16 Cool Things to Do in Vienna, Austria (Updated 2022)

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Wondering if Vienna is worth visiting? Find out all the fun things to do in Vienna and find out why it should be on your bucket list!

Vienna was a place I visited out of convenience. My second backpacking trip in Europe began in Prague, circled down through Munich & Austria, and ended in Budapest. Prague & Budapest were my main destinations but I stopped at other cities along the way because European train schedules made it convenient. Why do I say this? Because I wasn’t particularly excited about Vienna. From what I read about Vienna, it sounded like a yuppie, rich city with shopping, palaces, and grand churches. What would I, a lowly backpacker, be able to do in Vienna?

I arrived in Vienna with very low expectations. However, I quickly learned that there are so many fun things to do in Vienna – so many, in fact, that I ended up not doing everything I wanted to. These 16 activities are some of the most cool things to do in Vienna!

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1. Eat cake while sipping coffee & bubbles

I’m convinced that Vienna is the city of cake, coffee, and bubbly. I never ate a traditional lunch in Vienna – why waste calories when there are so many wonderful cafes & pastries throughout the city?

My opinion: when you’re in Vienna, you need to eat cake for lunch at least once. These places are the two most famous in Vienna!

Sachertorte at the Sacher Hotel

Chocolate cake, jam, and a chocolate glaze make up the most famous cake in Austria. Interestingly, it was invented by a teenager who was forced to bake for the royal court when the head chef fell ill. Later his son moved to Demel, perfected the recipe, and, voila -we have a legal battle over who can say they have the original Sachertorte.

You can find the “original” Sachertorte at the Sacher Hotel!

Demel – for Sachertorte & More

You can try Demel’s version of the Sachertorte, but I recommend you try something else – their cake selection is marvelous. This isn’t a casual establishment, so try and dress a little nicer than jeans & a t-shirt!

2. Ride the Wiener Prater Ferris Wheel

If you’re looking for things to do in Vienna for young adults, you cannot miss the Winer Prater Ferris wheel. Prater is a theme park in Vienna and offers more than just the Ferris wheel, but this is the main attraction.

I wasn’t super interested so I just checked out Wiener Prater. My recommendation: go at sunset. You will get marvelous views of the park, the Ferris wheel, and Vienna.

Pro tip: this is pronounced roughly “veener”.

3. Eat Apfelstrudel!

Vienna is basically the city of cakes & other sweets. Another delightful Austrian sweet is apfelstrudel – or Apple Streudel in English. More than Austrian, it’s Viennese! I enjoyed it warm with a sweet vanilla glaze.

Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

4. See a classical music performance

Vienna is a hot-spot for classical music lovers. I don’t consider myself a classical enthusiast, but I frequently listen to Mozart when I need to focus but want background music.

There are so many options for listening to classical music when in Vienna. When I was hanging around St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a guy (who seemed sketchy, admittedly) sold me tickets to a small classical performance a few days later. It ended up being really awesome. The venue was beautiful, complete with all the opulence you would expect from Vienna. There were orchestral pieces, opera, a ballerina, piano pieces – there was a wide range of music and I definitely enjoyed the experience.

If you prefer to plan, check out the concerts below – all are highly rated options.

5. Take a Wachau Wine Valley bicycle tour

This is, without a doubt, one of the most fun & cool things to do in Vienna. I enjoyed it so much that I look for biking wine tours in any city I travel to now. It combines just about everything in my travel philosophy. Imagine being slightly wine tipsy while riding bikes through the countryside with like-minded travelers.

Wine, views, and new friends – you really can’t beat it.

6. Shop on Kärntnerstrasse

There are a lot of places to shop in Vienna but Kärntnerstrasse is probably the most famous street. Running from the Sacher Hotel to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, it’s a fantastic pedestrian zone where you can enjoy some of the opulence that Vienna has to offer. You can even check out the flagship Swarovski store!

7. Indulge in Käsekrainer

This is classic Viennese street food. Sausage, filled with cheese, often stuffed into a fresh baguette. Served with ketchup & mustard, this tasty treat is something you cannot miss. If you’re a Texan, it’s vaguely similar to a sausage kolache. These, however, are much better.

8. Check out a performance at the Spanish Riding School

The Spanish Riding School is home to the world-famous Lipizzaner Stallions. The arena isn’t the same kind of arena you’d see at a rodeo in the US! Decked out with opulent white columns, chandeliers with sparkling crystals, and dancing horses, the Spanish Riding School is an experience that is really unique to Vienna.

9. Tour Schönbrunn Palace

There are so many beautiful buildings to see in Vienna, but if you’re only interested in touring a few, make sure to put Schönbrunn Palace on your list. If your childhood dreams of palaces include opulent gold features, chandeliers, and mirrors, then Schönbrunn Palace is exactly what you’ve dreamed of.

Cameras are not permitted inside, but that just means you can enjoy the tour without worrying about the gram!

Pro tip: buy a ticket ahead of time to skip the line!

10. Walk around the Schönbrunn Palace Gardens

You can easily spend a whole day on the palace grounds. After touring Schönbrunn Palace, take some time to explore the gardens. Taking up over 1 square km, the Gardens are actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

11. Check out the world’s OLDEST zoo!

Located just adjacent to the Schönbrunn Gardens, the Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the oldest zoo in the world – in fact, it’s older than the United States, with the first version of the zoo beginning in 1752.

It’s one of the few zoos in the world that has pandas, which is reason enough to visit.

Fun fact – did you know that technically China owns all pandas in the world? This is why it’s rare to find a zoo with pandas – they have to be rented from the Chinese government.

12. Enjoy Vienna’s namesake meal, Wienerschnitzel

Wienerschnitzel literally means schnitzel of Vienna, so it’s another classic namesake dish you need to try when visiting. Wienerschnitzel is thinly sliced meat that is breaded, fried, and often served with cranberry sauce & potatoes.

Light, fluffy, and filling, it’s the perfect way to wind down an evening.

Things to Do in Vienna: Wienerschnitzel

13. Check out the Belvedere

Much like Schönbrunn, the Belvedere Gardens are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Two grand palaces (the upper & lower Belvedere) along with the Palace Stables make up the Belvedere. The different palaces house the most popular art museums in all of Austria – so if you love art & Baroque architecture, a day at the Belvedere cannot be missed.

Things to do in Vienna: The Belvedere

14. Shop till you drop at the Naschmarkt

Open on Saturdays, you must check out this elevated flea market if you’re in Vienna over the weekend. There are stands selling food, drinks, and souvenirs fit for every taste.

The Naschmarkt is extra special during the holiday season. I visited at the beginning of November and was able to drink Glühwein – basically German spiced mulled wine. Delicious! The market gets even better as you get closer to Christmas.

15. Admire St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the grand central icon of Vienna. Towering over the city, it’s something you cannot miss if you’re visiting Vienna. Marveling at the church isn’t enough – you absolutely must take a tour of the church and the catacombs underneath.

Things to Do in Vienna - St. Stephen's Cathedral

16. Visit the Hofburg Palace and the surrounding buildings

Just down the street from St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the Hofburg, one of the largest palace complexes in the world. You could spend days visiting the buildings at the Hofburg. Including the Imperial Apartments, the Spanish Riding School, the Hofburg Chapel, the Albertina, the Austrian National Library, and much more, the Hofburg has something for everyone. If you have limited time in Vienna, check out the link above to see what most interests you!

With so many cool things to do in Vienna, this city is absolutely worth visiting. Don’t miss the Austrian capital!

Vienna surprised me. I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy my time here but I quickly discovered that there was so much to see and do. There are so many fun things to do in Vienna and this city is well worth a visit.

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