Vienna, Austria — Attractions
Hofburg
The Hofburg Palace, or Imperial Palace, was the home of the Austrian Hapsburgs for 600 years. The first fortifications were erected by King Ottakar Premyst in the 13th century and were added to by every generation until it became the monumental structure it is today. As well as housing the president's offices, the palace now encompasses 22 separate museums, the National Library, a 14th-century Augustinian church, the famous Spanish Riding School and the Royal Chapel, where every Sunday the Vienna Boy's Choir sing Mass (they have performed for the Royal Court since 1498). It will be impossible to even catch a glimpse of everything on display at the Hofburg, so visitors should be selective. The most popular of the museums is the Kaiserappartements, which takes visitors on a tour of the Kaiser's imperial apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Imperial Silver Collection.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Innerer Burghof 1, Kaisertor
- Phone Number
- (0)1 533 7570
- Email Address
- info@hofburg-wien.at
- Website
- www.hofburg-wien.at
- Transport
- U-Bahn to Herrengasse; tram D, J, 1 or 2 to Burgring; bus 2A or 3A to Hofburg
- Hours
- Daily 9am to 5.30pm (until 6pm in July and August)
- Admission
- EUR9.90 (adults), EUR5.90 (children 6-18); other concessions available
Spanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is the oldest and last riding school in the world where classic dressage is still practiced in its purest form. This Institute was founded in 1572 and named for the Lipizzaner horses, which are of Spanish origin. The Imperial Court Stud was originally situated near the village of Lipizza (hence the name of the horses) but since the collapse of the Danube Monarchy in 1920 they have been bred at the Federal Stud in Styria. The horses perform their tricks in the Winter Riding School, which was commissioned by Emperor Karl VI. Performances take place between February and June, September and December but are in high demand and booked up months in advance (details on their website). The easiest way to see the horses is during their training sessions. Tickets are only available at the door, and cannot be booked in advance. Situated in the stables is the Lipizzaner Museum, which displays the history of the school.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Michaelerplatz 1
- Phone Number
- (0)1 533 9031
- Website
- www.spanische-reitschule.com
- Transport
- U-Bahn to Herrengasse, or tram D, J, 1 or 2 to Burgring
- Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm
- Admission
- Prices vary according to season, attraction and seating options; see website for details.
Karlskirche
Karlskirche is the most outstanding Baroque church in the city and its 236-foot (72m) high dome flanked by two columns forms a dramatic landmark on the Viennese skyline. The church was commissioned by Emperor Charles VI after the Black Plague that swept Vienna in 1713 and is dedicated to the patron saint Charles Borromeo who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. The lavishly decorated interior includes frescoes and visitors can get a closer look by taking the elevator to the roof.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Kreuzherrengasse 1
- Email Address
- kontakt@karlskirche.at
- Website
- www.karlskirche.at (German only)
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 12pm to 5.45pm
- Admission
- EUR6 (adults), free for children under 10yrs. Concessions available
Schönbrunn Palace
The magnificent Schönbrunn Palace was used as the summer residence of the Hapsburgs from the 18th century onwards. Set amongst superb gardens this vast, symmetrical structure is everything you would imagine an imperial palace to be. A tour of the palace offers visitors the chance to view the superb assortment of Baroque and Rococo State Rooms and to admire the famous ceiling frescoes of the Great Gallery and the Hall of Mirrors where Mozart once played. The vast gardens are popular with locals and tourists alike, and include a zoo, a maze and labyrinth, the Privy garden, and the Gloriette with viewing terrace. Also within the grounds, the Orangery plays host to classical concerts during the summer season.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Schönbrunner Schloss Strasse 13
- Phone Number
- (0)1 8111 3239
- Website
- www.schoenbrunn.at
- Transport
- U4 to Schönbrunn station, trams 10 or 58, bus 10A
- Hours
- Palace: daily 8.30am to 5pm (April to June, September, October); 8.30am to 6pm (July, August); 8.30am to 4.30pm (November to March). Park: daily at 6am (6.30am from November to March), closing times vary according to the season, between 5.30pm and 9pm
- Admission
- Grand Tour: EUR14.40 (adults), EUR9.90 (children 6-18). Various other tour options available
Giant Wheel
One of Vienna's most recognizable attractions, the Giant Wheel is located in a large wooded park and playground known as the Prater. It was built in 1897 by an English engineering firm and is the only one of its era still standing (the ferris wheels in Chicago, London, Blackpool and Paris have long since been destroyed). The wheel with its 15 gondolas takes twenty minutes to maneuver around and offers magnificent panoramic views of the city.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Prater 90
- Phone Number
- (0)1 729 5430
- Email Address
- info@wienerriesenrad.com
- Website
- www.wienerriesenrad.com
- Hours
- Open daily but hours vary seasonally, see website for details
- Admission
- EUR8.50 (adults), EUR3.50 (children 3-14), concessions available
Belvedere
