because of Maria Christina’s marriage to the Spanish King Alfonso XIII.  Her sister  Marie Antoinette  even stayed in the apartments before being sent off to France for her arranged marriage with King Louis XVI.  Our favorite of the staterooms is the Hall Of Muses which is ringed with Greek statues and lit with 5 crystal chandeliers holding 258 candles.

Make sure to check out the wonderful bronze statue of Duke Albert on the terrace near the museum entrance.  At the street level below the statue, there is also a magnificent fountain depicting the river God Danuvius and the embodiment of Vindobona, Vienna’s name in Roman times.

Museum Cost : 16€ for Adults; 19-26 years old 11€; Children under 19 are free; guided tour 4€. Online Tickets :  To skip the line and get a mobile-friendly ticket you can book  HERE .   Museum Hours :  Daily from 10am-6pm; until 9pm on Wednesdays & Fridays; best after Noon. Museum Website : ( here ).

4. Sacher Café :

About Sacher Café :  Sacher Café is known for having the best slice of chocolate cake you can find anywhere.  Their  world-famous cake , known as the Original Sacher-Torte, was the creation of chef Franz Sacher who was asked to make a dessert for a Hapsburg royal party in 1832 while only 16 years old.  Word of the Sacher’s amazing cake spread and he quickly became a household name.

Forever known as the family of rich cake, Sacher’s son Ed opened the Sacher Hotel and Café in 1876 and spared no expensive decorating every elegant detail.  When Ed died 16 years later, his wife Anna took over and pushed the property to gain global recognition as one of the best hotels , all while continuing to sell the famous cake of course.

The Gürtler family has been running the Sacher Hotel and Café since 1934 and it remains one of the very few privately owned five-star luxury hotels in the World.  The Sacher Café has been the meeting point for  famous figures  from Gandhi, and Queen Elizabeth II to John F Kennedy.  A visit to Sacher is truly a must while in Vienna and even if you are on a budget just 8€ can get you a really good coffee and an excellent slice of cake.

Inside the Sacher Hotel, there are three different colored fancy salons for dining in addition to the main cafe plus the 2-story Eck which views over the Opera House.  If there are crowds hoarding the fancier dining area of the cafe consider buying your Sacher cake at the neighboring Sacher Stube Café which is run by the same family.  If you are confused and which coffee goes best with the cake, the traditional drink in Vienna is hot black coffee with foamed milk and whipped cream.

Hours :  Daily 8am-Midnight.   Photos :  ( Treat Photos  via their Facebook Page ).   Restaurant Website : HERE .  Cafe Website : HERE .

6. Anti-War & Fascism Monument :

About The Monument :  In the late-1800s a huge  luxury apartment complex  named Philipphof was built right in the middle of this large open courtyard overlooking Albertina Square.  Previously the courtyard had been a Medieval pig market before being turned into the apartments in 1882.  During the construction, they found even more history when they dug up an ancient Roman grave and a 21-foot section of Roman road.

Sadly in the height of WW2, hundreds of residents sought shelter in the basement of the Philipphof Apartments and  were buried alive  in an air raid on March 12th, 1945.  The bombing was so heavy that most of the victims’ bodies couldn’t even be recovered from the rubble.  With the memory of the war victims in mind, a series of statues were erected in 1988 on the site of the former apartment which now serves as the Anti-War and Fascism Monument.

The Anti-War Monument is primarily made up of four artistic pieces  which highlight the violence and tragedy that Austrians faced in WWII while under Nazi rule.  The most predominant part of the monument are the two large carved marble columns called the  Gate of Violence  which represent the victims of war and the concentration camps.  The graphic images on the columns are actually carved into stone that came from Austria’s Mauthausen Concentration Camp.  Another heartfelt piece is the  bronze figure kneeling  and covered in barbed wired while scrubbing the street which is meant to be a reminder of the humiliation many Jews went through before being more formerly persecuted.  There is also a memorial for the people who died in an air raid of the Philipphof Apartments and the final section celebrates a free Austria after the end of Nazi rule.

In 2009, the open square was renamed Helmut Zilk-Platz after the Mayor of Vienna who pushed for the monument to be built in the 1980s.  The gravity of a visit is definitely is worth a moment of silence and reflection to take it all in.  Knowing the history behind what you are looking at makes the Anti-War & Fascism Monument one of the most moving stops on our free Vienna walking tour.

7. Imperial Crypt ( Kaisergruft ):

About The Imperial Crypt :  The unique and slightly creepy Imperial Crypt below the Capuchin Church is a true must-see on our free Vienna walking tour.  The church was part of the Capuchin Monastery,  founded in 1617  by the Holy Roman Emperor Matthias’ wife Anna.  Just one year later Anna died followed by her husband in 1619 which lead the way for their nephew Ferdinand II to take over as Holy Roman Emperor.  In honor of his family, Ferdinand II started work on a royal crypt below the Capuchin Monastery in 1622 which took 11 years to finish because of delays from the 30 Years War.

The tombs of Emperor Matthias and Empress Anna were the first to be moved in the Imperial Crypt which has since been expanded eight times to hold  elaborate tombs  of some of Austria’s greatest leaders.  In total there are bodies of 150 members of the Hapsburg royal family buried at under the Capuchin Church.  Oddly it is really only the bodies in the tombs as the Habsburgs’  organs are not buried here .  The royal guts are actually housed below Saint Stephen’s Cathedral and their hearts are in the Augustiner Church.  While the Crypt has huge visual and photogenic appeal, it is also a very informative experience.  The most visited tombs are those of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Franz Joseph.

In front of the Capuchin Church is  New Market Square  which served as one of the main markets in Roman times when this area of town was a civilian settlement just outside the walls of the Vindobona fort.  The square was given a makeover as the new city of Vienna was laid out in the 1200s and became it a grain market.  The beautiful fountain from the 1700s is called the Fountain of Providence ( Providentiabrunnen ).  This is a replica as the original fountain was moved from here to Belvedere Palace because the central statue had a bare-chested lady on it.  Many of the buildings surrounding the square were leveled by bombing in WW2.

Crypt Cost : 7.50€ for Adults or 4.50€ for kids. Visiting Hours : Daily from 10am-6pm ( last admission 5:30pm).  Guide Tours :  Wednesday-Saturday 2pm in German and 3:30pm in English for 3€ extra.  Crypt Website : HERE .

8. Carinthia Road ( Kärntner Strasse ):

About Kärntner Strasse :  Today the  pedestrian-only  Kärntner Strasse is one of Vienna’s most popular streets lined with great shops and places to eat.  If you need to get any souvenirs for yourself or gifts while in Vienna then Kärntner Strasse is a perfect place to look.  A stroll down the street offers excellent people watching, window shopping, and even your fix of American fast food, but we suggest sticking to the local cafes to get the true Viennese feel.

Back when Vienna was fortified military camp of Vindobona ( 97-433AD ), Kärntner Strasse cut right through the 24,000-person urban settlement surrounding the fort.  Initially called the  Strata Carinthianorum , it cut straight South from the fort’s Eastern gate and past the main civilian market.  The name Kärntner Strasse comes because the road led to Austria’s Southernmost state of  Carinthia ( Kärntner )  which sits on the modern Alpine border with both Italy and Slovenia.

Kärntner Strasse became more important after the 50,000-person regional Roman capital of Carnuntum just 30 miles East of town fell in 395.  This caused the North-South trade route called the  Amber Road ( Bernsteinstraße )  to be re-routed from Carnuntum right down the center of Vindobona.  The route which started in Saint Petersberg, Russia on the Baltic Sea and transferred precious amber to Rome, Greece, and even Egypt in the South with access later to the port of Venice.

While many of the Roman camps never recovered after the Northern part of the Empire collapsed by 433AD, Vindobona was reborn as Vienna ( Wien ) in 881AD .  The re-foritifcation and re-settlement of the town was largely thanks to its river access and ability to sustain itself with trade routes like Kärntner Strasse.

The road finally got its own gate into the city when the old Roman walls were  expanded outward in 1257  to make way for a growing Vienna.  Through Medieval times, Kärntner Strasse even had a drawbridge and bastion over the city’s moat.  Over the centuries, modern-day Kärntner Strasse was re-revamped along with the town and has remained one of the busiest shopping streets in Vienna.

