24 hours in Vienna during the winter season

Vienna is the capital of Austria and perfect for a city trip! The city is rich with history, beautiful architecture & buildings, impressive squares, cozy eateries and lots of culture. You can easily spend here a few days. I’ve been in Vienna last December and really loved the city, despite of the little time I’ve had. Here is a 24-hour guide to Vienna where I tell you about the places I’ve visited.

Hundertwasserhaus

Our accommodation was located a little outside the city center, around Leopoldstadt. We started our day walk from the hotel, where we first came across Hundertwasserhaus. This probably is one of the most impressive buildings in Vienna with a beautiful architecture, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. You can only take a look on the outside of the building, as people are living here.

On the other side of the street, you can find Hundertwasser Village. A little shopping center, created in the style of Hundertwasserhaus, which features several (souvenir) shops, a bar and a small “village square”. It’s nice to walk through, but it can also be quite busy.

Schloss Belvedere

We continued our walk to Schloss Belvedere, which is a place where you can find two Baroque palaces together with its beautiful park. A whole other style of architecture compared to the Hundertwasserhaus, but also very impressive! This place is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Baroque palace complex was originally built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, but now it’s used as an artistic museum, devided into three locations: Upper Belvedere, Lower Belvedere and Belvedere 21. All of the three locations has its own opening hours and ticket prices. You can find more information on the official website.

If you pay a visit to Schloss Belvedere around Christmas time, you can also find here a really nice Christmas market. Here you can buy Christmas articles, but also a delicious meal or hot drink.

Karlskirche & Karlsplatz

This beautiful Baroque church is located at Karlsplatz and has such a beautiful architecture; I think this was my favourite building I’ve seen during my time in Vienna (together with Hundertwasserhaus). Against a small entrance fee, you can pay a visit to the church and go up to the dome, so you can get a close look at the famous Rottmayr frescoes. The church is opened from Monday until Saturday from 09:00AM until 06:00PM and on Sunday (and public holidays) from 12:00PM until 07:00PM. A entrance tickets costs € 8,- per person.

Karlsplatz as well is a nice square where you can find a Christmas market in the months November and December.

Naschmarkt

The Naschmarkt is Vienna’s biggest and best-known market with 120 stands and restaurants. You can buy here anything from everywhere: fruit, vegetables and various delicacies. Especially on Saturday it’s a must visit, as on this day you can also find the weekly flea market at the Naschmarkt.

Museums Quartier

The MuseumsQuartier is thé place when it comes to art and culture. You can find here places with fine art, architecture, music, fashion, theater, dance, literature, children’s culture, game culture, street art, design, photography and more. If you go to the official website, you can find what’s going on at the MuseumsQuartier when you’ll be in Vienna.

Hofburg & Michaelerplatz

Close to the MuseumsQuartier, you will reach Michaelerplatz with Hofburg: Vienna’s Imperial Palace. Hofburg is one of the biggest palace complexes in the world, from which the oldest parts date to the 13th Century. It was the residence of the government op the Habsburg emperors until 1918. Nowadays, you can find here, among other things, several museums. Definitely a must visit when visiting Vienna! Also when you don’t go into one of the museums it’s beautiful, as you can walk around Heldenplatz and admire the impressive architecture. Besides, there’s a nice Christmas market at the Michaelerplatz when you visit Vienna in November or December.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

In the middle of the city center you can find this beautiful cathedral, which is one of the most important Gothic structures in Austria. It’s definitely recommended to pay a visit to the cathedral when traveling to Vienna. You can book a guided tour through the cathedral, but you can also explore it on your own and enjoy a magnificent view over Vienna from the towers. The cathedral is opened most of the time. However, there are visiting hours which you should take into account. You can pay a visit from Monday to Saturday from 09:00AM until 11:30AM and from 01:00PM until 04:30PM. On Sundays and public holidays you can pay a avisit from 01:00PM until 04:30PM.

Around St. Stephen’s Cathedral you can find all kinds of shops, restaurants and bars. You can easily spend here some time!

Where to stay in Vienna

There are so many accommodations in Vienna to chose from! There is something for everyone. During my time in Vienna, I stayed at Hotel Nestroy Wien; located just outside the city center. It’s a 20-minute walk to the center and St. Stephens Cathedral and a nice hotel. The rooms are basic, spacious and clean. Breakfast is included.

For those of you who plan to spend more time in this gorgeous city, I’d suggest using a rental site such as VRBO or Homelike to find apartments to rent in Vienna. You can choose from studio-type to spacious apartments matching your budget. Some have balconies, allowing you to view the beautiful scenery as you relax and unwind after a tiring day. Many apartments are close to restaurants, shops, and other amenities every traveler is looking for in accommodation.

What to ride

Vienna offers different public transportation options, such as trains, buses, cabs, and underground lines. This allows you to tour the city conveniently and comfortably. Vienna public transport operates five underground lines, 127 bus lines, and 29 tram lines.

You can try U-Bahn (a subway), Straßenbahn (a tram), Autobus, or Schnellbahn (S-Bahn), the local train. Vienna doesn’t have station ticket barriers and dedicated ticket checks on local trains, the subway, buses, and trams because of the city’s honesty system.

Conclusion 

Indeed, there are many things to do and see in Vienna during winter. Appreciate art, tour around the beautiful city, get to know the locals, try authentic cuisines, and experience all things the place can offer. I suggest you bring your finest camera on your next travel to capture this city’s magnificent landmarks and memorable events.

Have you already been to Vienna? What are your personal highlights of the city?

Author: Tamara

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This article is part of the GPSmyCity iOS app. You can download it, read this article offline and obtain travel directions (by foot, car or bicycle) to the places mentioned in this article. Click here to download it.

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