During our recent month trip in Europe we spent only 2 days in Vienna.  Whilst it wasn’t very long, it certainly gave us enough time to check out some of the best things to do in Vienna with kids. 

 

If you’re going to visit Vienna with children and wondering what to do in Vienna in 2 days, then you’re going to find this post helpful.  In this post I detail all the top things to do in Vienna with children of varying ages, from tiny toddlers to teenagers.  We look at some of the best places to visit in Vienna in 2 days, including some of the most popular Vienna tourist attractions as well as some suggestions if you have a little more time. 

 

As well as looking at what to do in Vienna with kids, this post covers off on how to get around in Vienna and some tips on where to stay in Vienna for families.

 

Click here if you want to see our exact Vienna itinerary.

 

 

The Best Things to do in Vienna with Kids

 

Throughout this section I have provided a comprehensive guide to all the best Vienna attractions for kids.  I tried to provide as much information as possible to make your planning easier, including locations, opening hours and ticket prices.

 

You will note that for many of the Vienna tourist places I often recommend you purchase your tickets in advance from Klook or Get Your Guide.  Yes, I will receive a small commission if you do purchase from these sites – but as you will see in most cases you will save yourself a bit of cash in doing so.  Other times the price may be the same, but you will save time by not having to line up at the attraction for tickets.   I use these sites myself to book tickets for our travels around the world.

 

Please note that all prices mentioned were correct at the time of writing and may fluctuate depending upon changes to currency conversion and rate increases.

 

To check the rate in your local currency, click here.

 

1. St Stephen’s Cathedral

 

Whether you have one day in Vienna or one week, you can’t visit Vienna without a experiencing the magnificence of St Stephen’s Cathedral. The outside of the Cathedral is decorated with coloured tiles to depict the double headed eagle which is the coat of arms of the city of Vienna.  Inside you can see vast treasures and relics alongside the tomb’s and burial sites of a number of historically important Austrian people. Climb the 343 steps into the tower room where 13 bells hang and you get a marvelous view of Vienna.

 

St Stephen’s Cathedral is located in the centre of the city and is one of the must things to see in Vienna.

 

Location: Stephansplatz, 1010 Vienna

Opening Hours: 6am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 7am to 10pm on Sundays and holidays

Price: Entry is free but, it costs 3€ to climb to the viewing platform and to take the lift in the north tower is 4€.

 

Taking a tour in the Cathedral is a great option as you get access to everything with an audio guide included for 21€. 

 

2. Hofburg Palace

 

A must do in Vienna (even if you just have one day in Vienna) is to visit at least one of the palaces lived in by the Habsburg family.  The Hofburg Palace was their main residence and here you can visit private apartments and state rooms set out as they would have been for the family. Visit one of the most important treasure chambers in the world which hold a number of imperial crowns and royal jewellery.

 

We didn’t have time to visit the inside of Hofburg Palace but did visit the Schonbrunn Palace which was well worth it.  We did walk around it though and through the gardens.  I highly recommend that when you’re looking for things to do in Vienna with family you take them to at least one of these magnificent palaces. 

 

Location: Michaelerkuppel, 1010 Vienna 

Opening Hours: 9am to 5.30 pm September to June and 6 pm July and August

Price: 13.9€ for adults, 8.20€ for Children 6 to 18 and free for children under 6.  You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

3. Giant Ferris Wheel

If you’re wanting fun things to do in Vienna, take the kids for a ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater amusement park.  The Giant Ferris Wheel was first built in 1897 and has been an icon of the city ever since. If you’re visiting Vienna with toddler or even teenagers, everyone loves a ride on a Ferris wheel!

 

Location: Prater amusement park at Riesenradplatz 1, 1020 Vienna

Opening Hours: Opening hours vary throughout the year. Click here for full details.  

Price: 12€ for adults, 5€ for Children 3 to 14 and free for children 0 to 3. Click here to purchase your tickets online.  You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

4. ZOOM Children’s Museum

When it comes to museums, one of the best museums in Vienna for kids is the ZOOM children’s museum.  This kids’ museum Vienna has on offer, is located within the Museum Quarter and unlike other museums, at ZOOM you don’t just turn up and look around, rather it is made up of a range of workshops which you must book your children into. 