8. Staff In Iron Square ( Stock-im-Eisen Platz ):

About Staff In Iron Square :  As you reach the end of Kärntner Strasse, look immediately to your left and check out the  Palais Equitable  before getting distracted by any nearby sights.  The humongous mansion was built for an American insurance company in 1891 in place of five Medieval buildings on what was once the small square called Staff In Iron Square ( Stock-im-Eisen Platz ).  The square, which in ancient times was a Roman cemetery, was named after the  historic nailing tree  which sits encased in glass on the corner of the Palais Equitable.

The nailing tree ( nagelbaum ) grew nearby in the early 1400s and was used by travelers who pounded nails into it for good luck.  The gesture was considered a sacrifice because in the Middle Ages iron nails were quite valuable.  While the tree was cut down in 1440, the trunk continued to be used as a nailing tree, was put on display in 1548, and later iron banded by the former homeowner Hans Buettinger.  As you inspect the Palais Equitable mansion, you’ll see reliefs on the doors showing the legend of the nailing tree.

In the 1900s, the North side of Staff In Iron Square was opened up to connect to Saint Stephen’s Square which we will visit next on this free Vienna walking tour.  The focal point of this new construction is the very modern 8-story tall  Haas House  with flowing, curved glass walls.  The building truly was meant to blend the old with the new as it sits right on the Southern corner of the former Roman camp Vindobona.

During the construction of the Haas House in 1990, it was very controversial that it was built anchored into some of the ancient Roman wall ruins.  Make sure to get some photos of the Saint Stephen’s Church  reflecting in the windows .  If you are not too rushed and want the best view of Saint Stephen’s Church, head to the coffee house on the top floor of the Haas House for a unique perspective.  The concept behind the design was to trace the Roman wall and provide a mirror image of Vienna’s largest church.

If you have an extra minute, make sure to go down into the subway station to see the underground  Saint Virgil’s Chapel ( Virgilkapelle )  which was unearthed 40 feet below the ground in 1973.  The old world chapel was carved out below the former Roman graveyard in 1220 as a private place for the Vienna’s wealthy residents to worship.  Greek crosses, which can still be seen on the stone walls today were painted in 1246.  In 1338 the funeral Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene was built above the Saint Virgil’s which then became a bone house.  A faint an outline of the former Saint Mary’s Chapel ( burned down in 1782 ) can be seen in the pavement as you approach Saint Stephen’s Square.

10. Saint Stephen’s Church ( Stephansdom ):

About Saint Stephen’s Church :  The massive Gothic-style Saint Stephen’s Cathedral is the focal point and geographic center that modern Vienna orbits around.  Saint Stephen’s started as a  small parish in 1137 , in a large Roman cemetery in the former civilian area just outside of the walls of Vindobona.  While Saint Stephen’s Chapel wasn’t finished until 1160, it was dedicated early in 1147 in the presence of King Otto II who was heading out to join the 2nd Crusade.

From 1230 to 1245, the chapel was completely redone as a larger Romanesque church with an impressive door and towers.  Unfortunately, the Romanesque church burned down in 1258, but the  front door and towers were saved  and worked into the facade of the rebuilt church which was completed in 1263 over the ruins.

Looking at the front of Saint Peter’s today, you can still see the outline of the original Romanesque church towers.   Working their way about halfway up today twin peaks you can see the change in the stone as they were extended upward in the rebuild and named the  Roman Towers ( Heidentürme ) .   The 213-foot-tall towers got their name because they were built using pieces of the former wall of the heathen ( heiden ) Roman military camp called Vindobona.  Keep in mind that during the time of the Roman settlement here, the Empire did turn Christian under Constantine so calling them heathen was more of the Medieval Duke’s way of appearing greater than their predecessors.

Saint Stephen’s finally got official Cathedral status shortly after the construction began on the Gothic-style  Albertine Choir  on the North end of the Church in 1359.  The large choir, with three naves, has fantastic Medieval stain glass windows which are the only ones in the church to survive WW2.  Instead of merely remodeling the rest of Saint Stephen’s original Romanesque interior to match the Gothic choir, they built a new church around it instead.  New sidewalls were added outside of Saint Stephen’s, with a vaulted wooden roof hovering 125 over the floor.  After the new walls and roof completely encapsulated Saint Stephen’s Church, the old side walls were simply removed.

By far the most iconic thing to come out of the Gothic-remodel is the mega-sized South Tower called  Old Steve ( Alter Steffl ) .  At 466 feet tall, the gigantic tower dominates Old Town Vienna from every angle.  We highly suggest taking the tiring 363 steps up to the top for the best views of Vienna.  If you aren’t up for the hike up the Old Steve, consider taking the elevator up the North Tower ( Nordturm ) instead.  The stumpy North Tower was supposed to be a complete match to Old Steve, but construction stopped in 1511 freezing it at 231 feet tall.  While excavating for North Tower in 1443, they found a  thighbone of a mastodon  and placed it above the church’s front door nicknaming it the  Giant’s Door ( Riesentor ) .  

The North Tower is best known for its large bell, appropriately named  Boomer Bell ( Pummerin ) , which famously rings each year at midnight on New Year’s Eve.  The was cast out of Turkish cannons after the Siege of 1683, is over 20 tons in weight and 10 feet in diameter.  It is considered the 2nd largest free-swinging bell in Europe.  From either side tower, you will also get a great view of the brightly colored  ceramic tiled roof  which replaced the wooden one burn in WW2.  The patterns on the roof include a double-headed eagle which is the crest of Vienna.

As you wander around Saint Stephen’s Cathedral there are a lot of exciting details worth noting.  We really love the centrally located  sandstone pulpit  carved in 1510.  It shows faces of the four fathers of the Latin Church ( Ambrose, Jerome, Gregory and Augustine ) as well as the artist who carved it peaking through a window near the stairs.  Below the Medieval glass windows of the nave is the baroque  New City Altar ( Neustädter Altar )  carved in 1447.  Near the altar is the tomb of Emperor Frederick III who is one of the only Habsburgs to be buried outside of the Imperial Crypt.  Below Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, you can tour the catacombs where the  guts of the Habsburgs  rulers are stored along with the bodies of Vienna’s cardinals and archbishops.  The catacombs also have stacks of bones as bodies were tossed down here during a plague in the 1700s when the cemetery surrounding Saint Stephen’s Church was closed.

Around the Saint Stephen’s exterior, you can see the stark color difference where coal pollution darkened the church’s white limestone and where it has been cleaned.  You will also see dozens of headstones from former church cemetery’s worked into the building’s facade.  Speaking of death,  Mozart  had his funeral at Saint Stephen’s in 1791.  The famous composer not only spent time working at the church, but was also married here in 1782.

Cathedral Hours : Monday-Saturday 9-11am & 1-4:30pm ( restricted access starting at 6am ); Sundays not until 1pm; Tower Climbs Daily 9am-5:30pm. Cost : Cathedral entrance is free but restricted unless you pay 6€ for the audio guide; North Tower 6€; South Tower 5€; Treasury 5.50€, Catacombs 6€ ( takes 30 minutes ).  Discounted Online Tickets :  You can skip the lines, save money, and get a mobile combo ticket for the South Tower, North Tower, Cathedral tour, Catacombs Tour, Treasury Tour, and audio guide  HERE .   Religious Service : Sundays & Holidays at 10:15am, 9:30am in July & August.   Tower Access : South Tower via 363 steps or North Tower with elevator.   Cathedral Website : ( here ).

11. Mozart’s Vienna Apartments ( Mozarthaus ):

About Mozart’s Apartments :  Most of Mozart’s life was spent in his hometown of Salzburg, but he also had close ties to Vienna.  It started when Empress Maria Teresa brought the young prodigy in to play a concert at Schönbrunn Palace as a child and continued when Mozart  moved here in 1781  to get out from under the thumb of Salzburg’s archbishop.

Mozart was taken in by Vienna’s Archbishop Colloredo and lived his monastery for six weeks in the year 1781 from March 16th until May 2nd.  The monastery was built in 1375 for the Teutonic Knights, and its intimate  Sala Terrena  concert hall where Mozart performed still hold live chamber music performance you can attend.  Sala Terrena is Vienna’s oldest concert hall and was painted the Venetian late Renaissance style in the mid-1700s making it a fantastic place to hear a string quartet.

After leaving the monastery in 1781, Mozart moved in on the Graben near Saint Peter’s Square with the Weber who was in Vienna from Mannheim, Germany.   Mozart had met the family in German in 1777 where he tried to court the daughter Aloisa, but ended up marrying their younger musician  daughter Constanze  in 1782 at Saint Stephan’s Cathedral.  The couple moved around before settling on a lavish apartment behind the cathedral known today at the  Mozarthaus Museum  where they lived from 1784-1787.

