Why You Need To Visit Vienna: A Love Story

Why Vienna Will Make You Fall Madly In Love With The City

I have an irresistible urge to visit Vienna every year and the reason is simple. Travelling to Vienna makes me feel fabulous. I’ve been to a lot of places in the world, and Vienna is easily one of the best cities in the world. Why? Its combination of rich history, vibrant culture, high quality of life, and warm atmosphere contribute to its allure.

Vienna was once the capital of the powerful Habsburg Empire and played a significant role in shaping European history. The city is also known for its architectural beauty, with stunning examples of Baroque, Gothic, and Art Nouveau styles. Every time I visit, I leave inspired to plan a way I can somehow move there to reap the rewards of this charming city on a daily basis.

What you will find here

This post will tell you about my favourite places to visit in Vienna that will make you fall as madly in love with this city as I have. If you love art, delicious vegan cakes, and gorgeous architecture, then I think I can convince you why Vienna is the best city in the world!

This shows the garden at Liechtenstein palace, one of the most prettiest gardens in Vienna.
Liechtenstein palace has beautiful gardens you can stroll but the palace is not open to the public.

Hofburg Palace

Hofburg Palace (or The Hofburg or Vienna Imperial Palace) is grand, taking up a big part of Vienna and is full of impressive treasures and jewels to peruse. You can walk past but I recommend going. It is easy to miss some of the amazing rooms here so I highly recommend checking their website to see what is open when you are visiting. When we went we weren’t able to get into the Grand Hall of the Austrian National Library which I will definitely need to go back and see. I recommend skipping the stables in order to not support animal cruelty. 

This shows Schönbrunn Palace from afar, framed with green vine leaves. Schönbrunn Palace is one of the best places to visit in Vienna.
Schönbrunn Palace from the gardens.

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site with gorgeous gardens. Watching the runners happily jogging in the Schönbrunn Palace grounds made me reconsider my entire life choices. It is an easy train ride to Schönbrunn, and when we went in summer it was a little bit rainy which added to the ambience of the place.

This shows me at the staircase at Belvedere Palace for the blog Why You need to visit Vienna: A love story.
Art is all around at Belvedere Palace.
This shows the sculptures at Belvedere Palace for the blog post Why You need to visit Vienna: A love story.
Some of the sculptures on display at Belvedere Palace.

Belvedere Palace

Belvedere Palace is so beautiful in winter or summer and has some of the best sculptures and views in Vienna. The garden is so beautifully designed and the grand windows give fabulous views.Comprising two Baroque palaces and beautiful gardens, the Belvedere is home to an impressive collection of Austrian art, including Gustav Klimt’s renowned painting, “The Kiss.”

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St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephanskirche) is an iconic symbol of the city and honestly a little scary looking with its medieval design. It is always very busy but for good reason. There’s lots to see in the ornate details and even catacombs.

This shows St Charles's Church from outside, one of the best places to visit in Vienna.
The view of the dome of St. Charle’s Church.

St. Charles’s Church

St. Charles’s Church (Karlskirche) is a domed cathedral with amazing views from the viewing platform on top. When we took my partner’s parents to Vienna this was one of the places we took them. It is such a beautiful Cathedral and the views are worth all the stairs.

This shows inside St Charles;s Church, one of the best churches to visit in Vienna.
Inside St. Charles’s Church.

MuseumsQuartier

This cultural complex is one of the largest art and cultural areas in the world. It houses various museums, including the Leopold Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK). There is a big courtyard in this area and it is a great place to soak in contemporary art and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. 

The Albertina 

This is one of my favourite museums I’ve visited. Located near the Vienna State Opera, it houses an impressive collection of artworks, including drawings, prints, paintings, and sculptures from various periods by some of my favourite artists like Edvard Munch and Egon Schiele. With its beautiful architecture and diverse art exhibits, it’s a must-visit for art lovers exploring Vienna. It features important artwork by Monet, Durer, and da Vinci.

This shows the view of the Opera in Vienna from the window of Hotel Bristol Vienna.
The view of the Opera house from Hotel Bristol.

Vienna State Opera

Vienna has a long history of being a centre of arts, music, and intellectual pursuits. It was home to renowned composers Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss, and is famous for its opera and classical music scene. You can attend an opera or ballet performance in the opulent Vienna State Opera building or just enjoy it from the outside or lobby. On one of our visits to Vienna we stayed at Hotel Bristol which has beautiful views of the Opera house.

What are the best vegan foods in Vienna?

Naschmarkt: Vienna’s largest outdoor market, Naschmarkt, offers a vibrant culinary experience. Explore the stalls filled with fresh produce, spices, and international delicacies. There are also numerous cafes and restaurants to enjoy local and international cuisine.

This shows inside Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker, one of the best cafes to go to when you visit Vienna.
Inside Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker on the top floor.

Cakes and cafes: Vienna is renowned for artsy cafes where artists and musicians would hang out and muse their next creative venture. These cafes still exist, and you can visit them! Quite a few have vegan options too like Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker, Café Landtmann, and Café Museum.

When is the best time to visit Vienna?

So I might be biased with this one because my answer is ALWAYS, but if you have to pick I would recommend summer or winter. Summer in Europe is always a good idea, and the weather is warm and comfortable for exploring the city and relaxing in the many parks and outdoor common spaces. Vienna is also one of the best cities for Christmas markets, with many dotted all over the city at most of the important sites I’ve mentioned above. If you’re interested, you can find Vienna’s Christmas market locations in my post about The Best Christmas Markets in Europe.

This shows the Christmas ribbon in Vienna.
Vienna during Christmas is spectacular.
This shows a lemon tree in Vienna.
Vienna in summer is a European travel dream.

What are the best hotels to stay in Vienna?

I’ve stayed in a few different hotels from boutique hotels to luxury. There are two hotels that I would recommend: Hotel Bristol (A Luxury Collection Hotel) for luxury and an excellent location. This is one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at, and is a piece of art in itself. The other hotel that I would recommend is The Harmonie Vienna, which is a boutique hotel on the North-West side of Vienna. It is a great hotel with excellent amenities and I highly recommend it in winter as it is nice and warm (some of the older quaint hotels I’ve stayed in are NOT).

VERDICT

Is it worth a visit?

If you ever visit anywhere in Europe, make sure it is Vienna. I like to think of Vienna as the Paris people believe Paris is (if you’ve been to Paris, you’ll understand exactly what I mean). Vienna is clean, safe, beautiful, and full of culture that will inspire you to return.

did this article speak to you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife so feel free to reach out or use #apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect!

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