 

There are a range of workshops available which change throughout the year and are suitable children of all different ages.  Workshops go for around 60-90 minutes and each one is on multiple times per day.

 

When we were there, we took Myla to the Earth and Soil workshop.  Over 90 minutes, Myla learnt about how we use soil to grow food we eat, how rain, soil and sun work together to grow plants, the different microorganisms that live in soil and dressed up as an archaeologist and dug up the soil for various treasures.

 

At MQ, there are a range of different museums which may interest you depending upon your family’s individual interests.

 

If you’re looking for Vienna activities designed for kids that the family are encouraged to get involved, one of the ZOOM workshops are a must.

 

Location: Museums Quartier, Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna

Opening Hours: Workshops are on at varying times throughout the day.

Price: Prices vary depending upon the workshop.  The one we went to was free for children but 6€ for adults.  You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

Visiting Prague?  Click here for our detail post on things to do in Prague with Kids.

 

5. Naschmarkt Markets

 

For all lovers of food, one of the Vienna top attractions is the Naschmarkt – a local food and produce market.   These markets have a colourful array of 120 stalls stocking fresh fruit and vegetables, delicious cuisines including Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian and others with treasures. On Saturday there is a flea market that is well loved by the locals. A visit to Naschmarkt is well worth it, even if you don’t wish to purchase anything.  

 

Location: Wienzeile, 1060 Vienna

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 6am – 7.30pm and 6am to 6pm on Saturday.

Price: Free

 

 

6. Schonbrunn Palace

When it comes to the top 10 things to do in Vienna, Schonbrunn Palace is definitely one of them.  In fact the Schonbrunn Palace is one of the most popular places to visit in Vienna!

 

As mentioned above, the Schonbrunn Palace was one of the residences of the Habsburg family.  It was in fact their Summer residence – can you believe it!  Now the Schonbrunn Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site which has 1441 rooms and some seriously impressive gardens which include fountains and monuments and even its very own zoo!  

 

Within the palace grounds, there are numerous different attractions and exhibits to see including a tour of the palace rooms, children’s museum, Imperial Carriage Museum, Crown Prince Garden, Orangery Garden, Maze & Labyrinth, Zoo (see below), Palm House and Desert Experience.  Whilst you can enter the palace ground for fee, each of these attractions have an entry free.

 

To go inside the palace, you must take a self-guided tour.  There are two different tours to choose from the Grand Tour (see 40 rooms) or the Imperial Tour (see 22 rooms which are also included in the Grand Tour).  We decided to see take the Imperial Tour which I thought was plenty to see, any longer might get a little boring for children, although Myla really enjoyed it.

 

We also went to the Children’s Museum at the palace which in my view is one of the top museums in Vienna to visit with the little ones.  This is a fantastic museum, not just for the children either.  It explained all about the palace in a simple and easy way to understand.  For the little ones, they will love how interactive it is – they are encouraged to touch and play with almost everything!  They can can dress up as kings and queens, play with toys that the children who lived at the palace once did and even visit full replica rooms such as a child’s bedroom, dressing room and toy room.

 

We also had a quick stroll around the gardens, but given we had limited time in Vienna we simply didn’t have time for anything else at the palace.  Honestly you could spend the entire day here and still not see everything.

 

There are a number of different tickets that allow you access to different areas. One example is the family pass that gives you access to the children’s museum and the hunting lodge which have a day’s worth of activities each. The family pass saves you at least 50% off the value of buying the tickets individually. Click here for full details of the different entry options and to purchase a ticket.

 

If you’re visiting Vienna with the kids, make sure you see the Schonbrunn Palace, it really is a Vienna must see!

 

Location: Schönbrunner Schlossstraße, 1130 Vienna

Opening Hours: from 8am with closing times vary between 5 and 6.30pm throughout the year.

Price: Entry to the palace grounds are free, but there are entry fees to the different exhibits on site.  You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

7. Schonbrunn Zoo

 

Whilst part of the Schonbrunn Palace, I thought it was also worth mentioning the Schonbrunn Zoo separately as it’s also one of the popular places to see in Vienna, particularly for families. 

 

The Schonbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world, first built in 1752 and has been voted the best zoo in Europe five times, beating 126 other zoos across Europe.   The zoo is considered to be one of the best and most modern zoos in the world and has some of the most generous animal compounds you will see.