The family’s apartment only had 4 main rooms, but with its city center location and rich details cost 450 florins a year to rent which was more than Mozarts dad’s annual salary.  Although Mozart was horrible at saving money, he was making a lot of it teaching piano to young aristocrats mixed in with significant commission works. To the sculptured ceiling in the Camesina room.  The Mozarthaus Museum is quite popular with theatergoers as the apartment is where Mozart wrote his famous opera  The Marriage of Figaro  which premiered in Vienna.

Most of the items on display at the Mozarthaus Museum today are from the time of Mozart and  not actually his stuff , but it all helps to give a peek into his time here.  Tours start on the 3rd floor of the building covering details of Mozart’s time in Vienna. The displays focus on where Mozart lived and performed, who his friends and supporters were, his relationship to the Freemasons, his passion for games and much more.  The presentation on the 2nd-floor deals with Mozart’s operatic famous works he wrote while living here, and the apartment on the 1st floor focuses more on Mozart and his family.  The basement also has a vaulted ceiling event space that often holds piano concerts.

Mozarthaus  Cost :  11€ for Adults, 4.5€ for Children, also has a family rate of 24€ ( up to 2 Adults, 3 kids ).   Discounted Tickets : You can save money and get a free audio guide by pre-booking  HERE .   Mozarthaus H ours :  Daily from 10am-7pm; last entrance 6:30pm; least crowded 10am-Noon.   Mozarthaus  Website : ( here ).     Sala Terrena Concerts : 90-minute concerts are on Thurs, Fri, & Sun at 7:30pm and Sat at 6pm.   Sala Terrena Website : ( here ).

12. Graben & Plague Monument ( Pestsäule ):

About The Graben :  The Graben ( meaning ditch ), was once  used as a dry moat  by the Romans along the Southern wall of their ancient military camp Vindobona ( 97-433AD ) which pre-dates Vienna.  With Vienna’s population growing the graben was filled in and the walls were expanded outward in the 1200s.  A King’s ransom largely funded this massive project, and it’s from a tail you may have heard of before.

After fighting together in the 3rd Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria captured King Richard I of England ( also known as Lionheart ) over a dispute.  King Richard ( of Robin Hood fame ) was held as a prisoner for 14 months from 1192-1194 while his brother Prince John sat on the throne.  It’s said that Pince John offered to pay the Duke to keep his brother longer so he could stay on the throne.  King Richard, I was finally released after a colossal ransom to the Holy Roman Emperor, of which Austria got 35 metric tons of silver ( worth over $15 million today ).

For the next 60 years, this ransom money was used on projects in Vienna from establishing the Austrian Mint, filling the Graben, building churches, and expanding the city wall.  With the wall expansion completed by 1257, the Graben quickly became a market and busy shopping street.  The first of two elegant fountains along the Graben is dedicated to Duke Leopold V for getting the money to start the project.

The half-timber Medieval homes first lined the boulevard are now gone, can see the wealth the shopping has generated by the elegant facades of massive buildings that line the Graben.  We love walking here as the Graben became Vienna’s first pedestrian-only area in 1974 and it feels built for people watching.  If you happen to be in Vienna during Advent ( late-November through Christmas ), you need to put a night-time stop at the Graben on the top of your list as its endless strings of holiday lighting are magical.

Americans visitors often overlook the impact of the epidemics in Europe during the Middle Ages making the  Plague Monument ( Pestsäule )  in the center of the Graben an important attraction.  The 69-foot-tall column was built in 1693 to honor the 1/3 of Vienna’s population who died in the Plague of 1679 and pays thanks to God for the ones who survived.  The golden-capped Baroque column replaced a previous column dedicated to the Holy Brotherhood.  It was the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity who was among the first groups in Europe to use science to stem the plague in a time where religion and superstition trumped all.

Photos :  ( Night Time During Advent ).

13. Saint Peter’s Church ( Peterkirche ):

About Saint Peter’s Church :  As you turn the corner off the Graben down Jungferngässchen Alley you catch your first glimpse of the green-domed Saint Peter’s Church.  Entering the alley, you are also crossing what was once the Southern wall of the Roman fort Vindobona ( 97-433AD ).  Local folklore says a larger Romanesque-style church was built here by Emperor Charlemagne between 792-800AD while the former camp was being re-fortified.

While Charlemagne church story may be true, records show that the first church here named Saint Peter’s was finished in 1137  before the original city walls were expanded outward.  The church which was later run by the Scottish Monastery which burned down in the late-1600s giving way to the  Baroque masterpiece  you see today.

Completed in 1732, today’s Saint Peter’s Church is one of the hidden gems on this free Vienna walking tour.  We are amazed the builders were able to fit such a large structure tightly tucked into a small square .  When you get inside the church, you quickly forget how small the plot of land is that it sits on.  This is because the builders used an open layout and unique dome to make Saint Peter’s Church feel huge.  Unlike most churches, Saint Peter’s is actually  oval shaped  instead of round to take maximizing the space to a whole new level.

Most people walk by taking a couple of pictures of the exterior and leave, don’t be one of those people.  Take a couple of minutes to step inside, inspect the beautiful marble interior, and see if you can make out the dome’s oval shape.

Hours :  Monday-Friday 7am-8pm; Weekends 9am-9pm.   Cost :  Free.   Tours :  Daily 9-10am & 1-3pm.   Interactive 360 Degree Tour :  ( Interior ).   Church Website : ( here ).

14. Vindobona & In Court Square ( Am Hof ):

About Vindobona & Am Hof :  Lightly settled by the Celts in 500BC, the groundwork for modern-day Vienna was laid out from 15-97AD as a  fortified Roman camp  named Vindobona ( meaning White Village ).  Outlined on our free Vienna walking tour map, the walled Vindobona fort marked the edge of the Roman Empire at the time and was used to help fight off Germanic forces North of the Danube River.

While the nearby regional Roman capital of Carnuntum was much more significant with over 50,000 residents, at its peak Vindobona was home to 6,000 soldiers inside its walls and another 24,000 residence in the surrounding urban area.  The most famous moment in the history of the camp was when Roman Emperor  Marcus Aurelius died here  in 180AD.  After the Northen Roman Empire fell in 433AD, the remaining citizens around Vindobona moved inside the walls of the abandoned camp, and the population drastically declined.

The former camp was re-fortified in the 800s including a small Berghof Restsiedlung Castle to help defend against Magyar ( Hungarian ) armies.  The castle was built over the Roman thermal baths between the Hoyer Market and Saint Ruperts Church.  Shortly after the refortification, Vindobona took the name Vienna ( Wein ) in 881 after the Vienna River ( Weinfluss ) which is  Celtic for Wood Creek .

In 1156, Heinrich II of Babenberg was forced by the Holy Roman Emperor to give up his title Duke of Bavaria to Henry the Lion and was named the 1st Duke of Austria by the in return.  With a fresh canvass at his disposal, Heinrich II moved to Vienna and built  Castle Babenbergerpfalz  inside the old Roman wall.  The new castle sat right on the foundations of Vindobona’s former barracks and armory in the former fort’s Southwest corner ( where today’s Am Hof Church and Park Hyatt Hotel are ).  The large square next to the castle became the city’s 1st established Royal Court ( Am Hof ) .  So if you stay in the Park Hyatt ( website ) today, you are not only staying at one of the best hotels in town, but also over the former castle.

The Duke really wanted to impress his wife Theodora Comnena, who was a Byzantine princess, with is new city plans.  He used is former home, and capital of Bavaria at the time, Regensburg, Germany as the model to layout Vienna.  Under Heinrich II’s rule, Vienna quickly became the  2nd largest city  in the Holy Roman Empire behind Cologne, Germany.

Five years after the last Duke in the Babenberg family died in 1246, Ottokar Duke of Moravia ( King of Bohemia ) was elected Duke of Austria and significantly expanded the Kingdom to stretch all the way to the Adriatic Sea.  Ottokar also started to expanded Vienna’s city walls outward and built a new four-towered royal castle called Hofburg on the Southern edge of town ( see photo ).

In 1273, Rudolf I of Hapsburg ( King of Germany ) was elected the new Duke of Austria, but Ottokar wouldn’t give up his title which led to his death on the battlefield.  Rudolf’s success  led to 645 years of Hapsburg rule  over Austria including over 300 years as Holy Roman Emperors ( 1483–1806 ).  While the royal court was officially moved to Hofburg Castle, Am Hof Square at Castle Babenbergerpfalz continued to be used for jousting tournaments and a market.

