Sightseeing in Vienna

The Route:

Ferris Wheel - Prater - Hundertwasserhaus - KunstHausWien - Postsparkasse (Otto Wagner) - Ringstraße - Stadtpark/Johann Strauß Monument - Karlsplatz - Opera - Hofburg - Michaelerplatz - Burgtheater - Rathaus - University - Am Hof - St. Stephen's Cathedral - Schwedenplatz - Danube Canal (about 3 hours)

contact: Pedal Power, Vienna
(MAY - SEPT - regular tours & can be private)

The official Sightseeing Tour of the capital shows you all of the major Historical sites including the Schonbrunn. It is a daily coach tour that departs at 09.45 and lasts 3.5 hrs. A pick up bus will collect you from your hotel and take you to the departure point!

Departs daily: 09h45/10h30/14h45
Duration: 3 1/2hrs
Price: £30.00pp
“Stop wasting time leafing through your guide book! Take a tour!” Add this to your enquiry or booking form.

This tour is a spectacular way to see the Austrian capital. After a short city tour, in which you have chance to see the Ring Avenue with all its famous historical buildings and monuments, you are taken to the well known Danube Tower. From its terrace, 150m above the roofs of Vienna, you can admire the marvelous panorama of Vienna. The evening will end in one of the traditional wine taverns of Grinzing, where you can enjoy traditional music and the typical Viennese ambiance. The tour is run on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Departure is at 19.30 hrs and the programme lasts 3 hrs.

Departs: Tu,Th,Fr,Sa 19h30
Duration: 3hrs
Price: £40.00pp
“Stop wasting time leafing through your guide book! Take a tour!” Add this to your enquiry or booking form.

Culture lovers should mark down the Academy of Fine Arts and the Albertina as must-see tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1692, the Academy of Fine Arts is home to many great pieces of work, including important pieces by Rembrandt. Even more impressive, is the Albertina that is home to a staggering, 65,000 drawings and 1 million prints. The collection includes the master work of: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Rembrandt. For clients looking for culture on their short holiday, then one can see that this city has a lot to offer.

Every day at noon, Vienna's past is commemorated by the Anker Clock that bridges the two parts of the Anker Insurance Company's building. As the clock chimes, puppet-figures representing various historical eras, come out to parade to the music. The Anker clock was built in 1913 and is situated on the oldest square of Vienna 'Hoher Markt'. Although, the Anker Clock isn’t a main Austria attraction, it is a lovely sight to capture if you time your city tour accordingly.

For anybody with a keen interest in classical music, then a visit to Beethoven’s memorial houses might be a good idea. The Eroica house & Pasqualati house both exhibit many interesting, pictures, sheet music and personal possessions of the composer. It was in the Pasqualati house, where Beethoven composed, the 4th, 5th and 6th symphony’s. If you have a special interest in classical music, we do recommend a visit.

One of the greatest examples of Baroque architecture found anywhere in the world is the Belvedere Palace. Constructed outside the city fortifications as a summer home for Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Belvedere is actually two palaces separated by a symmetrical French style garden. Today, the lower & upper palaces are home to three extremely popular museums: the Osterreichische Galerie, Jahrhunders and the Schiele. Even without the museums the Belvedere is a must-see whilst on your Vienna city break holiday. Quite simply, it is visually stunning and is a remarkable architectural achievement.

In Vienna’s first district, explorers can find the national theatre, the ‘Burg’ or 'Haus am Ring' (House at Ring boulevard). The Burg theatre was originally donated by the Empress Maria Theresia in 1741 to a theatre company called Sellier and is the second-oldest theatre still in existence after the Comédie Francaise. The Burg has a world wide reputation for its dramatic brilliance and is the worlds leading German speaking theatre. Please be advised that all the performances are in German, so if you do not speak the language, there is little point in obtaining a ticket. However, the Burg theatre is worth a visit alone. Its beautiful facades are decorated with statues of famous writers and the interior decoration of the theatre is luxurious, reflecting the imperial days. Theatre tours run daily and last for approx. 30 minutes. We have a dedicated department that specialises in theatre, ballet & opera city breaks based around theatre performances.

