Self-guided itinerary · free
Vienna in 3 days: St Stephen's, Schönbrunn, museums and the Prater
The plan splits Vienna into three clusters. Day one explores the Innere Stadt on foot: from St Stephen's along the Graben and Kohlmarkt to the Hofburg, the Albertina in the afternoon and a guided tour of the State Opera in the late afternoon. Day two follows the U4 line: Schönbrunn Palace and park in the morning, the Naschmarkt at lunch and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in the afternoon. Day three brings Klimt's "The Kiss" at the Belvedere, the Stadtpark and the Riesenrad in the Prater at the end of the day. Schönbrunn, Kunsthistorisches Museum and Belvedere tickets are bought in advance with time slots, and Schönbrunn's only official online sales channel is imperialtickets.com. The Sisi Museum in the Hofburg is closed until the renovated museum opens on 19 November 2026. With the S-Bahn trunk line between the airport and the centre closed until the end of October 2027, you reach town by Railjet or the CAT bus. Hours and fees link to the official source with the date we last checked them.
Prepared by: Kolay Seyahat content teamLast updated 22/10/2026Every fact links to an official source
This is not a package tour. This itinerary is free information. Flights, hotels and experiences are each sold separately, under their own seller’s terms, with separate payment and a separate contract. Prices are never linked to one another.
Day by day
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Day 1 · Innere Stadt: St Stephen's, the Hofburg, the Albertina and the State Opera
Walk from St Stephen's along the Graben and Kohlmarkt to the Hofburg, then the Albertina in the afternoon and a guided tour of the State Opera in the late afternoon, ending the evening in a coffee house.
Day 1 · 1 · 09:00–10:30
St Stephen's Cathedral
The symbol of the historic centre and the natural start of the plan; the Vienna Tourist Board counts the cathedral among the highlights of the UNESCO World Heritage historic centre. You can explore the interior on your own or with a guide and take the lift up the North Tower; the catacombs are seen on a guided tour. Then walk along the Graben and Kohlmarkt to the Hofburg; Demel, the former court confectioner on Kohlmarkt, is on the way for a short break.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Tourist visits Monday–Saturday 09:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:30, Sundays and holidays 13:00–16:30; subject to change for liturgical reasons.
Source: Stephansdom · Kirchenmeisteramt · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Check the official site for current information
Source: Stephansdom · Kirchenmeisteramt · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Visiting hours may change for services. No sleeveless tops, short skirts or hats for men. Check prices on the official site.
Day 1 · 2 · 11:00–13:00
The Hofburg and Michaelerplatz
Closed
The heart of the Habsburg palace, the Hofburg is one of the highlights of the UNESCO-listed historic centre. The Sisi Museum, telling the story of Empress Elisabeth, is closed until the renovated museum opens on 19 November 2026; before then, explore the Hofburg's courtyards and exterior. The Spanish Riding School visitor centre on Michaelerplatz offers a chance to see the Lipizzaner horses' classical riding tradition in place.
Getting there
- Walk
Closed
The Sisi Museum area is temporarily closed until the renovated museum opens on 19 November 2026.
Source: Sisi Museum · Schönbrunn Group · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Spanish Riding School: morning exercise from €17, performances from €26. Visitor centre daily 09:00–16:00, Michaelerplatz.
Source: Spanische Hofreitschule · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Sisi Museum tickets have fixed entry times and are sold online only at imperialtickets.com. Check the Spanish Riding School's morning-exercise days on its official site.
Day 1 · 3 · 14:00–17:30
The Albertina and a State Opera guided tour
Booking recommended
Right next to the Hofburg, the Albertina is a calm art break of a few hours on a busy Innere Stadt day, with no time slots on tickets. In the late afternoon, take the roughly 40-minute guided tour of the State Opera, one of the Ringstraße's landmarks, to see the stage and halls by day, a way to get to know the opera house if you aren't going to an evening performance.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Albertina daily 10:00–18:00; Wednesdays and Fridays until 21:00.
Source: Albertina · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Albertina adults €20.90; over-65s and under-26s €17.50; under-19s free.
Source: Albertina · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
State Opera standard tour about 40 minutes, adults (27 and over) €18; online or on site 30 minutes before the tour (if places remain).
