It’s a noble claim, but there aren’t many cities in Europe more fun to explore than Vienna, Austria.
The city’s grand buildings transport you to another era, its many parks bring joy to your face, and the city’s enviable pastry and cake scene adds inches to your hips, but in such a nice way. . And when it comes to romantic sidewalk cafes, there are too many to count.
A “first time” in any city can always be a little nerve-wracking, so this Vienna travel guide has everything you need on how to get from the airport to the city, in which area of town to stay and a few places to stuff your face or refill your coffee.
Best ways to get from Vienna airport to the city
Unlike some European capitals, Vienna Airport is nice and close to the city center, and any journey shouldn’t take more than half an hour. It also makes the city a fantastic stopover option, if you can. maximize rules 23:59.
The best options between Vienna Airport and the city center are the S7 train, CAT express train, Vienna Airport Lines buses, or of course your favorite ride-sharing service, like Uber.
Train: The CAT (City-Airport-Train) train is usually the quickest option from Vienna Airport to the city, with a direct 16-minute service. the train fare €21 return or €12 one way. After a brief hiatus over the past two years, it is run at full speed again.
You can even check your bags at the CAT counter in town on the way back to the airport. Just follow the green CAT signs. If you don’t mind a few extra minutes on the journey for a third of the price, the S7 train costs €4 and runs on the same tracks, taking around 25 minutes to Vienna Mitte (central station).
Carpooling : Uber and Lock (formerly Taxify) work well in Vienna and are generally quite inexpensive.
If you are traveling in a group or to a non-central location in Vienna, one of these may be the easiest, but slightly more expensive, option for getting from Vienna airport to the city of Vienna. For groups, the city has excellent Mercedes Sprinter Vans, which allow 5 or more people to ride together with ease.
Vienna bus lines: A bus company called Vienna Airport Lines offers another good option from Vienna airport to the city, or vice versa, with the advantage of several drop-off and pick-up points. This is the mid-priced option with One-way tickets at €8 or €13 return. It’s not a bad option at all.
Where to stay in Vienna
Especially on your first trip, there is so much to see in the Inner Stadt, which makes it a logical place to stay for most people.
The Inner Stadt is surrounded by parks, castles and everything else that will blow your mind on the first visit, and it has just about everything in Vienna within walking distance.
Airbnb in Vienna is a great option for affordable accommodation, but with Vienna’s famous baking and breakfast scene, it’s hard to pass up a good hotel.
You can’t go wrong with The guest house, Make & Co, Park Hyatt, Hotel Sans Souci, Ritz-Carlton Hotel or Hotel Sacher on the high end. For some cheerful and more economical hotel options in Vienna: Hotel Beethoven, Hotel Harmony and Altdstadt Hotel are all excellent choices.
If you want to stay a little more out of the way in a local neighborhood, neighborhoods such as Laimgrube and Neubau offer a more low-key approach, with some of the city’s best restaurants, cafes and non-touristy shops, as does Leopoldstadt.
Must eat restaurants and cafes in Vienna
If your menus are automatically presented in English, it’s a sign that you may be somewhere not frequented by Viennese. If there is a line at the door, you can bet the same. But when it comes to great cakes, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.
Vienne is world famous for its ability to satisfy all sweet cravings, especially with its light sponge cakes, wafers and famous coffees. This is where Sigmund Freud came up with all his great ideas, for what it’s worth.
Breakfast
There are a few distinct breakfast styles here, and there’s no wrong answer, but you’ll have to choose.
You have the cafés adorned with high ceilings with wood, gold and marble, and similarly described brasseries full of tourists, then you have the café scene for brunch goers and fans of the café style that is more home-roasted, single-origin beans than “give me a coffee.”
Vienna’s iconic cafes (with queues full of tourists): Demel, Cafe Central, Landtmann Cafe, Cafe Schwarzenberg, Cafe Hawelka.
Great Places For Breakfast (with many more locals): Ulrich, Cafe Ansari, Erich, Currency Am Fluss, The guest house, Das Augustine.
For the best coffee (freshly roasted, alternative milks, etc.): Furth Cafe, CoffeePirates, Kaffefabrik, Espressobar Akrap, Kaffemik, Vienna Rosthaus.
