Vienna is the capital of Austria and offers so much for visitors. From the royal palaces that once housed the Hapsburg Family to its classical music and opera scene to all of its art museums and churches, you won’t run out of things to do in this city. But if you only have one day in Vienna, you’ll need to be strategic about your sightseeing. You can’t see it all, but with this guide, I’ll lay out what I think is a perfect itinerary for a first time visitor.
One Day in Vienna
This is not the only way to spend one day in Vienna, but it’s what I recommend for anyone planning their first trip to Vienna. That said, this itinerary involves a choice. With one day in Vienna, you have to pick and choose what you want to see. You can’t possibly see it all.
That said, I was incredibly indecisive when developing this itinerary and I could not make a decision for the first activity of the day. You’ll have to choose between the Imperial Apartments in Vienna or venturing to Schönbrunn Palace. It’s completely up to you. After that, the rest of the itinerary is the same for all visitors.
Option 1 – 9:00 – Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments
Option 1 for your one day in Vienna is to visit the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments. Located within Vienna’s Ring and near most of the rest of the sights on this itinerary, it’s the easier of the two options.
The Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments go together. You’ll by a ticket for the Sisi Museum and as you finish that museum, you’ll flow right into the Imperial Apartments. So why should you choose this option?
The Sisi Museum tells the story of the famed Empress Elisabeth, better known as “Sisi”. She married Franz Josef and became Empress of Austria, which she came to loathe. She stepped back from her empress duties and decades later, there’s now a fascination with the Empress who didn’t want to be Empress. After learning about Sisi’s life, from early childhood to her assassination in Switzerland, you’ll move into the Imperial Apartments which give a look inside the living quarters of Sisi and Franz Josef. This is one of the highlights of the Hofburg Palace.
Your ticket comes with an included audioguide, which while very informational and well put together, seemed to not be the right pace for moving through the museum. It should be noted that there were renovations at the Sisi Museum during my visit, so things may have just felt a bit more chaotic and disjointed because of that.
The Sisi Museum opens at 9:00 am and I recommend purchasing your ticket in advance. You’ll have to select a time slot and you’ll want to pick up the earliest slot of the day so you can make the most of your time in Vienna.
Learn more and pick up your ticket at the official website.
Option 2 – 8:30 – Schönbrunn Palace
Option 2 for your one day in Vienna has an earlier start in more ways than one. Schönbrunn Palace opens at 8:30, so a full 30 minutes before the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments. However, it also takes more time to reach since Schönbrunn Palace sits on the outskirts of Vienna. The easiest way to get here is to take the metro. Line U4 has a stop just outside Schönbrunn Palace.
Schönbrunn Palace was the summer home of the Hapsburgs. While the Imperial Apartments showed where they lived for most of the year, Schönbrunn features their lavish summer residence. It’s so lavish that it’s perhaps the second most impressive palace in all of Europe, second only to Versailles, just outside of Paris. If you like over the top palaces like I do, I recommend Schönbrunn Palace over the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments. The Sisi Museum did a better job of telling the story of the royal family, but Schönbrunn Palace had that opulence that I was looking for in a palace.
You’ll want to pick up a ticket in advance. When you do, you’ll pick a time slot and I recommend picking the earliest spot in the day. Arrive early. If your tour is at 8:30, try to arrive a little after 8:00, just to be the first in line and to have a nice view of Schönbrunn without all of the other visitors.
There are several ticket options for Schönbrunn. Since you’re going to be short on time, limit your visit to either the Palace Ticket or the State Apartments Ticket. The Palace Ticket includes all of the rooms as the State Apartments Ticket, but also includes a visit to the Imperial Apartments where Franz Josef and Elisabeth stayed (at Schönbrunn, not the Imperial Apartments at Hofburg Palace).
I got the Palace Ticket and while the apartments were nice, I think the best part was the first rooms that can be visited by either ticket. The extra rooms included in the Palace ticket only add an extra 20 minutes onto your visit, so it’s your choice which ticket you purchase. Just make sure to purchase your ticket in advance.
After touring the interior of the palace, spend an hour wandering the gardens before catching the metro back to Vienna to continue with the rest of your itinerary.
