Things to Do in Vienna: A Local Operator's Guide

The best things to do in Vienna in a nutshell

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 have rated us 4.6★ on Google (2,615 reviews) and 4.4★ on Tripadvisor (1,617 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 in the city blog goes deeper on sights, neighbourhoods and seasons. This page is the shortcut to booking.

Vienna city blog

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 on one of 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 walking tours in Vienna · Best tours in Vienna

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.

Free walking tours in Vienna

Food and wine

Vienna is a food city long before it is a museum city. Taste it by appetite.

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.

• 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.

Naschmarkt Tour Vienna · Small Group Street Food Tour Vienna · Wine Tasting Vienna

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.

Hidden gems of Vienna

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.

Private Schönbrunn Palace Tour · Private experience in Vienna

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.

Who it suits: visitors with three or more days, and returning travellers who have seen the main sights.

• 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.

Day Trip to Budapest · Private Day Trip to Bratislava · Wachau Valley Day Tour · All day trips from Vienna

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.

Free Walking Tour Vienna at Night · Spooky Vienna, the Ghost Tour · Mythos Mozart

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.

Private experience in Vienna · Private Schönbrunn Palace Tour

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 motor yacht.

Who it suits: couples, honeymooners and anyone marking a special occasion.

Wine Tasting Vienna · Danube Yacht Experience

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.

Free Walking Tour Vienna, Historical City Center · Naschmarkt Tour Vienna

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.

Private Schönbrunn Palace Tour · Wine Tasting Vienna · Street food tour

Three days in Vienna

• Days 1 and 2: as above.
• Day 3: a day trip to Budapest, Bratislava or the Wachau Valley, or hidden gems if you would rather stay in the city.

Day Trip to Budapest · Private Day Trip to Bratislava · Wachau Valley Day Tour · Hidden gems of Vienna

Compare things to do in Vienna at a glance

• See the essentials cheaply: a free historic centre walk.
• Eat and drink like a local: a market, food or wine tour.
• Go deeper off the beaten path: hidden gems.
• See imperial Vienna properly: a private palace visit.
• Add a trip across the border: a full-day excursion.
• Do something after dark: a ghost tour or Mozart.
• Travel as a couple or family: a private, tailored day.
• Compare every tour first: the full overview.

Free walking tours · Naschmarkt tour · Hidden gems of Vienna · Private Schönbrunn · Day trip to Budapest · Spooky Vienna · Private experiences · Best tours in Vienna