10 Photos to Inpire Your Visit to Vienna

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Has Vienna been on your bucket list forever? Let these 10 photos inspire your trip and discover the best Vienna places to visit while you’re adventuring through Europe!

Vienna, the capital of Austria, is sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and a center of culture. The Austrian government works hard to maintain its historical sites and authentic culture, evidenced by the meticulously clean city and investment in cultural attractions. For a full guide and itinerary for Vienna, check out my post What to Do with 2 Days in Vienna.

1. Spanish Riding School

In my opinion, the Spanish Riding School is the best of the best Vienna places to visit. The riding school is committed to the maintenance of the classical styles of dressage using Lippizaner stallions to perform incredible acrobatic jumps and float across the arena in perfect sync with one another. These dressage styles originated in Vienna, and the government and employees of the riding school have worked diligently to remain true to the culture. Today, you can take a tour of the stables and watch an hour-long training session of the horses, ranging from newly introduced (they are the grayest ones) to veterans who perform incredible stunts (the whitest ones). If you’re lucky enough, you might be able to catch a full show, where the stallions will perform all their tricks and the riders will glide across the arena atop their mounts without moving a muscle. It is truly a spectacular sight!

2. Schloss Schönbrunn

No trip to Vienna is complete without a trip to Schönbrunn Palace. To get there, you’ll need to take the metro, which if you buy the Vienna City Card, will be a piece of (Vienesse) cake. Consistently listed as one of the top Vienna places to visit, the palace has a variety of attractions scattered throughout the grounds, sure to keep you entertained for an entire day. There are several ticket tiers, so I recommend that you research beforehand which attractions you want to visit and plan to purchase your ticket accordingly. It will most likely be busy there no matter when you go, so choose the earliest arrival time to avoid the most crowded parts of the day.

Outside of touring the inside of the palace, there is a hedge maze to wander through (I could not find my way to the center!), a carriage museum, the Gloriette, with incredible views of the entire park, and several manicured gardens brimming with flowers. Don’t forget to stop at the Neptune Fountain, commissioned by Maria Theresa as the crown jewel of the overall plan of the gardens surrounding the palace.

3. Opera House

If Vienna is famous for anything, it’s its operas. For a unique Vienna place to visit, plan on attending an opera or ballet at night after wandering the city during the day. While there is no designated dress code, don’t miss the opportunity to break out your fanciest outfits and pretend you are nobility for a night! If you select seats in a box, I recommend sitting in the first or second rows, especially if you’re shorter. Unfortunately, my husband and I ended up behind two pairs of tall people! There are subtitle screens that pull out of the wall, so you can at least understand what is being said on stage if you can’t always see the action.

If attending an opera isn’t your thing, take a tour during the daytime to learn about the history of the opera house and see the grand stage that the most famous opera actors and dancers have performed on!

4. St Peter’s Dome

One of the most iconic photos you can snap in Vienna is of St Peter’s Dome. It is definitely a Vienna place to visit you don’t want to miss! At sunset, head to Goldschmiedgasse to capture a photo just like the one you see here. Watching the golden sun rays streaming through the buildings and casting a glow on the green dome is breathtaking, and no photo does it justice! It can get quite crowded at the end of the day there, so you might have to be patient if you want to full street shot of St Peter’s Dome.

5. Austrian Parliament

The reason you should make the trek to the Austrian Parliament is for the statues in front depicting Greek gods and goddesses. The architecture of the building is incredible, and I spent way too long snapping away, trying to capture every angle. There is an incredible park across the street filled with rose bushes in every color you can wander through when you’re finished! Nearby is the Rathaus, or city hall, another extraordinary piece of Gothic architecture in the heart of Vienna. It isn’t possible to get close to either building, which is fine because you’ll want to stand far enough back to capture every angle!

6. St Stephen’s Cathedral

Make sure you buy an all-inclusive ticket to St Stephen’s Cathedral because you don’t want to miss the incredible views the towers have to offer or the crazy catacombs beneath it. Honestly, it’s one of the best Vienna places to visit! The tickets can only be purchased on-site and with cash, so make sure you have some Euros on you. It will also be very busy since it is one of the top sights in Vienna. Online, you can check the public tour times and plan your visit accordingly.

7. Imperial Treasury

Who doesn’t love fancy jewelry? The Imperial Treasury in Vienna is just down the street from the Spanish Riding School, and with its off-the-beaten-path nature, you’ll escape the crowds (momentarily at least). As you wander the exhibits, you’ll find the jewels of many noble houses belonging to the former Austrian Empire, including tons from Hungarian and Serbian nobles. The opals pictured above belonged to a Hungarian noble family! It was cool to see how to styles changed throughout the centuries as well, from the gemstones chosen to the type of necklaces, bracelets, and brooches that were in fashion.

8. Hofburg Palace

Another one of the Imperial family’s palaces, Hofburg Palace is located in the heart of the Innrestadt in Vienna, which makes it easier to access than Schönbrunn Palace. Today, the palace hosts the Spanish Riding School, the Sisi Museum, and many more museums where you can learn about the Imperial family and Viennese culture. Honestly, you can spend an entire day wandering in and around Hofburg Palace with everything it has to offer!

9. Austrian National Library

If you’re a book lover like me, live out your wildest library dreams at the Austrian National Library. The stunning stacks of books, the dark wood accents, and the polished marble will make you feel like you’ve stepped onto a set of Beauty and the Beast. Use your Vienna City Card to get a discount on your entry ticket! Make sure to arrive early if you want photos of the Grand Hall without a ton of people in them.

10. Viennese Food & Wine

While there might not be one particular Vienna place to visit with this one, you should definitely incorporate the Viennese dining experience into your trip! From morning coffees and parties to the incredible white wines, you have to try all the food Vienna is famous for. Don’t miss out on schnitzel, and while you’re at it have sachertorte, a dense chocolate sponge cake with layers of apricot jam, for dessert. Or if cake isn’t your thing, have an apple strudel! Cafe culture is as strong in Vienna as it is in Paris or Rome, and expect to see little cafes selling the Austrian version of a cappuccino lining the streets as you wander them.

Best Vienna Places to Visit Final Thoughts

Have these photos inspired you to book a trip to Vienna yet? The city’s rich cultural heritage makes it fantastic for history lovers, fashion lovers, art lovers, and food lovers! Honestly, there is something for everyone to enjoy in Vienna.