Vienna | Austria
Enjoy astonishing architecture, classical concerts, cake and coffee houses when you waltz around cosmopolitan Vienna. See more highlights in this city guide.
Whether you enjoy Mozart or hearing about a few of your favourite things, music is central to Austrian culture and its capital Vienna. Classical concerts, cake and coffee houses are all must-dos but you can take more than a waltz around cosmopolitan Vienna to enjoy live music and clubs too. Regal history informs the city’s grand-scale architecture, with Habsburg dynasty palaces from Hofburg to Schonbrunn, and world-class music venues including the Stasoper (opera house). Then there are the art museums whose collections are no less magnificent, and for some seasonal sparkle, there's nothing quite like visiting the Viennese Christmas market during winter months.
Must-Sees
Schonbrunn Palace
Guided Bike Ride
Liechtenstein City Palace
Local Recommendations
When it comes to local knowledge there's no one better to show you the way than our on-the-ground team. Read on to find out their favourite dining venues, places of interest, customs or secrets that keep them returning to these cities time and again.
Meet Local Expert - Kevin Sykes
Experienced Tour Director Kevin Sykes accompanies European river cruises and is based in the Luberon region of France, in a small village nestled in the National Park called Lourmarin. His favourite place to show guests is Vienna, as it has so much to offer for everyone. It is a modern metropolitan city, but steeped in the history of Empires. From indulging in the best coffee to admiring historic architecture, the list of ways to enjoy Vienna is endless so to start, here's a few of Kevin's favourite recommendations.
Viennese Coffee
"Try the coffee! You can find many beautiful coffee houses on the ringstrasse of Vienna, for example Cafe Landtmann or the Cafe Sacher. The Kaffeehaus tradition dates back to the 17C when the Turkish left coffee as they abandoned their siege of the city but became fashionable in the 19C when you could find Freud, Marx or Strauss taking advantage of the warmth and intellectual company to escape Vienna's winter."
View Featured Trip
"Walk or ride along the blue Danube. Our ships dock on a lovely stretch of the Danube which offers you the chance to join the locals in a wanderweg (trail walk) in the morning."
Authentic Shopping Experiences
"Many people are surprised that Vienna is such a fabulous city for shopping. From international and Austrian prestige brands (such as Swarovski crystal) to simple souvenirs, such as Klimt reproductions and Mozart confectionary, Vienna is a shoppers paradise."
General Information
Country: Austria
Currency: Euro (EUR)
International dialling code: +43
Local time: GMT +1
Population
Language
Language: Austrian German
Useful phrases: Gruss gott (good day); Auf wiedersehen (good bye); Einen kaffee bitte (a coffee please)
A day in Vienna
"Your visit will start with a local guided tour which will prepare you to get the most out of this amazing city. Then enjoy a stroll in the fashionable pedestrian zone or take a fiaker (horse and carriage) along the cobbled streets so you can take some time looking up at the elegant architecture as you explore the hidden corners of the city.
Try a Schnitzel. There are hundreds of local taverns in the historic centre, probably the most famous is Figlmüller but this local delicacy, served in a variety of ways is uniquely Viennese.
Don’t miss the Museums - Vienna is one of the greatest cities in the world for Art museums. Perhaps after visiting the Palace of Schonbrunn in the morning you can make your way to the Albertina in the middle of the old town. There are always interesting exhibitions , but my favourite is the Monet to Picasso collection."
(Words by Kevin Sykes)