Lunch dinner
Once you’ve had your fill of Schnitzel, Vienna has a brilliant selection of restaurants and cafes from all parts of the world. But until you reach that filling, there are a few places you definitely have to try, because you just can’t find such good Schnitzel almost anywhere else in the world…
For the iconic cutlet: Skopik and Lohn, Salzamt, Cafe Dommayer and Plachutta are great calls.
Our top picks: Mochi, Danielle, Mom Liu and son, Currency, Neni am Nashmarkt, Pizza Randale, Ulrich and O cattle all offer very high quality experiences with a great Viennese feel.
If you like Japanese, Mochi is a delicious concerto of plates to share. If Italian is the order of the day, Daniele makes some truly exceptional homemade pasta, and Pizza Randale is a treat for its namesake. For a low key but super delicious meal on a lovely night, Ulrich is a great place to sit outside in a busy area.
Sights to see and more
Vienna is a city best explored on foot. It sure is, and just about every nook brings a building, castle, or park that you can’t help but marvel at.
Considering the city was nearly razed to the ground during World War II, it’s even more remarkable that Vienna has an atmosphere that is perhaps even more romantic and enjoyable than Paris, with so many unique neighborhoods to explore. If possible, walk or ride an electric scooter rather than driving.
For a first trip, it is impossible to leave Vienna without seeing…
Belvedere Palace – The Belvedere is a great choice because it’s a bit like a two for one. You get incredible gardens with city views, an absolutely iconic Baroque palace and also one of the finest collections of paintings by Klimt as well as Monet and more.
Naschmarkt – Between all the artistic stuff, you probably deserve a good cold beer or delicious cheap food. Right? Naschmarkt is a truly fun party for all the senses, with food stalls, florists and more. Be sure to head to Neni at the Naschmarkt for exquisite Tel Aviv cuisine that surpasses just about any other Middle Eastern cuisine you’ve tried. It fills up fast.
The Albertine – Vienna and art go hand in hand. The Albertina is a truly world-class gallery in a stunning setting with an exceptional collection of Picasso, Monet, Cézanne, Magritte, Degas, Richter, Lichtenstein, Chagall, Modigliani, Klimt and Munch which is perhaps only surpassed in one or two other museums around the world.
Stadtpark – On a hot summer day, Vienna’s Stadtpark looks like a dream. You can stroll along the river and then find a spot on the lovely lawn to enjoy a picnic before strolling further. You will find a lovely cafe along the river and plenty of benches to rest on.
Museum Quarter – It’s a bit of a catch-all, but you’ll be grateful if your time is limited. This is where most of the museums are located and is full of beautiful parks, gardens and places to relax. If you want to see classic Viennese buildings as you walk in and out of the galleries, head to the MuseumQuartier and tick all the boxes in one sitting.
There’s so much more to see and do in Vienna, including world-class wineries just a few miles away, so whatever time you planned to spend, consider adding an extra day or two. , because it’s a city you really won’t get tired of soon!
Where to shop in Vienna
If you want all the department stores you can find in most cities in the world, with all the people in the world shopping there, Kärntnerstrasse is where you can find it all. It’s the Broadway of Soho in New York, or the Oxford Circus of London all rolled into one, and although there are crazy crowds, the side streets lead to some great neighborhoods.
But if you’re more of a boutique, vintage, and unique local store type and want to support the community, head to Laimgrube, Neubau, or Leopoldstadt, that’s where you want to be. Neaubaugasse, Praterstrabe and Westbahnstabe are all perfect streets to walk around in their respective neighborhoods with many unique amenities you won’t find elsewhere.
And as you might have hoped, there are also plenty of places to grab a beer or coffee in between.
Euro, cash, card and all that
Vienna is quite progressive when it comes to taking your money. In other words, you can use your credit or debit card at virtually any restaurant, cafe, or store. If you have a contactless bank cardthese work like a charm practically anywhere.
There are a few small businesses in Vienna that may insist on having cash in euros, so it doesn’t hurt to keep a few small bills on you, just for your safety. As a savvy traveler, you know that the best way to get foreign currency will never be at an airport currency exchange counter or anywhere that offers currency exchange. Use this guide As a friend.
Vienna is so much fun
Vienna is one of GSTP’s favorite cities in Europe with great bike paths, wide avenues and architecture virtually unmatched in any other European city. Considering the competition, that’s an understatement.
It’s sleek, clean and constantly evolving with the best new culinary and cultural trends. With all hope, this guide will help you find your way to loving her even more. Cheers!
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