While most of the old Castle Babenbergerpfalz was removed, part was rebuilt as the Gothic-style  Am Hof Church  in 1386.  The church was given its current white Baroque facade in 1662, and the Mariensaeule ( Marian Column ) was added to the center of the square. The column, finished in 1667, was commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III to thank the Virgin Mary for repelling the Swedish forces during the 30 Years’ War.  In 1806, having defeated the Austrian army, Napoleon announced the  end of the Holy Roman Empire  from the balcony of the Am Hof Church.  This move split the former territories up and established the Austrian Empire.

Am Hof Square got a rise in pop culture thanks to the hit  1949 movie The 3rd Man .  Many scenes from the famous film take place here from Anna’s door to Orson Welles’ character Harry Lime casting a long shadow in the alleyway North of the Church.  In the cellar of the Am Hof Square’s Fire Brigade Building, you can still find the remains of a main brick drain from the ancient Roman sewer system beneath Vienna.

For more Vindobona sites check out the  Roman Museum  ( website ) under Hoyer Market.  Located on one of Vienna’s oldest market squares, the museum has a great collection of authentic Roman era artifacts.  The best objects are the intact sections of soldier homes and underground heating they found below the square.  We also like stopping Saint Rupert’s Church which is Vienna’s oldest church dating back to 740 and sits near a maze of Medieval streets.

15. Kohlmarkt & Demel Café :

About Kohlmarkt :  The prestigious Coal Market ( Kohlmarkt ) shopping lane is home to Vienna’s most luxurious stores .  From Tiffany’s to Gucci and Louis Vuitton you’ll find a little bit of everything for today’s high-end buyers.  In Roman times, this road led to the main Southern gate tower ( Peilertor ) of the walled fort called Vindobona ( 97-433AD ) which pre-dates Vienna.  It was an important road as two blocks outside the walls it intersected with a civilian bypass of the Lime Road ( Limesstrasse ) trade route around the fort before continuing all the way through Linz to Salzburg ( then called Juvavum ).

When the Roman wall was extended outward in 1257, the lane remained vital as it connected the new  Royal Castle ( Hofburg ) to the heart of Vienna.  While the name Coal Market came from the coal dealers who once set up shop here, it quickly became a prestigious shopping area.  Kohlmarkt was soon home to the shops of various jewelers appointed by the Royal Family and gained the nickname the  Golden U .

During the 1700s, the street blossomed into a well-rounded, high-end shopping street.  Even the original city gate tower, called the Direction Finder Tower ( Peilertor ), also remained an essential feature of Kohlmarkt.  Through Medieval times the tower ( rebuilt in 1511 ) served as a watchtower and jail until it was removed for traffic concerns in 1867.

Today the lane is a real treat, especially during Advent when hanging lights give Kohlmarkt a beautifully lit temporary ceiling.  While you window shop along Kohlmarkt, the one place you have to make sure to stop at is the  Demel Café & Bakery .  Dessert artist and baker Ludwig Dehne moved to Vienna from Wuerttemberg in 1786 and quickly impressed the Emperor with his skills.  In the bakery’s early days, all the ladies of importance in Vienna came to the cafe to drink a cup of hot chocolate on the first cold day of the year.

Ludwig’s cafe business did so well that it gained the esteemed prefix K. u. K., or  König und Kaiser , meaning “good enough for the king”.  With Vienna being a trend-setting cafe town, Ludwig’s bakery became a favorite meeting point of the aristocracy as well as of the bourgeoisie.  In 1857, Ludwig son August sold the shop to his first assistant Christoph Demel giving the cafe its current name.  Even though it is a fancy place, Demel offers a 10€ cake and coffee deal, along with their other amazing chocolates and desserts to make your mouth water.

Demel Hours : Daily 9am-7pm.   Demel Website : ( here ).

16. Michael’s Square ( Michaelerplatz ):

About Michael’s Square :  Michael’s Square is dominated by the Baroque facade of  Hofburg Palace’s Saint Michael Wing .  This huge building was completed in 1889 in place of the old Royal Theater ( Burgtheater ).  The former theater had opened here in 1741 inside an unused Royal banquet hall and was where many famous musical premieres took place.  These premieres included Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro in 1786 and Beethoven’s 1st Symphony in 1800.  While the first sections of the Royal Castle ( Hofburg ) were built near the Square in the mid-1200s, it’s been a critical intersection for nearly 2,000 years .

In Roman times, a civilian bypass of the Limes Road ( Norica Limes ) around the legion fort Vindobona ( early day Vienna ) met the main road into the fort’s Southern gate at Michael’s Square.  The intersection also connected to a secondary route to Linz and Salzburg, but the diagonal bypass off the Limes Road ( seen as Herrengasse Street on modern maps ) was the big driver of traffic.  The Limes Road essentially marked the Northern border of the Roman Empire while linking the 30 main legion camps along the Rhine and Danube Rivers from the North Sea all the way to the Black Sea.

At the crossroads of Michael’s Square stood a large guarded  Roman Legion outpost ( Canabae Legionis )  to help protect the South side of the fort, its 6000 soldiers, and the 24,000 area civilians who lived outside of Vindobona’s walls.  Eventually, the Limes Road broke down from hostile invasions ( Huns & Germanic Goths ) and most of the Northern Roman Empire collapsed by 433AD.  Vindobona was largely abandoned until it was re-fortified as Vienna in 881AD, but luckily remains from its Roman roots are still easily found.

Ruins of the Roman Legion outpost at Michael’s Square were excavated in 1990, unearthing an entire neighborhood of Roman building foundations and ancient sewers.  In addition to the guard houses, the outpost buildings were believed to have included shops, an inn guesthouse, and a brothel.  Further excavations around Michaelerplatz have shown that the Romans also had created a long aqueduct to get water from the surrounding hills as well as several canals dug all the way to the Danube River.

The Roman Legion outpost was essentially  like a small suburb , although it wasn’t given a town charter.  The civilian settlement spread out many blocks from Michael’s Square and foundations of half-timber homes have been found in the courtyard of the Globe Museum ( Herrengasse #9 ), Porcia Mansion ( Herrengasse #9 ), and the Harrach Mansion ( Freyung #3 ).  You can see the extent of the civilian settlement centered on Michael’s Square to the South of the square Vindobona fort  here .

Before leaving the square, make sure to check out  Saint Micheal’s Church  which it is named after.  First completed as a small Romanesque chapel from 1221-1252, it was rebuilt in 1792 as you see it today.  The church is best known for its captivating crypt with the bodies of 4,000 wealthy residents who are buried here with many of them mummified or with open caskets.  The crypt is very interesting, but is one of the most overlooked tourist spots on this free Vienna walking tour.  Investigating the open ruins and sights around Michael’s Square is one of the best windows into Vienna’s Roman past.

17. Spanish Winter Riding School :

About Spanish Winter Riding School :  The Spanish Riding School has been operating in Vienna since 1565 when it was a wooden stable in nearby Josefsplatz Square making it the  oldest riding school in the World .  The beautiful Spanish Winter Riding School building you see today was built into Hofburg Palace in 1735 in place of the former Paradise Garden.

This historic riding school gets its name from the stars of the show, the delightful  white Lipizzaner horses  from Spain.  Getting accepted into the Spanish Riding School has always been a very prestigious thing.  In its early days, the riding school was limited to young aristocrats and royals who used it to practice jousting and horse dancing called dressage.  The horse dance training helped the riders the gain agility and control needed military campaigns.  Outside of occasional public festivals, watching the horse dancing practices  were reserved for the Royal family  and guests of the court until the monarchy fell in 1918 which opened the shows up to the public.

Tickets for the horse dancing shows can be hard to come by so make sure to book ahead if possible.  Even if you can’t make a dressage show, consider one of the school’s architectural tours that brings you through every nook and cranny of the building including the rafters.  In addition to the horse ballet shows, the training space also hosts a series of elegant Viennese Balls throughout the year.   

Across the street from the Winter Riding School is the Renaissance-style  Royal Horse Stables ( Stallburg ) .  The stables were first built from 1559 to 1569 as a mansion for crown prince Maximilian II by his dad Emperor Ferdinand I.  Folklore says that the Emperor wanted his son under a different roof as they had differing religious views.  The mansion later housed part of the royal art collection which helped to launch Vienna’s Art History Museum.  When the new Winter Riding School opened in 1735, the mansion was turned into the official Royal Horse Stables and is now an active museum.

