Houses of Parliament

Parliament’s foundation stone was laid in 1874 and the building was completed in 1883. Architect Theophil Edward Hansen designed the building in Greek revival style and was also responsible for the interior decoration, including statues, paintings and furniture to name a few.

It was in reference to Athens, the birthplace of democracy, that he chose Greek forms and rich decoration to adorn the building. The carvings in the pediment above the portico depict the granting of the Constitution by Franz Joseph I to the 17 peoples of Austria. Hansen was honored by Emperor Franz Joseph with the title of Freiherr (Baron) after its completion.

The famous Pallas Athena fountain in front of the main entrance, built by Hansen from 1898 to 1902, is a notable Viennese tourist attraction.

Volksgarten People's Park

Volksgarten (People's Park)is a public park, built over the city fortifications destroyed by Napoleon. Opened to the public in the 1820s, the park is famous for its rose gardens, the Theseus temple (1819-1823) by Peter von Nobile and the monument for Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary (Sissi) (1907) by Friedrich Ohmann. There are also statues of the poets Franz Grillparzer and Karl von Hasenauer

After Napoleon demolished the Burgbastei - a bastion near the imperial palace in 1809, the open space was used to create two gardens. The Burggarten was exclusively for the imperial family and the Volksgarten was made accessible to the public soon after it opened. In 1857 the garden was extended when the remaining city fortifications were torn down.

Vienna Cityhall

City Hall (Rathaus) was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by Friedrich von Schmidt and built between 1872 and 1883. Modelled on Flemish city halls, its main spire soars to 335ft (102m), with the inclusion of the pennant held by iron standard -bearer - the Rathausmann who guards the City Hall. Cast from melted-down Russian kopecks, he is 5.4m tall (3.4m without his flagpole) and weighs 650KG.

The statue of Rathausmann is similar to a knight, but in Renaissance style armour. According to rumour, the armor was inspired by the kit worn by the legendary Emperor Maximilian I, who was also called "the last knight". His armor can be seen in the Hofjagd and Rüstkammer in the nearby Hofburg.

The large and impressive City Hall occupies a Grade A site by the Ringstraße, between the Houses of Parliament and the University. It is the place where the city′s council meets and also the mayor of Vienna. Since the capital has the rank of a federal province, the council also serves as a provincial parliament and the mayor as a governor.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

St. Stephen's Cathedral is the most important religious building in Austria's capital; not only witnessing many important events in the nation's history, but also becoming one of Vienna’s most recognizable symbols.

Founded in 1137 following the Treaty of Mautern, the partially constructed Romanesque church was solemnly dedicated in 1147 to Saint Stephen in the presence of Conrad III of Germany, Bishop Otto of Freising and other German nobles. Although the first structure was completed in 1160, major reconstruction and expansion lasted until 1511 and repair and restoration projects still continue to this day.

The Cathedral has 23 bells and the largest hangs in the north tower and is officially named for St. Mary, but is usually called Pummerin (Boomer). Weighing a huge 20,130KG (44,380 pounds), it is the largest in Austria and the second largest swinging bell in Europe, after the 23,500kg (51,800 pound) Cologne Cathedral. Originally cast in 1711 from cannons from the Turkish siege, it was recast, still partly from its original metal in 1951, after hurtling to the floor when its wooden cradle burned in the 1945 fire.

The present day west wall and Romanesque towers date from 1230 to 1245. However, in 1258 a great fire destroyed much of the original building and a larger replacement structure. Reusing the two towers, it was repaired over the ruins of the old church and consecrated on 23rd April 1263. The anniversary of this second consecration is commemorated each year by a rare ringing of the Pummerin bell for three minutes in the evening.

Monument to Maria Theresa

The Maria-Theresien-Platz is a square was created in the 19th century and is named in honor of Empress Maria Theresa, whose huge monument is the centerpiece of the square. It was constructed under the lead of Kaspar von Zumbusch over 13 years and revealed ceremoniously in 1888 by the presence of the Empress Sissi.

