Day 1 on foot through the city center, day 2 from Schönbrunn to the Giant Ferris Wheel. With walking times between every stop, a plan B for rain and what it all actually costs.
This itinerary is for you if you're visiting Vienna for the first time and have two full days. Day 1 stays in the city center and is done entirely on foot. Day 2 combines Schönbrunn Palace with the Prater. The Belvedere, the Vienna Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof) and a Heuriger (wine tavern) have been deliberately left out: each of them needs half a day of its own.
One thing up front: the Kunsthistorisches Museum is closed on Mondays, and on Sundays you can only visit St. Stephen's Cathedral from 13:00. If your first day falls on a Sunday or Monday, swap the two days.
Day 1
The first day takes place in the 1st district (Innere Stadt). You'll only need a public transport ticket to get to and from your hotel. Over the whole day, the actual walking time adds up to just under an hour.
Morning: From St. Stephen's Cathedral to the Hofburg
St. Stephen's Cathedral – Start at 09:00. Monday to Saturday, the cathedral is open to visitors 09:00–11:30 and 13:00–16:30. The entrance area is free to enter. The South Tower, North Tower and catacombs cost extra. The South Tower has stairs only; an elevator goes up the North Tower.
Next: 5 minutes to the Graben.
Graben – This wide pedestrian street has been car-free since 1974. In the middle stands the Plague Column, built between 1679 and 1692. Stop for a moment and look up: the facades here are the real attraction.
Next: 2 minutes to St. Peter's Church.
St. Peter's Church (Peterskirche) – The church is tucked away in a side street off the Graben. It was Vienna's first Baroque domed building, and its interior is oval. Admission is free, and ten minutes is enough.
Next: 3 minutes to the Kohlmarkt.
Kohlmarkt – This shopping street leads straight toward the dome of the Hofburg. At its end, Michaelerplatz opens up.
Next: 2 minutes to the Michaelertor gate of the Hofburg. Without stops, it's about 7 minutes from Stephansplatz to here.
Hofburg – The day ticket for the former imperial palace's Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments costs €20. Allow about an hour. It's open daily 09:00–17:30, last admission 16:30.
Next: 6 minutes along Herrengasse to Café Central.
Lunch: Café Central
Café Central – This Viennese coffee house is in Palais Ferstel at Herrengasse 14 and has been open since 1876. If the crowds are too much for you, head to Café Hawelka instead. It's two minutes from the Graben.
Next: 12 minutes back across Michaelerplatz and through the Hofburg to Heldenplatz.
Afternoon: Heldenplatz to the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Heldenplatz – The passage through the Hofburg ends on this vast square in front of the Neue Burg. This is where you first realize how big the complex is.
Next: 4 minutes to the Volksgarten.
Volksgarten – The park borders directly on Heldenplatz. Its rose garden has more than 3,000 rose bushes of more than 200 varieties. Sit on a bench for a quarter of an hour before the museum.
Next: 8 minutes across the Ringstrasse (the Ring) to the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) – Admission costs €22 online and €24 at the door. It's open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–18:00, Thursdays until 21:00. The museum is closed on Mondays. Allow two hours, and pick three galleries in advance instead of trying to see everything.
Next: 9 minutes to the State Opera.
Evening: The State Opera and a Sausage
Vienna State Opera – If you decide on the spur of the moment, there are standing-room places. They are sold only on the day of the performance, 435 in total. If opera doesn't appeal to you, a look at the illuminated building from outside is enough.
Next: 2 minutes to the Würstelstand.
Würstelstand Bitzinger – This Würstelstand (sausage stand) next to the Albertina is the easiest way to end the day: a Käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage) eaten standing up, with a view of the opera house. From here you're just a few minutes from the U-Bahn (subway) at Karlsplatz.
Day 2
The second day needs public transport. You'll ride to Schönbrunn in the morning, to the Naschmarkt at midday and to the Prater in the evening. That adds up to four or five rides, and from the fourth one on, the 24-hour ticket pays off.
Morning: Schönbrunn and the Gloriette
Schönbrunn Palace – Take the U4 to Schönbrunn station. The palace opens daily at 08:30. The Palace Ticket takes you through the entire Beletage (the main floor) with an audio guide, takes about 75 minutes and costs €42. The palace and gardens have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
Next: 15 minutes uphill through the palace park to the Gloriette.
Gloriette – The structure on the hill dates from 1775 to 1780. Getting there costs nothing: the palace park is open to the public free of charge daily 06:30–20:00. From the top you can see the palace and, beyond it, the whole city. The viewing terrace on the roof costs extra.
Next: about 20 minutes back to the U4 at Schönbrunn, then straight through without changing to Kettenbrückengasse.
Lunch: Naschmarkt
Naschmarkt – The market has been on the Wienzeile since 1916. The stalls are open Monday to Friday 06:00–21:00 and Saturdays until 18:00. On Sundays only the restaurants are open. Have lunch here: between fish, cheese and international snack bars, you'll find something for every budget.