Ticket Office Hours :  Tuesday-Sunday 9am-4pm; on Fridays when there is a performance they are open until 7pm.   Morning Exercise :  Most weeks Tuesday-Friday from 10am-Noon you can watch Morning practice to music for 15€ which is lighter on the jumping.  Check the schedule  here  as some months have training every day.  You book at the box office each morning.   Main Performances :  The full dressage show performances typically happen on Saturday and Sundays at 11am and can sell out far in advance.  Standing tickets room start out at 25€ and go up to 135€ for the lower level seats.  You can book  online here  or at the box office.  Please note that from late-June through early-August they typically don’t run the full show, but will have practice.   Guided Tours : Most afternoons they have 2-5 time slots for 50-minute guided tours of the grounds and stable for 18€ ( kids half off ) with the most time slots on Mondays while the horse training is off.  You can book at the box office each morning.  Riding School Website :  ( Here ).

18. Joseph’s Square ( Josefsplatz ):

About Joseph’s Square :  Before checking out the beautiful National Library, it is essential to inspect the often overlooked Joseph Square ( Josefzplatz ).  Today the main feature of the square is the giant  equestrian statue  from 1795 of Emperor Joseph II in Roman clothing riding a horse.

The equestrian statue is actually a take on an ancient statue of Roman Empire Marcus Aurelius which sits on Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy.   The connection is important both because Marcus Aurelius died in the Roman camp Vindonba ( early day Vienna ) in 180 AD and the Habsburgs always claimed to have a bloodline connection to the Roman leaders.  This equestrian statue is also fitting as Joseph Square was once the home to the original Spanish Riding School back when it was just a small wooden structure.

As you circle the square, there are a couple of old mansions that are worth mentioning.  The 1st is the beautiful  Pálffy Mansion  ( website ) which served as a law office in the 1300s, was rebuilt as the home of a banker in the 1600s, and given a new facade after damage from WW2.   Mozart performed at Pálffy Mansion as a child and did screenings of this opera The Marriage of Figaro with a small audience before premiering it at the Royal Theater that once sat a block away at Michaelplatz.  Every night at 8pm ( except Wednesdays ) you can get tickets for the Vienna Walzer Orchestra which performs for small crowds just like Mozart once did here.

Next door to Pálffy Mansion is the impressive  Pallavicini Mansion  ( website ) which was once the site of the Queens Monastery ( 1581-1782 ).  Unlike Palffy, this mansion was largely untouched by WW2 and serves as a time capsule for Viennese life in the late 1840s.

On the South side of the Joseph’s Square is the former  Augustiner Monastery Complex  ( built in 1327 ), which still has some of its original inner courtyards and main chapel.  The monks had been operating in Vienna since 1260, and Pope John XXII directly approved the building of this complex.  The small Loreto Chapel next to the main altar  holds the hearts  of various Habsburg rulers.  Earlier in this Vienna walking tour, we saw the royal bodies in the Imperial Crypt and their guts in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral.  The church probably the most famous as the place of many Habsburg imperial weddings including that of Marie Louise to  Napoleon Bonaparte  in 1810.

19. Austrian National Library :

About The Austrian National Library :  Built by Emperor Charles and Empress Maria Theresa from 1720-23, the Austrian National Library remains  one of the most beautiful libraries in the world to this day.  It is easy to find the entrance as the building is capped by a large golden globe supported by a statue of the Greek God Atlas.  A walk through the Baroque State Hall is bound to leave any visitor with a sense of wonder.

The library’s marble accents are fantastic and the ceiling paintings are among some of the best for any building of its era.  The paintings are so detailed that it’s no wonder they took an extra 7 years to complete after the library was open.  The scenes show the virtues of the Hapsburg rulers as well as depictions of their territories.

The Habsburg Dynasty was a dominant one who had already had a private library collection started as early as the 1300s.  This meant that the new library was able to be filled with over 400 years of treasures the day it opened.  Mix in an over 300-year span where the Hapsburgs served as Holy Roman Emperors ( 1483–1806 ),   you have the makings of one of the  best book collections in the world .  Construction plans even had to be expanded mid-build in the 1700s as the family’s collection continued to grow.

Two of the most popular exhibits run by the library are the impressive Papyrus and Globe Museums.  The Papyrus Museum is best accessed through the reading rooms entrance of Heldenplatz ( Stop 21 ) while the Globe Museum is just down the street ( Herrengasse Avenue #9 ).

Library Hours :  Daily 10am-6pm; Open Thursdays until 9pm.    Cost :  7€ for State Hall; Add for 4€ the Papyrus and Globe Museums; Discounts for kid & families. Audio guide 5€ for 2 people.   Library Website :  Here .

20. Hofburg Castle’s Swiss Court ( Schweizerhof ):

About The Swiss Court :  This was the original portion of today’s Hofburg Palace ( or Imperial Castle ), built from 1220 to 1278 as a  square Gothic castle with corner towers.  The most construction happened along the expanded city walls under Ottokar II who became the Duke of Austria in 1251 and also soon became the King of Bohemia ( 1253-1278 ).  After failing to win the Imperial crown numerous times and raising arms about it, Ottokar II was crushed in battle in 1278 and his castle was taken by the Habsburg who ruled Austria for the next 750 years ( 1278-1918 ).

Only fragments of the original castle remain today as it was given a Renaissance makeover in the 1400s.  This project included a complete rebuild of the Palace Chapel ( Burgkapelle ) in 1449.  A beautiful wooden statue of the Virgin Mary near the altar was carved in 1410 and is quite stunning.  The royal chapel was first established in 1296 ( remodeled again in the 1700s ) and is famous for the angelic Vienna Boys Choir  ( website ) who have been signing High Mass since 1498.  They are one tour in July & August so if you miss out on the Boys Choir, the nearby Augustiner Church ( built in 1327 ) also has music at their 11am religious services.

In 1745, the original castle got another facelift during an expansion of the Palace, and the central courtyard was renamed the  Swiss Court ( Schweizerhof ) after the guards who protected the Royal family.  This substantial makeover also saw the removal of the corner towers and the castle’s drawbridge which once led to the preserved red-black Swiss Gate ( Schweizertor ) from 1552.  The impressive gate displays the Holy Roman Empire’s Imperial Coat of Arms in the variation of the Order of the Golden Fleece which is a secret Medieval fraternity established in 1430.  On the ceiling inside the Swiss Gate are murals showing the titles and lands ruled by Emperor Ferdinand I.

The core of the former castle now houses the Royal Treasury in over 21 Medieval rooms.  While touring the Treasury, you will see the jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Imperial Crown and the Holy Lance, the Crown of Emperor Rudolf II, and gems including one of the world’s largest emeralds.  You will also see a ton of Holy Relics in the Treasury as the Habsburgs had become obsessed with collecting them as a status symbol.  There are items from the Order of the Golden Fleece, and Counter-reformation among other secular treasures.   Our favorite piece is the  giant narwhal tooth  from the 1500s which Medieval times was believed to be a unicorn horn.

Hofburg Treasury Hours :  Wednesday-Monday 9am-530pm; open until 6pm in July and August; Closed Tuesdays.   Admission Cost : 11.50€ for Adults; 10.5€ for Kids; which includes an audio guide.   Royal Treasury Website :  ( HERE ).   Imperial Chapel Hours :  Chapel is  available for Free Mondays & Tuesdays 10am-2pm & Friday 11am-1pm.   Vienna Boys Choir Shows : From September through June you buy a ticket can hear the Boys Choir sign in the chapel most Sundays at 9:15am.  Vienna Boys Choir Tickets : You can buy tickets online  here or on Fridays in person.  Tickets are 5-29€ plus there is free stand room only tickets available for the first 60 people in line.  Vienna Boys Choir Secret : You only hear and don’t see the Boys Choir with your ticket, but you can watch it on a screen for FREE in the small lobby to the right of the Chapel entrance.  Imperial Chapel Website :  ( HERE ).

21. Hofburg Imperial Apartments :

About The  Imperial Apartments :  The Imperial Apartments are our favorite part of the Hofburg Palace as they were the residential and state rooms used by Emperor Franz Joseph I and  his wife Elizabeth , known as Sisi.  The apartments are filled with over 165,000 pieces of original furniture from the Hapsburg Dynasty spanning over 300 years.  There is also a section for the over-the-top Imperial furniture and a small museum dedicated to Sisi which includes many of her preserved dresses.