The colossal monument shows Maria Theresa seated on top of a large pedestal supported on all sides by Corinthian columns. She is holding a scroll with the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, an edict issued by Emperor Charles VI that allowed women to ascend the throne. During her 40 year reign, she reformed the school system and took care of the state affairs as well as her 16 children. She insisted on educational reforms for her citizens and funded the interests of her husband, a serious amateur scientist. The collections they amassed became the foundation of the Natural History Museum.

The Empress is surrounded by some of her closest advisors, including four of her generals. Von Daun, von Khevenhüller, Traun and von Laudon are shown on horseback. Von Kaunitz, the chancellor of state, Van Swieten, her physician, Liechtenstein, director of the artillery forces and count von Haugwitz, who reformed the economy and strengthened central authority are shown standing near the pedestal.

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace is the former summer residence of the imperial family. Since its completion in 1780 during the reign of Maria-Theresia, the palace was the favorite residence of the Habsburg monarchs.

Schönbrunn means ‘Beautiful Spring’, deriving from an artesian well where water was consumed by the court. Once a floodplain, it became a designated hunting area before turning into a full time residence.

Between 1945 and 1955, Schönbrunn Palace, which had been lying empty, became the Headquarters for the British Military Garrison in Vienna. In 1961 it hosted the historical meeting between President Kennedy and Khrushchev.

The great maze in Schönbrunn took over 40 years to complete and has 4 parts to it.

Public transport in Vienna (Wiener Linien) is represented by electric trains (S-Bahn), subway lines (U-Bahn), trams (Strassenbahn) and buses (Autobus). All types of transport run strictly according to schedule. The names of each station in any mode of transport are announced loudly and clearly, and all other modes of transport to which the passenger can transfer at stops are also listed.

The doors of buses and trams in Vienna do not open automatically. To enter or exit the vehicle, you need to press the large button next to the door. In trains and the subway, the doors also open in a certain way: when the cars stop at the station and the sound of steam being released is heard, you need to sharply pull the door handle to the side. Such doors close automatically. Next, we will try to understand the public transport system in Vienna.

Tickets and travel cards

Vienna's transport network is a very simple and accessible system. Single tickets are valid for all types of public transport. Absolutely any ticket, with the exception of annual and discounted tickets, can be purchased from special machines in the metro, at Wiener Linien ticket offices or on the official website, through the Wiener Linien mobile application, available for Andriod and iOS, in Tabak Trafik tobacco shops, directly from the driver (but this expensive).

Don’t be afraid to purchase tickets through machines; they will give you change if necessary. Experienced travelers do not recommend buying tickets directly on the transport, as in some cases this may result in problems with the ticket inspector. You should definitely take care of purchasing a ticket before boarding the transport, especially since it is not at all difficult.

It is worth considering that the territory of the city is divided into. Provided that you are traveling within the same zone, you need to purchase 1 ticket for 1 trip. If you are traveling from one zone to another, you will have to buy 2 tickets (1 ticket for each zone). For convenience, there are different types of travel cards and unlimited travel, and the tourist center of Vienna, fortunately, is located in the same zone (No. 100).

Types of tickets and travel cards:

Einzelfahrschein/Einzelkarte/1 Fahrt WIEN - ticket for one trip, valid within one zone. With this ticket you can change trains without interrupting your trip. In vending machines and kiosks the ticket costs 2.40 euros, and if you buy a ticket already in transport, it will cost 2.60 euros. The validity of the ticket begins from the moment of composting.
Einzelfahrschein "1 Fahrt WIEN Senioren" - discounted ticket for one trip for people over 63 years of age. Price - 1.50 euro.
Einzelfahrschein "1 Fahrt WIEN ermäßigt" - discount ticket for one trip for a child, a pet or a bicycle (only on the train). Price - 1.20 euro (1.40 euro- if purchased already in transport). Children under 6 years old are entitled to free travel. The discounted ticket applies to children from 6 to 15 years old. Children under 15 years of age have free travel on Sundays, school holidays and public holidays. The half-price discount ticket is valid for travel on the metro and electric trains up to 2 stops, and on trams and buses - up to 3 stops. To find out within which zones the ticket is valid, you need to pay attention to the traffic diagrams posted at stops and in salons. These schemes consist of route segments that include several stops. On these segments, in fact, the ticket is valid. In all other respects it is completely identical to the full price Einzelfahrschein ticket.