The Belvedere consists of two splendid rococo mansions, designed in the early 18th century, which face each other across formal, sloping grounds offering excellent views over the city. From the outside it is Vienna's finest palace complex, built by Prince Eugène of Savoy (1680-1735), the famous general who saved Vienna from the advance of the Ottoman Empire. The museums in the two palaces house some of Vienna's most renowned art galleries, offering excellent examples of Austrian art from the middle ages to present day. Their displays include an unrivalled collection of paintings by Klimt as well as famous works by Schiele and Kokoschka, Renoir and Monet. The Medieval and Baroque works are presented in the Lower Palace where many rooms have been preserved in their original state.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- 27 Prinz Eugen Street
- Phone Number
- (0)1 795 570, or (0)1 79 557 134
- Email Address
- info@belvedere.at
- Website
- www.belvedere.at
- Transport
- Upper Belvedere: Tram D to Schloss Belvedere or Trams 18 or 0 to Südbahnhof; bus 13A or 69A to Südbahnhof
- Hours
- Daily 10am to 6pm
- Admission
- EUR13.50 (adult), Children free. Concessions available
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera performs a repertoire of near-one hundred operas, operettas and ballets every day from September to June. The opera house was founded in the early 18th century (it was rebuilt in 1955 after being all but destroyed in 1945) and makes for a romantic and regal setting in which to enjoy the performances. As seating tickets are not easily available, an alternative is to buy standing-room tickets, which are well priced and can be purchased on the same day (but expect long queues). The State Opera collaborates closely with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and their famous New Year concert requires advance bookings of up to one year.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Opernring 2
- Phone Number
- (0)1 51444 2250
- Website
- www.wiener-staatsoper.at
- Transport
- Take the U-Bahn lines U1, U2, U4 or the 59A bus to Karlsplatz or Oper stations
- Hours
- Guided tours are offered Tuesday to Sunday; check dates and times online or via telephone
- Admission
- Guided tour: EUR5 (adults), EUR2 (children). Opera tour and Opera museum combination ticket: EUR6.50 (adults), EUR3.50 (children). Other combinations and concessions available
St Stephen's Cathedral
The Cathedral is one of the city's most recognizable symbols and the massive south tower standing at 445 feet (136m) tall is a dominant feature on the Vienna skyline. The 343 steps can be climbed for a fantastic view over the city. St Stephan's Cathedral is the most important religious building in the city and is one of the greatest Gothic structures in Europe, and has been in a state of continual preservation and repair since its original construction in the 12th century due to fire, city sieges and bombardment. The cathedral is built of limestone and has an ornately patterned and richly colored roof covered by glazed tiles. The interior is rich in wood carvings, sculptures and paintings and has numerous chapels and altars, as well as the catacombs, which can be visited on a guided tour. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was married here, had children baptized here, and his funeral was held in the Chapel of the Cross.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Stephansplatz
- Phone Number
- Guided tours: (0)1 5155 23526
- Website
- www.stephanskirche.at
- Transport
- U-Bahn to Stephansplatz
- Hours
- Daily 6am to 10pm (from 7am on Sundays). Various guided tours take place daily.
- Admission
- Free admission to the cathedral. Cathedral Tour: EUR4.50 (adults), EUR1.50 (children)
The Albertina
The former Hofburg residence today houses one of the largest and greatest graphic art collections in the world with drawings, old master prints and modern graphic works. The museum explores the development of graphic arts since the 14th century and there are over 60,000 works on show, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Manet, Picasso and Cezanne. The Albertina is also one of the most beautiful examples of classical architecture in the world.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Albertinaplatz 1
- Phone Number
- (0)1 53483 525
- Email Address
- tourismus@albertina.at
- Website
- www.albertina.at
- Hours
- Daily 10am to 6pm (until 9pm on Wednesdays)
- Admission
- EUR 9.50 (adults), concessions available
Imperial Treasury
The Schatzkammer, located in the Hofburg Palace, houses the greatest treasury in the world spanning 1,000 years of treasures such as relics and vestments from the Austrian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. Included in the collection are the crown jewels, particularly the priceless imperial crown, which dates from 962, and is studded with precious stones, as well as the Holy Lance was thought to be the lance that pierced Jesus' side while on the cross. Also housed is the Burgundian Treasure, and treasures connected to the Order of the Golden Fleece.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Schweizer Hof
- Phone Number
- (0)1 52524
- Website
- www.khm.at/homeE107.html
- Hours
- Wednesday to Monday 10am to 6pm
- Admission
- EUR12 (adults), EUR9 (concessions)
Museum of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum)
The Fine Arts Museum across from the Hofburg Palace houses many of the art collections gathered by the Habsburgs and is one of the foremost museums of fine arts and decorative arts in the world. The magnificent building is crowned with a 197-foot (60m) high dome, while the inside is sumptuously decorated with marble, gold leaf and stucco ornaments, a fitting home to the formidable artistic treasures collected over the centuries. The collections range from Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman relics to medieval art, and Renaissance and Baroque paintings. The museum faces the Natural History Museum across the Maria-Theresian Platz, which has an identical exterior.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Maria-Theresian Platz