Learn more and pick up your ticket at the official website.
11:00 – Kunsthistorisches Museum
Regardless of which Hapsburg Residence you choose to tour this morning, we’re now back on the same schedule. We’re going to head to the Kunsthistorisches Museum next.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is an art museum that was built to show off the Hapsburg’s art collection to the people of Vienna. While admittedly I’m not a huge art museum fan, I really enjoyed the Kunsthisorisches. Why? It’s the same reason I enjoyed the Louvre in Paris. The building itself is a work of art and the interior might just be my favorite in Vienna.
As you wander the second floor, you’ll work your way through Renaissance paintings, Remembrant self portraits, the largest collection of Pieter Bruegel in the world, and even more. On the first floor, you’ll work your way through other treasures. There’s a large collection of antiquities from Greece and Egypt, as well as some items from the Habsburgs themselves.
Pick up your ticket for the Kunsthistorisches Museum online. You do not need to select a time slot, but it’s two euros cheaper to purchase your ticket online (even if you do so from your phone while standing outside the door) than it is to purchase it at the museum. Plus there’s a line at the museum and no one wants to wait in a line.
Learn more and pick up your ticket at the official website.
1:00 – Exploring the Old Town
We’re done exploring museums and are now going to focus on Vienna’s Old Town. Specifically we’re going to focus on the area within Vienna’s Ring. What does this mean? Well, there’s a road circling most of Vienna’s Old Town (the only part not surrounded by road is bordered by the Danube River) and it’s within this part of the city where you’ll find the best architecture and the rest of the top tourist sights.
As you meander through the Old Town, keep an eye out for a few sights.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral – This church has become a symbol of Vienna. It’s an impressive gothic cathedral with a beautiful interior. While you can walk into the cathedral for free, you’ll have to buy a ticket to get up close to some of the sights. Personally, I think you can see enough from the free area of the cathedral that you can save your money for another activity.
Column of Pest – This is Vienna’s Plague Monument. Over 75,000 Viennese died when the Bubonic Plague came to the city in the late 1600s. Its said that Emperor Leopold begged God to save the city. His prayers were answered and the monument was built in return.
Michaelsplatz – There’s several squares that run through the old town, including Stephensplatz just outside St. Stephen’s Cathedral. If you visited the Hofburg Palace this morning, you may have already been here, but this square sits just outside the palace and features St. Michael’s Church and some great architecture. Don’t forget to walk through the gate and take a peak into the Hofburg Palace while you’re here.
Vienna State Opera – Vienna is famous for its opera and classical music scene. While you could buy tickets to see a show later in the evening, swing by the exterior for a good look. If you want to learn more but don’t want to go to an actual show, you can took into tickets for a tour of the interior.
And if you’re hungry, consider stopping for a quick bite to eat. There’s hot dog stands throughout the Old Town. Yes, it’s a bit pricier than some other areas of Vienna (I noticed a 1.50 euro mark up in the Old Town versus where I bought mine just outside the Ring), but this is a quick and easy lunch.
2:45 – St. Peter’s Church
Head over to St. Peter’s Church which is situated in the Old Town. It’s my favorite church that I visited in Vienna, but we’re going to turn our visit into something more. Take a quick wander through the church and then have a seat in one of the pews.
3:00 – Free Organ Concert at St. Peter’s Church
Vienna is famous for its classical music and performances. With one day in Vienna, you don’t have a lot of time. Plus, I know that not everyone enjoys the idea of spending a lot of time on a classical music performance. But still, you’re in Vienna so take the time to catch a performance.
Typically at 3:00 pm, St. Peter’s Church offers a free organ concert. You don’t need a ticket and can just show up. That said, if you arrive after 2:50 and leave within 5-10 minutes of the concert ending, you will pass a person asking for donations. It’s your choice how much you give, but if you pass this person, it seemed like it became a mandatory donation. I arrived very early and took some photos before leaving, so I never ended up being explicitly asked for a donation.
Check the church’s website for the most up to date information about the various performances. There may be other free performances throughout the day, so look ahead and plan your day accordingly.
3:30 – More of the Old Town
After the concert, you have more time to wander through Vienna’s Old Town. Stop by some of the sights that you missed earlier and enjoy wandering the city. Or consider stopping by a cafe for coffee and dessert. The rest of the day is yours.