Source: Wiener Staatsoper · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
State Opera tour dates are added around the middle of each month for the next month; tickets are non-refundable. Arrive at least 15 minutes early; tours are not suitable for people with limited mobility. The Albertina is open until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Day 2 · Schönbrunn, the Naschmarkt and the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Schönbrunn Palace and the walk up to the Gloriette in the morning, the U4 to the Naschmarkt at lunch and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in the afternoon.
Day 2 · 1 · 08:30–11:30
Schönbrunn Palace and park
Booking required
The Habsburgs' summer palace and baroque gardens. Visit the palace at opening time with your timed ticket, then climb through the free park to the Gloriette: seeing the palace and the city together is the widest view of the plan. The fountains do not run from mid-October to mid-April.
Getting there
- Metro U4
Getting there
U4 Schönbrunn; trams 10 and 60 and bus 10A to Schloss Schönbrunn.
Source: Schloss Schönbrunn · last checked 2026-10-22
Opening hours
The palace is open every day including public holidays from 08:30; in winter it closes at 17:00 or 17:30 depending on the date. Last entry to all attractions 45 minutes before closing. The park is free and opens at 06:30.
Source: Schloss Schönbrunn · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Palace Ticket adults €42, children over 6 €30; State Apartments €30 / €20; Classic Pass €49 / €36.
Source: Schloss Schönbrunn · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Genuine tickets are sold only online at imperialtickets.com; beware of fake ticket sites. Check winter hours for some garden areas before you go.
Day 2 · 2 · 12:00–13:30
The Naschmarkt
Take the U4 back to Kettenbrückengasse: according to the Vienna Tourist Board, the Naschmarkt, with about 130 stalls, is the city's best-known market. It is the right place for a quick, varied lunch after a morning at the palace. On Saturdays a flea market also sets up at the Kettenbrückengasse end.
Getting there
- Metro U4
Getting there
U4 Kettenbrückengasse or U1, U2, U4 Karlsplatz.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Opening hours
Monday–Friday 06:00–21:00, Saturday 06:00–18:00; food stalls until 23:00 Monday–Saturday.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
On Sundays the market is closed and only the restaurants are open.
Day 2 · 3 · 14:00–17:30
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Booking required
The great picture gallery born of the Habsburg collections rounds off the morning's imperial story with art. Since 8 September 2026 entry is by reserved time slot, so buy your ticket online. The museum stays open until 21:00 on Thursdays, so if day two falls on a Thursday you can move the visit to the evening. Spittelberg and Mariahilf are close by for dinner.
Getting there
- Walk
Opening hours
Daily 10:00–18:00, Thursdays until 21:00; closes at 15:00 on 24 December.
Source: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Adults €22 online, €24 at the desk; reduced €19 online; under-19s free. Entry by reserved time slot since 8 September 2026.
Source: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Some rooms are closed; check before you go if there is a particular work you want to see.
Day 3 · The Belvedere, the Stadtpark and the Prater
The Klimt collection at the Belvedere and the garden walk down to the Lower Belvedere in the morning, the Stadtpark at midday, and the Prater and Riesenrad in the afternoon.
Day 3 · 1 · 09:00–11:30
The Belvedere
Booking required
A baroque palace and Klimt's "The Kiss" together. According to the Vienna Tourist Board, the heart of the collection is Klimt's 24 paintings; "The Kiss" measures 180 × 180 cm and dates from 1908/09. After the Upper Belvedere, the walk down through the garden to the Lower Belvedere completes the morning.
Opening hours
Upper Belvedere daily 09:00–18:00; Lower Belvedere and Orangery daily 10:00–18:00.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Check the official site for current information
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tickets and booking
A valid timed ticket is required for the Upper and Lower Belvedere.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Entry requires a valid timed ticket. Check prices and current hours on the official site.
Day 3 · 2 · 14:30–17:00
The Prater and the Wiener Riesenrad
After a midday break in the Stadtpark, head to the Prater. The view of the city from the wooden cabins of the Riesenrad, running since 1897 and about 65 metres high, and the green Hauptallee stretching from Praterstern to the Lusthaus make a light finale to a museum-heavy plan. Have your farewell dinner around Praterstraße.
Opening hours
Check the official site for current information
Source: Wiener Riesenrad · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
The Riesenrad has run since 1897 and is about 65 metres high; free with the Vienna Pass. Address: Riesenradplatz 1.