Originally, Church of St. Augustin was built for the Augustinian monks, later in the 17th century it became the Imperial Court's church. Numerous weddings of the imperial family took place here, famously; Napoleon married the Austrian Princess Marie Louise here in 1810. Church of St. Augustin is an impressive sightseeing attraction for tourists, drawing crowds for its beautiful gothic architecture, intricate chapels and the Rococo styled organ. Many music lovers come here during mass to hear the fabulous church music, playing the classics of Mozart, Haydn and Schubert. In short, other churches worth seeking out during your short breaks stay in Vienna are: Church of the Dominicans, Church of the Franciscans, Church of the Jesuits and the Church of St. Peter.

The City Hall (Rathaus) was part of the striving plan of architectural improvements to the capital introduced by Emperor Franz Joseph I, including the Ringstrate, the Rathauspark (City Hall Park) and the Opera. Architect, Friedrich von Schmidt, who planned the Cologne Cathedral, designed and built Rathaus. Today, Vienna's City Hall is the most important neo-Gothic building in the Austrian capital and is definitely a must-see site during any holidays in Austria. The most striking feature of the city hall is the 98-metre-high steeple that has the Rathausmann statue standing guard on top. The interior of the city hall is also extremely impressive. Outside the city hall is another Vienna breaks attraction, the Rathauspark. The city hall park is a combination of 2 symmetrical parks divided by a wide square, which leads up to the Rathaus. The square is used all year round for various events, such as the traditional Christmas market, skating from January and summer cinema. It is also a hub for political demonstrations such as the annual First of May demonstrations.

Day and night, visitors of this lovely city can take the express elevator up to the observation platform of the Danube Tower and enjoy the fantastic views. The Danube tower stands 252m high, located in the Donaupark and is nick named by the locals as the ‘concrete needle’. Above the viewing platform is the revolving restaurant, a great place to dine and enjoy quality cuisine with magnificent changing panoramic views. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, then interestingly you can bungee jump from the Danube tower, known to be one of the biggest bungee centres in the world. You can often see some white-faced stag parties on their Vienna stag weekends waiting to jump off, which is quite amusing.

The hill opposite the Schonbrunn Palace is crowned by the glorious Gloriette. This beautiful baroque pavilion is a splendid holiday attraction and is worth the short up hill walk for a closer inspection. The Gloriette is clearly the focal piece of the garden that ties this imperial landscape together and is a real joy to the eyes. Café Gloriette inside the building is a nice place to stop and relax before moving on; it offers good food & service. Many of our Vienna break clients have enjoyed the gardens and say the Gloriette is stunning. We agree.

The Austrian capital blends between old & new like no other city in the world. Within this fascinating Viennese metropolis holiday makers can witness a cityscape of both tradition and modern times. There is no better example to be found in Vienna than the modern glass Haas House building that stands opposite the St. Stephen's cathedral. Original the Haas House was opposed by locals, but today it’s loved by most and for some a symbol of pride. A little tip for keen photographers, try capturing the St. Stephen's Cathedral reflection in the glass facade of the Haas House.

Classical music lovers will want to visit the Haus der Musik or House of Music, as its one of the best interactive discovery museums in Europe. Located in the heart of Vienna’s first district nestled between St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera, the Haus der Musik offers many interactive installations that help with the discovery of music. One can experience the highlights from the Vienna Philharmonic’s world-famous New Year’s Concert in the best sound and picture quality anytime of the year. Amazingly, bargain weekend breaks visitors can conduct the Vienna Philharmonic from a virtual conductor’s podium and the musicians on the screen will tell you if you are up to par. It’s an excellent museum that links tradition and innovation and we would highly recommend a visit there on your Austria holidays.

The Hofburg lies at Vienna's epicentre and is a shining symbol of why Vienna became such a glittering focus for art and culture. As far as main tourist attractions go, this is one of the most important sites to be seen. The Hofburg Imperial Palace was once home to the Habsburgs and was originally a medieval castle. As the Habsburg Dynasty grew so did the palace, which explains its gigantic size and various architectural styles. Today it houses the office of the Austrian president, the National Library, the Imperial Treasury that holds the stunning Crown jewels, the chapel where the Vienna Boys’ Choir sings and the famous Spanish Riding School in which the Lipizzan stallions perform. The Hofburg is a fascinating tourist hub and we’d highly recommend a guided tour.

