The Most Beautiful Sights in Vienna
Vienna is imperial, Vienna is modern!
Visitors to the city are immersed in a fascinating interplay of history and culture. The Danube characterises the city, as does the Vienna Woods, Visitors to the city are immersed in a captivating blend of history and culture. The Danube defines the city as much as the Wienerwald, the green lung to the west. Vienna's historic buildings speak of a glorious past. The magnificent Schönbrunn Palace and the Hofburg transport visitors back to the Habsburg era, while St. Stephen's Cathedral majestically overlooks the old town.
But Vienna is also a hub of art and modernity. Museums such as the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Belvedere house world-famous collections. The Viennese Modernism movement comes to life in the MuseumsQuartier, one of the largest cultural complexes in the world. And in the city's many coffee houses, renowned for their cosiness and literary tradition, you can experience Viennese charm and culture up close.
The Vienna Prater, with its iconic Ferris wheel, blends nature with amusement. Just like the grand baroque buildings, Vienna’s modern side is equally enchanting. Here, tradition and contemporary spirit meet, making the city truly unique.
The capital Vienna
Vienna is unique: It is both the capital of Austria and one of the country's nine provinces, making it both a city and a province at the same time.
The city on the Danube opens a fascinating chapter between its imperial past and a modern metropolis. The Habsburgs ruled here for 650 years and their traces still characterise Vienna today. A walk through the city is like a journey through time: From the Hofburg Palace to Schönbrunn Palace and the Belvedere - magnificent imperial buildings and baroque squares tell of a glorious past. On Vienna's Ringstrasse, a magnificent boulevard, this imperial splendour is reflected in the impressive facades.
But Vienna is not resting on its laurels, it is also looking to the future. The city is constantly evolving and surprises with architectural masterpieces and modern cultural institutions. Modern art and contemporary culture come together in the MuseumsQuartier, while the city's musical heritage lives on in the State Opera and the Musikverein.
Vienna is a city of contrasts: between tradition and modernity, baroque and contemporary architecture, the metropolis unfolds in all its facets. And so the city not only offers a glimpse into the past, but also boldly opens up to the future - always in harmony with its rich imperial history.
Other sights in Vienna
Museums in Vienna
Vienna and its art
Vienna is home to the world’s largest Bruegel collection and Gustav Klimt’s iconic painting The Kiss. But there’s more: The city boasts over 100 museums, from the Technical Museum to the Natural History Museum, featuring everything from the world’s most important graphic collection to an impressive gallery of renowned artists from all eras.
Vienna offers a vibrant mix of artistic styles, where baroque opulence meets avant-garde minimalism, creating a constantly evolving art scene.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the world’s largest and most important museums, displays treasures spanning 7,000 years, from Ancient Egypt to the 18th century. Masterpieces by Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto grace its halls, and visitors can explore every detail of Bruegel’s Peasant Wedding and The Tower of Babel.
Insight into the Kunstkammer
The Kunstkammer Vienna at the Kunsthistorisches Museum is the most significant of its kind worldwide. The art and curiosity cabinets of the Renaissance and Baroque eras were encyclopaedic collections, aiming to capture the entire knowledge of their time. Rare, curious, and extraordinary objects were especially prized. From the late Middle Ages to the Baroque period, Habsburg emperors and princes collected exotic materials, often believed to have magical properties—such as precious stones, ostrich eggs, corals, and shark teeth (thought to be dragon tongues). Artists transformed these natural products into masterful Kunstkammer pieces.
The Kunstkammer Vienna showcases around 2,200 fascinating objects, including Benvenuto Cellini’s famous Saliera, the Krumau Madonna, bronze statuettes, intricate ivory work, stone vessels, valuable clocks, complex automata, unusual scientific instruments, and much more.
Other museums in Vienna
Vienna and music
Vienna, the world capital of music, boasts a rich and illustrious history. As the musical heart of the Habsburg Empire, the city has always been a hub for legendary composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Gustav Mahler. Influences from the empire’s diverse cultures merged here, creating world-renowned musical achievements.
Today, experiencing music where it was created is unforgettable, whether in the grand halls of the Vienna Musikverein or the magnificent Vienna State Opera. The tradition continues with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which has been performing for over 180 years.
Vienna’s music festivals and concerts attract music lovers year-round, offering an unparalleled variety and vibrancy. A visit to Vienna means immersing yourself in the soundscape of the great masters and feeling the pulse of its musical heritage.
The Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein is a globally celebrated event, marking the start of the new year. With its extraordinary acoustics and grand architecture, the Golden Hall provides the perfect setting for this musical spectacle. Tickets are highly coveted and distributed via a lottery system.
Further music highlights in Vienna
Vienna and its architecture
Vienna boasts a stunning variety of architectural styles, with enough diversity to continually surprise. For those interested in exploring the city’s vast array of periods and designs, there are fantastic guided tours at every corner. The Architekturzentrum, located in the MuseumsQuartier, perfectly captures Vienna's unique character, where tradition meets modernity – baroque architecture sits alongside contemporary designs. This contrast is also evident at Stephansplatz and Michaelerplatz, where gothic structures like St. Stephen's Cathedral face the revolutionary visions of the Haas-Haus and Loos-Haus. And of course, there's the iconic Jugendstil, which has left its golden mark on many Viennese façades.
A Break into Modernity
Over a century ago, Vienna was rocked by scandal. Adolf Loos (1870–1933), now considered a pioneer of modern architecture, built his groundbreaking Loos-Haus directly opposite the imperial Hofburg. Emperor Franz Joseph I was outraged by the building’s lack of ornamentation and its stark contrast to the ornate historical style of the time, famously referring to it as the “house without eyebrows.” Though shocking at the time, the Loos-Haus signified Vienna’s shift towards modernism. This move towards innovation was echoed by the Wiener Secessionists, a group that rejected the conservative academic style and pursued new artistic ideas. Their landmark building, the Secession, and the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) display the works of Vienna's most influential modern artists.
The landmark of Vienna: St. Stephen's Cathedral
In the heart of Vienna stands St. Stephen's Cathedral, a cherished landmark for the city's residents. Affectionately known as the "Steffl," the cathedral holds a special place in the hearts of Viennese. Its bell, named "Pummerin," is the second-largest free-swinging bell in Europe and hangs high in the north tower. Inside, the cathedral’s master builder is immortalized in stone with a portrait known as the "Fenstergucker" (Window Watcher), peering curiously and mischievously through a stone window at the base of the Gothic pulpit into the grand nave.
Further architectural highlights in Vienna
Nature experiences in Vienna
Vienna excels in its green spaces: It stands out globally for its extensive greenery and vineyards. Nearly half of the city area is green, with 850 parks inviting leisurely strolls, and trams offering easy access to recreational areas. The Vienna Prater, spanning six square kilometres, is affectionately known as the city's "lungs."
But it’s not just the abundant greenery and fresh air that make Vienna's living environment exceptional; water plays a crucial role in its quality of life. The city benefits from high-quality spring water from the mountains and is situated on the water. The Danube Island stretches 42 kilometres, while sunny days bring sailors, surfers, swimmers, and rowers to the Old Danube. Enjoy local eateries along the river, or take long hikes in the expansive Danube wetlands.
In the city centre, the lively atmosphere along the Danube Canal is a highlight, with several charming beach bars open throughout the summer.
Vienna – The Greenest City in the World
Vienna is unmatched in its greenery: Ranked as the top city in "The World's 10 Greenest Cities 2020," it truly stands out.
A scenic excursion: The Kahlenberg
At 484 metres, the Kahlenberg is Vienna's local peak, located in the Wienerwald, the green zone to the west of the city. Its popularity is clear: the view from here is spectacular, extending on clear days as far as the Schneeberg! The highest point, reached in about four hours on foot, features the 22-metre-high Stefaniewarte observation tower.
The Kahlenberg has a rich history, marked by significant events such as a donation from the imperial family and the Turkish siege. In 1628, Emperor Ferdinand II gifted the mountain to the Camaldolese Order, who built the St. Joseph's Church, still visitable today. The Kahlenberg is also famed for King Sobieski of Poland, who in 1683 marched his army over the mountain to relieve Vienna from Turkish besiegers.
More nature experiences in Vienna
Climate Protection Tip
So that environmental protection doesn't take a break when you are on holiday:
Travel to and from Austria by train.
Use public transportation: Subway, streetcar, (regional) bus, S-Bahn or ÖBB.
Borrow city bikes.
Use the bike rental service in the hotels.
Use refillable drinking bottles.
Dispose of waste carefully (tissues, packaging, disposable bottles, etc.).
Avoid daily room cleaning and towel changes.
Book accommodation with an environmental certificate book.