Vienna is a city of imperial palaces and coffee houses, and three days lets you cover the two big palace complexes plus the compact historic core without feeling rushed.
Vienna is a city of imperial palaces and coffee houses, and three days lets you cover the two big palace complexes plus the compact historic core without feeling rushed.
Explore the Hofburg Imperial Palace complex in the morning, then walk to St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) in the heart of Innere Stadt (1st District). Spend the afternoon at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of Europe's great art collections, then settle into a Coffee House Culture Tour or just linger over cake at a historic café.
Give the morning to Schönbrunn Palace and its Schönbrunn Gardens — the Habsburgs' summer residence and one of Austria's most-visited sights. In the afternoon, walk through the MuseumsQuartier (7th District) and browse Naschmarkt for lunch. In the evening, catch a performance at the Vienna State Opera — standing tickets are surprisingly affordable.
Visit Belvedere Palace to see Klimt's The Kiss in the Upper Belvedere, then wander the Belvedere Gardens. If you have a fourth day, the Wachau Valley — vineyard-covered hills along the Danube — is a scenic train or boat trip from the city.