1 Tag WIEN is a 1-day ticket, the validity of which is limited from the date of purchase until 01:00 the next day. This ticket can only be purchased through the mobile application. Price - 5.80 euros.
24/48/72 Stunden WIEN - unlimited ticket, valid for 24/48/72 hours respectively. The validity of the ticket begins from the moment of composting. Cost: 24 hours – 8 euros, 48 hours - 14.10 euro, 72 hours - 17.10 euro.
8-Tage-Klimakarte - a ticket for those who use Viennese transport irregularly. It consists of 8 travel tickets for any 8 days, not necessarily consecutive. It is also a card with stripes, each of which must be validated during the next trip. This ticket is also suitable for a group of passengers up to 8 people. Its cost - 40.80 euros.
Wochenkarte is a weekly pass for all types of Viennese public transport. Valid from 00:00 on any Monday until 9:00 on the following Monday. The price of such a ticket is 17.10 euro.

You can watch a video on how to purchase and validate tickets on public transport in Vienna.

The purchased ticket must be validated in special machines at bus stops and stations. When purchasing a ticket directly at a public transport salon, you do not need to validate the ticket, as it is activated automatically.

Mobile applications of the official carrier Wiener Linien are also available, with which you can track transport, purchase tickets and much more. The service is available for iOS and Android.

Tourist passes in Vienna:

For the convenience of travelers, the Wien-karte mobile application is available for Android and iOS.

The fine for traveling without a ticket on Vienna public transport is 105 euros(if you pay immediately). If paid within 14 days of receiving the fine, the amount increases to 115 euros. If you pay the fine after 14 days, you will have to pay 145 euros.

Searching for public transport from the official carrier VOR will help you build the optimal route.

The ÖBB network currently serves 10 S-Bahn lines passing through Vienna. On the official website you can track the schedule and see S1, S2, S3, S4, S7, S40, S45, S50, S60, S80.

There are also audio guides in 8 different languages (including Russian). At stops marked with the Ring Tram symbol, the exact departure time is indicated. The tram operates on a hop on/hop off principle: by purchasing a special ticket, passengers have the opportunity to get on and off at any stop.

Ticket prices:

Full trip on Ringstraße: no disembarkation possible, duration 30 minutes - 9 euros adult, 4 euros children (up to 15 years old). Children under 3 years old without a separate seat ride for free.
Adult ticket for tram hop on/hop off Vienna Sightseeing Tours + walking tour - 30 euros adult and 21 euros- children (from 3 to 14 years).
Wiener Linien tickets on the Vienna Ring Tram are not valid!

You can purchase tickets at the Vienna State Opera (at the Vienna Sightseeing Tours customer service center), at the Schwedenplatz stop from a company employee, or by ordering.

Advice for tourists: You can ride a rented bicycle for free. You can bypass the system by spending just 1 euro on registration. So, we take a bike, prepare a map with rental points in advance and return the bike 5 minutes before the end of each hour. We rest for 10-15 minutes in a nearby cafe. We rent a bike again.

The fine system in Vienna is quite serious and can take a significant toll on your wallet. For example, according to official data from the government portal, driving a vehicle while intoxicated is punishable by a fine of 800 to 5900 euros depending on the severity of the condition.

The Sputnik project invites you to bus tours of Vienna in Russian. Sightseeing tours of the city in comfortable transport are a unique opportunity to see the architectural image of the Austrian capital, hear interesting historical facts, and receive comprehensive information to answer questions.