Source: Wiener Riesenrad · last checked 2026-10-22
Tips
Check the Riesenrad's hours and prices on its official site.
Getting around
Getting there
From 7 September 2026 to the end of October 2027 the S-Bahn trunk line between Wien Praterstern and Wien Hauptbahnhof is closed. From the airport, ÖBB Railjet/ICE runs twice an hour to Wien Hauptbahnhof in about 15 minutes and REX 7 in about 20; during this period the CAT runs as a bus to Wien Mitte/Landstraße in about 21 minutes.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Entrance fee
Railjet ticket airport–Hauptbahnhof: adults €5.50, ages 6–14 €2.80. City single ticket €3.20 (80 minutes from validation, transfers allowed); 24-hour Vienna ticket €10.20. Under-6s free.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
Good to know
According to the Vienna Tourist Board, a tip of about 10% is customary in restaurants and coffee houses; tap water is drinkable and there are drinking fountains for refilling bottles.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · last checked 2026-10-22
What and where to eat
Recommended places
Meierei im Stadtpark
Landstraße, StadtparkAustrian
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide mentions its matured cheeses, classics such as schnitzel and Kaiserschmarrn, and its summer terrace over the Stadtpark. It fits lunch on day three.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
TIAN Bistro am Spittelberg
Neubau, SpittelbergVegetarian and vegan
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand (new in 2026); the guide mentions vegetarian and vegan dishes from regional, seasonal and largely organic produce, and its covered courtyard.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Chez Bernard
MariahilfContemporary French
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide mentions French-leaning classics on the 7th floor of a boutique hotel and its rooftop terrace. It fits the evening of day two.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Mochi
Leopoldstadt, PraterstraßeJapanese
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand; the guide describes a lively, relaxed spot where you can watch sushi, yakitori and gyu don being prepared. Close to the Prater for the farewell evening on day three.
Source: MICHELIN Guide · MICHELIN Guide · last checked 2026-10-22
Café Sperl
MariahilfTraditional Viennese coffee house
The Vienna Tourist Board presents it as a "time capsule" with original 1880 furnishings, its Sperl Torte and billiard tables.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Café Hawelka
Innere StadtTraditional Viennese coffee house
The Vienna Tourist Board describes it as a legendary meeting place for artists and writers, known for its jam-filled Buchteln. It fits the evening of day one.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Local specialities
Tafelspitz
The classic Viennese cut of boiled beef, sliced and served with its broth, chive sauce and apple horseradish. The Vienna Tourist Board calls it "Emperor Franz Joseph's favourite".
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Wiener Schnitzel
The city dish the Vienna Tourist Board describes as known all over the world.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Coffee-house pastries
Sperl Torte at Café Sperl, Buchteln at Café Hawelka and home-made guglhupf at Café Jelinek, the signature sweets of Vienna's traditional coffee houses.
Source: Vienna Tourist Board · Official tourism source · last checked 2026-10-22
Opening hours and prices vary by venue; check the venue’s own site before you go. Recommendations are not paid placements.
Where to stay
Candidates were picked by distance to the area, star rating, guest rating (weighted by number of reviews) and completeness of hotel details. Ratings, review counts and details come live from our catalogue. Tiers follow the star rating.
Sample dates: 26.11–28.11 (2 nights), 2 adults. Prices change with dates; choose your own dates on the hotel page.
Innere Stadt (1st district)
All of day one's stops (St Stephen's, the Hofburg, the Albertina, the State Opera) and the traditional coffee houses are within walking distance.
Good for: First-timers and couples
Budget
Mid-range
Mariahilf and Neubau (Naschmarkt–Spittelberg)
Close to the Naschmarkt and the Kunsthistorisches Museum, with a direct U4 link to Schönbrunn and plenty of dinner options.
Good for: Groups of friends, food lovers and museum-goers
Budget
Landstraße: around Wien Mitte
During the S-Bahn closure the CAT bus arrives at Wien Mitte, and the Belvedere and Stadtpark are in the same area.
Good for: Short stays, early or late flights and families
Budget
Mid-range
Photos: Pexels (Westafrikan Koffi, Simófi István, Ekam Juneja, Anton Uniqueton, Leszek Czyzewski, Daniel J. Schwarz, Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz, Daniel Żabiński)