 

As you can see, you could easily spend the entire day at the Schonbrunn Palace making it one of the perfect days trips from Vienna city for families.

 

Location: Schönbrunner Schlossstraße, 1130 Vienna

Opening Hours: 9am daily and the closing time varies between 4.30pm and 6.30pm throughout the year. Please note that some of the animal enclosures close one hour or half an hour before closing time.

Price: 20€ for and adult, 10€ for a child (6-18) and children 5 and under are free. Click here for full details and to book your tickets. Save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

8. Fiaker Horse Drawn Carriage Ride

 

Taking a horse drawn carriage around the city to see the top sights in Vienna is a really special way to take the journey.

 

Myla desperately wanted to take a ride in the horse drawn carriage and whilst I was hesitant due to the price and lack of understanding as to whether the horses were well cared for, we went.  It certainly was a love way to see the Vienna sites, particularly all the pretty Christmas lights around Vienna.

 

Location: Horse-drawn carriage stands are all over the city including Stephansplatz, Michaelerplatz, Albertinaplatz, Petersplatz and Burgtheater/Volksgarten.

Price: The short tour (approx. 20 min. through the centre of the Old City) costs 55€; the long tour (approx. 40 min. through the Ringstrasse and the Old City) 80€.  You can also get a good discount if you have the Vienna City Card.

 

9. Danube Tower

 

One of the popular Vienna Landmarks is the Danube Tower which rises 252 metres above the ground and is the perfect way to get a spectacular view of Vienna’s cityscape. There is a fully accessible outdoor platform and a glass-panned indoor section which allows you to take in the views in strong winds and bad weather.

 

The terrace at the top of the tower has two floors, one being a restaurant and the other a café.  Both floors making a full rotation on the axes every 26 minutes. So you can enjoy homemade pastries, strudel, and cakes as well as a range of delicious Viennese coffee specialties and warm Austrian delicacies at a table and take in the views while you relax.

 

Location: Donauturmstraße 4 1220 Vienna

Opening Hours: 10 am and midnight daily

Price: 14.50€ for adults, 9.50 € for kids with under 6’s being free.  Click here to purchase your tickets online.  You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

10. House of Music

 

This very modern and interactive museum takes you on a journey through five floors filled with exhibits that educate about music and its history.  There is a staircase that is laid out as a the keys of a piano, an opportunity to try your hand at conducting as well as learning about the lives of great composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. 

 

I really wanted to go to the House of Music as I’ve heard, it’s one of the great family things to do in Vienna, but we just didn’t have time. 

 

Location: Seilerstätte 30, 1010, Vienna

Opening Hours: 10 am to 10 pm daily

Price: 13€ for adults and 9€ for children (children under 3 are free). This includes admission, coat check and an app guide that you can download to your Smartphone; there is a child’s version too. Click here to book your tickets online.   You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

11. Hundertwasser House Vienna and Museum

For all the art and architecture lovers, add a visit to Hundertwasser House Vienna to your Vienna sightseeing list!  This unique colourfully decorated building was designed by artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and is a must see for lovers of colourful architecture.  On top of the top of the building is more than 200 trees making it a stunning oasis in the centre of the city.

 

Whilst you can only view the house from the outside, make sure you also stroll through the Hundertwasser Village which is basically a shopping area which the artist has also created. 

You can also visit the nearby museum where you can learn more about Hundertwasser’s work.

 

Location: The house is located at Kegelgasse 34-38, whilst the museum is located at Untere Weißgerberstraße 13, just a short walk away.

Opening Hours:  The house is available to see at any time, but the museum is open 10 am and 6 pm daily.

Price: The house is free to view, but the museum is 11€ for adults, 5€ for 10 years old+, up to 10 years old are free. Click here to purchase your tickets online.

 

12. Spanish Riding School

 

Kids of all ages will love seeing the horse perform at the Spanish Riding School, one of the most popular Vienna points of interest.  Here you can experience the magnificence of the Spanish Dancing white Lipizzaner stallions and the Spanish Riding School.  This is the only place in the world where classical horsemanship is still practiced.

 

There are three ways that you can take in this experience.