If you think the apartments and decor are fancy, just wait until you check out the  Royal Sliver Collection  ( website ).  It seems like there is an endless amount of wealth on display, but they actually only display about 7,000 of the Habsburgs over 150,000 silver and gold items at a time.  Our favorite part of the collection is the golden centerpiece spanning the entire length of the 90-foot-long Milan Table .  The amazing work was commissioned for the coronation of Emperor Ferdinand in 1838.

Hofburg Palace Hours :  Daily 9am-530pm; open until 6pm in July and August.   Admission Cost : 15€ for Adults; 9€ for Kids; which includes an audio guide. Guided  Tours : A guided tour is required to see the Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum. They last for 55 minutes, leave daily at 2pm and adds only 2€ to admission cost.   Combined Sisi Ticket : The  Sisi ticket  ( 34€ for Adults; 21€ for Kids ) is the best deal as it includes Schönbrunn Palace, Imperial Furniture Collection, Hofburg with the Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, and the Imperial Silver Collection.

22. Hero’s Square ( Heldenplatz ):

About Hero’s Square :  As enter the large  Hero’s Square ( Heldenplatz )  you’ll quickly get drawn to the backdrop of the beautiful  Neue Burg Wing  ( New Castle ), but the square itself is worth investigating.  Heldenplatz and 2 other large gardens ( Burggarten & Volksgarten ) were laid out after parts of a Medieval castle wall that stood here were destroyed Napoleonic Wars.

While the other Gardens in Vienna have remained green, most of Heldenplatz has been paved over during the decades.  Luckily a couple of the original equestrian statues still remain in the square.  The first great statue is  Archduke Charles of Austria  riding a horse while triumphantly holding a flag.  The statue of Charles, erected in 1860, was meant to portray the Habsburg Dynasty as great Austrian military leaders.

While the statue of Archduke Charles is cool, our favorite is of  Prince Eugene of Savoy  which sits right by Neue Burg’s main entrance.  Eugene left France for Austria after being denied entrance to their military for appearance and went on to become the greatest General in Austrian history.  He led military campaigns for 60 years over 3 different Holy Roman Emperors based out of Vienna and was very successful.  Eugene’s claim to fame with battles over the Ottomans later gaining heavy praise fro Napoleon all while getting super rich from his endeavors.  To this day Eugene serves as a point of Austrian pride and willpower.

If you want more of a true garden experience visit the  People’s Garden ( Volksgarten )  on the Northern end of Hero’s Square.  This garden, featured in our  Vienna Ring Tram Tour  has a wonderful rose garden, a replica of the Greek Temple Hephaestus ( Theseion ), and a memorial to Empress Sissi.

Before leaving Heldenplatz, make sure to check out the huge gateway going over the road on the South side of the square called  Outer Castle Gate ( Äußeres Burgtor ) .  The columned gateway is all that remains from a curtain wall built around the Palace in 1817 after the original castle wall was damaged during the Napoleonic Wars in 1809.

This new Palace wall section didn’t last long as it and the entire Medieval wall that surrounded all of Old Town Vienna were torn down in 1860 by Emperor Franz Joseph I to making way for the Ringstrasse loop.  This move helped the growing city expand and was part of a large series of enhancements the Emperor made to the City.

23. New Royal Palace ( Neue Burg ):

About The New Royal Palace :  Emperor Franz Joseph’s had a dream of creating  Kaiserforum  complex to how off Austria’s might through architecture and arts.  As seen in this 1865  mockup sketch , the complex covered the Neue Burg Wing ( or New Castle ) wing of Hofburg Place, the Museum Quartier, and numerous other buildings.

The huge Neue Burg section was started in 1881, but its construction was drug out for over 30 years into the beginning of WW1 which Austria lost, further delaying the project.  Because of the lengthy, delays most of the rest of the Kaiserforum complex was scrapped for the most part, but overall the completed buildings are really impressive.

Once inside Neue Burg, it is easy to be in awe of the marble-lined corridors, grand staircases, and our favorite is called the  Hunting Plateau  which is a common place for weddings.  The amazing details of the grand Neue Berg make it the perfect setting for the building many museum collections.  The 1st collection that was housed here came from Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1908 after he got back from an extensive trip around the World.  After Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, which sparked WW1, his entire collection was given to Neue Berg giving a starting to a series of wonderful museums.

Today the building houses Papyros Museum,  Ephesos Museum  ( website ) ,  Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments and the  Collection of Arms and Armor  ( website ) which takes up the entire Southside.  Our favorite of these museums is the Ephesos which has a great collection of classical and even ancient statues.  The highlight of the Ephesus Museum is the Parthian Monument, part of an antique altar erected at Ephesus ( modern-day Turkey ) during the Hellenistic Period.  In Roman times, Ephesus was the capital of the Province of Asia and one of the largest early-Christian communities in the world with around 200,000 inhabitants.

Neue Burg Museum Hours :  Wednesday-Sunday 10am-6pm; Closed Monday & Tuesdays.  If you only have time for one museum stop, consider the world-class collection of museums at nearby Museum Quartier instead of Neue Berg.   Museum Cost :  15€ for Adults; Children are free; and guided tours are 3€ extra.  Your ticket covers all of Neue Burg’s Museum plus the Art History Museum ( Kunsthistorisches ) in Museum Quartier.  You can also get a combo ticket to include the Natural History Museum and Leopold Modern Art Museum for a couple of euros more. We’ve bought the combo ticket and they let us see the two museums on different days, but ask to make sure.   Neue Burg Website :   Here .

24. Museum Quartier :

About Museum Quartier :  As Emperor Franz Joseph designed his grand Kaiserforum complex, a series of museums built around a park was an integral part of his plans, but is was never fully completed.  As seen in this 1865  mockup sketch , there were to be a ton of buildings, but at least the 2 large museums they did finish turned out to be masterpieces.

On the Eastside of the square is the highly rated  Art History Museum , or   Kunsthistorisches  ( website ), which holds Vienna’s greatest collection of paintings covering very fun loving art from over a 200-year span.  The Koonst as it’s called, also holds an amazing Egyptian Museum.

The twin building on the Westside of the Maria Theresa Square is the  Museum of Natural History , or  Naturhistorisches  ( website ), whose vast collection holds Austria’s most famous work of art, the 4-inch-tall Venus of Willendorf Statue.  This statue depicts a chubby, naked female figure carved into limestone and dates back to 24,000-22,000 BC.

Behind these two massive main museums is a third section worth a stop for any modern art lover, the  Leopold Modern Art Museum  ( website ) &  Mumok Museum .  Of favorite piece at the Modern Art Museum comes right away and is an upside down house home smashed into the side of the Museum called House Attack.

Art History Museum Hours : Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm; on Thursday until 9pm; Closed Mondays ( except June & August ). Art History Cost :  15€ for Adults; Children and teens are free, but a guided tour is +3€ and audio guide is +4€. Combo ticket with Neue Berg and Imperial Treasury is 20€ -or- with Neue Berg and Modern Art Museum is 24€.   Natural History Museum Hours :  Wednesday-Monday 9am-6:30pm; Wednesdays until 9pm; closed Tuesdays; best before Noon.  Tours in English are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 3pm.   Natural History Museum Cost :  10€ for Adults; Children and teens are free, but a guided tour is +3€ and audio guide is +4€.   Modern Art Museum Hours :  Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm; Thursdays until 9pm; closed Mondays.   Modern Art Museum Cost :  13€ for Adults, students 8€, buy a mobile ticket online  HERE . Combo ticket with Kunsthistorisches and Neue Burg is 24€.

Other Sights Near Old Town Vienna:

25. ringstrasse tram tour :.

About The Ring Tram :  When Vienna’s original Roman wall was expanded outward in 1257, it followed the path of today’s Ringstrasse.  This new wall was very heavily fortified with watchtowers & bastions, was surrounded by a moat, and ringed with a wide building-free meadow ( glacis ) separating the city from the suburbs.  This protection helped Vienna fight off the Turkish Sieges of 1529 & 1638 which may have saved the rest of Europe from being overtaken.

In 1860, the growing city of Vienna needed more room so Emperor Franz Joseph I tore down the Medieval wall and filled in the former moat that circled old town to create today’s grand boulevard.  This was a boom time for Vienna and grand buildings sprung up all along the new Ringstrasse circling around Vienna.

