My 3 friends and I (ages 63-73) will be arriving in Vienna on a Viking cruise at 7 pm on Mon July 22nd and leaving at 5:30 pm on Wed July 24th. A friend of mine who moved to Vienna a few months ago wants to meet up with us one of the days to do some sightseeing. I'd like to see as much as possible in our limited time. The evening we arrive I'd like to catch a classical music concert somewhere. The optional Viking one is at the Palais Auersperg. I could save money and get tickets on my own at that location. I know there are lots to choose from in various churches and the Kursalon but don't know which concert is the best quality for the money and offers relatively comfortable seats so would love your suggestions. The next morning we have a Viking panoramic bus and walking tour that ends at 12:15 outside of St. Stephen's. What would be a good place nearby to grab a quick lunch? I love to take pictures and touring anything old and know that there are lots of churches in the vicinity that I'd like to take at least a quick look inside like the Jesuit church, St. Peter's, Maria Rotunda, Church of St Elizabeth, Franciscan Church, etc. Should we do more than pay the admission charge to look around the nave of St. Stephen's? I know you can tour the catacombs, tour the treasury and go up the towers. How should I prioritize my time if I want to have at least 2 1/2 hours to spend inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum before it closes at 6 pm? Will that much time cover at least the highlights? Since it doesn't close until 9 pm I thought we could tour the State Hall of the Austrian Library before heading back to the ship. Dinner is served starting at 7 pm but I suppose we could be a bit late. Is there anything we can do near where the ship is docked after dinner? I was told that the dock is near the Reichsbrucke. I know there's a ferris wheel we could ride in the Prater but I'm looking for other options. The next day my priority is to tour the Schonbrunn Palace/grounds in the morning. If I buy a combo ticket to save money it includes the Sisi Museum and Vienna Furniture Museum. The Imperial Treasury looks interesting and is also on a combo ticket with the Kunstistorisches Museum. We need to eat lunch somewhere and although the Naschmarkt looks like it would be a fun stop, I'm afraid it would take too much time to navigate. As you can see I have far too many interests and not near enough time since the ship departs at 5:30 pm. What would you do/add/leave out in my situation? Thanks for your help.
Posted by
159 posts
Well! I think you've laid out things pretty well. You know that you have Tuesday the 23rd and what you would like to do after the bus tour. Plot it out, get times and see where you want to go and how to get there and still be back to the ship close to dinner time.
Wed is the Palace in the AM and again, plot out where the museums you want to visit are and how to get back to the ship before it departs. Doing that might answer your questions and what may need to be saved for the next time.
Posted by
Rockville, MD, USA
595 posts
What would be a good place nearby to grab a quick lunch?
I ate at Trześniewski, from the Rick Steves guidebook. It's quirky and fun.
Should we do more than pay the admission charge to look around the nave of St. Stephen's?
The people I was with didn't want to do this and I was a little sorry. But with limited time you'll have to make some tough decisions based on your interests.
How should I prioritize my time if I want to have at least 2 1/2 hours to spend inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum before it closes at 6 pm? Will that much time cover at least the highlights?
If I were you I'd read the section in Rick's Austria guidebook and see what art sounds fabulous. You probably have enough time for most of the famous works.
I too found that cruise ships do not spend as much time in Vienna as I needed for all my "must sees" (most involving horses) so instead I took the Rick Steves Munich-Salzburg-Vienna tour and added three days to the time in Vienna.
Posted by
Rural Georgia
2111 posts
The next day my priority is to tour the Schonbrunn Palace/grounds in the morning.
Do some research. In July the palace will be crazy busy. We skipped it after watching some YouTube videos of people saying they spent most of the time standing around waiting to move to the next room. With such a limited amount of time, you could use it more wisely.
I also caution you regarding any extra tours booked through Viking. We did a view on our Rhine trip. I found them disappointing and very overpriced. For instance, we paid extra to do a wine tasting in the Moselle Valley. It was advertised as "three tastings". In our book, that means three different wineries. It turned out to be tasting three wines at one storefront, not even at a winery. They then hustled us into the showroom to sell us overpriced wine. The afternoon tour was 85% bus rides there and back.
Posted by
Northwest Arkansas
204 posts
How should I prioritize my time if I want to have at least 2 1/2 hours
to spend inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum before it closes at 6 pm?
Will that much time cover at least the highlights?
Yes, 2 1/2 hours will get you through the hightlights. Review the floorplan before you go to ensure you hit the rooms you want to see most https://www.khm.at/en
I was told that the dock is near the Reichsbrucke. I know there's a
ferris wheel we could ride in the Prater but I'm looking for other
options.
Not much in that part of town other than Prater. IMHO, the Ferris
Wheel is best around sunset.
The next day my priority is to tour the Schonbrunn Palace/grounds in the morning. If I buy a combo ticket to save money it includes the Sisi Museum and Vienna Furniture Museum.
The Imperial Treasury looks interesting and is also on a combo ticket
with the Kunstistorisches Museum. We need to eat lunch somewhere and
although the Naschmarkt looks like it would be a fun stop, I'm afraid
it would take too much time to navigate. As you can see I have far too
many interests and not near enough time since the ship departs at 5:30
pm.
No need to vist the Naschmarkt for lunch. It's an interesting place, but really out of your way if you want to visit Schonbrunn and the Hofburg (Sisi and Treasury location). If two former palaces are on your must do list, I'd add keep the Hofburg, drop Schonbrunn and add Schloss Belvedere. Why Belvedere? Smaller, closer to the city center and the ship. It was a palace and is now a musuem with the focus on the art (like the Albertina). You can walk through the Belvedere gardens on your way to a metro stop. At Schonbrunn you walk away from the palace to see the gardens. Conversely, both Schronbrunn and The Hofbug are palaces that are now museums with the focus on the palace interiors, contents and prior occupants.
BTW, I have spent 10 days over two trips to Vienna. I still have a "to do next time" list.