 

• During the morning training session you can observe the horses being put through their paces and building the strength they need to perform. Morning exercise takes place between 10am and 12noon, you don’t have to stay for the full 2 hours. Tickets are 16€. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

• Experience a full (70-90 minute) performance by the horses and riders choreographed to traditional Viennese music. These tickets are limited so it is worth booking in advance to get the day that you want. Tickets are 32€ each. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

• Take a 55 minute behind the scenes tour of the riding school and see the architectural finery of the Renaissance tradition of the Haute Ecole. Tours start at 1pm, 3pm and 4pm. Tickets are 19€ for adults and 10€ for 6 to 18 year olds. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

Please note that children under three cannot enter the Spanish Riding School.

 

Location: Imperial palace at Michaelerplatz 1 (Besucherzentrum/Visitor Center), 1010 Vienna.

Price: Varies, see above.

 

13. Belvedere Palace

 

The Belvedere is a palace that holds an art gallery. Here you can enjoy the amazing art works while taking in the rooms decorated for royalty, some of the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Europe. The upper Belvedre holds a permanent exhibition which includes the largest Klimt collection in the world and the “The Kiss”.

 

The lower Belvedre is a demonstration of the way in which the affluent lived centuries ago including the Golden Room and the Marble Gallery. Artworks can be seen in the lower Belvedere as well, including the stables where there is a medieval exhibit.

 

There is also 21er Haus which holds a collection of post war to modern day art works. Connecting the upper and lower are gardens that are equally as exuberant.  

 

Location: Corner of Prince Eugen-Straße and Landstraßer Gürtel

Opening Hours: 10am but closing times vary

Price: There are a variety of different ticket options depending upon what parts of the palace you wish to explore.  Tickets start at €13 for adults and children are free.  Click here for further information and to purchase tickets online.   You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

14. River Cruise

 

A cruise down the Danube is a lovely relaxing way to see some of the Vienna tourist spots.  There are a range of different Vienna boat trip options such as:  

 

• A one-hour cruise for 23€ for adults, 11.50€ for children 10-15 years old and children 9 under are free. There are different starting times throughout the day. Check here for full details and to make a booking.  

 

• A one-hour cruise with a two course meal costs 29€. The cruise departs daily at 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm.   Check here for full details and to make a booking.

 

• A 3.5-hour trip which takes in both the Vienna Danube Canal and the great Danube. The tours are carried out with both the French designed MS Vindobona, which is now one of the sights of Vienna (departure 11:30 and 15:00) and the MS Wien, which has a large outdoor deck (departure 10:30 and 14:00). Both ships are air conditioned. A meal of Wiener schnitzel of pork with parsley potatoes is also included. Tickets are 39€. Check here for full details and to make a booking.

 

15. Time Travel

 

If you’re looking for some fun kids’ activities Vienna offers, consider visiting Time Travel.  This attraction is a highly interactive multimedia experience which will take you back in time to explore the history of Vienna. With 5D cinema, animatronic shows, music and special effects, this attraction will keep you and your children entertained for hours.  Here you get to experience various parts of Vienna’s history including life in nobility, a bomb shelter during World War II and the comical ideas of Mozart amongst many others. 

 

Again we ran out of time so didn’t get to visit Time Travel, but this looks like one of the Vienna places to visit where the whole family can learn about Vienna’s history and have a whole lot of fun at the same time.

 

Location: Habsburgergasse 10A, 1010 Vienna

Opening Hours: 10am-7pm daily

Price: 16€ for an adult, 13€ for a child 5 – 14 years old. Children under 5 enter for free. Click here to purchase your tickets online. You can also save on entry fee with the Vienna City Card.

 

16. Christmas in Vienna: Things to do in Vienna in December

If you’re visiting Vienna in December, you’re in for a real treat!  We were in Vienna right up until Christmas Eve and let me tell you Christmas in Vienna is gorgeous!!!  The whole city is covered in lights and you’ll find Christmas trees and Christmas markets on every corner.

 

Here’s a brief overview of top things to do in Vienna in December:

 

Christmas Markets

 

One of the best things to do in Vienna at Christmas time is to spend some time at the various 13 Christmas markets dotted across the city.  The markets are Vienna winter attractions in themselves, as they light up the streets and provide delicious aromas from the delightful traditional Austrian food and drink that are served.  Not to mention the numerous stalls selling gorgeous little handicrafts perfect for souvenirs to take home or for Christmas gifts.

