Things to do in Vienna
Museums and galleries, attractions, special things to do
Tread Vienna's cobbled Innere Stadt, pausing for zigzag mosaics at gothic St Stephen's Cathedral, Habsburg treasures at palatial Hofburg and Albertina's Michelangelo originals. The Museum Quarter is best for cutting-edge art: from Warhol at the Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation to Schiele at the Leopold Museum. Need a breather? Leafy Prater, with its Ferris wheel, is a peaceful retreat and Burggarten's tropical Schmetterlinghaus flutters with butterflies. Most museums open daily 10am-6pm (until 10pm Thursday).
Museums and Galleries
Expand all1. Kunsthistorisches Museum - Royal art collection
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Treasures squirreled away during the 600-year Habsburg reign are showcased in the grand 19th-century Kunsthistorisches Museum in the Innere Stadt. Absolute highlight is the Picture Gallery sheltering Mantegna and Caravaggio masterpieces, plus an entire room of Habsburg portraits by Velázquez.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€10; concessions €7.50
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm (until 9pm Thu)
Address
Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 525 240
2. Belvedere - Baroque palace art collections
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Prince Eugene of Savoy's 18th-century summer palace, Belvedere, stands in Vienna's Landstrasse district. Formal gardens sweep up to the grand residence, crammed with medieval paintings, baroque sculpture and Schiele, Kokoschka and Monet originals. The undisputed highlight is Klimt's The Kiss.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€9.50; concessions €6-€7.50; 6-18s €3; under-5s free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Address
27, Prinz Eugen-Strasse, Vienna 1030
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 79 557 134
3. Liechtenstein Museum - Rubens art collection
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A baroque palace with landscaped gardens in Alsergrund shelters the Liechtenstein Museum. Divert your gaze from elaborate stuccowork and Johann Michael Rottmayr's frescoes to appreciate the outstanding private art collection. Works by 17th-century painter Rubens include Decius Mus Cycle.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€10; concessions €5-€8; under-3s free
Opening Hours
Fri-Mon 10am-5pm
Address
1, Fürstengasse, Vienna 1090
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 319 57 670
4. Albertina - World-class graphic art
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Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Cézanne, Warhol - the names trip off the tongue at Albertina in the Innere Stadt. The classical Habsburg palace harbours one of the world's greatest graphics collections, comprising 50,000 drawings and one million prints. Don't miss Dürer's Hare.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€9.50; concessions €8; under-6s free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm (until 9pm Wed)
Address
1, Albertinaplatz, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 534 83 0
5. Haus der Musik - Sound of music
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Futuristic exhibition, the Brain Opera, lures music buffs to Haus der Musik in the Innere Stadt. Hands-on exhibits explore Vienna's musical tradition. Conduct a virtual Vienna Philharmonic or compose a waltz. The sixth-floor café affords sweeping city centre views.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€10; concessions €8.50; under-3s free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-10pm
Address
30, Seilerstätte, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 516 48
6. Leopold Museum - Klimt and Schiele collections
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Star attraction of the Museum Quarter in Neubau is Leopold Museum, a limestone cube harbouring the former private collection of art collector, Rudolf Leopold. Works by Austrian artists like Klimt and Kokoschka are complemented by the world's largest Schiele collection.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€9; concessions €5.50
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm (until 9pm Thu)
Address
1, Museumsplatz, Vienna 1070
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 525 700
7. Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation - Picasso and Pop Art
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Towering above the Museum Quarter in Neubau, the Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation hides Austria's largest contemporary art collection. A grey lava-stone facade shelters 9,000 works from Classical Modernism to Pop Art. Highlights include Andy Warhol's Orange Car Crash.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€9; concessions €6.50; under-13s €2
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm (until 10pm Thu)
Address
1, Museumsplatz, Vienna 1070
