Vienna is one of the most elegant and beautiful cities in Europe, and because of its size, it is perfect for a 2- or 3-day getaway. In this 3-day Vienna itinerary, I’ll tell you what to visit, where to stay, and share my personal recommendations so you can have an incredible trip.
Only have 2 days in Vienna? At the end of the article, I’ll tell you how to adapt this itinerary for a 48-hour getaway.
Vienna in 3 Days: Itinerary Map
Day 1 in Vienna: The Historic Center
Reservations for this day:
➜ Free walking tour of Vienna
I would dedicate the first day entirely to Vienna’s historic center. It is the most monumental area of the city and is home to several of its most important buildings.
- Vienna free tour
For this day, I recommend taking the Free walking tour of Vienna with Civitatis. This is the one I did to start my visit to the city, and it gives you a general overview of the city center and its most important buildings. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and is in english with a english-speaking guide. It passes by several of the places I’m going to mention below.
- Hofburg Palace
Hofburg Palace is one of the most important buildings in Vienna and the former residence of the Habsburgs. Rather than being a single palace, it is a huge complex made up of different buildings.
Here you can visit the former imperial apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Imperial Silver Collection. The famous Spanish Riding School is also located here.
If you are interested in the history of the Habsburgs, it is worth going inside. Otherwise, you can simply explore the exterior of the complex and its courtyards.
- Austrian National Library
Hofburg is home to one of the most beautiful places in Vienna: the Austrian National Library. Its spectacular State Hall, frescoes, and enormous globes make it look like something out of a movie. It is a short visit, but the book collection is impressive and well worth seeing.
- Streets of Vienna’s City Center
After the library, continue walking through some of the most elegant streets in the city center. You can pass through Michaelerplatz, one of Vienna’s most recognizable squares, and continue towards Kohlmarkt and Graben.
On Graben, you’ll find the famous Plague Column, a monument dedicated to the Holy Trinity, built after the great plague.
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Anker Clock
Very close by is a stop that doesn’t require much time. This Art Nouveau-style clock is located on Hoher Markt, and every hour a historical figure appears in the clock mechanism. If you want to see the parade of all the figures, try to be there at noon, when the full show takes place.
- St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Continue to Stephansplatz, where you’ll find the impressive St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom), one of Vienna’s great symbols. If you visit Vienna at Christmas, one of the city’s Christmas markets is held here.
You can enter the main area of the cathedral for free, although there are also tours and tickets to access the towers and catacombs. If you want a panoramic view of Vienna, consider climbing one of the towers.
- Vienna State Opera
After lunch, continue towards the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper), one of the city’s great cultural symbols.
You can simply admire it from the outside or take a guided tour of the interior. And if you love opera, you can also get tickets to a performance.
- Café Sacher
Right next to the Vienna Opera House is Café Sacher, one of the city’s most famous and iconic cafés. It is especially known for its Sachertorte, a chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam.
☕ My experience: I visited Vienna during Christmas, and the line to get into Café Sacher was incredibly long. We waited for about 30 minutes and it was barely moving. It was also cold and raining, so eventually we got tired of waiting.
But we found an alternative: right next to the café there is a shop that sells Sacher products, including the cake in different sizes to take away. We bought one, they gave us forks, and we were able to eat it outside, where there are a few high tables. It wasn’t the most comfortable experience in the world, but at least we got to try the famous Sacher without waiting in an endless line.
And to be completely honest: it’s not one of my favorite cakes, and personally, I don’t think it’s worth waiting in a very long line or paying considerably more simply to sit in the café. But this is very subjective, and I completely understand if you want to visit such an iconic place in Vienna.
Day 2 in Vienna: Schönbrunn + Monumental Vienna
Reservations for this day:
➜ Schönbrunn Palace Guided Tour
- Schönbrunn Palace
The second day starts outside the historic center to visit one of the must-see places on any trip to Vienna: Schönbrunn, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs.
The palace is huge, and so are its gardens, so you’ll be there for several hours. I recommend taking a guided tour in to learn about its history.