Sights of Vienna - bus tours

Comfortable transport for tourists is equipped with audio guides. Hop on Hop off bus tours have 15 stops. You can get off, see the sights and get back on any of the following buses. A sightseeing trip will help you decide and choose a tour of Vienna to explore a certain place on your own.

What architectural structures open during a bus trip around Vienna:

Museums on Maria Theresa Square;
Vienna Opera;
Imperial residence Hofburg;
University of Vienna;
City Hall;
Austrian Parliament building;
Historical monuments and churches on Schwedenplatz.

Ticket prices start from €35. Using the route map, you can determine the most attractive places for yourself. The main attractions of the Austrian capital are concentrated in the central part of the city. Buses run every 15 minutes.

Show full description

When you book this excursion, you will receive a voucher for an additional 10% discount on purchases at Designer Outlet Parndorf (30 minutes from Vienna) and Designer Outlet Salzburg (in Salzburg).

An interesting and educational tour of Vienna for connoisseurs. During this short trip you will see all the main attractions of the Austrian capital.

On the Ringstrasse boulevard ring, all possible architectural styles will parade in front of you: the imperial residence of the Hofburg and the palaces of the “new aristocrats” of the 19th century, the “twin museums” - the history of art and natural history, the Parliament and the City Hall, the State Opera in Vienna, the Imperial Burgtheater, as well as the Baroque Karlskirche and the Viennese Secession - witnesses to the history and glory of the Danube Monarchy.

Next, the tour follows the embankment of the Danube Canal in Vienna, where one of the most original residential buildings in Europe is hidden - the so-called Hundertwasserhaus, created by the Austrian artist and architectural dissident Friedensreich Hundertwasser. To the side of the historical center lies the Prater Park, beloved by everyone who lives in Vienna, over whose crowns the red carriages of the Riesenrad Ferris wheel have floated, swaying and creaking with old wood, for more than a hundred years. The excursion will continue on the northern bank of the Danube - albeit beautiful, but, alas, not at all blue. UNO-City lives its own dynamic life - with the UN headquarters and skyscrapers reflecting the Danube waves.

The last point on the excursion route will be the former summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty - the Schönbrunn palace complex with its beautiful park, where you will have the opportunity to stay and independently explore the palace from the inside, visit the zoo and other attractions of Schönbrunn.

Vienna is one of the most beautiful European cities. Lush mansions and palaces, green parks, cozy cafes, national dishes, opera, shopping - everyone will find something for themselves here. In addition, Vienna is a very convenient city for independent travel, as it has an excellent tourist infrastructure. We tell you how to organize a trip to Vienna on your own, what to consider when planning your trip, and how to get the most pleasure and benefit from visiting Vienna!

Visa to Austria on your own

To visit Vienna you need a Schengen visa. For tourist trips to Austria, as a rule, a visa category C is issued - for tourism, transit through Austria, and for other short-term visits.

To obtain a visa, you need to collect the necessary documents, pay a consular fee (35 euros), and if the visa is issued through an official visa center (which is very convenient), then also a service fee. The list of current documents and the amount of fees should be checked on the website of the embassy or official visa center. There you can download a form to fill out and sign up to submit documents.

Official visa centers operate in Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Ufa, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Omsk, Saratov, Murmansk, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Kazan, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar, Kaliningrad, Perm.

How to get to Vienna

There are several ways to get to Vienna on your own. Choose the most convenient and suitable for you:

Airplane

It's fast (2.20-3 hours from Moscow) and sometimes quite cheap (it's worth keeping an eye on the discounts offered by various airlines). The plane arrives at Schwechat Airport, the largest in Austria, from where the center of Vienna can be reached in 20 minutes.

Check availability of flights for the dates you need:

Train

A much less fast, but quite comfortable form of transport. There are trains from Moscow to Nice and Prague, which will take travelers to Vienna in an average of 1 day and 4 hours. The cost of tickets in this case is much higher than on an airplane, because it is more difficult to “catch” discounts or sales. The train arrives at Vienna Central Station (Wien Hauptbanhof).