Next: 9 minutes to St. Charles Church.
Afternoon: St. Charles Church and the Danube Canal
St. Charles Church (Karlskirche) – Emperor Charles VI had the church built after the plague of 1713. The foundation stone was laid in 1716, and it was designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Sit by the pool in front of it; that's the best view of the facade.
Next: Take the U1 from Karlsplatz two stops to Schwedenplatz.
Danube Canal – Here you'll see a different Vienna than in the morning. In summer, places like the Strandbar Herrmann or the Badeschiff open along the banks. Walk a little way downstream and take your time.
Next: a 22-minute walk along Praterstraße to the Prater. If your legs are tired, take the U1 two stops to Praterstern.
Evening: The Prater and the Giant Ferris Wheel
Prater – Entry to the grounds is free; you only pay per ride. The main season runs from mid-March to the end of October. Outside of it, many rides are closed.
Next: 4 minutes to the Giant Ferris Wheel.
Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) – The wheel has been turning since 1897. Its cabins take you almost 65 meters above the rooftops. Plan your ride for dusk: you'll still see the city in daylight as the first lights come on.
If It Rains
On day 1, skip Heldenplatz and the Volksgarten. Instead, walk from the Hofburg to the Albertina, 6 minutes away. It's open daily 10:00–18:00, Wednesdays and Fridays until 21:00. That also makes it your substitute if day 1 falls on a Monday. At the Kunsthistorisches Museum, you can take a longer break in the café under the dome.
On day 2, leave out the Gloriette. The Technical Museum is 11 minutes from the palace and easily fills two hours. After the Naschmarkt, warm up at Café Sperl, 6 minutes away. The Giant Ferris Wheel's cabins are enclosed, so the ride works in the rain too.
What the Two Days Cost
All prices are for adults, as of September 2026.
Public Transport
A single ride costs €3.20, the 24-hour ticket €10.20. Tickets bought online are about five percent cheaper. A 48-hour ticket is no longer available since January 1, 2026. For this itinerary, two single rides are enough on day 1, so €6.40. On day 2 you take the 24-hour ticket. Together that's €16.60. You'll find more on fares in our guide to Vienna's public transport.
Admission
- Hofburg, Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments: €20
- Kunsthistorisches Museum: €22 online, €24 at the door
- Schönbrunn Palace, Palace Ticket: €42
- St. Stephen's Cathedral: entrance area free, towers and catacombs extra
- Giant Ferris Wheel: the operator only lists the current price in its ticket shop. Expect somewhere between ten and twenty euros.
- State Opera: standing-room places cost a low double-digit amount.
The Hofburg, the museum and the palace add up to €84, not counting the Giant Ferris Wheel. The coffee house, Naschmarkt and Würstelstand depend on how you eat. Lunch at a coffee house is at the upper end, the sausage stand at the lower end.
Which Pass Is Worth It
Two cards will be offered to you again and again. They work differently.
Vienna City Card: The 48-hour version costs €31. It includes two 24-hour tickets, which cost €20.40 if bought separately. For the remaining €10.60 you get discounts at more than 200 partners, plus a one-time 20 percent off at participating restaurants and cafés. It doesn't get you free admission anywhere. And on day 1 of this itinerary, you barely need a transit ticket.
Vienna PASS: According to wien.info, it costs from €109. In return you get free admission to up to 90 attractions, including Schönbrunn, the Hofburg and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The Giant Ferris Wheel is included as well, and so is the hop-on hop-off bus. Public transport is not included.
What do the numbers tell you? The paid admissions on this itinerary come to €84 plus the Giant Ferris Wheel. That's less than the cheapest Vienna PASS, so it only pays off if you plan additional admissions. With the City Card, the extra cost is only worth it if your discounts add up to more than €10.60. Check this before you buy, for the places you'll actually visit.
Three Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make
1. Not planning around the day of the week. On Mondays the Kunsthistorisches Museum is closed, and on Sunday mornings St. Stephen's Cathedral is closed to visitors. If you don't know that, you'll find yourself in front of a locked door. Check the opening hours before you settle on your days.
2. Taking the U-Bahn in the city center. From Stephansplatz to the Hofburg is a seven-minute walk. By the time you've gotten into the station, waited for the train and come back up, you won't be any faster. In the 1st district, you're better off walking.
3. Buying a pass before your itinerary is set. Passes only pay off if you visit enough of the included places. Decide first what you want to see. Then add up the admission prices and compare them with the price of the pass.
And After That?
If your budget matters more after these two days, here are attractions in Vienna that cost nothing. And if you want to go beyond the city center on your next visit, start with Vienna's districts. To get to know the city center in more detail, our walking tour of the 1st district covers the lanes that didn't fit in here.
