Perfect 3 Days in Vienna For First-Time Visitors

3 days in Vienna is a good amount of time to explore the beautiful capital of Austria! Despite being the capital Vienna isn’t the biggest city, so you can see almost everything in three days!

Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. From the incredible Schonnbrun Palace to the magnificent Prater Park, there is no shortage of amazing places to check out when visiting Wien!

This Vienna itinerary will let you know the best places to visit in the city, where you should stay, the best places to eat and much more!

Vienna is a fantastic place to go for a city break in Europe. The various museums, exquisite buildings and range of events all year round make it a brilliant destination for all types of travellers!

Keep scrolling to discover what to do during our three days in Vienna!

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For more information, please see our full disclosure policy.

How to Spend 3 Days in Vienna

My Experience in Vienna

I didn’t know what to expect when I visited Vienna. My knowledge of the city revolved around the history classes I had taken in school.

I knew it was the seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburgs who ruled the empire.

That was it.

When I got to Vienna, I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting grand buildings and palaces, but I was blown away by how easy it was to move around the city and how well-laid Vienna is.

Vienna is a big city, but it doesn’t feel like one. Everything is within easy reach and the underground system makes getting around easy.

Vienna is ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world and it’s not hard to see why. The city is clean, beautiful and has lots of parks and museums to explore.

You can cycle around the city with ease and it’s not clogged with traffic as you would find on a trip to Barcelona for example.

I loved my time in Vienna and highly recommend it to anyone who is considering visiting Europe.

Its location in the centre of the continent, close to Bratislava, Budapest and Munich makes it an ideal starting point for a trip to Europe.

Vienna City Card

3 days in Vienna should be enough time to see everything the city has to offer. If you can squeeze an extra day in then I would do so. Otherwise, 3 days should suffice.

Something you should get before you go is a Vienna City Card.

The Vienna Pass gives you free, unlimited use of Vienna’s bus, metro and tram lines. Plus, you will enjoy discounts at various attractions, museums and shops across the city.

The card will make your time in Vienna much easier and cheaper too!

Day 1

Walking tour

Whenever I go to a new city the first thing I do is check into my accommodation and head out to walk around the city. I think the best way to see a new city and get a feel for it is to just walk around.

It works for me, but I understand it does not work for everyone. However, there is an alternative. You can join a walking tour and see the city with the expertise of a local guide.

This way you’ll get to see why so many Vienna quotes reference the beauty of the city’s streets.

Most hostels offer free walking tours, but not all of them do. It’s worth checking this before you book your accommodation in Vienna.

Otherwise, you can book a walking tour online instead. This will allow you to get to grips with Vienna and learn a lot about the culture and history of the city!

The Hofburg

As I mentioned before, the Hofburg Palace Complex is one of the best places to visit in Vienna if you’re a culture vulture!

With so many museums to check out, you could easily spend the whole day there! The former Imperial Palace is a great place to visit after you’ve had a walk around Vienna.

If you’re a fan of horses, then a visit to the Spanish Riding School will be right up your street. You can book a guided tour, which will give you a more in-depth look at the history and workings of the school.

With so much to do in the Hofburg complex, it’s somewhere you can’t miss out on during your 3 days in Vienna!

Museums Quartier

If you haven’t had your fill of museums after visiting the Hofburg Palace complex, then the Museums Quartier is the place for you!

It’s an art complex not far from the Imperial Palace with five museums you can visit. They include the Natural History Museum, Sisi Museum and the Leopold Museum, which is a collection of modern art collected by Dr Rudolf Leopold.

You can also visit the Museum of Modern Art (Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum), which focuses on art from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Of these, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is one of many free museums in Vienna. You will have to pay to enter the others.

The Museums Quartier is not just museums though, there is much more to it than that. You can also check out numerous cafes, bars and restaurants.

Even if you’re not keen on checking out the museums, you can still walk around the quartier and soak everything in. Plus, you can get a bite to eat, or just relax in one of the cafes!

