5 days in Vienna

Day by day

1. Day 1: Schönbrunn Palace and Tiergarten Schönbrunn

   Schönbrunn Palace, Tiergarten Schönbrunn and Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum, then Prater and the Giant Ferris Wheel in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Schönbrunn Palace

      Book the first time slot, then walk up to the Gloriette and visit the maze and zoo in the afternoon. (Half a day, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Tiergarten Schönbrunn

      Enter from the palace gardens and combine the zoo with the Schönbrunn maze and children's museum. (3–4 hours, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Wiener Schnitzel

      Traditional Beisl restaurants and schnitzel specialists across the city, especially in the 1st district.

   4. Afternoon

      Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum

      Allow extra time for the Imperial Treasury, which is a separate ticket but holds some of the most important regalia in Europe. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Prater and the Giant Ferris Wheel

      Ride the Riesenrad just before sunset, then walk or cycle along the Hauptallee.

2. Day 2: Spanish Riding School and St Stephen's Cathedral

   Spanish Riding School, St Stephen's Cathedral and Kunsthistorisches Museum, then Vienna State Opera in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Spanish Riding School

      If performance tickets are sold out, book a morning exercise session or a guided tour of the stables. (1–1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      St Stephen's Cathedral

      Entry to the back of the nave is free; pay for the towers, catacomb tour or full nave only if you have time. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tafelspitz

      Classic Viennese restaurants and Beisln; a few specialise in boiled beef in many cuts.

   4. Afternoon

      Kunsthistorisches Museum

      Take coffee and cake in the café under the grand cupola, one of the most beautiful museum cafés in Europe. (3 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Vienna State Opera

      Check the official site for how standing-room tickets are sold for your date, and dress smart-casual for evening performances.

3. Day 3: Belvedere and Hundertwasserhaus

   Belvedere, Hundertwasserhaus and Albertina, then MuseumsQuartier and Leopold Museum in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Belvedere

      The gardens are free and give the classic view of the Upper Belvedere reflected in its pool. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Hundertwasserhaus

      Combine it with a walk along the Danube Canal or a ride on tram 1 to the Prater. (30 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sachertorte

      Café Sacher at Hotel Sacher, Demel on Kohlmarkt and most traditional coffee houses.

   4. Afternoon

      Albertina

      Walk out onto the terrace above the entrance for a view over the Opera and the Burggarten. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      MuseumsQuartier and Leopold Museum

      Even without a ticket, the courtyard is a free and lively place for a drink in the warmer months.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Wachau Valley and Melk Abbey

   About 1 hour by train to Melk each way. Getting there: Train to Melk, then a river boat or bus along the Danube.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Wachau Valley and Melk Abbey

      About 1 hour by train to Melk (Train to Melk, then a river boat or bus along the Danube); about 85 km.

   2. Day

      Wachau Valley and Melk Abbey

      The baroque Melk Abbey stands high above the Danube at the start of the Wachau, a UNESCO-listed stretch of river lined with terraced vineyards, apricot orchards and wine villages. Best for couples, culture and food lovers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Vienna

      Dinner: try Apple strudel.

5. Day 5: Naschmarkt and Secession Building

   Naschmarkt, Secession Building and Ringstrasse by tram, then Gürtel in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Naschmarkt

      Go on a Saturday morning for the flea market, then look at the Otto Wagner apartment buildings on Linke Wienzeile opposite. (1.5–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Secession Building

      Read the motto over the entrance — 'To every age its art, to art its freedom' — then go straight down to the Beethoven Frieze. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Apple strudel

      Coffee houses and konditoreien throughout the city; Schönbrunn's café offers strudel-making demonstrations.

   4. Afternoon

      Ringstrasse by tram

      Ride the regular trams 1 and 2 with an ordinary ticket for most of the loop, hopping off at the Parliament and City Hall. (30 minutes–2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Gürtel

      Bars and live-music clubs in the arches beneath the U6 elevated railway line.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Schönbrunn Palace, Spanish Riding School, Belvedere and Vienna State Opera before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Innere Stadt keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Leopoldstadt ($$) suits budget, families, food lovers and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 27–34 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.4 hours in December to 16.1 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Vienna
• 2 days in Vienna
• 3 days in Vienna
• 4 days in Vienna
• 7 days in Vienna

Questions travellers ask