Vienna in 4 Days: everything you need to know

Vienna is a city with so much to see and do, but if you have four full days to explore it, you'll be able to do all the fun tourist activities and even explore interesting destinations beyond its borders. Here's everything you need to know to make the most of every second of your stay.

This itinerary covers four full days, excluding arrival and departure.

Vienna's oldest city centre is the heart of this beautiful capital, the vast majority of attractions are within minutes of each other and day one is for exploring the highlights.

Take the Vienna Sightseeing Bus

Vienna' s sightseeing bus service is characterised by two city routes linking the city's most important historical monuments. The tour includes an audio guide in your own language so you can listen to information about the attractions. This is one of the best ways to get around the city and quickly see the destinations you'll be visiting over the next few days.

• Timetable: A new bus every hour.
• Price: A day ticket is available from €30 and you can hop on and off as many times as you like at different stops. Tickets can be purchased for 48 or 72 hours.
• Duration: Each tour lasts approximately one and a half hours.

See the Hofburg Palace

After your tour I recommend you spend the rest of the morning exploring Vienna's most visited tourist attraction. The Hofburg Palace was the official residence of the Habsburgs for 600 years and inside you will find the Sissi Museum, a legacy of the life of Vienna's most famous empress.

• Opening hours: Every day from 9.00 am until 5.30 pm from September to June and until 6.00 pm from July to August.
• Entry fee: From €15, this attraction is included in the Vienna Pass.
• Duration of visit: You should spend about 2 hours touring the museum.

Visit the Austrian National Library

A fabulous baroque style library whose interiors and decorations are more like a museum than a study space. It has a collection of over 200,000 books and an art collection that includes frescoes, marble sculptures and 15th century paintings.

• Opening hours: From 10am to 6pm; extended opening hours on Thursdays until 9pm.
• Entry fee: Approximately €8 for an adult ticket.
• Duration of the visit: One hour is enough time to visit the rooms.
• Transport or route: Leaving the Palace through the Sissi Museum area, the Library is right next door.

Take a lunch break

By this point in the tour you may already be hungry. After leaving the library, I recommend taking a lunch break somewhere nearby. Fortunately, this area of the city is full of varied and interesting culinary options, some examples are:

• Josef Bitzinger: An excellent choice for local Viennese food.
• La Taverna del Duca Vienna: Italian food restaurant.
• illy Caffè: If you are looking for a light snack, Illy Caffè is an excellent alternative.
• Restaurant Kanzleramt: Another excellent alternative if you want to try traditional Viennese food.

Visit the Capuchin Crypt

Composed of a total of 150 sarcophagi this is the final resting place of Austrian royalty including the famous Emperor Franz Joseph. The coffins have a truly astonishing level of detail and workmanship.

• Opening hours: 10am-6pm; extended hours on Thursdays from 9am.
• Entry fee: 7,50€ entrance fee and free if you buy the Vienna Pass.
• Duration of the visit: It is a quick visit, 30-40 minutes is usually enough to complete the tour.
• Transport or route: From your location at the National Library, the Crypt is only a 5-minute walk through the beautiful streets of central Vienna.

Explore Vienna Cathedral in depth

It's time to get to know the most important religious monument in Austria. Inside the Cathedral you will find several architectural and historical highlights such as: the back roof made of 250,000 tiles, the Pummerin Bell in the north tower, the Pilgram pulpit, the Catacombs that hold the remains of some 10,000 Viennese citizens, the Cathedral Museum with an impressive collection of religious paintings and finally the mythical image of the Crucified Christ.

• Opening hours: From 06:00 am to 10:00 pm; on Sundays and public holidays opening hours are 07:00 am.
• Entrance fee: About €6 for the basic ticket; however my recommendation is to purchase the all-inclusive ticket which costs about €15.
• Duration of the visit: You will need about 2 hours to do the whole tour.
• Transport or tour: Once you have finished your visit, go to Mozart's home in Vienna, located just a few metres from the Cathedral.

Sunset at the Cathedral tower

The towers of St. Stephen's Cathedral offer one of the best panoramic views of the city. My recommendation? Save the towers for the end of the tour and wait to watch the sunset. It's the best way to say goodbye to your first day in Vienna, plus you can take pictures of the beautiful historic centre.

Sleep early, you'll have to get up early on the second day!