Belvedere Palace

The Belvedere Palace complex is one of the most important tourist attractions in Vienna. The palace was built during the height of the Holy Roman Empire in the 1700s for Prince Eugene to use as his summer residence.

Belvedere Palace is a fine example of baroque architecture and is split into three sections: Upper Belvedere, Lower Belvedere and Belvedere 21.

Upper Belvedere is one of the most spectacular Baroque palaces you’ll find anywhere and is now an art museum home to 800 years of Austrian art.

Lower Belvedere has art exhibitions detailing a variety of periods at what is the former residential palace, while Belvedere 21 focuses on contemporary art.

if you’re an art lover, you have to visit Belvedere Palace which is home to the world’s largest collection of pieces by Gustav Klimt, as well as showcasing many others such as van Gogh.

It’s a great way to end the first day of this 3 days in Vienna itinerary.

Day 2

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace is an incredible sight. Once you make your way into the grounds and see the palace before you, it’s hard not to be mesmerised by the scale of the place!

It’s gigantic!

My advice is to walk around the grounds before embarking on a guided tour of the actual palace, which was home to important figures in Austria’s history such as Maria Theresa and Emperor Franz Joseph.

The grounds are huge and impressive in their own right. Some of the gardens are perfectly manicured and it is a beautiful place for a stroll.

For me, visiting Schönbrunn Palace is something you have to do during your three days in Vienna.

It’s a stunning building, grandiose inside and out, and will provide you with an intriguing peek into the history of Vienna and Austria as a whole.

Hundertwasserhaus

If you’re looking for an unusual place to visit in Vienna, Hundertwasserhaus is where you should go!

It’s an apartment house built in an expressionist style by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. You won’t have seen a building like this before, so it’s worth checking it out!

The facade of the building is decorated in a variety of colours which draws your eye immediately.

Anyone who lives in the building has the right to decorate the facade around the window to their own liking, which creates some intriguing designs!

The Kunst Haus is a short walk away and worth visiting.

It has numerous exhibitions detailing Hundertwasser’s work and the building was built by the man himself.

Vienna City Hall

Vienna City Hall is the home of Vieena’s municipal administration and is a stunning building in Vienna’s historic center.

The City Hall was built in a Gothic style and has a tower which is similar to most Gothic cathedrals. A statue sits atop the tower known as the Rathausmann.

An interesting fact about the City Hall is that between 1892 and 1894 it was the tallest building in the world until it was overtaken by Milwaukee City Hall.

Vienna City Hall is big so it might be a good idea to book a tour to see it all. Otherwise, it would take a long time and you might miss out on some of the interesting historical facts about the place!

Prater

Prater is the biggest park in Vienna. It’s so big, it’s home to an amusement park! As I mentioned above, it’s a fun place to visit if you’re in Vienna during warmer months.

The giant Ferris Wheel was prominently featured in the famous film The Third Man, which starred Orson Welles.

If you’re not a fan of amusement parks, that’s ok, because there is a lot more to do!

You can visit Madame Tussauds, stroll down to the Ernst Happel Stadion and check out Austria’s national stadium, or relax in one of the numerous restaurants and cafes.

I enjoyed walking around the park and soaking everything in. It’s hard to explain how big the park is unless you’ve visited it. It’s a behemoth of a place.

There is plenty of green space to relax in and it will take you a good hour to walk from one end to another.

If you’re in Vienna on a sunny day, it’s the perfect place to relax in the afternoon sun and potentially take in a beautiful sunset.

Day 3

Vienna State Opera

Even if you’re not a fan of opera, you should still visit the Vienna Opera House.

Here’s why:

It is a beautiful opera house and even more impressive once you go inside. It’s opulent and stunning and it’s well worth going to see inside and learn more about the history of the building and opera in Vienna.

If you’re an opera fan, I would try and make your trip coincide with one of the numerous shows held at Vienna State Opera House throughout the year.

