Things to do in Vienna

Great things to do in Vienna

Gilded paintings and glorious classical music, a night at the opera or an evening holed up in a wine bar: a city break in Vienna has everything. There’s so much to do, you’ll be whirling around the town like a debutante at a ball.

A city of unabashed grandeur, Vienna has not forgotten its glorious past. You can travel back to its glory days by visiting the Schonbrunn and Belvedere Palaces, where every hallway whispers wealth. See the candy-bright tiles of the gothic St Stephan’s cathedral, watch well-trained Lippazaners learn to ‘dance’ at the Spanish Riding School and listen for the voices of Hofburg chapel’s extraordinary choir. Be Viennese for a few days and truly indulge yourself: when it comes to the sachertorte, you can never have enough of a good thing.

Café culture

No stay is complete without whiling away a few hours in a Viennese coffee house. The most lavish are Café Central or Café Demel. You’re served by waiters dressed up for the part and you can order a coffee served with a traditional side of whipped cream. Enjoy the sumptuous surroundings and traditional touches, like newspapers fixed on wooden reading racks.

Museums and sightseeing

Vienna’s art treasures include Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss in the Upper Belvedere. Tour the Opera House or watch the Spanish Riding School’s Lipizzaner stallions having a balletic training session. Spend a day out at the Schönbrunn Palace and stroll through the Stadtpark. The Vienna Boys’ Choir sing heavenly music in the Hofburg Chapel and Egon Schiele’s painted ladies lounge on the walls of the Leopold Museum.

Traditional Austrian cuisine

There are some classics you have to try on holidays in Vienna. Dine on Wiener Schnitzel the size of your head, with creamy potato salad or currywurst from a street vendor. Then fill up on sachertorte, strudels, and all manner of continental cakes with Genoese sponge sandwiched between cream and fruit. Then there’s classic fine dining from Restaurant Vestibül and contemporary, tasty fare from Ulrich.

Wonderful Christmas Markets

On winter evenings, follow the fairy lights to Vienna’s many Christmas markets, which sit in some of the city’s most beautiful venues, from Belvedere to Schönbrunn Palace. Under the beautiful gothic tower of the town hall you’ll find the Vienna Christmas Dream Christmas market, where you can buy everything from hot punch to vanillekipferl. Best of all, this market is next to Ice World – an enormous complex of outdoor skating rinks.