The second day is for exploring beyond Vienna's city centre to see stately palaces, huge gardens and traditional markets.

Sunrise at Naschmarkt Market

Wake with the dawn on the morning of your second day to explore the city's best-known traditional market Naschmarkt has gained popularity with tourists for including among its various outlets, stalls selling freshly baked bread, flowers, meats and all weather foods along with restaurants and arts and crafts venues.

• Opening hours: From 06:00h to 18:30h; Saturdays until 14:00 and closed on Sundays.
• Admission fee: Free for the general public.
• Length of visit: At least one hour but you can stay as long as you like.
• Transport or route: The nearest metro stop is Kettenbrückengasse.

Take a walk around Karlsplatz and the Borromean Church

Karlsplatz is a beautiful square linking Vienna's 4th and 1st districts; a stroll through this location will take you to Vienna's second most important religious temple: St. Charles Borromeo Church. Its façade is impressive, the most striking and interesting architectural element being its two gigantic exterior columns inspired by Trajan in Rome.

• Opening hours: 9am-6pm; Sundays and public holidays open at 12 noon.
• Admission fee: 8€ for an adult ticket.
• Duration of the visit: One hour is enough.
• Transport or route: Leaving the Naschmarkt the square is just to the right. The Borromeo Church is at the south-eastern end of the Karlsplatz.

Belvedere Palace Vienna

The ensemble is made up of two spectacular palaces linked by a huge French-style garden, possibly the most beautiful garden in Vienna. The buildings that make up the complex are: the Upper Belvedere with an impressive façade which houses the collection of the Austrian Gallery and the Lower Belvedere where there is an exhibition of Austrian baroque art.

• Opening hours: Every day from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
• Admission fee: 22€ adult ticket, free admission if you buy the Vienna Pass.
• Duration of visit: Minimum two hours if you want to tour the gardens and interiors.
• Transport or route: A 10-minute walk along Prinz Eugen-Straße will take you to the entrance of the complex.

Take a lunch break

On your way out of your tour you will definitely feel like having something to eat. I recommend having lunch in one of the many restaurants located around the Palace; you are guaranteed a wide variety of gastronomic offerings. Some recommendations are:

• Art Corner Restaurant Just outside the Palace serving traditional Greek and Viennese dishes, it has a large open terrace ideal if you are visiting Vienna in summer.
• Indian Restaurant Demi Tass One of the best rated Indian restaurants just a few minutes from the Palace.
• Gorilla Kitchen A contemporary restaurant offering everything from burritos, bowls, sandwiches, coffees, cakes and beers.

Visit the Imperial Carriage Museum

On the afternoon of the second day, head to the 13th district to visit the Carriage Museum and Schoenbrunn Palace. From your location in Belvedere you can reach this area of Vienna by several routes. The most direct way is to take the Vienna underground line U4 from Karlsplatz station and get off at Schönbrunn station, just 5 minutes from the Palace.

Take the opportunity to visit a unique exhibition. The Imperial Carriage Museum is considered one of the best museums in Vienna and houses the most complete collection of historical vehicles including the funeral carriage of Empress Sissi.

• Opening hours: from March to November from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm; from November to December from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.
• Admission fee: From €12 for an adult ticket, this attraction is included in the Vienna Pass.
• Duration of visit: 1 hour is enough time to see the exhibition.

Visit Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna

The Imperial Carriage Museum and the Palace are located on the same grounds, so as soon as you've finished with the museum I recommend a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, which served as the summer residence of the imperial family. Its interiors, decorated in the purest rococo style, are beautifully preserved and the art collection is truly impressive. On your way out of the palace take the time to wander through the extensive and beautiful gardens.

• Opening hours: Open to the public from 8.30am until 5.30pm, in summer in Vienna they work extended hours and in winter only until 5pm.
• Admission fee: From €20 for an adult ticket. This attraction is included in the Vienna Pass.
• Duration of visit: Approximately one hour is usually enough to complete the tour of the interiors.

Have a dinner and concert evening at Schönbrunn Palace

You can stay in or around the Palace for an evening of dinner and classical music at Schoenbrunn Palace. Even if you are not particularly fond of this genre it is a truly enjoyable experience due to the quality of the musicians who present the show. This type of event sells out quickly, especially during the peak tourist season in Vienna.