If you travel during Christmas, one of the most important Christmas markets is held here. One of the best panoramic viewpoints is the Gloriette, located at the top of the hill opposite the palace.
- St. Charles Church
From Schönbrunn, head back to the center of Vienna directly to Karlsplatz, where you’ll find the spectacular Karlskirche, or St. Charles Church. It is one of the most striking examples of Baroque architecture in Vienna.
- Ringstrasse
From Karlsplatz, you can continue walking along the Ringstrasse, the large circular boulevard that surrounds the historic center. Here you’ll see some of Vienna’s most monumental buildings, such as the Opera House, Parliament, City Hall, and the University of Vienna.
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Rathausplatz and Vienna City Hall
Continue along the Ringstrasse towards the Rathaus, Vienna City Hall. It is one of the most incredible buildings in the city, and you can also visit the interior for free. Information is available on the city hall website.
The most important Christmas market in Vienna takes place in Rathausplatz. All the information is available in my article about Christmas in Vienna.
- MuseumsQuartier
If you have time left, you can finish the route at the MuseumsQuartier, a huge cultural complex housed in the former imperial stables. Here you’ll find several museums, restaurants, cafés, and outdoor spaces.
If you are interested in art, you can visit the Leopold Museum, famous for its collection of Austrian art.
Day 3 in Vienna: Hundertwasser, Prater & Belvedere
- Hundertwasserhaus
Start the day at the Hundertwasserhaus, one of the most unusual buildings in Vienna. It was designed by artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and is characterized by its colorful façades and irregular shapes.
A few minutes away on foot is the Kunst Haus Wien, another project related to Hundertwasser. If you are interested in his work, you can visit the museum to learn more about his work.
- Prater
Continue walking towards the Prater, one of Vienna’s most famous parks.
The best-known part is Wurstelprater, a very old amusement park where you’ll find the famous Riesenrad, Vienna’s giant Ferris wheel, which opened in 1897. Riding the Ferris wheel is one of the city’s most classic experiences and offers great panoramic views.
- Belvedere Palace
To finish the day, I recommend visiting Belvedere Palace. The complex consists of two Baroque palaces surrounded by gardens and houses an important collection of Austrian art.
The star attraction is The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, one of the most famous paintings in the world. If you are interested in art, I recommend going inside the museum. If not, you can visit the gardens and enjoy the exterior of the palace.
Only have 2 days in Vienna?
If your trip is only 48 hours, I wouldn’t try to do exactly this itinerary at full speed.
My recommendation would be:
Day 1: Hofburg + National Library + St. Stephen’s Cathedral + historic center + Opera House + Café Sacher.
Day 2: Schönbrunn in the morning + Ringstrasse + Parliament + MuseumsQuartier.
I would leave Prater, Hundertwasserhaus and Belvedere for a future trip.
Where to stay in Vienna
The best area to stay in Vienna is the historic center (Innere Stadt) or the nearby neighborhoods, as you’ll be able to walk to most of the attractions.
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- Superbude Wien Prater: During my trip I stayed at this hotel and highly recommend it. It is a modern hotel, with lots of design and very original and fun décor. It is located next to the Prater, which is an area a little far from the historic center but well connected by public transportation. I liked it because it is a quieter area. Click here to see prices for Superbude Wien Prater
- Hotel Rathauspark Wien: if you prefer to stay in a more central area, this hotel is an excellent option. It is located just a few minutes from Vienna City Hall. Click here to see prices for Rathauspark Wien
- The Leo Grand: Its location is hard to beat, as it is just a few meters from St. Stephen’s Cathedral, allowing you to explore much of the city center and the main attractions on foot. Click here to see prices for The Leo Grand
Other useful guides about Europe:
- Christmas in Vienna
- Things to do in Budapest in 3 days
- Things to do in Dublin in 3 days
- What to see in Barcelona in 3 days
- What to see in London in 4 days
- How to spend 2 days in Amsterdam
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