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Top Itineraries

Day One

Stephansdom & the Historic Centre

Start your day with a visit to Stephansdom, taking a stroll through the interior of the church and admiring the Domschatz cathedral treasures. For a bird’s-eye view of Vienna, climb the cathedral south tower to the platform. Alternatively, take in one of the other cathedral sights, such as the Katakomben (catacombs). Use the rest of the morning to stroll the narrow streets around the cathedral.

Lunch Deli food and a glass of wine at Zum Schwarzen Kameel (Click here).

The Hofburg & Around

Make your way along Graben and Kohlmarkt to the Hofburg, where one of the nicest things to do is simply to wander through and soak up the grandeur of this Habsburg architectural masterpiece. Choose one or two of the museums here, such as the Kaiserappartements.

Dinner Restaurant Herrlich (Click here): traditional but classy Viennese cuisine.

The Museum District & Neubau

Especially on a warm summer evening, this public space framed by historic and contemporary architecture is great for people-watching and enjoying an outdoor drink. Stroll off the drink on floodlit Maria-Theresian-Platz or behind the MuseumsQuartier in cobblestone Spittelberg.

Itineraries

Day Two

The Museum District & Neubau

After sniffing morning air and perhaps a coffee kick-start in the MuseumsQuartier, cross the road to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where you can plan on spending a whole morning.

Lunch Head back into the MuseumsQuartier or deeper into Neubau.

The Museum District & Neubau

After several hours of grand masters, the afternoon is a good time to change artistic direction and explore at least one of the museums in the MuseumsQuartier. The light, bright Leopold Museum is a good choice. MUMOK will be a complete contrast, with works that shock (and some consider shocking). Take time again to relax, either by strolling to Café Sperl between museums or resting up in the MuseumsQuartier itself.

Dinner Motto am Fluss (Click here): hip lounge ambience on the Danube Canal.

Stephansdom & the Historic Centre

It’s hard to pull yourself away from the post-dinner cocktail lounge at Motto am Fluss but explore the streets and bar scene in the evening in the centre, also hitting architectural delights such as Loos American Bar or Kruger’s American Bar.

Itineraries

Day Three

Schloss Belvedere to the Canal

Plan on spending the whole morning here, dividing your time between the galleries and strolling along the clean lines of Schloss Belvedere’s French-style gardens. Lower Belvedere is a palatial temple to the gentry augmented by galleries for temporary exhibitions, while a walk through Upper Belvedere takes you through a who’s who of Austrian art.

Lunch Meierei im Stadtpark (Click here) for possibly Austria’s best goulash.

Prater & East of the Danube

After the opulence and art of Schloss Belvedere, the tone is somewhat lower in the Prater, Vienna’s playground of woods, meadows and – with the Würstelprater – sideshow attractions. The crowd screamer here, however, is the Ferris wheel, which takes you up into the lofty heights of Leopoldstadt.

Dinner An eatery around Karmelitermarkt or nearby in Leopoldstadt.

Prater & East of the Danube

Leopoldstadt is not overflowing with drinking and nightlife options, but it has a fair sprinkling you can relax in. It’s also home to the Pratersauna, one of the city’s better clubs.

Itineraries

Day Four

Schloss Schönbrunn & Around

Take a tour and walk in the grounds of Schloss Schönbrunn, not forgetting to detour to Gloriette, with magnificent views over the palace grounds toward the city. In warm weather, loiter and stroll at leisure through the grounds and take side trails; otherwise, limit outdoor meanderings to highlights.

Lunch This is a good chance to head to the Naschmarkt (Click here).

Karlsplatz & Around Naschmarkt

From Naschmarkt stroll to the Karlskirche and take the lift into the dome where there’s a stunning fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr. On reaching the upper landing stage, take the steps up the scaffolding to the top viewing platform. After the Karlskirche, you might feel like a coffee in the Cafe Drechsler, with its off-beat buzz and design interior.

Dinner An eatery in Margareten’s Schlossquadrat, like Silberwirt (Click here).

Karlsplatz & Around Naschmarkt

Each of Vienna’s Vorstädte (inner suburbs between the Ringstrasse and the Gürtel) has a character of its own, and the two districts Margareten (the 5th district) and Mariahilf (the 6th), both flanking the trickling Wien river, offer plenty of nightlife and drinking opportunities. Stroll, explore, sip and enjoy.