Thanks to a modern system of tram lines, making the mile loop around the Ringstrasse to check out the sights is super easy.  The entire loop can be done in less than 30 minutes , but we suggest hopping off at various points to explore and fully experience the Ringstrasse attractions.  To help make your trip a smooth one we have put together a great guide to the best sights and tips for using the trams along with a helpful printable map.

Read More :   Vienna Ring Tram Tour .

26. Saint Charles Church ( Karlskirche ):

About Saint Charles Church :  The giant white St. Charles Church dates back to the early 1700s and is a favorite of photographers with its large green dome and huge  reflecting pool .  The Church was commissioned by the Emperor after Vienna’s last bout of Plague as he felt that his prayers were the reason why the Plague stopped.  This train of thought was a common theme throughout Vienna’s history as after each tragedy the ruling Emperor would use the event as a reason to build an even bigger and more extravagant Church.

Cost : 4€.   Hours : Daily 9am-7pm.   Website :  HERE .

27. Naschmarkt :

About Naschmarkt :  The 6 block long Naschmarkt is Vienna’s most popular produce market.  An active market has been operating here since 1780 and today has 100 vintage stalls.

Cost : Free.   Hours : Stalls open Monday-Friday 6am-7:30pm; Saturday 6am-6pm; food & drink Monday-Saturday until 11pm.   Website :  HERE .

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Vienna Old Town Highlights Private Walking Tour

Immerse yourself in the history, culture and legends of Vienna and Austria. Discover St. Stephen's Cathedral and other highlights of the Old Town with an Expert Guide! Optional: visit St. Peter's Church, the Imperial Treasury and Hofburg Palace.

• Explore the highlights of Vienna on a private tour led by a Licensed Guide
• Admire the UNESCO-inscribed Old Town and see the famous Cathedral of St. Stephen
• Visit St. Peter’s Church and see more sights, such as Vienna University (3, 4, and 6-hour tours only)
• Discover national treasures and heritage inside Vienna Imperial Treasury (4 and 6-hour tours only)
• Skip the lines to Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments of the Hofburg Palace (6-hour tours only)

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Activity details.

• 2 - 6 hours
• Private Tour Exclusive only for you
• Just buy and we instantly organize Your booking ensure the tour is already fully organized, just come and enjoy!
• Live Guide English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Polish
• Walking tour
• Skip The Line Tickets for Priority Access

Learn the facts and legends of picturesque Vienna city on a private walking tour. You will see the best selected highlights and hidden gems. Get a great portion of knowledge from your local professional guide and enjoy the vibes of this historic city. The guide leads you through multiple alleys and parts of the city to deliver you unforgettable memories!

Discover the best of Vienna’s Old Town on a 2-hour walking tour with a Private Guide. As you wander around the courtyards of the imperial Hofburg Palace, you will learn interesting facts and myths about Sisi and the House of Habsburg. You will gain insight into Vienna’s history, culture and imperial heritage of the Holy Roman Empire. Highlights include Vienna’s Gothic jewel, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which is Austria’s most prominent national symbol and one of the highest cathedrals in Europe. You will also see the Column of Pest, Albertina Palace and the world famous Vienna Opera House, which welcomed notable names like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bath.

Book an extended 3-hour tour to enhance your experience with a visit to St. Peter’s Catholic Church and see more highlights of the Old Town. St. Peter’s – small from outside, but rich inside. Enter with the guide and see the gorgeous interior. It delights in its murals, paintings and domed roof with lots of gilding. You will also see the magnificent Rathaus (Old Town Hall), Vienna University, and Burgtheater.

Extend to 4-hours and stroll down to reach the Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer Wien). Use your skip-the-line tickets and explore one of the biggest collections of Holy Roman Empire and Austrian heritage without wasting time at the ticket line. Inside you will find the Imperial Crown, famous Holy Lance and Order of the Golden Fleece and there is more! On the way you will also see the monumental Wiener Minoritenkirche.

In the 6-hour version you will enter the Hofburg Palace and discover the treasures of Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments with skip-the-line tickets. Walk inside this XIII century castle and find out long and fascinating history while walking through Imperial apartments, halls and rooms full of rich decorations, old-fashioned furniture, paintings and impressive crystals from Bohemia. This is a must-see, especially if you’re interested in hearing the true story of Sisi!

• Private Walking tour of Vienna Old Town Highlights (number of attractions depends on the selected option)
• 5-Star Licensed Guide who is fluent in the chosen language
• Free entry to St. Peter’s Church (3, 4, 6-hour tours only)
• Skip-the-line tickets to Imperial Treasury (4 and 6-hour tours only)
• Skip-the-line tickets to Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments in Hofburg Palace (6-hour tour only)
• Pickup from hotel / accommodation (Old Town only)
• Free entry to St. Peter’s Church (in 2-hour tour)
• Skip-the-line tickets to Imperial Treasury (in 2 and 3-hour tours)
• Skip-the-line tickets to Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments in Hofburg Palace (in 2, 3 and 4-hour tours)
• Pickup from hotel / accommodation located outside the Old Town

Important information

What you should know.

• Please check your email the day before the tour for important information
• Church tours during mass and special events (such as scheduled concerts) are limited. If entry is not possible, the guide will provide all information outside.
• Skip-the-line tickets are reserved for a specific time slot, so it’s important to arrive at the meeting point on time. You will skip the ticket line.
• 4- and 6-hour tours: Due to museum regulations, 1 licensed guide can lead a group of 1-15 people, so the price of the tour will be higher if you need more than 1 guide.
• Please note that as the Silver Collection will be closed from April 1, 2023 until further notice, you will temporarily visit only the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments of Hofburg Palace during the 6-hour tour.
• Pickup service is available for accommodations / hotels located in the Old Town. Please provide your full address when booking. The itinerary will be adjusted accordingly.
• If you do not provide your address or your accommodation is more than 1,5 km away from the designated meeting point, the guide will meet you in front of Raiffeisenlandesbank at Michaelerplatz 3 ,1010 Vienna.

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• Customer Service: 4.87 4.87 / 5
• Organization: 4.87 4.87 / 5
• Value for money: 4.87 4.87 / 5
• Guide: 4.87 4.87 / 5

I had a quick visit in Vienna few years ago, but dudring this tour I have felt like it's something new. I finally met this city as I should. Thank you guys!

I was so impressed when I see Vienna Old Town! I just love this city. This tour seems to be perfect for new visitors. I met step by step all Old Town.

It was just great! Especially visit in Imperial Treasury, it is really impressive

I was curious about Vienna before I came and I decided to take the private tour as I knew I want to really meet this place. My expectations was below what I got. It was really amazing!!! Nicolas showed us so many attractions, we went inside St. Stephen's Cathedral, Peterskirche and Imperial Treasury, but on the way we saw so much. And the best part was that this guide tell us some fascinating details and legends. It was really cool tour! Thanks again.

Amazing experience :) tons of information and nice views

Nice route, but especially guide! She was passionate about Vienna city and we could feel the magic of this place.

Thank you. It was my first time when I booked the tour via website, but your people was really helpful and tell my every details. All tour went really pleasant. Highly recommended!

I'm really into history so I'm glad that we got the guide who could answer all my questions and feed my curiosity. Thank you it was a pleasent afternoon

It's good, you have guide, you have tickets, you have enough walking, no hidden costs. I like it and recommend to all.

Good program, Vienna is really beautiful and interesting!

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Private Vienna Old Town Walking Tour

Vienna's historic city center should be one of the highlights of your trip - it is packed with world-famous sights and monuments related to Vienna's imperial past! The best way to discover the old quarter is on foot with one of our friendly and enthusiastic guides.

Your guide will meet you directly at your centrally located hotel or a meeting point in the city center. He'll take you to the most important sights, explain the history and share intriguing stories and anecdotes with you. Of course he also knows where to take the best pictures!

First you will be introduced to St. Stephen's cathedra l in detail. Freeze in awe in front of the majestic gothic structure with it's great South Tower and the roof covered with 230.000 glazed tiles. The interior of the church is considered by some to be the world's most beautiful.

Then your guide will show you the amazing area behind the cathedral with its narrow streets and hidden courtyards . See the house where Mozart wrote his famous opera "The Marriage of Figaro" and marvel at the typical “Pawlatschen” access balconies!

Across the famous  Graben street you arrive at the plague column , a unique masterpiece from the baroque era. Take a quick glimpse into the marvelous church of St. Peter with your guide. If you're lucky you might hear the organ being played. Then you will walk along the Kohlmarkt , Vienna's most elegant shopping street, resisting the temptation to enter the Demel confectionery and the many designer boutiques.

