Vienna: A Journey Through Imperial Splendor

Libin Xaviour

18 Dec 2023

Join me on a 10-day adventure through the enchanting city of Vienna, where history, art, and culture collide. From majestic palaces to iconic landmarks, this blog will take you on a whirlwind tour of Vienna's imperial splendor.

Trip to Vienna

Tours & Activities

Viator Tours

Day 1Unveiling Vienna's Treasures

$67

$ 6

19th-century park with statues, mature trees & fountains, plus summer cinema & winter ice rink.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

Free

11 - 16 min

Directions

Imposing 19th-century museum with lavish interiors housing art collections & antiquities.

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

$20

12 - 15 min

Directions

Medieval Roman Catholic place of worship with an ornate spire, catacombs & a treasury museum.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

$17

10 - 12 min

Directions

Museum chain for life-size wax replicas of famous Americans & historic icons in themed galleries.

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

•

$30

Day 2A Spin on Vienna's Ferris Wheel

$17

$ 6

Prominent square by museums featuring a monument to empress Maria Theresa, fountains & green space.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

Free

13 - 16 min

Directions

Fairground attraction rebuilt in 1945, with wooden cabins offering dining & an exhibition.

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$17

3 - 4 min

Directions

Large park with old-time amusements, including a landmark giant wheel dating from 1897.

11:30 AM - 3:30 PM

•

Free

11 - 14 min

Directions

Large park with rose, lily, herb & moorland gardens, a lake & 250m tower on a former landfill site.

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

•

Free

Day 3Time Travel and Culinary Delights

$40

$ 3

Restored area of historic & modern buildings containing many of the city's finest museums.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$15

11 - 16 min

Directions

Entertaining place with multi-media experiences & interactive exhibits on the history of Vienna.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

$25

3 - 4 min

Directions

Late 17th-century sculpted Holy Trinity column, built to commemorate victims of the plague.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

•

Free

16 - 20 min

Directions

Rustic beer garden & restaurant with 19th-century origins, also serving Viennese dishes.

3:30 PM - 5:30 PM

•

Free

Day 4Exploring the Heart of Vienna

$40

$ 3

Vast market with 16th-century origins, with more than 100 food & vintage stalls, plus restaurants.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

Free

13 - 20 min

Directions

Habsburg palace complex with ornate, baroque interiors, imperial apartments & a silver museum.

10:30 AM - 2:30 PM

•

$20

12 - 17 min

Directions

Elaborate, historic clock with copper accents & figures that move around on the hour.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

•

Free

17 - 21 min

Directions

Iconic tower opened in 1964, with open-air & covered observation terraces, a restaurant & a cafe.

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

$20

Day 5Nature, Art, and Serenity

$33

$ 6

Palatial, 19th-century museum with vast specimen collections, from dinosaur skeletons to meteorites.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$15

4 - 6 min

Directions

Strauss & Lanner once played in this manicured public park with temples, fountains & rose gardens.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

Free

3 - 4 min

Directions

Public square & gardens in front of the old imperial Hofburg Palace, with imposing statues.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

•

Free

11 - 14 min

Directions

English-style, 19th-century public park with a river, ornate bridges & gilded Johann Strauss statue.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

•

Free

7 - 9 min

Directions

Former furniture factory with paintings, graphic works & designs by Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

•

$18

Day 6Discovering Vienna's Creative Side

$44

$ 6

Artist's creation of brightly painted, natural apartment block with a forested roof & balconies.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$15

12 - 15 min

Directions

Renowned classical music venue with a packed program including local & international performers.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

•

$12

8 - 11 min

Directions

Virtual, hands-on concert stages in a high-tech museum exploring musical science, art & history.

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

•

$17

14 - 17 min

Directions

Baroque-style park with a royal palace, 5 kids' play areas, sporting facilities & cultural events.

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

•

Free

Day 7Gardens, Museums, and Grandeur

$67

A striking art nouveau conservatory with butterfly house stands in this statue-filled palace garden.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

Free

6 - 9 min

Directions

19th-century Habsburg palace with staterooms & collections of old master prints & 20th-century art.

9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

•

$20

3 - 4 min

Directions

Crypt beneath the Capuchin Church housing tombs of Hapsburg royalty, including emperors & empresses.

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

•

$15

3 - 4 min

Directions

World-famous opera house offering major productions, original decor & multilingual guided tours.

2:30 PM - 5:30 PM

•

$25

9 - 14 min

Directions

18th-century Habsburg domed cathedral with a 32.5-meter platform for views of the ornate frescoes.

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

•

Day 8Castles, Palaces, and Industrial Marvels

$43

$ 6

Palace garden of old imperial summer residence with 13th-century & 16th-century castles.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$13

25 - 30 min

Directions

Baroque, 18th-century palaces housing art from Middle Ages to today, with notable Klimt collection.

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

•

$18

10 - 12 min

Directions

4 circular gasworks buildings converted into a complex of apartments, offices & a concert hall.

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

•

$13

Day 9History, Art, and Royal Elegance

$69

$ 6

Former city arsenal housing a large museum of Austrian military actions from medieval times onwards.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$15

5 - 6 min

Directions

Palace exhibiting Austrian fine art, from the Middle Ages to Klimt's 'Kiss' & contemporary works.

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

•

$23

21 - 26 min

Directions

18th-century summer palace with tours of lavish rococo ceremonial rooms, plus gardens with a maze.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

•

$31

15 - 22 min

Directions

Airy, classic cafe with Italian-style terrace serving Viennese specialties from breakfast to sunset.

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

•

Free

Day 10Wildlife, Science, and Underwater Wonders

$67

$ 6

500 species of animals, including giant pandas, Siberian tigers & elephants, in 18th-century zoo.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$27

7 - 9 min

Directions

Technical museum of scientific, communications & industrial artifacts, with live demonstrations.

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

•

$17

10 - 12 min

Directions

Aquarium with 10,000 creatures including snakes, crocodiles & sharks, plus a tropical house.

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

•

$23

Budget breakdown: $528 In total

Activities & Food:$486

Transport:$42