If you are traveling not only to Vienna, but also to other European cities, then using the train is even more convenient - railway connections between European countries are well developed. For example, Vienna is easily accessible by train from Prague, Budapest, Bratislava.

Check the schedule and cost of train tickets to Vienna:

Bus

You can also get to Vienna by bus! True, this is not the most convenient option, since such a trip lasts about two days and usually requires a transfer, although the buses are very comfortable. For example, Ecolines buses run from Moscow, which will take you to Vienna in 48.5 hours and approximately 6,000 rubles (one way), with a transfer in Riga.

When traveling by bus, you can combine movements - for example, get to a certain point on the map, and then transfer to an electric train or train and move on.

To Vienna by car

Everything is clear with this point - sit down and drive using the GPS navigator's prompts. But do not forget to prepare the necessary documents, which include a visa and a Green Card (insurance) covering Austria. In addition, in this country it is necessary to have a reflective vest in the car - without it you cannot leave the car on the highway.

If you are not ready to take a personal car on a trip to Europe, you can rent a car. This can be done immediately upon arrival in Vienna, at the airport. This makes sense if you plan to explore the surrounding area and actively travel by car in Austria and, possibly, neighboring countries. If your goal is only Vienna, it is better to explore it on foot.

You can view car rental options in Austria.

Where to stay in Vienna

The Austrian capital is a rather expensive city to live in. Especially if you want to live in the very center. A little further from the center - in the second and third districts, a little cheaper, and the third district borders the twenty-second - a residential area, where housing is even cheaper.

When choosing an area, it is worth considering how you will get to the main attractions. If time allows and you are ready to actively use transport, you can save money by choosing a hotel away from the historical center. If you come to Vienna for a short period of time, look for places within walking distance from the main “interests” - in this case you will not waste precious time on travel.

A visit to Vienna is often combined with trips to neighboring cities (Budapest, Prague, Bratislava, etc.) If you have planned a complex route around Europe, we advise you to check in advance which train station (or metro / bus station) in Vienna you will arrive at and from which station you will depart to your next destination. In some cases, it is very convenient to stay close to this station so as not to waste extra time and money on transport.

Vienna hotels on the map

Transport in Vienna

The Austrian capital has one of the most convenient transport systems in the world. You can get around the city by metro, buses, trams, as well as the S-Bahn.

Public transport operating hours are from 5 a.m. to midnight. But even at night there are special night buses with the letter N in the designation. They run from 0.30 to 5 am on the main routes.

How to get to Vienna from the airport yourself

This is an important question, especially for an inexperienced tourist. But the transport system in Vienna is excellent - there are several convenient ways. Choose the most suitable one for you!

Electric trainCity-AirportTrain (CAT)

Vienna Airport Lines Bus

Costs €8 (round trip ticket €13). Buses depart from the arrival terminal and follow several routes. The bus takes you to various destinations, including the Town Hall, Westbanhof Station, Schwedenplatz Station and many more.

You can check the schedule and purchase a ticket.

S-Bahn (city rail)

The city train is the cheapest transfer from Vienna airport; a ticket costs only €3.90. From the airport there is the S7 train, which takes you to the city center, Landstrasse/Wien Mitte station in 25 minutes, or the RJ line, which takes you to the Central Station (Wien Hauptbanhof) in just 15 minutes.

You can check the schedule and purchase a ticket online on the official website (the service is available in English or German).

Airport shuttle to Vienna

Another convenient option to organize a trip from the airport to your hotel in Vienna is to book a shuttle bus through (from €16). It is convenient for independent travelers (especially not very experienced ones) for several reasons:

You can book a trip in advance, even before the trip;
booking is available in Russian;
the bus will take you directly to the hotel, and not to the public transport stop.

Get to Vienna by taxi

The most expensive way to get to Vienna on your own, but you have to pay for comfort. A trip from the airport to the center will cost about 40 euros. You can order a taxi in advance on specialized websites, for example, on such as Red Cab. In this case, you can save money. There is no need to worry that if your flight is late there will be problems with the transfer - the service itself tracks your flight and delivers a taxi at the right time.

