A Taste of Vienna: One Day Travel Guide

Trains in Europe are an amazing thing. You can hop on and go almost anywhere, and a few weeks ago, Zack + I did just that with a quick trip to Vienna, Austria. It’s a 2.5 hour ride from Budapest, making it a realistic day or weekend trip!

We took a 6am train from Budapest, spent all day Saturday exploring Vienna, booked a hotel for the night, and then it was back to Budapest bright + early Sunday morning. We could have easily taken a train back Saturday evening, but we didn’t want to be rushed to make it back to the train station that night.

It was a whirlwind of a trip, but Vienna was a beautiful city that is definitely worth the visit! Check out how we filled our day below:

Even though we saw a TON, I’d love to go back and hit some of the big sights we missed, like the Schönbrunn Palace or Belvedere. Not to mention, check out some of the museums or see a show at the opera.

EXPLORE

With only a day to explore the city, we walked EVERYWHERE. We wanted to see the sights and get a feel for the city in our short time.

STEPHANSDOM
St Stephen’s Cathedral is beautiful from every angle. Check it out from the outside, go inside the cathedral for free, and for a few euros, you can climb or take the lift up the North + South towers for a bird’s eye view of Vienna.

VOTIVKIRCHE
Take in the view of the neo-Gothic church while relaxing in Sigmund Freud Park.

BURGGARTEN
Grab a drink at Palmenhaus and soak up the sun in the park, surrounded by more awesome architecture

RATHAUS
Worth a quick visit for the photo opp of Vienna’s city hall.

HUNDERTWASSERHAUS
These apartments are so cool! Designed by the artist/architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, there are bright colors and almost no straight lines.

EVEN MORE:
We passed by many other landmarks including the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera), the Museumsquaetier, and the Karlskirche.

Unfortunately we couldn’t see everything Vienna has to offer in just one day, but if you have the time, be sure to add the Schönbrunn Palace and/or the Belvedere to your list.

FOOD + RESTUARANT GUIDE

TIPS

• The currency in Vienna are Euros, and it’s good to have some cash on hand just in case!

• Vienna has a pretty good metro (the U-bahn), and it’s a great way to get to some of the sights that are farther away.

• Pack your sunscreen! There are tons of parks, gardens, and restaurant terraces to enjoy on a sunny day.