- Phone Number
- (0)1 52524
- Website
- www.khm.at
- Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm (until 9pm on Thursdays)
- Admission
- EUR12 (adults), EUR9 (concessions)
Haus der Musik
The House of Music is an interactive, high-tech discovery museum devoted to music and is located in the former Palais of Archduke Charles. Four floors take visitors past the music and memorabilia of the great composers who lived in Vienna, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Schubert; discover the top musicians of today; and explore the future of music on computers. Conduct an orchestra, listen to what an unborn child hears in the womb or paint a musical picture. The museum was awarded top prize for its innovative design and allows visitors to experience music using the senses of sight, sound, touch and hearing.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Seilerstätte 30
- Phone Number
- (0)1 51648
- Email Address
- info@hdm.at
- Website
- www.hdm.at
- Transport
- Underground to Karlsplatz or Stephansplatz
- Hours
- Daily 10am to 10pm
- Admission
- EUR10 (adults), EUR5.50 (children 3-12); other concessions available
Austrian National Library
Situated in the Hofburg Palace, the royal library of the Habsburgs dates from the 14th century and is among the oldest and finest libraries in the world. The six million items stored in the library include papyri, manuscripts, ancient and rare books, maps, globes, portraits, music, photographs and graphics. The Grand Hall is a palatial room topped by a dome, designed in the Baroque style, and is decorated with statues and exquisite frescoes and is regarded as one of the most beautiful library rooms in the world.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Josefplatz 1
- Phone Number
- (0)1 53410-444
- Website
- www.onb.ac.at
Natural History Museum
The impressive Natural History Museum is sited within a neo-Renaissance building that is identical from the outside to the Fine Arts Museum opposite. It is the third largest natural history museum in the world and has some of the oldest exhibits, including early Stone Age artifacts. Visitors can travel through the planet's history ranging from the diversity of nature to the origins of culture.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Maria-Theresien Platz
- Phone Number
- (0)1 521770
- Website
- www.nhm-wien.ac.at
- Hours
- Thursday to Monday 9am to 6.30pm, Wednesday 9am to 9pm
- Admission
- EUR10 (adults), EUR5 (children 5-14)
Wiener Prater
This large public park is a great place for families to enjoy a day in the sunshine. Stroll along the Hauptallee where chestnut trees line the way, or visit the Planetarium and the Prater Museum, both located inside the park. There is plenty of open space here for kids to run around.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
Vienna Woods
With beautiful tree-lined paths and exquisite scenery, the Vienna Woods are a fantastic place to go for a walk with the kids and get out into the great outdoors for some fresh air. The miles of open space is perfect for more active kids and walking or riding through this breathtaking scenery is a must for everyone.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
Minopolis City of Children
Minopolis is Europe's first theme park featuring a city that was specifically designed for children with buildings, doors, cars, etc reduced to children's size. Children can pretend to be adults and go about their daily life in the city if Minopolis working as whatever their hearts desire - a journalist, fire-fighter, policeman, doctor or dentist. Children can discover their dream jobs in a fun and safe environment. There are over 80 professions for children to try their hand at.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Wagramer Straße 2
- Phone Number
- 0810 970 270
- Email Address
- office@minopolis.at
- Website
- www.minopolis.at
- Hours
- Open Fridays from 2pm 7pm. Saturday, Sunday, Public and School Holidays from 10am - 6pm
- Admission
- Fridays: EUR6 (adults); EUR15 (children). Other: EUR6 (adults); EUR15 (children)
House of the Sea
Boasting more than 3,500 animals, the House of the Sea (Haus des Meeres) features a terrarium where children can marvel at crocodiles and snakes, or for the more impressive creatures, the tropical seawater section features piranhas, sharks and sea turtles. The crocodile park is another attraction, while the tropical house features free-flying birds and monkeys who have free reign over everything.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Esterházypark
- Phone Number
- 587 14 17
- Email Address
- office@haus-des-meeres.at
- Website
- www.haus-des-meeres.at
- Hours
- Open daily from 9am - 6pm. Thursdays 9am - 9pm
- Admission
- EUR12.50 (adults); EUR5.90 (children)
BOGI Park
BOGI Park is Austria's largest indoor playground. Featuring a climbing volcano, quad train, a trampoline area, slides, ball pools and much more. Children will love exploring the magic cave and train rides as well as meeting other children. BOGI Park also features a restaurant where parents can unwind while the kids are at play.
- Region/City Name
- Vienna
- Address
- Gutheil-Schoder-Gasse 17
- Phone Number
- 01 23 000 00
- Email Address
- wien@bogipark.at
- Website
- www.bogipark.at
- Hours
- Open daily from 10am 7pm
- Admission
- EUR2.90 (ages 1 3 years); EUR7.90 (children 3 16 years); EUR3.90 (adults)
