Can't Miss Vienna

George, good question, I guess, I was so open ended just bc I wanted to see a variety of answers. Everyone active on this site always has such interesting ideas. Schonbrunn Palace (how long for this one by the way?) The Hofburg Palace Area (Imperial Apts, Treasury, Augustine Church, and Kunst. Museum) -- This seems like a full day, maybe not St. Stephen's Cathedral The Belvedere Maybe Sacher Hotel for cake (I say maybe bc neither of us are big chocolate cake fans)
Maybe the Zachel Heuriger - It looks like you can take the metro there. That's my list so far....we are staying near Wien-Mitte so can pretty much get to everything easily. Would love any advice or ideas!

Here's my can't miss food list: -bratwurst from the wurstelstand at Hohermarkt -ice cream from Eis Greissler -Tafelspitz from Plachutta -Kaiserschmarrn from Cafe Landtmann -Any of the cakes from Cafe Central -apple strudel from Demel -Schnitzel from Figlmuller -Breakfast at Neni's in Naschmarkt -Lunch at Palmenhaus
-early dinner at a heuriger (Schuebel-Auer is a good choice) Skip the Sachertorte - especially if you don't like chocolate cake. I find it so dry anyway. Zahel Heuriger is not close to any subway, but of course there are trams and busses nearby. To plan your travel on public transport around Vienna, use the website for Wiener Linien: http://www.wienerlinien.at/eportal/ep/home.do?tabId=0

I disagree. With only 4 days you shouldn't visit anything else, especially not a city that looks like the condensed version of Vienna. The Hofburg doesn't necessarily need a full day, but make sure to also visit the Hofbibliothek, the impressive baroque library. And the armoury is one of the best in the world. At Schönbrunn don't miss the Wagenburg, a museum with ~60 carriages.
Three relatively unknown museum I really like are a) the Hofmobiliendepot (= Imperial Furniture Museum), b) the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (=Museum of Military History) and c) the Bestattungsmuseum (=Funeral Museum). The first museum shows toilets of the emperors, in the second (in very impressive former barracks) you can learn something about the Austrian navy(!), and the third teaches you something about the fascination of Vienna with anything morbid. Make sure to also visit the Zentralfriedhof, last resting-place of many famous people (Beethoven, Brahms, Salieri, Schubert, Strauß etc.). When I'm in Vienna I never visit Sacher or Demel. They are much too touristy, and are just two of several former KuK Confectionary Bakeries that still exist. I usually get my Dobos torte from Gerstner.

My first choice is the Schonbrunn. Take the tour that goes through the most rooms, they are gorgeous. There are extensive - and beautiful - gardens too. I'd allow a full day. If you go to the Schonbrun, then do not go to the State Apartments in the Hofburg. Schonbrunn was the summer residence and Hofburg the winter residence for the same family. They didn't like change very much, so the decor is almost identical. There are many more rooms on view at the Schonbrunn, and you don't have to pass through two unremarkable but extensive museums to get to them. The Stephensdom for sure, but not near mass times, because they close the church to all but worshippers then. Unless, of course, you'd like to be there for mass. I was very frustrated at the Kunsthistorishes Museum. They had very good collections of antiquities - Roman, Greek, Egyptian, but the descriptions were wholly in German.

Thank you, all good tips, exactly on point w what I was looking for. With four days, I agree we'll stay in the city there is an overwhelming amount of options. These tips help though!

While visiting Schonbrunn don't miss the carriage museum. It does require a separate ticket.

I don't think anyone has suggested the Albertina museum. The collection of Duerer prints is well worth your time. Vienna also has many street performers. They are everywhere and very talented.
You will enjoy them.

I agree about Sachertorte. Too dry (and I am an expert on chocolate cake, as you would know if you could see me ;-)), and my experience at the Sacher tea room was not the best- we felt hurried and as if we were in a factory (well, I suppose we were, a money-making factory!)
The Prater and the ferris wheel are definitely worth a visit. Enjoy a pork knuckle in the beer garden while your there (bring your appetite).

I am going to list my Top Ten for Vienna, but will not include the major sites that you will see anyway (St. Stephan's, Schonbrunn, Hofburg, etc). 1. Secession Building/Naschmarkt/Majolikahaus 2. 38A Bus to Kahlenberg, walk down to Nussdorf on Stadtwanderweg (hiking trail) #1a. Amazing view of the city and Danube, paved, gentle walk. 3. Hundertwasserhaus 4. Strolling around Siebensterngasse/Neubaugasse for cool shopping 5. Leopold Museum 6. Belvedere Museum 7. A walk along the Ring from Stadtpark to the Votivkirche (clockwise) 8. A good wander around the first district using a self-guided Frommer's Walking #1 and #3. 9. Schonbrunn
10. A day trip to the Wachau

Oops, included Schonbrunn anyway. I guess I would replace it with Freud's Museum.