 

We loved visiting Vienna Christmas World which is in Rathausplatz.  These markets are just magical with the Gothic Revival City Hall in the background and massive ice-skating rink.

 

We visited a variety of other Christmas markets during our short stay in Vienna, you can’t help but visit them as they are almost every street corner!

 

We found that all of the markets sold similar trinkets and handicrafts as well as delicious baked goods and of course the mulled wine.

 

Ice Skating

 

Vienna with kids in winter means ice skating!!  Even this crazy Aussie family gave it a go!

 

We went ice skating at the Christmas Markets at Vienna Christmas World which is in Rathausplatz.  There is a massive ice skating rink and trails here, but after Christmas it becomes even bigger, in fact the largest artificial ice skating rink in the world!

 

Other ice-skating rinks in Vienna can be found at Winer Eislaufverein (between Stadtpark and Konzerthaus) as well as Kunsteisbahn Engelmann.

 

Passes

 

Purchasing a city pass is often a great way to save money if you intend on visiting a few of the Vienna main attractions.  Some passes even include transportation.

 

As to which pass is the right choice for you, really depends on which places in Vienna you intend to visit.  I recommend you compare the pass price to the individual Vienna tourist sites prices and make the decision from there.

 

Here are a few passes worth considering:

 

Red Vienna City Card

 

The Red Vienna City Card includes unlimited public transport and one child aged 15 or under travels free per card holder.   The tickets cost 17€ for 24 hours, 25€ for 48 hours, 29€ for 72 hours.  

 

With the card you all receive discounts to over 210 different activities and transport.   For examples discounts include:

 

• Horse-Drawn Carriage: Save 15 €
• Time Travel: Save 5 €
• Schönbrunn Zoo: Save 3 €
• Giant Ferris Wheel: Save 1 €

 

So not massive savings. but given you also receive unlimited public transportation, it’s overall pretty good value.  We had the Vienna City card red pass and found it great.  I mean you will need to work out how much you will use it, but if you intend on using public transport to get around then I think it’s well worth while.  Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

There is also a white Vienna City Card, but I think the red card is where the value is.

 

Vienna Pass

 

With this pass you have unlimited access to the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses that cover routes to all the major attractions in Vienna. The bonus is that all children under 6 get free access to all inclusive offers with an adult that holds the pass.

 

This pass gives you free entry to 70 of the top attractions across Vienna. With bonus fast track entry to these attractions:

 

• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Albertina
• Belvedere (Upper and Lower Belvedere)
• Desert Experience House
• Imperial Treasury
• Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) & Neue Burg
• Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation
• Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Technology
• Schönbrunn Zoo
• Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel
• Winter Palace

 

To understand the savings you could get here is a breakdown of the entry fees for an adult to some of the attractions. 

 

Schonbrunn Palace Grand Tour: 17.50€

Schonbrunn Zoo: 20€

The Giant Ferris Wheel: 12€

The Spanish Riding School: 12€

Hofburg Palace: 13.90€

Hop on Hop off: 39€.

 

So if you were to were to purchase the 2 day pass at the cost of 89€ you’ve already saved yourself 25.40 €.

 

The Vienna Pass comes in 1, 2, 3 and 6 consecutive day tickets and start at 59€. You can choose to include a transport card as well which gives you access to all transport networks in Vienna.  And remember you don’t need to purchase one for kids under 6 as they travel free on your pass.  Click here for full details and book your ticket.

 

Vienna Flexipass for 3, 4 or 5 Top Sights

 

If you are planning to visit a few select attractions this might be a better option for you. You get to pick either 3, 4 or 5 attractions to visit out of 30 different ones.  The good news is whatever pass you choose it’s valid for 30 days from the first day you use it.

 

Here are attractions covered and their entry fees:

 

Schonbrunn Zoo:    20€

Upper Belvedere: 15€

The Danube Tower: 15€

The Giant Ferris Wheel: 12€

Vienna Sightseeing Hop on Hop off Tour: 28€

 

So if you purchased the five attraction pass for 58.50€ and visited the above attractions you would save 31.50€.  Click here for full details of the pass and to book your ticket.

 

Vienna Tours

 

If you’re the sort of person that prefers someone to take care of everything for you, and not have to worry about navigating your way around, you may prefer one of these Vienna tours.

