Visit Vienna

Vienna is a city of heavy limestone and secret courtyards where the imperial footprint is visible in the massive iron gates of the Hofburg. It serves as a strategic anchor for road trips from Vienna because it sits exactly where the Alpine foothills begin to roll toward the Danube basin. You should start your visit at the Naschmarkt to see the Art Nouveau tile work of the Majolikahaus before heading to the narrowest alley in the city called Griechengasse. The local culture is defined by the Schanigarten where tables spill onto the sidewalks for hours of coffee and conversation. To see a side of the city few tourists visit drive to the Zentralfriedhof to find the graves of Beethoven and Falco or explore the industrial brick architecture of the Gasometer towers which were repurposed into a vertical city.

The city geography is dominated by the Gürtel which is an outer ring road built over an old defensive line and now houses bars tucked into the brick arches under the elevated subway tracks. For a local evening experience drive to the Steinhof church on the western edge to see the gold dome designed by Otto Wagner overlooking the entire valley. The Prater park gives you a glimpse into the late nineteenth century with its giant ferris wheel and the vast Hauptallee which is a straight four kilometer path lined with chestnut trees. You can find the original Roman foundations of the city exposed in the center of Michaelerplatz where the modern city flows around ancient stone walls.

Exiting the city toward the west takes you through the Vienna Woods along the Höhenstraße which is a cobblestone road built in the 1930s specifically for scenic driving. This route offers multiple viewpoints like Cobenzl and Kahlenberg where you can see the river winding toward the Slovakian border. The transition from the urban sprawl to the dense beech forests happens almost instantly as you climb the northern hills. It is a location that rewards the driver who looks for the small details like the iron wine keys hanging in the windows of the suburban taverns. Vienna provides a grand and structured departure point before the landscape turns wild in the mountains.

Top sights to visitRingstrasse Boulevard  Drive this grand loop at sunset to see the imperial buildings glow under the city lights. Keep your camera ready for the State Opera, as the architecture hits its peak aesthetic when the floodlights kick in. This route gives you a high-speed masterclass in Habsburg history without ever leaving your car.
Griechengasse Alley  Park near the canal and hunt for this hidden, ivy-covered shortcut tucked away from the shopping crowds. Step onto the original medieval stones and look up at the ancient wooden beams overhead. You will feel the weight of five centuries in this silent, cinematic corridor.
Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof)  Navigate to Group 32A to stand before the graves of musical titans like Beethoven and Strauss. Walk the wide, tree-lined avenues to find the futuristic monument dedicated to 80s pop legend Falco. This site transforms a standard cemetery visit into a powerful walk through European cultural history.
The 05 Resistance Code  Locate the small "05" etched into the stone to the right of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral main entrance. Touch the engraving to connect with the secret underground signal used by local fighters during WWII. This tiny detail reveals the hidden courage of a city often defined only by its palaces.
Grinzing Wine Taverns  Drive up to the 19th district and claim a spot on a wooden bench at a traditional Heuriger. Order a glass of "Gemischter Satz" wine and a hearty plate of pork from the buffet. This is the ultimate way to decompress after a long drive while looking out over rolling city vineyards.
Gasometer Towers  Take the elevator inside these four massive brick cylinders to explore a vertical city of shops and apartments. Look straight up from the central atrium to see how nineteenth-century industrial walls now house a futuristic neighborhood. The sheer scale of the brickwork makes this a mandatory stop for anyone who loves bold architecture.
Steinhof Church  Head to the western hills to see Otto Wagner’s golden-domed masterpiece gleaming above the tree line. Step inside to check out the innovative Art Nouveau interior designed specifically for the comfort of hospital patients. The view from the church plaza offers a stunning, wide-angle perspective of the Vienna Woods.
The Prater Hauptallee  Leave the car behind for an hour and walk this straight, four-kilometer path lined with ancient chestnut trees. Breathe in the fresh air in this massive car-free zone that has served as the city's green lung for centuries. It provides a perfect, peaceful reset before you get back on the highway.
Michaelerplatz Roman Ruins  Stand at the open excavations in the center of this busy square to see the foundations of a Roman legionary camp. Watch how modern horse carriages and cars navigate around these 2000 year old stone walls. This site reminds you that you are driving over layers of a massive, ancient crossroads.
The Narrowest House  Find Burggasse number thirteen and try to spot the building that is barely wider than a standard front door. Take a photo to capture how the architect squeezed a functional home into a tiny gap between two giant blocks. It’s a quirky highlight that defines the creative spirit of the 7th district.
Donaukanal Street Art  Park by the water and walk the concrete banks to see professional murals that change almost every week. Grab a drink at one of the seasonal beach bars and watch the urban sunset against a backdrop of vibrant graffiti. This area provides the modern energy that balances out Vienna's imperial polish.
Kahlenberg Viewpoint  Drive the winding cobblestone roads to the summit for the most legendary panorama of the Danube and the city. Use the telescopes to spot the spire of St. Stephen's in the distance. This is the best place to map out your exit route before heading toward the eastern borders.

Hotel deals

Weather forecast

Top Local Experiences

Explore with a Local Expert

Like to plan a trip to Vienna?

Enter your location and we’ll help you plan your adventure

History of Vienna

Vienna began as a Roman military camp named Vindobona, a frontier outpost designed to keep the Germanic tribes at bay. By the time the Habsburg dynasty took over, it transformed into a powerhouse of high culture and imperial vanity. For over six centuries, emperors and empresses ruled from the Hofburg. They expanded their borders through strategic marriages rather than wars, earning them the famous saying: "Let others wage war; thou, happy Austria, marry."

The city survived two massive Ottoman sieges, with the 1683 victory famously leaving behind bags of dark beans that birthed the legendary Viennese coffee culture. As the empire grew, the old city walls were torn down to create the Ringstrasse, a grand circular boulevard that showcased the immense wealth of the era. This was the city of Mozart, Beethoven, and Freud, where every marble hall and gilded opera house whispered of a sophisticated, intellectual golden age that only ended with the collapse of the monarchy after the First World War.

Today, driving through Vienna feels like navigating a living museum of the Habsburg era. The city still carries a refined, aristocratic air, where the scent of Sachertorte and the sound of waltzes are not just for tourists but are part of the local identity. From the socialist housing experiments of the Red Vienna period to the modern United Nations headquarters, Vienna has managed to bridge the gap between its rigid imperial past and a forward thinking, high quality of life future.