I agree about the Hundertwasserhaus, and others by the same artist.

We loved the upstairs part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, full of Breughels and other great paintings. I missed the Schoenbronn but got a lot out of the Hofburg, which was easier to get to and shouldn't take more than a couple of hours unless you're fascinated by dinnerware and/or the late Empress Sisi. The Opera House is also a great building, with a guided tour if you don't want to spring for or sit through a concert. I love chocolate cake but survived without sachertorte.

We are making our first trip to Vienna this fall ,and I have been studying ( art , music , history , politics , etc . ) about the city for more than forty years . Needless to say , I'm very excited about seeing it ( two weeks there ) in the flesh . For anyone here who is interested , a wonderful film from 1948 depicts Old Vienna in a particularly poignant way , " Letter From an Unknown Woman " , directed by Max Ophuls , based on a story by Stefan Zweig ,and starring Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdain , is quintessential Fin de Siecle Vienna . For anyone visiting this magnificent city , this film is a MUST !!! Be prepared though , it will rend your heart deeply and completely .

Steven, how exciting, congrats on taking your trip of a lifetime!! Thank you all again for the tips!!

Don't miss the open air Nachtsmarkt! Great for any meal (wiener schnitzel as big as your plate!). Best farmers market anywhere! Get your SRO ticket for the Vienna National Opera; check carefully in Rick's guidebook on how this is done (there are no signs). SRO standees are provided screens with digital translations so it's worth staying for the whole performance since you will know what is going on. Go ahead and ride one of the open-top busses so that you can see Prater Park and the Big Wheel, plus cross the Danube to see some of modern Vienna. But follow Rick's advice and bring your own ear buds. Check with your hotel to see if they can provide a free admission pass to the Albertina Museum. The Plague Monument is magnificent considering the irony of being located in a busy shopping district. Go inside the stunning St. Stephan's Cathedral (be aware the windows are covered with multicolored plastic shades which make photography a problem); the outside is undergoing cleaning in large sections, so not as photogenic at this time.

>> "unless you're fascinated by dinnerware" << It's so much more than dinnerware; it's beautiful, fine, antique, priceless porcelain, china, silver, crystal and YES, I am fascinated by that. (The fine-china gene is a recessive trait that I inherited. You just can't fight your DNA) ;-)

Hi, Aside from some very good recommendations above, I say too stay in Vienna for the 4 full days. Here are some recommendations if you don't want to see museums, ie., taking a break from them, outdoor viewing: Maria Theresien Platz, the Heldenplatz, the Soviet Memorial, nearby to that...the Schwarzenberg Platz, esp. Gloriette above Schönbrunn.

Hi, Another suggestion for the "not to be missed" in Vienna is a place you can get good cheap food... esp. Schnitzel. If you're in the Westbahnhof area, walk down Mariahilferstraße to Neubaugasse, turn left to Neubaugasse 52, the address of "Schnitzelwirt." Recommended to me by the hostel at Westbahnhof, well worth it.

Michael, I think you mean the Naschmarkt, for good food.

Hmmm... Maybe it is Nachtmarket , you know , late night snacks ?

Come to think of it , there is a place around the corner from the Theatre an der Wien where Mozart used to stop to pick up a few things after a performance of Magic Flute , it was called " Eine Kleine NachtMarket " . No groans , please .

Goodness, overwhelmed by the number of Vienna tips, my Prague and Budapest string are way jealous! We need a term for you guys maybe Vienna Heads? Kind of like ParrotHeads but minus the Hawian Shirt! Seriously, thanks for the tips! We are so excited about our trip!!!! And yes, Elaine, it must be a southern thing, I have two sets of everyday dishes and five sets of China, a little obsessed!!!!

Yeah, I'm doing a similar trip and have been following this thread with great interest. Thank you.

>"Another suggestion for the "not to be missed" in Vienna is a place you can get good cheap food... esp. Schnitzel." And for typical Viennese fast food you can visit a "Würstelstand (=sausage stand), which sells all kinds of sausages. Popular are "Käsekrainer" (local slang "Eitrige" = the purulent one), "Bosna" (some kind of hot dog, but tastier) or "Debreziner". All named after former territories of the Austrian Empire btw..

Here you can find best sightseeing places in vienna with an all information, an interactive map and categorisied search function. There is also a top-10 places in vienna with an another category. www.fokuswien.com