What should we do in Vienna

Do you have a guidebook for Vienna? That is my first stop. Also, check out travel DVDs for Vienna from you local library.

I have read three guidebooks, used Frommers and Foods online, checked out all posts on this website as well as two others going back for over a year. What I have found is that there is so much to see and do that at this point I am really looking for everyone's favorite things that they did. I do want to go to the Belvedere and see The Kiss. What other museums do people advise are must see and what days do they recommend. We have also looked at the Spanish Riding School, but we are luke warm. I would really like to hear from people that saw a performance. Should we spend a half a day at the Schoenbrunn Palace? Are there neighborhoods that are fun to wander through. I also found that there is a food festival called Genuss Food Festival at Stadadt park the weekend of May 10-12th. Is this a worthwhile event to go to on Sunday?

Any of your guidebooks with the sites around The Ringstrasse ( plus Schönbrunn and The Belvedere ) will more than fill your time ., but if you would like to plumb the depths of culture and history in Vienna , this video of ninety minutes . is an excellent place to start - https://youtu.be/AFZBOTgL_Hk?si=ZplIo5tkKoOU88Zp

Only two things to know. Sacher torte and schnitzel.

Go through this forum and take any/all recommendations that Emily makes.

On our RS tour we made a stop at a quirky but delightful little place called The Dritte Mann Museum (Third Man Museum). Fantastic place.

Music

You are planning on going to Staatsoper Wien for an opera. Nice, nice. Great place to see an opera; I've done it twice. No microphones... the vocalists must really belt it out. My suggestion is to get as good of seats as you can afford. A lot of folks here talk of the standing room only tickets... not a great way to see a three-act opera.

I would recommend Concentus Musicus Wien at the Musikverein on May 11. An orchestra founded by Austria's legendary conductor Nikolas Harnoncourt (now deceased) that plays classical music on period-appropriate instruments. A great experience, and the Großer Saal of the Musikverien is Habsburg wonderful... well worth seeing a performance there. The Vienna Boys Choir has a performance there on May 12, and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic program on the same day looks excellent. Wiener Mozart Orchestra? Musicians in wigs performing Mozart pieces... you have much much finer options than that for a performance at the Musikverien.

Food

See Emily's post on her top food experiences in Vienna: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/my-top-ten-food-experiences-in-vienna

Parks & Neighborhoods

Emily has covered these, too. Scroll way down on this thread for her 4 favorite parks for wandering: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/vienna-best-neighborhood

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/a-nice-day-out-in-vienna-s-cottage-quarter

I personally like the Augarten with its small gardens, large play spaces, and WWII anti-aircraft towers that are too strong to blow up.

Miscelleneous

Another thread in which Emily offers advice. Here, she provides a 3-day itinerary to a first-time visitor to Vienna (along with many other ideas from others): https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/vienna-1st-timer

History

The HGM (Museum of Military History) has a very nice WWI display, including the car in which Archduke Ferdinand was shot and the clothes he was wearing complete wtih bullet hole just beneath the collar.

I found the Imperial Apartments small, cramped, overlong and not that interesting, esp. since it was warm and things were very stuffy. Plus I wasn't that interested in the cult of Sissi.

The Belvedere on the other hand was an actual palace and is large and spacious, well except for the Klimt room which is always packed. If that is the purpose of your visit, go there first and get your fill and then perhaps go back again. If you go without tickets, be aware that the wait time to get in can sometimes be measured in hours. It's easy to tram there and back. And it's also the only place in Austria where I saw a big BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS sign. But you should do that everywhere anyway.

Rick and every other guidebook have suggested itineraries for trips of different lengths. You can also pull up brochures from tour companies and after a while you'll see a pattern, and can decide what does and doesn't work for you.

We were surprised at how much we loved Vienna! On Sunday, you should go to the Augustiner Church service-the music is sublime. We enjoyed the Music Museum and the Kundhistoriches(I know I mispelled it) Museum and eat at the cafe with its beautiful surroundings. I agree with phred about the Hoftburg Imperial Apartments. Rick's guidebook was very helpful.

Kunsthistorische Museum: world-class art collection. Have lunch in the cafe, where the surrounding walls were decorated by Klimt.

Walk along one side of the and return on the other, admiring the wonderful Art Deco apartments and commercial buildings across the canal.

Gee, I am really glad we are planning 2 weeks there!

Also keep in mind that Vienna is quite a manageable size, it's simple to walk most anywhere and if not you just hop on a tram or even the subway and you're there. So anywhere on the ring you stay, you're fine.

Hi Katie,

So many things come to mind. There is a very cool swimming pool up in the wine hills of the 19th district called 'Krapfenwaldbad' with great views over the city if the weather is hot. Personally, I'm not big on either schnitzel nor Sacher Torte, there are much better options, like the Stelze (pork knuckle) at Prater for example!

We did a kayak tour last year with Venture Vienna which was wonderful. A very unique way to see a different side of the city.

The Gloriette behind Schönbrunn palace within the grounds makes for a nice walk and the cafe there has good cake and coffee too.

If you fancy a posh drink then the bar inside the MAK museum is pretty cool and worth a visit.

Have a great trip!

100% go to the Genuss Festival. My favorite event of the year. Go hungry. It is free.

Thank you for all your input. We are now planning on going to the food festival on Sunday and planning the rest around that event.

Excellent call. Bring a blanket from your hotel/airbnb. Buy a bottle of wine or sekt (glasses are available), grab some hot good from one of the food stalls themed around the different regions of Austria and have a picnic in the grass. Try every free sample offered.