This will be our first time in Vienna. Should I try to spend a day going to the Wachau Valley ( Krems, Durnstein, Melk) or Mauthausen Concentration Camp or should I spend my whole time in Vienna?
Vienna is a great European city well worthy of much more time than you have.
You should spend all of your time in this great city and the suburbs.
I would spend all of my time in Vienna,you wont even make a dent,there is so much to see.
Mike
What are your dates?
I'd stay in the city with that amount of time, with the exceptions of getting to Schonnbrunn and dining at a heuriger one night (both of which are technically in Vienna, but a short ride away from the city center).
Beearthy: Ditto previous comments. You will certainly fill up your three days in Vienna. Although the Wachau Valley is beautiful, the evolution (train to Melk, boat to Krems, train back to Vienna is a full day. Also, the Mauthausen Memorial will take at least several hours to visit as well. When you count the time on the train, it will also be a full day. Much as I have enjoyed the Wachau Valley and the visit to Mauthausen, I think you should focus on Vienna proper and save the rest for your next visit. Safe travels,
You have 2 nights and one full day in Vienna. It makes no sense to spend your one day on a day trip out of the city. FWIW we found the Wachau Valley trip a bit disappointing having done similar trips earlier on the Rhine. It is a nice day and if you haven't done the boat trips on the Rhine it would be worth doing, but why go to Vienna and not even spend a day in Vienna, a city that takes at least 3 full days to see the highlights?