If you speak neither German nor English, and do not want to deal with the intricacies of the transport system, and at the same time do not want to overpay taxi drivers waiting at the airport, you can order a transfer from the airport (or to the airport) through a special service. Reservations are available in Russian.

How to get around the city

Public transport: metro (U– Bahn), buses (Autobus) and trams (Strassenbahn)

The main (and most popular) types of public transport in Vienna are subject to a single citywide ticket. Depending on your goals, plans and intensity of travel, choose the best travel ticket option:

Disposable (Einzelfahrschein)– allows you to move only in one direction, but at the same time make transfers to other modes of transport (without interrupting the trip). Price – 16.20 euros.

Travel cards for 24, 48 or 72 hours (24 / 48 / 72 Stunden)– are valid for the specified time from the moment you first punched it. A ticket for a day costs 7.60 euros, for 48 hours – 13.30 euros, for 72 hours – 16.50 euros.

Day ticket (Wiener Einkaufskarte)– valid during the day, from 8 am to 8 pm, and only from Monday to Saturday. Price 6.10 euros.

Weekly pass (Wochenkarte)– valid for a whole week, allowing you to use all types of public transport. But it is worth considering an important nuance: it is valid during the calendar week, that is, from Monday to Monday. And if you, for example, purchase it on Thursday, you will only use it until Monday.

Ticket for 8 days (8-Tage-Karte)- allows you to use transport for 8 days (not necessarily consecutive).

Discount tickets

For children under 6 years of age, travel on public transport in Vienna is free. For children from 6 to 15 years old, as well as pensioners, there is a discounted ticket.

Travel with the Vienna Card

Lucky holders of a tourist card can freely use public transport during the validity period of the card (48 or 72 hours). Read more about the Vienna Card below.

Where to buy tickets

Tickets for public transport in Vienna can be purchased from special machines at metro stations, at Tabak Trafik tobacco kiosks, as well as from the driver of the vehicle (but in this case it will cost more). The machines give out change.

If you speak German or English, you can check the schedule, prices, route options on this website.

You can also buy tickets online there.

On a note

Unlike many European cities, the metro in Vienna is very comfortable, clean and well-maintained, so travel will be quite comfortable. The metro system includes 5 lines and 109 stations.
And Vienna’s tram network is notable for being considered the longest in the world!
The doors of buses and trams in Vienna do not open automatically - you must press a button next to the door to open it. On trains and the subway, to open the door, you need to sharply pull the door handle to the side (only after the train has come to a complete stop and a special signal).

Taxi in Vienna

The most expensive way to move around the city, but you always have to pay for comfort.

CarsCar2go

A good alternative to a taxi, the price of a trip on it is on average almost two times lower. A minute of travel is €0.31, an hour is €14.91. Parking lots are scattered throughout the city, where you can either leave your car or pick it up again. The location of parking lots, the availability of parking spaces and cars are monitored on the company’s website or in the application.

Mobile applications

It is convenient for independent travelers in Vienna to call a taxi through specialized mobile applications, for example, Uber .

CityBike bicycles

If you are traveling to Vienna in the warm season, you can also explore the city by bike. This will allow you to plunge into the comfortable Viennese everyday life, and not be tied to public transport. Plus, it's very European! Just register and rent a bike at one of 110 stations. The first hour is free, the second is €1, the third is €2.

Tourist transport

Buses Hop on Hop off

Sightseeing bus in Vienna, which runs on six routes. This is the best way to get your impression of the city, at least its historical part. The bus makes stops where you can get off, see the sights, and then get on the next one and continue on your way. Tourists are given headphones, and you can turn on an audio guide, including in Russian. In the city center, bus frequency is 15-20 minutes. There are routes outside the city, in particular, in summer, along the Green Line, to the wine-growing village of Grinzing, to the Kahlenberg hill, which offers excellent views of Vienna and the 900-year-old Klosterneuburg monastery.

