Vienna attractions

The pastel-hued façade of Vienna’s Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) may pale in comparison to the dramatic neo-gothic towers of the modern City Hall, but it remains a charming reminder of medieval Vienna. Today the building is home to the intriguing Museum of the Austrian Resistance Movement documenting the resistance against the Nazis.

One of Vienna’s most spectacular public parks, the Baroque-style Augarten is home to a former imperial palace and several excellent museums, including the Augarten Porcelain Museum. The park’s sweeping grounds cover about 10 acres (52.2 hectares), with formal flowerbeds, tree-lined walking paths, vast meadows, and restaurants.

Making Viennese history engaging for visitors of all ages, Time Travel Vienna is a 5-D show that uses animatronics and multi-media special effects to take you on a jaunt through time. Learn about the city’s ancient Roman beginnings, years under the Habsburg dynasty, and WWII occupation—ending with a simulator ride to Vienna’s top sights.

Part of the Natural History Museum Vienna, the Collection of Anatomical Pathology is an offbeat museum that covers medical history and pathology, and gives a glimpse into an era when mental illness was treated very differently. The weird, wonderful, and macabre exhibits are showcased in the Narrenturm (the Fool’s Tower or Mad House), a tower used until the mid-19th century to house Vienna’s mentally ill.

Following the Danube River for about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers, the flat and easygoing Danube Cycle Path (Donauradweg in German is one of Europe’s top leisure cycling routes. The most popular stretch runs between Passau (Germany and Budapest (Hungary via Vienna (Austria and Bratislava (Slovakia.

Stretching out in front of Vienna’s massive city hall, Rathausplatz is one of the most important public squares in the city. This paved expanse is ringed by the shaded Rathauspark, a popular spot for walking and relaxing all year round, and is a popular venue for major seasonal events like the winter Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) and the summer Film Festival.

Standing defiantly on the Rosalien hills, Forchtenstein Castle has a formidable air that helped deter the Ottoman Turks during wars in the 16th and 18th centuries. But the castle’s imposing exterior gives way to elaborate interiors steeped in history; frescoes, wartime plunders, armory, and artwork are among the curiosities that draw visitors across its drawbridge.

It’s hard to miss Vienna’s Haus des Meeres - Aqua Terra Zoo, which is housed in a World War II antiaircraft tower. With more than 10,000 animals, the family-friendly zoo features sharks, tropical fish, and monkeys, among other wildlife. Kids especially love to watch the feedings.

Opened in 1913 in a beautiful Art Nouveau building, the Wiener Konzerthaus is one of the largest and most artistically progressive musical institutions in the world. After World War II, it played a crucial role in reviving the Austrian musical scene and soon became the leading organizer of contemporary music in the country, as well as a popular stage for international jazz performances. The original Konzerthaus was home to three concert halls in which concerts could be played simultaneously and featured a historic organ installed in 1913. A complete renovation of the building between 1998 and 2001 added a fourth hall and made updates to make the Konzerthaus one of the most modern concert houses in the world. The four halls have capacities ranging from 336 to more than 1,800 and together they host more than 700 different events during the season, which runs from September to June. The Kozerthaus also hosts several festivals throughout the year, including the Early Music Festival Resonanzen in January, the Vienna Spring Festival in April and May, the Internationale Musikfest in May and June and the Wien Modern in the fall.

Franz Schubert’s 18th-century birthplace is now a small but excellent museum dedicated to the composer's life and work. Delve into Schubert’s musical training and development with Schubert Geburtshaus’ collection of first-edition sheet music, antique instruments, and listening stations with recordings of his music.

Found roughly half an hour from Vienna among the Vienna Woods, Heiligenkreuz Abbey is the oldest continuously inhabited Cistercian monastery in the world. Established in 1133 by St. Leopold III, this living monastery features ornate architecture and sees monks performing Gregorian chants at the abbey five times a day.

