If you do only a handful of things in Vienna, walk the imperial historic centre around St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Hofburg, taste the city at the Naschmarkt or over a glass of Austrian wine, and see one great palace such as Schönbrunn. With a little more time, add a day trip across the border to Budapest or Bratislava, or into the Wachau wine valley, and you have the city at its best.
We are Prime Tours, a local, owner run company founded in Vienna in 2016 and now in our 10th year. We were Vienna’s original free walking tour company and today we run everything from small group food tours to private palace visits and cross border day trips. Travellers rate us 4.6 stars across more than 2,585 Google reviews. This page is a quick way to choose: pick the interest that fits you, and we point you to the right experience.
Want the long read instead? Our editorial guide goes deeper on sights, neighbourhoods and seasons. See the full things to do in Vienna blog for the storytelling version. This page is the shortcut to booking.
Choose by how you travel:
- First time in Vienna? Start with a historic centre walking tour, then add one deeper experience.
- On a budget? Join a free, tips based walking tour and see the headline sights with a local.
- Here to eat and drink? A market, street food or wine tour shows you the real Vienna.
- Been before? Go for hidden gems, a day trip, or something after dark.
- Travelling as a couple or family? A private experience bends the day around you.
First-time highlights: the essential Vienna
The classic route ties together St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg, the Graben and the stories behind them. The easiest, lowest risk way to see it is a guided walk through our free walking tours in Vienna, led by local guides on a tips basis. If you would rather compare every option first, our best tours in Vienna overview helps you pick.
Who it suits: first timers who want the big picture and a confident local overview before exploring in depth.
Free and budget things to do
Vienna rewards travellers who watch their spending. A tips based walk is the single best value experience in the city, and our free walking tours in Vienna cover the historic centre with no upfront ticket. Wandering the Naschmarkt, the Prater park and the Ringstrasse costs nothing but time.
Who it suits: budget travellers, solo visitors and backpackers who want a local expert without a fixed price.
Food and wine
Vienna is a food city long before it is a museum city. Taste it by appetite:
- Best market experience: the Naschmarkt Tour Vienna walks the city’s most famous market, tasting as you go.
- Best variety: the Small Group Street Food Tour Vienna is a moveable feast of local bites across several stops.
- Best for wine lovers: Wine Tasting Vienna introduces Austrian wines in the centre of the city, an unhurried sit down.
Who it suits: food lovers, couples and groups who believe the fastest way to understand a place is through what its people eat and drink.
Hidden gems and local Vienna
Once the headline sights are done, the city opens up in its courtyards, side streets and neighbourhood corners. Our hidden gems of Vienna guide collects the places most visitors miss, from quiet passages to local haunts, so you can see a more lived in side of the city.
Who it suits: repeat visitors and curious travellers who already know the classics and want something less obvious.
Palaces and imperial Vienna
Vienna was the seat of an empire, and its palaces still show it. Schönbrunn, the summer residence of the Habsburgs, is the essential one, with its state rooms and vast gardens. To see it with context rather than crowds, the Private Schönbrunn Palace Tour pairs the palace with a dedicated guide. For a fully tailored imperial day, build your own route with a private experience in Vienna.
Who it suits: history lovers, first timers who want one grand highlight, and families who prefer a guide who can adapt on the day.
Day trips from Vienna
Vienna sits within easy reach of three countries and one of Europe’s great wine valleys, so if you are staying more than two days, a day trip is well worth it.
- A second capital in a day: the Day Trip to Budapest, dramatic, spa rich and full of character.
- The quick and easy escape: the Private Day Trip to Bratislava reaches Slovakia’s compact old town without a long journey.
- Scenery and wine: the Wachau Valley Day Tour with downhill vine tasting pairs a UNESCO listed river landscape with Austrian wine.
Who it suits: visitors with three or more days, and returning travellers who have seen the main sights.
After dark
Vienna changes character in the evening. For a lamplit walk through the quiet imperial centre, an evening walking tour is hard to beat. For something with a shiver, Spooky Vienna, the Ghost Tour leads you through the city’s darker legends. Music lovers can step inside the composer’s world at Mythos Mozart, a multimedia experience, which also makes a fine rainy evening.
