How To Spend 1 Day in Vienna, Austria
In nearly every travel blog I read, a trip to Vienna was considered incomplete without a concert, opera or musical performance, since the city is deemed the world's music capital. So when planning your visit, many agree that looking up the shows ahead of time helps significantly with planning. Unfortunately, we didn’t put this forethought into our planning, and just used our visit to get a feel for the city. Here is an overview of the attractions we did, what we learned and what we would recommend for another visitor.
With one day in Vienna, you should visit one museum or art gallery such as the Albertina Museum, The National Library, The Palace Liectenstein, grab a Schnitzel from the Marienhof Restaurant and catch an Opera or other show in the evening.
Breakfast in Vienna
We stayed at the Eurostar Embassy Hotel, which I believe provided good value for the money and was in a not bad location, with many attractions being only a short train ride away.
After waking up (we had a little bit of a sleep in since our flight had brought us into Vienna at 2 am), we headed toward Ströck - Feierabend for breakfast. I ordered the orange juice, a capuccino and the croissant waffles and was not disappointed. While it wasn’t the best breakfast I had ever had, the ambience and attention to using local were enough to make the recommendation.
From here, you might decide to walk to some of the nearby attractions. But, with only a day the transit day pass for 8 Euros (at the time of writing) or Vienna City Card (17 Euros) are likely worth the investment. Purchasing just the transit pass can be done at the metro station, although it is worth noting that there is a separate machine to validate the ticket once you purchase it. Since we didn’t purchase the Vienna City Card I can’t speak to using that one. However, it is worth noting that with it, you get also get unlimited travel on public transportation, discounts at many museums, sights, theatres, concerts, shops, restaurants and cafés.
I linked the official website as well, but for a glimpse at prices and add-ons. It is worth noting that the Albertina Museum, the one I would recommend with one day is only discounted with the Vienna city card by 2 Euros. Therefore, if you are keeping score 8 Euro + 2 Euros (discount) to the museum would only put you at 10 Euros so far.
Since we hadn’t done much research and instead got caught in the rain we ran into the nearby Museum der Illusionen which had a four star rating on Trip Advisor. Although you can get a cool photo or two, we found that at 14 Euros per person, I would pass on this attraction as the museum itself is one of the smaller ones in Vienna and we really only spent about an hour taking our time.
Unfortunately, this is something to plan ahead for or line up day of for 3 Euros tickets.
So instead we started Sour day off with brunch at Stroeck Feierabend - we got cappuccinos, orange juice and I tried the croissant waffles. This place was a 4.6 on Trip Advisor and I would agree with the rating.
Or the Belvedere which are the more popular alternatives.
Pro tips a lot of things are closed Monday - including the National Library.
Dom Museum Wien was 10 euros. For the small amount of exhibits I would suggest this one was also a pass.
Albertina terrace/opera
The Austrian capital's compact layout puts most major sights within walking distance, making it easy to tick off the palaces, museums and opera houses in two days and still stop to taste the famous Sachertorte and Wiener Schnitzel.
Next, wander around and just look at the architecture. The buildings are truly stunning. I would recommend the Euro day pass which goes for 8 Euros or the Vienna City Pass which includes transportation and access to the major attractions.
We had originally wanted to visit this hidden palace in Vienna - Stadtplais Liectenstein. But found out you needed a guided tour. I will be back to visit this.
https://www.palaisliechtenstein.com/en/city-palace/general-information.html
Instead the rain got to us, and since we were closest to the illusion museum this is where we ended up for the afternoon. Instead I would recommend the Albertina for art.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can’t You Miss When Visiting Vienna?
A musical performance and a walk around the beautiful architecture.
What Is The Most Famous Attraction in Vienna?
Surprisingly not the Opera House (which is only one of the many beautiful pieces of architecture in the city. According to Trip Advisor, the most popular tourist spot is actually Schönbrunn Palace.
Where Is The Best Place To Try Schnitzel In Vienna?
The Marienhof Restauraunt.