A must-see for classic film aficionados, the Third Man Museum (Dritte Mann Museum) plays a triple role. Its eclectic collection shines a light on post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War, examines movie-making in the 1940s and ’50s, and features artifacts from the famous 1949 movie of the same name that was set in Vienna.

One of the many imperial residences built across Vienna in the 17th and 18th centuries, Palais Auersperg stands apart as the city’s oldest Baroque palace, dating from 1710. Its ornate halls once hosted Vienna’s most outstanding musicians for royal balls and weddings, and today it remains one of Vienna's most lavish concert venues.

Lush greenery surrounds artistic gravestones in the sprawling grounds of the Vienna Central Cemetery. Many famous names from the city’s history grace its monuments, including composers as celebrated as Ludwig Van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms. Joggers and other creatures, such as deer and squirrels, bring life to this tranquil corner of the city.

The Vienna Technical Museum (Technisches Museum Wien) is the place to play with science and discover technological developments. In a maze-like fashion, collections are spread over several floors with transport, music, and daily life themes—enough for a day of browsing. Tech nerds and aspiring engineers of all ages will be in their element.

This magnificent baroque palace is a showstopper inside and out, home to the private art collection of Prince Hans-Adam II and surrounded by sweeping landscaped grounds. Join a guided tour to admire the sumptuous interiors, masterpieces from the early Renaissance to the high baroque, and stately gardens.

Kahlenberg is a 484-meter (1588-foot) high mountain in Vienna’s 19th district. Its historical importance dates back to 1683, when an army led by Polish King Sobiesky marched through the mountain and freed Vienna from its Turkish occupation. Today, visitors and locals visit this summit in the Vienna Woods to see the viewing tower, panoramic terrace, pilgrimage church, cafe, and restaurant.

With over 500 years of history and a big reputation, the Vienna Boys Choir brings Vienna’s musical traditions to the world. They’re globe-trotting singers, but watching the Vienna Boys Choir perform in their hometown is especially remarkable, whether they’re singing at Sunday Mass at Hofburgkapelle or giving a show at the choir’s concert hall.

If you love chocolate, there's one Vienna destination made for you—Chocolate Museum Vienna. With your ticket, discover how chocolate is made, and uncover the history of this delicacy, from the Maya to the Austrian royals. If you have a sweet tooth, don't miss a chocolate or praline-making workshop, and take home your tasty creations.

A world away from the magnificent palaces and regal monuments of Vienna’s historic center, the Museum of Illusions Vienna (Museum der Illusionen) makes a fun addition to any sightseeing tour. The museum is filled with weird and wonderful illusions, puzzles, and mirrors that are entertaining for all ages.

The focal point of Vienna’s Volksgarten park, the Temple of Theseus is a 19th-century copy of the Temple of Hephaestus in the ancient Agora of Athens. Originally built to house Canova’s Theseus and the Minotaur statue—now located in the Art History Museum—the temple is still used to showcase rotating works of art.

A lush expanse of green on Donauinsel (Danube Island), Donaupark’s manicured gardens, tree-lined paths, and glades offer an escape from city noise that’s popular with both locals and travelers. Keeping watch over it all is the Danube Tower (Donauturm), a landmark where you’ll find an observation deck and rotating restaurant.

The rock-and-roll-themed Hard Rock Café outpost in Vienna offers a bold art deco bar, outdoor terrace, and spacious dining room and concert venue—all decorated with the music memorabilia for which the restaurant chain is famous. Enjoy signature cocktails or tuck into a meal of American crowd-pleasers mixed with Viennese classics.

Austrian composer Franz Schubert spent the last few weeks of his life in this apartment in 1828, completing a series of piano sonatas and his last work, Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (The Shepherd on the Rock) just before his death. The 2-room apartment is now the poignant Schubert Sterbewohnung museum, which documents his final days.

Vienna’s first museum dedicated purely to photography, the WestLicht Center for Photography has an eclectic collection that will thrill any photography buff. Visit this museum, set in a former glass factory, to admire historic cameras and equipment, and take in temporary exhibitions that highlight art photography and photojournalism.