Things to do in Vienna

What are your interests?

Attend a performance at the opera house if you're so inclined, or at a minimum take the tour there.

Ride the historic Ferris wheel at the Prater amusement park - preferably at sunset.

Venture out to a heuriger on the edge of town - we regret not having time to do this when we were there.

Visit St. Stephen’s Church , Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Schönbrunn Zoo, my three favorites.

Hofburg Imperial Apartments
Hofburg Treasury
If the Vienna State Opera house is in full swing be sure to snag tickets for a performance.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Schönbrunn Palace
All this can be found on https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/austria/vienna by clicking on the + on the right of At a Glance.

I'm with Mary Pat above. We enjoy going out to Grinzing and going from wine garden to wine garden. Keep your eye out for music productions as Vienna is the music city of Europe.

I remember a music event outside in the Summer of '70 with a full orchestra and everyone was doing the classic waltz. It was quite a night.

If you like art museums, definitely go to the Kunsthistorisches museum and the Lower Belvedere (art museum).

St. Stephen's Cathedral (skip going up the tower)
St. Charles's Church
Albertina museum
Vienna Opera, guided tour or performance or both. It's easy to get standing room tickets on performance days if sold-out.

Hundertwasser House and the Prater are a couple of places in Vienna that I would describe as can't-miss. I personally wouldn't miss the Kunsthistorisches Museum, but I'm kind of an art museum geek.

Here's what I would do in two full days in May:

Day 1 - Schonbrunn Palace in the morning (visit the interior, Carriage museum and the gardens being sure to see the rose and wisteria arbors in the privy garden on the right side of the palace). Lunch at Palmenhaus. Walk through the Hofburg (exterior) to Kohlmarkt and explore some of the smaller squares, such as Freyung, Am Hof, Judenplatz making your way to Stephansplatz. Visit Stephansdom, take elevator up the tower. Dinner at Amgerlingbeisl.

Day 2 - Visit the Belvedere Museum to see the Kiss. Walk to Karlskirche and then through the Naschmarkt to Cafe Sperl for coffee and strudel. Take the U4 subway to Heiligenstadt and then get on the 38a bus to Kahlenberg. Walk towards the church for the amazing view of all of Vienna. Walk down Hiking Trail 1 (not strenuous), stop at Mayer am Nussberg for a glass of wine. Continue down to Schuebel Auer, my favorite heuriger, for dinner.

These are my favorite things to do, especially in fine weather. If you give your dates, I can also suggest events. Of course there is the opera, many other museums to choose from. I am not a fan of Grinzing as it is full of tourist buses.