Vienna city breaks

When to go to Vienna

Vienna is one of those cities that looks great in all seasons. While room rates rise during the peak summer, Christmas and New Year holiday periods, the best time to visit Austria’s capital really depends on what you want to see and do when you arrive.

Spring and autumn are mild and sunny with fewer crowds, so the shoulder months of April, May, September and October are ideal times to visit. If you’re after a cheap city break to Vienna, these are good months to look to if you don’t want to compromise on the weather. Open-air festivals and concerts are in full swing in May and June, while local Viennese often disappear on holidays during July and August; however, in their place, the city does swell with tourists.

Temperatures plummet from November to March and the later winter months often bring snow. So, bundle up if you’re keen to experience the fabled Christmas markets and glittering ball season, with more than 450 balls held from December to February.

What to do in Vienna

Visit Vienna to stare shamelessly. Even locals still get stopped in their tracks by the sheer grandeur of the city, and no one is immune to the impact of its attractions, such as St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Imperial Palace.

The Spanish Riding School

Every Lipizzaner stallion is directly descended from an Arab warhorse, so if you’re thinking Strictly Come Ponies, think again: these snowy white steeds may be graceful, but they can also handle themselves.

Pitch up any weekday morning at the Spanish Riding School and you can see the Lipizzaner in rehearsal for less than the price of coffee.

Schönbrunn Palace

The former Empress of Austria’s summer residence is the most-visited tourist attraction in Vienna, but don’t turn up expecting to nip round in five minutes. This impressive Baroque palace is so immense that guided tours are mandatory – fortunately, they’re also fascinating and multilingual.

To get there, jump on the U4 train – you’ll be marvelling at the extravagance of it all in under half an hour.

MuseumsQuartier (MQ)

This 60,000-square-metre spread of art and architecture sprawls across the city’s 7th district.

The Leopold Museum alone could fill an entire day, but if you’re short on time choose Museum Moderner Kunst (known as ‘MUMOK’) for its art by modern masters and Kunsthalle Wien for its contemporary works. If you’re looking for what to do in Vienna with kids, ZOOM Children’s Museum has play areas and creative exhibits.

Vienna Prater

Prater park has a famous Ferris wheel and dozens of other classic Vienna activities spread over six million square metres of lush, green space. Little ones will adore the carousel and Ball Factory while teenagers will get their kicks on the gravity defying Black Mamba ride.

The funfair is summer only, but the big wheel revolves all year round. You’ll also find the Austrian outpost of Madame Tussauds here.

Goldenes Quartier

Vienna’s historic centre isn’t short on shops to make you forget all financial reason. The most ridiculously tempting are in the Goldenes Quartier; if you’re in the market for haute couture or ready-to-wear designer labels, this is where to go.

And if rampant spending isn’t on your what to do in Vienna list, check out the quarter’s Imperial architecture; it’s even grander than the shops.

Where to stay in Vienna

For families

Neubau is within walking distance to some of the best children’s museums in Vienna. ZOOM Kindermuseum, with its cartoon studio and hands-on exhibitions, and the Natural History Museum, a vast building of all things weird and wonderful, are particularly popular with little travellers.

Elsewhere, Leopoldstadt, with the enormous Prater park – it has over 1,500 acres to burn off some steam in – is well connected to the centre by public transport. For location and convenience, you might want to go for the Innere Stadt; be aware, you’ll probably pay a premium here, especially during the school holidays.

For travellers on a budget

Despite its tag as a pricey city, Vienna has a good range of budget accommodation so it’s not impossible to find cheap city break deals. Like most major cities, you’ll find the cheaper stays outside of the centre (the Innere Stadt).

Landstrasse has a good range of budget hotels with minimal compromise on location – you’re still within walking distance of Innere Stadt and the MQ. Ottakring is a bit further out, but the city’s excellent public transport network will have you in the centre in 20 minutes.

For food and drink

Vienna’s coffeehouses are the stuff of legend and, when you want the refined 19th-century variety, Innere Stadt is the place to stay. If you’re looking to mess with tradition, hit the 2nd district – rumour has it that the coffee houses run by the younger generation here are giving the old guard a run for their money.

Stay in Wieden to be close to the Naschmarkt, Vienna’s massive historical food market, or Spittelberg for some of the most exciting new restaurants in the city.

For nightlife

For vintage Vienna entertainment, stay close to the city centre. It’s packed with classic piano bars which have been a Vienna nightlife staple since the 1920s. If you’re after something a bit more contemporary, Schleifmuhlgasse and Spittelberg are both packed with bars – think dive bars and hipster cocktails.

There are also a couple of big clubs around the Wieden, Mariahilf and Donaukanal areas.

For culture

A UNESCO-listed area, the Innere Stadt is the cultural heart of Vienna – if you stay here during your city break, you’ll never be too far from a spectacular building, gallery or museum. A lot of Vienna’s star attractions are close by: the opera, Hofburg Palace, and the city hall, to name a few.

As the name subtly suggests, the MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is home to some of the city’s best museums. The Neubau and Wieden areas are both within walking distance of MQ.