Is One Day in Vienna Enough?
I think whether or not one day in Vienna is enough depends on the traveler. In general, you can see a lot in one day and visit many of the highlights of this fantastic city. That said, if you can spare one extra day for Vienna, I think you’ll have a more enjoyable experience.
With More Time
With two days, you can explore a bit more of Vienna. Visit both the Sisi Museum/Imperial Apartments and Schönbrunn Palace. Venture to some of Vienna’s other great sights. Some options include:
Vienna Opera House – You’ll likely have passed this during your walk of Vienna’s Old Town, but I’m mentioning it again. Look into a tour if you have more time.
Spanish Riding School – Part of the Hofburg Palace, the Spanish Riding School is the place to go to see horse performances. Learn more at the official website.
Belvedere Palace – Originally built by Prince Eugene of Savoy, this former palace became Vienna’s first public art gallery after his death. It continues to function as an art gallery and is home to Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. Learn more at the official website.
Austrian National Library – If you haven’t gotten your fill of gorgeous Viennese interiors, set your sights on the Austrian National Library.
St. Charles’ Church – If you aren’t burnt out from churches yet, St. Charles’ Church is another great one. While you can tour it during the day, consider enhancing your visit by taking in a chamber music performance at night. Learn more at the official website.
Getting Around Vienna
Vienna has buses, trams, and an underground metro station to help you navigate the city. That said, I think it really depends on where you’re staying and what your plans are for the day. If you will just be spending the day within Vienna’s ring, I don’t think there’s a need for public transportation (unless your hotel is far away from the ring). Everything within this small area of Vienna is incredibly walkable.
Tickets cost 2.40 euros per ride for 8 euros for a 24 hour pass. If you’ll be taking more than 3 rides in 24 hours, it’s worth it to pick up a 24 hour pass. I found the easiest place to pick up tickets were from a metro station.
Note that you will need to validate your ticket. When entering the metro, tram, or bus, stick your ticket into the reader. If your ticket isn’t validated, it’s not valid and you could risk getting fined. I saw inspectors checking for tickets as people left Karlsplatz metro station one evening and they will fine you if you get caught without a valid ticket. If you have a 24 hour ticket, you only need to validate the first time you use it.
Getting to Vienna
Vienna is easily connected to many great cities around Europe. Of course you can fly into Vienna, but don’t overlook bus and train connections as well. Here’s some popular options:
Vienna to Salzburg, Austria – 2 hours 30 minutes by train
Vienna to Ljubljana, Slovenia – 5 hours by bus (I used Flixbus)
Vienna to Bratislava, Slovakia – 40 minutes by train, 1 hour by bus (I used the RegioJet bus)
Vienna to Prague, Czech Republic – 4 hours by train
Vienna to Budapest, Hungary – 2 hours 30 minutes by train
For buses, make sure you look carefully at which bus station you’ll be using. When I arrived from Ljubljana, we arrived at Vienna Erdberg. When I left Vienna for Bratislava, my bus departed from the main train station.
When to Visit Vienna
Vienna can be visited all year round. Summers can be hot and busy with plenty of tourists wanting to visit Vienna’s top sights. The summer months are also the most limited when it comes to Opera and the classical music concerts that Vienna is famous for. If this is important to you, make sure you take this into consideration.
In the winter months, there can be less tourists and more options for classical music and opera performances, but it will be the coldest. Spring and fall can be great shoulder seasons.
I visited in mid October and had a great time. Mornings were a bit chilly, but it eventually warmed up into a comfortable weather for exploring. The leaves were also turning colors which made for a great walk through the gardens at Schönbrunn Palace.
Final Thoughts
Vienna is a lovely city with so much to see and do. While you can cover a lot with one day in Vienna, you won’t see it all and may leave wishing you had just a little more time to explore.
Continue Your Adventure
Nearby: Many visitors combine a trip to Vienna with Budapest, Hungary which is just three hours by train.
More in Europe: Vienna is just one of many great cities in Europe. Paris is one of my favorites, but Amsterdam can also be fun. For an easy first trip, try visiting London.