 

1. Vienna City Tour with Guided Tour of the Schönbrunn Palace

 

Take a 3.5 hour guided bus tour around Vienna with a special skip-the-line entry and tour of Schönbrunn Palace. You will get to admire the many magnificent buildings along the Ringstraße, the Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna State Opera, the Museum of Art History, the Hofburg Palace, the Austrian Parliament, and the Court Theater.

 

Tickets are 54€ for adults and 19€ for children (2-12 years old). The tour begins near State Opera. Click here for full details and to book your ticket.

 

2. Vienna Walking Tours

 

A Vienna walking tour is a great way to get to see the sights and learn a little more about the city.  A guided walking tour is particularly well worth it if you’re trying to see Vienna in a day or two.  Here are a few walking tours to consider:

 

• 2 Hour Walking Tour: Get your bearing of the city of Vienna on this guided historical walking tour of the streets of Vienna. You will see the Austrian National Library, the church where many Habsburg weddings were held, the Albertina, the Monument Against War and Fascism, the Imperial Crypt, the Providentia Fountain and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The tour leaves most days and costs 17€ for adults and 8€ for children (6-13 years old). Click here for full details and to book your ticket.

 

• 5 Hour Underground Walking Tour: Take a look under the Viennese streets and hear the 2000 year history of these parts. You will also visit the Baroque crypt of St. Michael’s Church with well-preserved mummies. This underground tour happens at 1.30pm on Wednesdays and costs 19.50€ for adults and 10.50€ for children (6-18 years old). Please note that this tour does not have access for prams and wheel chairs. Click here for full details and to book your ticket.

 

3. Tram Ring Tour

 

If you’re wondering what to see in Vienna in one day, take the Tram Ring Tour.  This is a great low-cost option to see the iconic boulevard of Ringstraße with all its historic architecture and parklands. This tram tour is available 365 days a year. The first ride starts at 10:00 AM, and the last ride is at 5:30 PM. This tour starts at the Schwedenplatz in the first district of Vienna, and whilst riding you can receive historic information with an audio guide.

 

The tickets are 10€ for adults, 5€ for children 3 to 13 years old and those under 2 are free. Click here for full details and to book your ticket.

 

4. Traditional Dinner and Show at the Wiener Rathauskeller

 

This show and meal is for the Sound of Music fans out there. You will be treated to a 3 course meal made with regional specialties. The musical performance is some of the best known operettas of Austria including pieces of composers like Johann Strauß, Robert Stolz and Franz Lehar.

 

The Rathauskeller is located at Ringstraße in the basement (wine cellar) of Vienna City Hall, Rathausplatz 1 / 1010 Vienna. The show is performed Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm between April and October. Tickets are 65€ for adults, 44€ for children 7-12 years old and free for 0-6 years old. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

5. Day Trip to Wachau and Danube

 

If you have a little more time in Vienna, there are some great Vienna day trips to choose from.  If you are in Vienna on a Saturday or Wednesday and would like to take a trip out of town this picturesque tour of the Wachau Valley is well worth it. The landscape and the villages make for some of the most picturesque scenery you will see. While touring you will see the town of Dürnstein and the ruins of Dürnstein castle on a nearby hill, the Benedictine Abbey at Melk and on the river cruise you can take in the picturesque views of the Danube riverside.

 

Tickets at 71.29€ for adults, 31€ for children (3-12), 2 and under travel for free.  You can pick a river cruise down the Danube or a 3 course lunch as part of your ticket. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

6. Half Day Tour to Vienna Woods

 

Take a leisurely half day tour to the picturesque outskirts of Vienna. Your tour guide will give you an account of the history of the various locations that you will visit. The locations include the former hunting lodge at Mayerling, the memorial chapel, the underground aircraft factory the Germans built during World War II and boat trip at Seegrotte Hinterbrühl  one of the most spectacular natural monuments of the world today.

 

Tickets are 51€ for an adult and 19€ for 3 to 12 year olds. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

7. Day Trip to Hallstatt through the Austrian Alps

 

This day trip is 12 hours as you go further from Vienna. Travel along a panoramic road through the heart of the Austrian Alps. You will get to visit one of the oldest monasteries in Austria at Admont Abbey and take a guided walk through the village of Hallstatt.

