Vienna itinerary for first-timers
The classic neighborhoods in an order that works, with a 4K street walk for every stop. Watch your trip before you take it.
Day 1: St. Stephen's, the old town & the Hofburg
St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Graben, Kohlmarkt and Michaelerplatz, the Hofburg and Heldenplatz, and an evening at the MuseumsQuartier.
- 1
Morning
St. Stephen's Cathedral
The Gothic heart of Vienna, with its tall south tower and a roof of coloured tiles in a zigzag pattern, standing in the middle of Stephansplatz.
- St. Stephen's Cathedral
- Stephansplatz
- Tiled roof
Walk west along the Graben, about 5 min.
- 2
Late morning
The Graben & the Plague Column
Vienna's grandest shopping street, with the baroque Plague Column in the middle; a few minutes away, behind the cathedral, is the apartment where Mozart lived when he wrote The Marriage of Figaro.
- Graben
- Plague Column
- Mozart's apartment
Walk down the Kohlmarkt, about 5 min.
- 3
Early afternoon
Kohlmarkt & Michaelerplatz
An elegant street of luxury shops and old cafés leading to Michaelerplatz and the grand domed gate of the Hofburg.
- Kohlmarkt
- Michaelerplatz
- Hofburg gate
Walk through the Hofburg gate, about 5 min.
- 4
Afternoon
The Hofburg & Heldenplatz
The Habsburgs' vast winter palace, a city within the city of courtyards and wings, opening onto the huge square of Heldenplatz.
- Hofburg
- Heldenplatz
- Neue Burg
Walk across the Ringstraße past the museums, about 10 min.
- 5
Evening
MuseumsQuartier & Spittelberg
The former imperial stables turned into a cultural quarter with courtyards full of people in the evening, next to the small Biedermeier lanes of Spittelberg.
- MuseumsQuartier courtyards
- Spittelberg lanes
- Museum facades
Day 2: The Opera, the Karlskirche & the Belvedere
The State Opera, the Albertina and the Palm House, the Karlskirche, the Belvedere palaces and gardens, and the Stadtpark.
- 1
Morning
The State Opera, the Albertina & the Palm House
The Vienna State Opera on the Ringstraße, then the Albertina art museum on its terrace and the Burggarten with its Art Nouveau Palm House.
- State Opera
- Albertina
- Palm House
Cheap standing-room tickets for the opera go on sale shortly before each performance.
Walk south across Karlsplatz, about 10 min.
- 2
Late morning
The Karlskirche
A baroque church with a great green dome and two columns carved like Trajan's Column in Rome, reflected in the pool of Resselpark.
- Karlskirche
- Resselpark
- Musikverein
Walk up Prinz-Eugen-Straße to the Upper Belvedere, about 15 min.
- 3
Afternoon
The Belvedere
Two baroque palaces facing each other across terraced gardens; the Upper Belvedere holds the famous collection of Gustav Klimt, including The Kiss.
- Upper Belvedere
- Belvedere gardens
- Lower Belvedere
Walk down through the gardens and north to the Ring, about 20 min.
- 4
Late afternoon
The Stadtpark
Vienna's city park on the Ringstraße, with a pond, shady paths and the gilded statue of Johann Strauss playing the violin.
- Johann Strauss statue
- Stadtpark pond
- Kursalon
Day 3: The Ringstraße, the parks & the Imperial Apartments
The Ringstraße and the Freyung, the Volksgarten roses, the Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum, and Kärntner Straße in the evening.
- 1
Morning
The Ringstraße & the Freyung
From the Ringstraße by the university into the old town at the Freyung, an irregular square of palaces, and the arcades of Palais Ferstel.
- Ringstraße
- Freyung
- Palais Ferstel
Walk south along the Ringstraße, about 10 min.
- 2
Late morning
The Volksgarten
A formal park between the Hofburg and the Ringstraße, with a rose garden of hundreds of varieties and a small Greek-style temple.
- Rose garden
- Theseus Temple
- View of the Parliament
Walk through the Hofburg gardens, about 5 min.
- 3
Afternoon
The Imperial Apartments & the Sisi Museum
Inside the Hofburg: the rooms where Emperor Franz Joseph lived and worked, and a museum about his wife, Empress Elisabeth, known as Sisi.
- Sisi Museum
- Imperial Apartments
- Silver Collection
Walk past the Opera to Kärntner Straße, about 10 min.
- 4
Evening
Kärntner Straße
The busy pedestrian street that runs from the Opera to St. Stephen's, lined with shops and lit up in the evening.
- Kärntner Straße
- Neuer Markt
- Stephansplatz at night
Travelling with someone?
Send them this 3-day Vienna plan, videos included.
Planning your first trip to Vienna
How many days?
Three days covers the old town and the Hofburg, the Opera with the Karlskirche and the Belvedere, and a slower day for the Ringstraße, the parks and the Imperial Apartments. Two days is enough for the highlights.
Where to stay
The Innere Stadt puts you inside the old town; Neubau and Spittelberg are creative and close to the museums; Wieden and the Naschmarkt are lively and local; Leopoldstadt is near the Prater. Compare areas →
Getting around
The old town is easy on foot. Trams circle the Ringstraße and the U-Bahn covers everything else; one ticket works on all of them.
Vienna's old town, the Innere Stadt, is a compact circle of baroque streets around St. Stephen's Cathedral, ringed by the Ringstraße, the grand boulevard built in the 19th century where the city walls once stood. Inside the ring are the Graben, the Kohlmarkt and the Hofburg, the Habsburgs' winter palace; along it and just beyond are the State Opera, the museums, the Karlskirche and the Belvedere.
Every stop comes with a walking video filmed on those streets, so you can see the palaces, the squares and the coffee-house corners before you arrive. Use the buttons under each video to jump to the landmark, or press Preview to watch a whole day in a row.
Vienna itinerary: common questions
How many days do you need in Vienna?
Three days is a good first visit: one for St. Stephen's and the Hofburg, one for the Opera, the Karlskirche and the Belvedere, and one for the Ringstraße, the parks and the Imperial Apartments. Two days covers the highlights.
Is Vienna a walkable city?
Yes. The old town inside the Ringstraße is small and almost free of cars, and every stop on this plan is within a 20-minute walk of the next. Trams along the Ring and the U-Bahn cover longer distances.
What about Schönbrunn Palace?
The Habsburgs' summer palace is outside the centre, about 20 minutes away on the U4 line, and needs half a day for the state rooms and the gardens. Add it to any day of this plan if you have the time.
When is the best time to visit Vienna?
Spring and early autumn are mild and green. Summer is warm and busy; from mid-November to Christmas the city's markets fill the squares, and winter is cold but the opera and concert season is in full swing.
Travel times are approximate. Check opening days and any booking requirements before you go.
Where to stay in Vienna
6 areas compared, each with a street walk so you can see the neighborhood before you book.
Read the guide →Keep exploring Vienna
More 4K walking videos, top sights, food markets and dishes to try.
Vienna city guide →