• Opening times: The dinner show is available from 16:30 or 17:00 depending on the time of year.
• Ticket price: Available from €80 per person.
• Duration of visit: You should book 4 hours for this experience.

Vienna is a city with plenty to see and do but I recommend you spend your third day exploring beyond the city limits. Visiting Salzburg, located south of Vienna, is one of the best things to do from the Austrian capital. Several companies offer this service, so it's easy to find a provider.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Salzburg is famous for its beautiful historic centre with its well-preserved medieval architecture, as well as being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. When booking an excursion to Salzburg keep the following points in mind.

• Price: Approximately €250.
• Duration of tour: This is a day trip adventure, so you'll need to set aside at least 12 hours of your itinerary. Tours usually depart early in the morning between 7am and 8am.

If you need to see a shorter itinerary read the 3-day Vienna travel plan, but if your stay is longer, I recommend you continue to the area where once stood the great wall that protected medieval Vienna and gave way to one of the most important boulevards in the centre.

Spend the morning of your last day exploring the historic buildings, parks and museums located there.

See the Vienna Parliament

The Parliament is housed in an old neoclassical building that is one of the most beloved jewels for the Viennese. The Ringstrasse is another of the city's important icons and you can explore the museum and dome on a guided tour, but these are only available in English and German.

• Opening times: These change according to the season and the days, and I recommend checking the official website a few weeks before your trip.
• Admission fee: From €5 for an adult ticket.
• Duration of the visit: One hour is usually enough to complete the tour.
• Transport or route: You can get there using the Vienna tram, the Stadiongasse station is just a few metres from the entrance.

Take a tour of the Museum of Art History

The Art History Museum is not only interesting in terms of content, but the building itself is a magnificent work of art and architecture. It is a journey through the entire artistic history of mankind from Greek art, Romanesque art, Egyptian art, 15th century painters and sculptors, Velázquez and much, much more.

• Opening hours: From 10am to 6pm on Thursdays and extended hours until 9pm.
• Admission fee: To see the entire collection you will have to pay approximately €20. This attraction is included in the Vienna Pass.
• Duration of visit: The tour of the museum will take about 2 hours to complete.
• Transport or route: Just 9 minutes away from the Ringstrasse on the Dr. Karl Renner-Ring.

Admire the exterior of the Vienna Opera House

At the end of your tour of the museum you can take the opportunity to see the façade of one of the city's architectural gems and home to what is considered to be the world's finest opera house. Designed in neo-Renaissance style, the façade of the Vienna State Opera istruly impressive.

• Transport or route: Taking a walk along the Kärntner Ring, the opera building is only 10 minutes away from the Museum.

Take a lunch break

and take a stroll through Stadtpark

After your visit to the Museum and Opera House, follow the Kärntner Ring to Stadtpark; a beautiful English-style park of 65,000 square metres. Open to the public since 1862, it is the city's main park.

Besides admiring the nature and the tranquillity of this lung, it is worth stopping to admire: the Johann Strauss monument and the Kursalon building. Some good restaurants located within the park are: Biergart'l im Stadtpark, YOHAN and Meierei im Stadtpark.

Have a fun night out in the Prater

If you're visiting Vienna during good weather, consider spending part of the afternoon and your last night at the Prater, known for being the oldest amusement park in the world. Built in 1766, in the park you will find, besides many other amusements, a 60-metre Ferris wheel which has become a cultural symbol and a landmark for all Vienna's cultural heritage.

• Opening hours: Open to the public every day from 10am to 1am.
• Entrance fee: Entrance to the park is free, but rides cost between €1 and €5 depending on the attraction. The Ferris wheel and some of the main attractions are free if you purchase the Vienna Pass.
• Length of visit: It depends on your taste for rides, but you can stay as long as you like.
• Transport: The easiest way to get there is to take tram line 1 from Hetzgasse station. You will arrive at Prater station which is a 5 minute walk from the entrance.

In the afternoon explore Hundertwasserhaus

Leaving the park to the east you will come across the Hundertwasserhaus area. After having visited the city's most exquisite museums and elegant palaces, this residential block is a breath of fresh air.

Characterised by architectural exuberance, it is a showcase of the creative talent of a more modern and evidently carefree architecture. It was built by Friedensreich Hundertwasserhaus, in an architectural style that reminds many of Gaudí's architecture in Barcelona, due to its use of colour and organic forms.