There are plenty of shows throughout the year and it would be a shame to visit Vienna and miss out if you’re a fan!

Mozarthaus

When you think of Austrians, a few people come to mind, Hitler, Schwarzenegger and Mozart. The last one is one of the most famous musicians ever and lived in Vienna for large parts of his life.

Indeed, you can visit the house where Mozart send the majority of his time in Vienna and where he wrote a lot of his music.

The building is located in Vienna’s Old Town, just a short walk from St Stephen’s Cathedral and is the only residence where Mozart lived that has survived to this day.

I’m not the biggest fan of classical music, but everyone knows who Mozart is. That’s why I recommend visiting. You will learn a lot more about his life and the music that he wrote.

St Stephen’s Cathedral

St Stephen’s Cathedral is regarded as the symbol of Vienna and is right at the heart of the city centre.

It’s an incredible building and one you can’t miss when you’re in the city. The South Tower, in particular, is prominent across the city.

St Stephen’s Cathedral is home to numerous relics such as gold stones, liturgical books and monstrances. It’s also the resting place of numerous important people such as Prince Eugene of Savoy.

A guided tour is the best way to see the cathedral and will tell all about its fascinating past and what makes the building so special.

Sigmund Freud Museum

Another famous person who spent a large majority of his life in Vienna was the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud.

The museum is located at Berggasse 19 in Vienna’s 9th district. This is where Freud lived for 48 years until he fled into exile following the Nazi annexation of Austria.

In the museum, you will find original furniture, the waiting room for his practice and a selection of antiques, autographs and first editions of work from Freud’s private collection.

If you want to learn more about one of the most influential men of the 20th century, the Freud Museum is a place you need to visit during your 3 days in Vienna!

Other Places to Visit in Vienna

• Bratislava – Bratislava is not in Vienna, it’s across the border in Slovakia. However, the two cities are very close to each other. If you’re in Vienna for more than three days, I would visit Bratislava on a day trip. You can either take a bus or book a tour and do it this way. Either way, it’s a beautiful city and it’s only an hour or two away, it would be a shame not to check it out!
• Naschmarkt Tasting Tour – The Naschmarkt is Vienna’s biggest food market. You can find a variety of food and drink here and it’s well worth a visit. If you want something more personal you can book a tasting tour which takes you to a variety of places and let you try some of the best food in the market! Click here to book your tour!
• Apple Strudel Show – Apple Strudel is a delicacy of Vieena and you’ll get to see how it’s made, take home the recipe so you can make it yourself and get to try some too! Click here to get your ticket!
• Christmas markets – Vienna is renowned for its Christmas markets, s if you fancy visiting the city during the winter, they’re a good reason to go!

Click the link below to discover more activities and tours you can do during your Vienna trip by clicking the link below:

Vienna Travel Tips

Where to stay in Vienna

As Vienna is the capital of Austria, there is no shortage of places to stay in the city.

You have a wide range of accommodation to choose from, such as budget hostels to boutique hotels in Vienna that are great places to stay. 

One decision you have to make about your stay in Vienna is where you would like to stay.

Do you want to be close to the centre near most of the major attractions, or would you prefer to stay further out?

It will be more expensive the closer to the centre you get, but it’s much easier to get around and you’re closer to all the main attractions too.

I stayed at Wombats Hostel Naschmarkt which is close to the biggest market in Vienna. It’s a great hostel!

The rooms were spacious and comfortable, while the kitchen and large communal area downstairs were brilliant for relaxing and meeting other travellers.

I’ve included it and several hostels you should consider staying at during your trip to Vienna in the table below.

Accommodation	Description	Link
JOE&JOE Vienna	Lots of activities at this hostel with nice rooms. Great place to stay if you’re looking to meet new people.	Book Now
Wombat’s City Hostel Vienna Naschmarkt	Great hostel close to the centre and next to the Naschmarkt. Nice vibe and spacious rooms.	Book Now
St Christopher’s Vienna	Located in the Favoriten district, this hostel has clean and comfortable rooms and a bar downstairs.	Book Now

Cost of Travel in Vienna

One of the good things about visiting Vienna is that it isn’t the most expensive city in Europe. However, it isn’t the cheapest either.