Built as a memorial of the plague epidemic during the year 1713, this large Baroque church is one of the greatest buildings to find in Vienna. The Karlskirche church is a Baroque masterpiece and its majestic columns and large dome make it an awesome visual feast.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) was ceremoniously opened in 1891 and was built to house the majority of the Habsburg collections. The collections of the Kunsthistorische Museum are amongst the most important and spectacular in the world. The collections range from Ancient Egyptian and Greek and Roman Antiquities to the Collections of Medieval Art to the splendid Renaissance and Baroque Collections. The Kunsthistorisches is a fine attraction, and should be a priority visit for discerning short break travelers.

On Universitätsstrasse Street, guests will find Mozart's house that has 6 floors dedicated to the famous classical composer’s life & work. The presentation focuses on Mozart’s ten years in the city, which includes the high points of his creativity. Contact Vamos Travel for the best & cheapest concert tickets in Vienna. Experience a classical concert in the finest historical surroundings. We guarantee this will be a highlight to any type of holiday in Austria.

At Vienna’s Naturhistorisches Museum, visitors can travel through the planet’s history and through the breathtaking diversity of nature, right back to the origins of our culture. This amazing Natural History Museum houses collections of insects, fish, mammals, birds, dinosaurs and ice-age mammal fossils. Interestingly, it holds the largest collection of skulls in the world (over 43,000), but it’s the dinosaur skeletons, that are the biggest attraction amongst children & adults.

The Austrian Parliament is very much reminiscent of an ancient Greek temple and was constructed between 1883 – 1918. It is here where the National council develops and passes laws. Apart from the spectacular main building, other points of interest are the historical statues and the centre piece Pallas-Athene-Brunnen fountain.

The capital is encircled by the 4km long Ring Boulevard, that was the brain child of Emperor Franz Joseph I in December 1857. The Ring Boulevard was built after the city walls were torn down and was cleverly planned to integrate the inner city with its suburbs. Many famous buildings can be found located around the Ring Boulevard, from the State Opera House & Museum of Fine Arts to the Austrian Parliament and Hofburg. The Ring can be used to carefully plan your day trips, explorations in and around the best tourism hotspots.

Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria and since the 1960s has also been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. The whole ensemble, including the palace, the park with its numerous architectural features, fountains and statues and not least the zoo (oldest of its kind in the world) was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List late in 1996. As one of the finest and popular – must see sights, we recommend you spend at least a half day visiting Schonbrunn palace.

The Secession Pavilion is considered by many as Europe's first example of 20th-century architecture. Even by today’s standards the Secession is an exciting design and very cutting edge. The shape & look of the building is highly futuristic and was so ahead of its time. Today the Secession continues in this spirit uniting the separate art forms of sculpture, architecture, painting and music. Even if to stop outside to take photos of the ‘cupola of golden laurel leaves’ on top of the building, it is worth finding the Secession Pavilion during your weekend breaks.

At the centre of Jewish life is the Stadttempel or Jewish Synagoge that was erected in 1826. Designed by Josef Kornhäusel in a neo-classical style, Stadttempel survived the Nazi’s and WWII bombings and is still the focal point of the Viennese Jewish community.

Visitors should head to the Stephansplatz and discover one of the most famous sights in Austria, St. Stephan's Cathedral or referred to by the Viennese locals as Stephansdom. For many, the St. Stephan's Cathedral is the heart of Vienna and is one of the most important structures of the capital that defines the cityscape. It is a beautiful centre piece of Vienna that stands out for its large & brightly painted roof tiles and its tall south tower. The tower is worth climbing for the rewarding panoramic views on top, but you’ll need to savior your energies as there are 343 steps to the top. Stephansdom also has one of the largest bells in the world, known as the Pummerin, which is still used to celebrate the New Year. Your short break escape to Vienna wouldn’t be complete without seeing St. Stephan's Cathedral. We highly recommend to our valued clients to visit it.