Of course you visit the vast complex of the Imperial Palace extensively. With over 2.600 rooms it is one of the world's largest building complexes. Admire the ample wings and courtyards of the Hofburg and see the Heroe's Square , the Spanish Riding School , the stables of the Lipizzan horses and the church of  St. Augustine . There Emperor Franz Josef married his 16 year old cousin Sisi. You also see several locations from the famous movie "The Third Man" .

At the end of the walking tour your guide shows you the Sacher hotel (famous chocolate cake), the Albertina museum and the Monument against War and Fascism .

Enjoy the individual service and personal atmosphere of a private tour: Your knowledgeable guide is ready to respond to (almost) your every request and requirement. Listen to intriguing and amusing stories about Vienna and the Viennese and take advantage of your guide's  insider knowledge . Lots of photo opportunities!

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Start time: 10:00am or 2:30pm
• Duration: 2,5 hours
• Meeting point: your central Vienna hotel or public meeting point
• € 300 for for max. 15 people
• € 100 per optional extra hour
• To make an inquiry about a larger (15+ persons) group please contact us by e-mail
• Pick-up from your hotel in central Vienna
• Private walking tour
• Professional tour guide
• Optional entrance fees
• Food and drinks

FREE CANCELLATION

• You can cancel your tour up to 24 hours before tour start free of charge, receiving a full refund
• No refunds will be provided for later cancellations and no-shows

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Vienna Unwrapped Inspiration and Planning For Independent Travellers who are visiting Vienna

Vienna Walks – Six Exciting Sightseeing Routes With Maps

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[todaysdate format=”F Y”] Which Vienna walks will best roll out the city to you? First, almost all major Vienna landmarks and attractions line up within the three square kilometres of Old Vienna, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Second, not just the city centre lends itself to walks but also many central neighborhoods.

Walking through the likes of Wieden, Mariahilf and Josefstadt with their typical townhouses and shops will give you a good insight into local urban lifestyles. To help you plan your time in Wien I have pulled together my favourite Vienna walks which are also mapped out.

Is Vienna a walkable city?

As soon as you enter central Vienna you will notice its well-designed urban layout with wide pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, well-maintained streets, and numerous pedestrian zones. As one of Europe’s greenest metropolises more than half of Vienna’s city (53 percent) is green space. In a few parts of the city, designated pedestrian zones hand over the city entirely to walkers. Beyond the city center, many local neighborhoods such as Josefstadt or Mariahilf are pedestrian-friendly, with low traffice zones, shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions within walking distance. The sidewalks in Vienna are generally well-maintained and accessible, making it comfortable for pedestrians.

Interestingly, more than three quarters of local Viennese walk for more than 10 minutes every day (source: Mobilitätsagentur Wien, 2019). And more than 30 per cent of errands are done on foot. 

Old Vienna Walk

This walk combines sightseeing of Vienna landmarks , such as the Vienna Opera House, the Albertina and the Stephansdom, with my tips for Vienna coffeehouses and traditional snack bars, and the occasional must see shops that will cross your way. Go to  Old Vienna Walk .

Vienna 1900  Walks

Unfortunately for travellers Wien’s fin-de-siècle highlights lie scattered across town. There is no ‘Vienna 1900’ quarter nor are there street signs to help you trace the most exciting and fruitful era of Viennese art and literature.

Hence I have cut, trimmed and aligned my experience of the best places to explore Vienna at the start of the 20th century. The result are two neat day itineraries of museum, coffeehouse and bar visits, street walks, a shopping tour and tips on concerts with music from that era. Get inspired by these Vienna 1900  walks.

To acquire a 360-degree understanding of the era, read my compact one pager about Fin-de-Siècle Vienna before your walk.

Vienna By Night

Once you arrive in Vienna, even if it’s later in the evening, don’t think it’s too late to explore the city. In fact, it’s the most brilliant time. Streets, squares, architecture, sculptures and monuments have that magical glow that you will rarely find during the day. If you are a photo enthusiast like me you will find it’s the best time to capture the city’s architecture. I am sharing this Vienna night walk with you for inspiration. Find out more  Vienna by night .

Art Nouveau Walk

Vienna Insider Walk

Find out more in Vienna Insider Walk .

Especially if you have a hang for interior design, art, fashion ,  music, architecture, multimedia design, advertising or marketing, you will feel at home during this Art and Design Walk. It is a very relaxed mixture of museums, art crowd cafés and artisan shops. You can easily scale it up or down, depending on the amount of time you would like to spend in one place. Visit  Art Walk .

Guided Vienna Walks

If you want to add intellectual depth – and fun – to your walk, consider hiring a great licensed guide: All trained guides know the city center like the back of their hand, and will share many exciting stories. Besides, you could also join one of the regular small group tours. As for neighborhood walks, a few guides also cover out-of-centre areas like the ‘art walk district’ Neubau, Wieden and Alsergrund. And some of these guides will even let you fill your shopping bags, like this award-winning shopping guide . To visit the former Jewish quarter Leopoldstadt and Path of Remembrance make sure you hire a specialised Jewish Vienna tour guide.

Learn more about guided Vienna tours and private tours .

Other Ideas For Self-Guided Tours In Vienna

Other than walking to explore Vienna, there are two further ideal means to roam the city just like a local: Either use one or more of Vienna’s 28 tramway lines, or rent a bike. In Vienna Tours, Self-Guided find inspiration for the best tramway lines and bike rental options to discover Wien.

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A free walking tour through unique old town of vienna.

Let me entertain You with tales of the Viennas’s past and present. Together we will explore and discover the fascinating stories that fill every corner of Vienna . Vienna’s varied architecture fascinated me, and the wealth of what this city has to offer – museums, art galleries, theatres. Above all, I love uncovering Vienna’s secrets and guiding groups around the City that I love. Come and join me for a walk.

• Free booking and cancellation Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
• Accepts electronic payment This tour allows payment by electronic means or credit card

Tour description

Welcome back to Vienna! If it's not your first time exploring the city, you've probably seen the classic highlights already. Now, it's time to discover Vienna from a different perspective. Join me for a walk-through unique Old Town of Vienna. Together we will explore and discover the stories, legends, and tales in the unique old part of Vienna. Our tour is designed for those who want to go beyond the typical tourist attractions and delve into the lesser-known gems, hidden corners, and local secrets that make Vienna truly unique. On a walking tour led by the Viennese stories, get a closer look at Vienna's most intriguing and distinctive locations while learning about the city's lengthy history and varied culture. In the first district of the city, we will see the walls from the medieval time. I will tell you about the legend of “Dear Augustine” . Vienna and music: A walk through Vienna is impossible without visiting one of the houses where the maestro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived , which is a Museum now. This is the best place to talk about Mozart's legacy that moves Vienna’s concerts scene till today. Coffee and croissant: In one of the alleys, we will discover how coffee has become an everyday ritual and since when bakers in Vienna have been baking the popular croissants and pretzels. After ca. two hours, our walk ends a t the Hoher Markt in front of the Anker clock . An extraordinary watch, that was invented by Franz von Matsch in the time of Art Nouveau at the beginning of the 20th Century. Get ready for an exciting journey through the unconventional side of Vienna! I’m looking forward to it !

Sincierly Yours Mirko!

What will we visit on this tour?

In front of Hotel Capricorno

The tour starts in front of Hotel Capricorno near the metro station U1/ U4  Schwedenplatz. Together we will explore and discover the stories, legends, and tales in the unique old part of Vienna.

In the first district of the city, we will see the walls from the medieval time. I'll share the legend of “Dear Augustine”.

At the Hoher Markt, we will see the Anker clock. An extraordinary watch, that was invented by Franz von Matsch in the time of Art Nouveau at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Get a closer look at Vienna's most intriguing and distinctive locations while learning about the city's lengthy history and varied culture.

A walk through Vienna is impossible without visiting one of the houses where the maestro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived, which is a Museum now.

After ca. two hours, our journey ends at the Cathedral of St. Stephan in the city center.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price , instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

Tour opinions (92)

Mirko is a great guide! Lots of great information delivered is a fun way!

I really enjoyed Mirko's fun and informative tour of Vienna. He shared interesting facts about the city's history and culture, and his personality made the tour even more enjoyable. I learned a lot and highly recommend him!

We had a really nice experience! Mirko is an amazing tour guide.

Very good tour, Mirko had lots of knowledge to share and was very funny!

Who is this tour for?

What should you know, others tours from this guru, others cities to visit after vienna, where are you traveling to.