Vienna Ring Tram

Vienna ring tram. Walks along the Ringstrasse boulevard, which is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. This boulevard encircles the historical center of Vienna, and your road will pass by 13 of the most famous attractions, including the Opera, the Town Hall, and the Hofburg. There is an audio guide. This transport is interesting in itself - it is a real old Viennese tram, which is already many decades old.

Sights of Vienna on your own

There are a great many interesting places in Vienna - there are 27 castles alone, and another 150 palaces and more than a hundred museums! And how many simply beautiful houses, ancient churches, majestic monuments, beautiful squares!

Vienna is very different and multifaceted - lush, imperial, in the “golden modern” style, modern... In order not to get lost in all the variety of attractions, before traveling on your own, you should decide what exactly interests you most and make a travel plan.

Our free one will help you with this. In it, you can select interesting places in advance, depending on your interests and preferences (use the “By category” filter in the “Places” section) and add them to your “Favorites”. Don't forget to also pre-provide a free offline map of Vienna to easily navigate the city. We also recommend listening in advance to begin your independent acquaintance with the Austrian capital.

And while traveling, explore the city with the Travelry mobile guide that fits in your smartphone! In free mode, you can easily find, view the sights of Vienna and learn basic information about them. The GPS guide will be able to determine your location (unless, of course, you yourself prohibit access to your geodata) and show where you are, what interesting places are nearby, and what is the distance to them.

If this is not enough for you and you want to explore Vienna with a personal guide, you can also download it in the app. We have prepared for you the best routes and fascinating stories so that your walks around the city will be interesting and useful, and your trip will turn into an exciting journey!

The Vienna mobile guide is currently only available for iPhone, but an Android version is in the works.

Tourist maps in Vienna

As in any popular tourist center in Europe, Vienna has special tourist cards that allow you to save on visiting some attractions if you plan to actively visit them. Such cards are convenient for tourists traveling independently and planning an intense cultural program: with the card you can get discounts on entrance tickets or even completely free tickets, depending on the type of card, as well as the possibility of free travel on Vienna public transport and a number of other privileges.

Vienna Card

Vienna Card, or Vienna Card, is sold for 24, 48 or 72 hours. Allows you to visit 210 attractions (museums, cafes, restaurants and shops) with discounts, gives you the right to free travel on public transport, and if you purchase a Vienna City Card with Big Bus Vienna, during the first day of travel on Hop-On Hop-Off buses from Big Bus Tours will be free. It is better to buy a Vienna city card in advance by booking on the official website or through the Ticketbar service - this way you will be able to save money as soon as you arrive in Vienna.

Vienna Pass

Allows you to visit more than 60 of the city's best attractions completely free of charge, but it also costs accordingly. Suitable for those who plan active visits to museums. You can also ride the Hop on Hop Off buses for free. Attractions included include top tourist destinations such as Schönbrunn Palace and Zoo, the Spanish Riding School, the Giant Ferris Wheel, Madame Tussauds and the Hofburg Palace. If you purchase the Travel Card option, you also get the opportunity to use public transport in the city for free. You can find out more details and purchase a card on the official website (information in Russian is, unfortunately, not yet available there).

What to do in Vienna on your own

Listen to music

Vienna is called the music capital of Europe. After all, this is the city of Mozart, Strauss, Haydn, Schubert and other composers! The Austrian capital is famous for its musical traditions. Why not attend a classical music concert!

Vienna Opera

It is unforgivable to visit the capital of Austria and not hear opera. The Vienna Opera is famous not only for its performances and luxurious interior, but also for its affordability. Tickets are available both expensive and cheap, standing. They cost € 3-4, you can buy them on the day of the performance.

There is an opportunity to see the performance for free in the open air right in front of the Vienna Opera, on Herbert von Karajan Square. Up to 80 such broadcasts are organized per season, including the New Year's performance on December 31.