 

The bus will pickup from hotels in central Vienna. Otherwise meet at the Tourist Information Office, Albertinaplatz 1, A-1010 Vienna at 7.45am. Please note that no hotel drop off is included. This tour is available on Saturdays from November to March and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from April to October.  Tickets are 119€ for adults and 95€ for children aged 1 to 12 years old. Click here for full details and to book your tickets.

 

Where to Stay in Vienna

 

In terms of where to stay in Vienna, for first timers (like ourselves) I would recommend staying either in or as close to as possible the city centre.  The city centre (called Innere Stadt) is in fact a UNESCO World Heritage Site and surrounded by the Ringstrasse.  The entire area is fairly small, but very picturesque with cobblestone streets.

 

When it comes to hotels in Vienna, staying within the city centre is fairly expensive, so your best bet it to stay somewhere just outside the city centre close to an underground stop so you can easily get around to all the different places of interest in Vienna.   

 

Accommodation does tend to be a bit pricey in Vienna, even away from the city centre.  However below I have listed 3 different family hotels in Vienna that I recommend based on their ability to adequately accommodate a family of 2 adults and 2 children, having private bathroom facilities as well as being in a central location. 

 

For cheaper accommodation you will need to move further out from the city and / or consider getting a room with shared bathroom facilities.

 

Exquisit Wien

• Exquisit Wien is located just a short 10-minute walk from the Museums Quarter which sits just around the city centre. In fact to walk to the centre of the city centre will only take 30 minutes.  However it is also just 140 metres to the Neubaugasse Underground station so you can easily get around to all the top sites in Vienna.    

 

• Families are best accommodated in the family room which have a double bed and bunk beds. The family room includes a TV, desk, balcony,  and Wi-Fi.

 

• This is only just newly listed on TripAdvisor so there is no rating as yet, but on Booking.com it’s rated 9.8/10 among families.

 

• At the time of publishing the best rate was $172 AUD per night for 2 adults and 2 children (including breakfast) on Booking.com.

 

Click here to check the prices and / or to make a booking at Exquisit Wien.

 

Pension Primavera

• Pension Primavera is located just a short 10-minute walk from the Museum Quarter which sits just around the city centre. In fact to walk to the centre of the city centre will only take 30 minutes.  However it is also just 77 metres to the Neubaugasse Underground station so you can easily get around to all best places in Vienna.    

 

• Families are best accommodated in a budget double room which have a double bed and a sofa bed. The room includes a TV, refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities, sitting area and Wi-Fi.

 

• 92% of people on TripAdvisor rate this hotel as above average and it’s rated 9.2/10 on Booking.com.

 

• At the time of publishing the best rate was $168 AUD per night for 2 adults and 2 children on Booking.com.

 

Click here to check the prices and / or to make a booking at Pension Primavera.

 

Pension Mozart

 

• Pension Mozart is located just a short 5-minute walk from the Museum Quarter which sits just around the city centre. In fact to walk to the centre of the city centre will only take 20 minutes.  However it is also just 400 metres to the Museumsquartier Underground station so you can easily get around to all the best places to visit in Vienna.

 

• Families are best accommodated in the standard quadruple room which have a double bed and two single beds. The room includes a TV, refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities and Wi-Fi.

 

• 38% of people on TripAdvisor rate this hotel as above average and it’s rated 7.1/10 on Booking.com.

 

• At the time of publishing the best rate was $170 AUD per night for 2 adults and 2 children on Booking.com.

 

Click here to check the prices and / or to make a booking at Pension Mozart.

 

Getting to Vienna

 

You will most likely arrive in Vienna via train or plane so below I have included information on how to get to the city centre from both the airport and main train station.

 

Arriving at the Airport

 

In most cases for a family you are going to find the easiest and most direct way to get from the airport to your accommodation is by an Uber.  Whilst it might cost a fraction more than public transport, of course the advantage with an Uber is you don’t have to worry about lugging around your bags on public transport.  An Uber will cost around €30.

 

You could also arrange a private transfer, so your transport is waiting for you once you arrive.  A private transfer for up to 4 people will cost €35.   Click here if you wish to book a private transfer.