Who it suits: night owls, groups, older families and culture seekers who want a story to take home.
Families
Families need pacing, flexibility and the freedom to stop when little legs get tired. A private experience in Vienna is the most comfortable choice, because the itinerary bends around your children rather than the other way round. For a memorable highlight, the Private Schönbrunn Palace Tour turns imperial history into a story children can follow, with gardens to explore afterwards.
Who it suits: parents with younger children and multi generation groups.
Couples
For a trip that feels personal rather than packaged, lean into atmosphere. Couples love an unhurried Wine Tasting Vienna in the centre, and for a genuine splurge, the Danube Yacht Experience puts you aboard a private luxury motor boat.
Who it suits: couples, honeymooners and anyone marking a special occasion.
How to spend 1, 2 or 3 days in Vienna
Durations are general. Check each tour page for current times and prices before you book.
One day in Vienna
- Morning: a historic centre free walking tour to orient yourself.
- Afternoon: the Naschmarkt Tour or a self guided stroll along the Ringstrasse.
- Evening: coffee house culture, or a Viennese classical concert.
Two days in Vienna
- Day 1: as above.
- Day 2 morning: Schönbrunn with the Private Schönbrunn Palace Tour.
- Day 2 afternoon or evening: Wine Tasting Vienna or a street food tour.
Three days in Vienna
- Days 1 and 2: as above.
- Day 3: a day trip, the Day Trip to Budapest, Bratislava or the Wachau Valley, or hidden gems if you would rather stay in the city.
Compare things to do in Vienna at a glance
| If you want to… | Best option | Explore |
|---|---|---|
| See the essentials cheaply | Free historic centre walk | Free walking tours |
| Eat and drink like a local | Market, food or wine tour | Naschmarkt tour |
| Go deeper off the beaten path | Hidden gems | Hidden gems of Vienna |
| See imperial Vienna properly | Private palace visit | Private Schönbrunn |
| Add a trip across the border | Full day excursion | Day trip to Budapest |
| Do something after dark | Ghost tour or Mozart | Spooky Vienna |
| Travel as a couple or family | Private, tailored day | Private experiences |
| Compare every tour first | Full overview | Best tours in Vienna |
Frequently Asked Questions
The best things to do in Vienna are walking the imperial historic centre around St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Hofburg, tasting the city at the Naschmarkt or over Austrian wine, and visiting a palace such as Schönbrunn. With three or more days, add a day trip to Budapest, Bratislava or the Wachau Valley. A good first step is a free walking tour of the historic centre.
Plenty. You can wander the historic centre, the Naschmarkt market, the Prater park and the grand Ringstrasse boulevard at no cost. The best value guided option is a tips based free walking tour, which has no fixed ticket price, so you join at no upfront cost and reward your guide based on how much you enjoyed it.
Two to three days is enough to see Vienna’s main sights comfortably. With two days you can combine a historic centre walk, a food experience and a palace visit. With three or more days you have room to add a day trip or explore the city’s hidden gems.
Vienna is a museum city with around 100 museums and collections, so a rainy day is easy to fill. Palaces such as Schönbrunn reward a visit in any weather, the coffee house tradition is best enjoyed slowly with a Melange and cake, and Mythos Mozart is an indoor, immersive way to spend a grey afternoon.
The imperial centre is quieter and beautifully lit after dark, which makes an evening walk memorable. For something different, join Spooky Vienna, the Ghost Tour for the city’s darker legends, or settle in for a classical concert. Couples can round off the evening with a wine tasting in the centre.
First timers do best with a layered approach: start with a free historic centre walking tour to get your bearings and hear the founding stories, then add one deeper experience such as a private tour or a Naschmarkt food tour. Our best tours in Vienna guide compares the options.
It depends on your time and taste. Choose the day trip to Budapest for a second capital, the private day trip to Bratislava for a quick and easy escape, or the Wachau Valley tour for river scenery and wine.
Yes. Vienna combines imperial palaces, world class music and museums, a serious food and coffee culture and easy access to three neighbouring countries, all in a compact, walkable and famously safe city. Whether you have one day or a week, there is more than enough to fill it, which is why we have guided visitors here for a decade.