By the way, you can see the Opera without attending a performance. To do this, you need to go on excursions, which are held every day. Cost – about € 4 adult ticket.

Organ and classical music concerts

They are held in many churches and cathedrals of the city. The most famous are in St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Vivaldi's music is played, and on December 5, the day of Mozart's death, his Requiem. Also popular in this regard are the Church of St. Charles (Karlskirche), the chapel in the Swiss courtyard of the Hofburg (Burgkapella), where the Vienna Boys' Choir sings, the Maltese Church and a number of others. You can listen to the organ for free in the Augustinian Church, or, as it is also called, the “Church of Hearts” - 54 hearts of representatives of the Habsburg dynasty are buried there in silver bowls. You can find these and many other places in ours (currently available only for iPhone and iPad).

Music museums

In addition to its many music venues, Vienna is famous for its music museums. Fans of classical music can visit museums dedicated to Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Haydn. In addition, the Vienna House of Music is very popular - it is an interactive museum of a new format, which allows you not just to look at the exhibits “in the old fashioned way”, but to travel through the world of music with the help of modern technologies. For example, you can try on the role of a composer or even virtually conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. And of course, learn a lot of interesting things about famous Viennese composers.

See an equestrian ballet

Viennese exclusive! Only here you can attend training sessions of horses of the unique Lipizzaner breed and spectacular performances of “equestrian ballet” performed by snow-white and graceful Lipizzaners.

You can check the schedule and purchase tickets for performances at the School box office or on its website.

A glimpse into imperial luxury

For centuries, Vienna was the brilliant capital of the Austrian Empire, the stronghold of the powerful Habsburg dynasty. Of course, this could not but affect its architecture! To immerse yourself in the imperial era, visit the luxurious palace and park complexes Schönnbrunn And Gazebo(the latter houses the Austrian Gallery with a rich collection of works of art). And in the very heart of Vienna lies Hofburg- winter residence of the Habsburgs. We talk about it and its most interesting attractions in audio tours “ ” and “ “, available in the Travelry application (currently only for iPhone or iPad).

Take a walk around the Inner City and the Boulevard Ring

The Inner City (Innere Stadt) is the name given to the historical part of Vienna, which was once surrounded by fortified walls. It was in this part that the city was born, the history of which dates back to ancient times. Walking through this area, you can look into various eras of the city’s rich history: for example, on the High Market Square you can see the excavations of an ancient Roman military camp, and looking into the cozy Greek Lane, looking at the ancient church of St. Rupert or the grandiose Cathedral of St. Stephen, remember the Middle Ages. The luxurious streets of Graben, Kohlmarkt, Kärtnerstrasse preserve the memory of various periods of Vienna's history. And the magnificent Hofburg palace complex is a symbol of Vienna's imperial grandeur and will take you back to the era when the Austrian Empire was at the peak of its power. We will take all these places and these fascinating journeys through eras in an audio tour “!

The famous Ring Street – Ringstrasse. It’s not for nothing that it’s called the most beautiful boulevard in the world! The street appeared on the site of the former fortress walls in the second half of the 19th century. At the same time, it was decorated with many beautiful buildings, including the Vienna Opera, the Parliament, the majestic Vienna City Hall and many others. Rinstrasse is one of the symbols of Vienna, an elegant “showcase” of the city. On a walk with an audio guide “” you will not only be able to admire its appearance, but also learn many interesting stories and curious facts related to these places and buildings.

Visit museums in the MuseumsQuartier

Vienna's Museum Quarter (Museumquartier, or simply MQ) is considered the world's largest museum complex in the world! On an area of 60,000 sq. meters there are a wide variety of museums and cultural venues, as well as restaurants, cafes and shops. Baroque and modern postmodern architecture, ancient and modern art are surprisingly combined here. The famous children's museum ZOOM, Leopold Museum , Kunsthistorisches Museum, Modern Art Museum and many other expositions and exhibition complexes - there is something interesting here for every taste.

Almost all museums in Vienna are open every day. Some have one day off, usually Monday or Tuesday.