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 525 00
Attractions
Expand all8. Holocaust Memorial - Chilling tribute
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British artist Rachel Whiteread's controversial Holocaust Memorial stands in Vienna's Innere Stadt. The surfaces of the concrete block are cast library shelves turned inside-out with the book spines hidden. Inscriptions pay solemn testament to the genocide of 65,000 Austrian Jews.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily
Address
Judenplatz, Vienna 1010
Transport
Herrengasse U-Bahn
9. Schönbrunn Palace - Royal rococo residence
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A summer retreat fit for Habsburg rulers, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Schönbrunn Palace is worth the trek to Vienna's Hietzing district. Inspired by Versailles, the residence offers rococo state apartments, manicured baroque gardens, a zoo and the Marionette Theatre.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Palace €9.50; concessions €8.50; 6-18 yrs €4.90; additional charges for other attractions
Opening Hours
Daily 8.30am-5pm (until 6pm Jul & Aug)
Address
Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse, Vienna 1130
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 8111 3239
10. St Stephen's Cathedral - Gothic spires
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Rising above Stephansplatz square, St Stephen's Cathedral's punctured spires and colourful mosaic roof are captivating. The gothic landmark with its Renaissance north tower houses Prince Eugene of Savoy's tomb. Climb the 343 steps for great vistas over the Innere Stadt.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Guided tours Mon-Sat 10.30am & 3pm; Sun 3pm (Jun-Sep also Sat 7pm)
Address
1, Stephansplatz, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 513 7648
11. Hofburg - Imperial opulence
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The Hofburg (Imperial Palace) in Vienna's Innere Stadt was a city unto itself during the Habsburg heyday, until 1918. Marvel at the opulent State Apartments and majestic Silver Collection, before learning about Austria's beloved empress in the Sisi Museum.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€9.90; concessions €8.90; 6-18s €4.90
Opening Hours
Daily 9am-5pm (until 5.30pm Jul & Aug)
Address
Kaisertor/Innerer Burghof, Michaelerkuppel, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 533 7570
12. KunstHaus Wien - Unconventional art
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An abstract chessboard facade, irregular mosaics and uneven floors bear the unmistakable hallmark of Viennese painter-architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser at KunstHaus Wien in the Landstrasse district. View the multicoloured, unruly creations of a visionary who called the straight line 'godless'.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€9; concessions €7; under-10s free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-7pm
Address
13, Untere Weissgerberstrasse, Vienna 1030
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 712 04 91
Special things to do
Expand all13. Schmetterlinghaus - Butterfly kingdom
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Set in the greenery of the Burggarten and encased in an Art Nouveau greenhouse, lies Vienna's Schmetterlinghaus, a tropical utopia of swirling colourful butterflies and rainforest. Watch out for the tremendous Atlas moth, whose wingspan can reach up to 30cm.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€5; concessions & 6-16 yrs €4; 3-6 yrs €2.50
Opening Hours
Apr-Oct Mon-Fri 10am-4.45pm, Sat & Sun 10am-6.15pm; Nov-Mar daily 10am-3.45pm
Address
Palmenhaus, Burggarten, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 533 85 70
14. Prater - Popular park area
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Leopoldstadt's green centrepiece is Prater park, a Viennese favourite for fresh air and exercise. Joggers, skaters and families love its broad avenues. Prater's icon is the Riesenrad Ferris wheel of Third Man fame: its 20-minute ride provides breathtaking city views.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free; various prices for the different attractions
Opening Hours
Daily
Address
Vienna 1020
Telephone
+43 (0) 728 0516
15. Spanish Riding School - Ultimate for horse lovers
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Dating from the 16th century, the Hofburg's Spanish Riding School in the Innere Stadt is a unique chance to admire graceful Lipizzaner stallions in action. Book tickets ahead to view the horses' morning exercises to music or a full Sunday performance.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
€20-€160 (Performances), €12; concessions €9; students & over 6 yrs €6 (Morning Exercise)
Opening Hours
Sun 11am (Performances), Tue-Sat 10am-12pm (Morning Exercises)
Address
1, Michaelerplatz, Vienna 1010
Telephone
+43 (0) 1 533 90 31