 

If you are a small group or traveling solo, there are plenty of public transport options including the City Airport Train (CAT), the OBB Railjet or the Express train S7.  If you have the Vienna City Card, take the OBB Railjet or Express Train as it will be by far the cheapest option.

 

There is also a bus option, but it takes longer than the train options below and is more expensive so I haven’t included it.

 

CAT

 

The CAT leaves every 30 minutes (between 6.09 am and 11.39 pm from airport to the city or 5.37 am to 11.07 pm from the city to the airport) and takes just 16 minutes to reach Wien Mitte which is just outside the city centre.  From here you can transfer to other public transport to reach your accommodation.

 

Tickets are €11 per person with children under 14 free of charge.  A return ticket is €19.  You can also get a discount with the Vienna City Card.  Click here to book your tickets online.

 

OBB Railjet

 

These trains leaves every 30 minutes (between 6.33 am and 11.03 pm from airport to the city or 5.42 am to 10.00 pm from the city to the airport) and takes 15 minutes to reach Vienna Main Station, which is 2.5 km outside the city centre.  From here you can transfer to other public transport to reach your accommodation.

 

Tickets are €4.20 per adult and €2.10 for children, children under 6 are free of charge.

 

If however you already have the Vienna City Card, it will only cost an extra €1.80 for adults and €0.90 for children, for a ticket which takes you from the Airport to the Vienna city limits

 

Express Train S7

 

These trains leaves every 30 minutes (between 5.18 am and 12.18 am from airport to the city or 4.19 am to 11.49 pm from the city to the airport) and takes 25 minutes to reach Wien Mitte which is just outside the city centre.  From here you can transfer to other public transport to reach your accommodation.

 

Tickets are €4.20 per adult and €2.10 for children, children under 6 are free of charge.

 

If however you already have the Vienna City Card, it will only cost an extra €1.80 for adults and €0.90 for children, for a ticket which takes you from the Airport to the Vienna city limits

 

Arriving By Train

 

The main station in Vienna is Vienna Hauptbahnhof, where most trains will stop.  This station is a few kilometres out of the city centre, so you will need to get transport from her to your accommodation.  If you have the Vienna City Card you can use this to take local transport to your hotel. 

 

We arrived in Vienna via train, as we had Eurail Global Passes.  Learn more about the different Eurail options here.  However if you are just travelling within Austria, an Austrian Rail pass may be the best option.

 

Click here to read our guide in whether Eurail passes are worthwhile or not.

 

Getting Around Vienna

Many of the top tourist attractions in Vienna are clustered together in the city centre so you can easily walk between a few at a time.  However if you do want to rest your legs from time to time, the public transport is really easy to use.  Simply download the OBB App and you can use this to plan any of your journeys.

 

As mentioned before, having the Vienna City Card is an ideal way of getting around the city as not only do you get unlimited use of public transport and free transportation for kids but you also get massive discounts into some of the best attractions in Vienna too.

 

Another option is to use the Hop On Hop Off bus, which not only will take you around to all the major attractions but also provide some commentary too.   We had a 2 day pass for the Vienna Sightseeing hop on hop off bus which we found good fun.  We rode the hop on hop off bus on our first day in Vienna as a way to get our bearings around the city.

 

The Vienna Sightseeing hop on hop off bus route has actually 5 different routes to choose from, each taking you to a different part of Vienna.  There are 50 different stops, at all the major Vienna attractions.  Also whilst on board you get commentary on the various attractions as well.  Just grab some headphones as you board the bus, plug them in at your seat and tune in your language.  They even have a kids audio guide too.  Click here for more information about the Vienna sightseeing hop on hop off buses.

 

Vienna – Our Verdict

 

We only had such a short time in Vienna so we barely got to see much at all.  However what we did see we really enjoyed.  

 

Vienna is a stunning city, which some fantastic buildings and museums to explore.  It’s very easy to get around whether on foot or via public transport.  However accommodation is a little pricey.

 

Overall we really enjoyed our time in Vienna and hope to come back for a longer period some day soon.

 

Thanks to the Vienna Tourism for providing us with a Vienna City Pass and for Vienna Sightseeing Hop on Hop Bus for hosting us.  However always, all opinions expressed in this post remain my own.

 

Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make any bookings using the links I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.  This helps me provide this helpful information to you at no charge.

 

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