Prater & Giant Ferris Wheel
The Prater is a sprawling park and old-school funfair, crowned by the Wiener Riesenrad – the giant 1897 Ferris wheel from The Third Man. The park is free to roam; buy a ticket to ride the wheel for city views.
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Naschmarkt
Vienna’s big, buzzing market – stalls of Austrian and Middle Eastern produce, cheese, olives and street food, plus a run of lively restaurants. Come Saturday for the sprawling flea market alongside.
Albertina
A superb art museum above the old Habsburg staterooms, ranging from Durer’s famous hare to Monet, Picasso and modern masters. Elegant, central and rarely overwhelming.
Vienna State Opera
One of the world’s great opera houses, all red velvet and gold. Take a guided backstage tour by day, or grab a famously cheap standing-room ticket on the night for a taste of Viennese high culture.
Hofburg & Sisi Museum
The Habsburgs’ sprawling winter palace in the centre of town, housing the imperial apartments and the Sisi Museum devoted to the enigmatic Empress Elisabeth. A deep dive into imperial Vienna.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Habsburgs’ imperial art collection in a palatial museum – the world’s best hoard of Bruegels, plus Vermeer, Velazquez and Raphael. Break for coffee under the gilded cupola cafe.
Belvedere
A pair of baroque palaces set in formal gardens, now an art museum whose star is Gustav Klimt’s shimmering The Kiss. Worth it for the building and gardens alone.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Vienna’s soaring Gothic cathedral with its patterned tiled roof, right at the city’s heart. Step into the nave for free, then climb the south tower or descend to the catacombs for a small fee.
Schonbrunn Palace
The Habsburgs’ vast summer palace, a rococo wonderland of state rooms where Maria Theresa and a young Mozart once held court. Book a timed Grand Tour, then wander the enormous baroque gardens and up to the Gloriette for free.
Refugee Company (A Beautiful Mess)
A social enterprise creating work, training and community with and for refugees through hospitality projects and pop-up restaurants like A Beautiful Mess. A warm, welcoming taste of a more inclusive city.