Sight guide · Vienna · Austria
Visiting Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum
The Habsburgs' winter palace grew over six centuries into a city within the city.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag, CC BY-SA 3.0 at
Quick answer
Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum is a palace in Innere Stadt, Vienna. Allow 2–3 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Palace
- Area
- Innere Stadt
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, rainy day and architecture
- Best months
- May–July
About Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum
The Habsburgs' winter palace grew over six centuries into a city within the city. One ticket covers the Imperial Silver Collection, the Sisi Museum about Empress Elisabeth and the Imperial Apartments of Franz Joseph and Sisi. Elsewhere in the complex, the Imperial Treasury displays the crown of the Holy Roman Empire.
Tip: Allow extra time for the Imperial Treasury, which is a separate ticket but holds some of the most important regalia in Europe.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2–3 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Innere Stadt, the historic 1st district inside the Ring: cathedral, Hofburg and classic coffee houses.
Best time to visit Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum
Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- May: 21°C (70°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, busy crowds.
- June: 24°C (75°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, busy crowds.
- July: 26°C (79°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, very busy crowds.
When to visit Vienna has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Vienna itinerary visits Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum on day 1, together with Schönbrunn Palace, Tiergarten Schönbrunn and Prater and the Giant Ferris Wheel.
- No. 2 of the 20 sights in our Vienna things-to-do list.
- Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 4-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 5-day plan.
- Day 2 of the 7-day plan.
- One of the picks in vienna on a rainy day.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Vienna.
Near Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum
Also in Innere Stadt, so you can walk between them:
- Spanish Riding School — 1–1.5 hours, mid-priced
- St Stephen's Cathedral — 1–1.5 hours, free
- Kunsthistorisches Museum — 3 hours, mid-priced
If you like Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum
- Schönbrunn Palace — Hietzing, Half a day
- Belvedere — Landstraße, 2 hours
- Ringstrasse by tram — Ringstrasse, 30 minutes–2 hours
- Secession Building — Wieden, 1 hour
Staying near Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum
Stay in Innere Stadt ($$$$) to walk here: the historic 1st district inside the Ring: cathedral, Hofburg and classic coffee houses. All areas to stay in Vienna.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum?
Plan 2–3 hours. With Spanish Riding School nearby, it fits a half-day in Innere Stadt.
+Is Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum?
May–July, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Allow extra time for the Imperial Treasury, which is a separate ticket but holds some of the most important regalia in Europe.
+Do I need to book Hofburg Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.