The city lies in the affordable range of cities in Europe. Most travellers will be comfortable in Vienna, but if you want to splurge, you’ll find the city starts to become more expensive.

Tours, museum tickets and eating at certain restaurants can stretch your budget.

My advice is to know what places you want to visit beforehand and factor that into your budget.

Allow a tolerance for unexpected purchases and tours, otherwise, you should find Vienna is reasonably priced on the whole.

The following prices are for the average travel budget. That is someone who is not going to splurge, but someone who will not be travelling on an ultra-frugal budget either.

They don’t include prices for extras such as nights out at a bar/pub, club entry fees, souvenirs/clothing purchases, tours. etc. You will have to budget extra for these purchases as they are ‘non-essential!’ 

Here’s a rough breakdown of essential travel costs for this Vienna itinerary:

Check out XE.com for the latest exchange rates between your currency and Euro (€).

Best Time to Visit Vienna

If you want to enjoy Vienna to its fullest, visiting during the summer months is best. You get more hours of sunlight and better weather. April to September are the optimal months to visit Vienna.

If you visit during winter, the temperatures plummet. It’s uncommon for the mercury to dip below zero. However, there are a few benefits to visiting at this time of the year.

One is that there will be fewer tourists to contend with. This is always a good thing and that means that prices tend to be cheaper too.

Another reason is that if you visit before the 25 December, you will get to experience the Christmas markets in Vienna that pop up around the city at that time.

They are magical and you often feel like you have been transported to a winter wonderland.

If you’re planning on visiting Vienna during winter, my advice would be to plan your trip to coincide with the markets.

Otherwise, you will be experiencing Vienna in the cold without anything unique happening.

Overall, the best time to visit Vienna is from the beginning of Spring to the end of summer.

May to September are good months to visit. But, it is subjective and comes down to your preferences when travelling.

How to Get Around Vienna

One of the best things about Vienna is that it’s a very walkable city. You can see most of the main attractions in the city centre off the back of your own two feet.

Things do get a bit more complicated if you want to visit Schonnebrun Palace, which is a bit outside of Vienna’s historic center.

I walked there and back in two hours, so if you really want to it’s accessible by foot.

If walking isn’t your thing, I would take advantage of the fantastic transport network in Vienna. Buses, trams and trains operate throughout the city and make getting around a breeze.

A single ticket costs €2.40, however, you can get an all-day ticket for €7.60, which is a better option. This ticket can be used on all buses, trams and trains.

You can also purchase a Vienna City Card, which gives you discounted travel for the length of your trip. It also provides you with free travel from the airport!

Another option is to use one of the many Lime scooters dotted about the city. All you have to do is download the app, connect your card, scan the scooter and you’re away!

With lots of cycle lanes in Vienna, they are a great way to quickly navigate the centre of the city.

To get to Vienna airport, you want to take either the express CAT (City Airport Train) or the slower S7 line.

Tickets cost €11 one way for the CAT and €4.20 for the S7. It’s important to note that the CAT only operates from Vienna Mitte station.

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking For More Travel Guides?

3 Days in Salzburg – One of the most beautiful cities in Austria is Salzburg and it’s worth checking out after you’ve been to Vienna!

3 days in Prague – Another one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Prague is a good place to visit after you’re finished in the Austrian capital!

3 days in Berlin – Why not check out the German capital after you’ve visited Vienna?

3 days in Rome – Rome is another city with lots to see from a historical perspective.

Need Travel Insurance?

SafetyWing offers coverage that will give you peace of mind while you’re on the road. If you want to protect yourself while you’re on the road, then click the image to take a look at the options available to you.

Pin For Later