Vienna
Accommodation in Vienna
When planning a stay in Vienna, you can give different weight to cultural interests, physical activity and green spaces. The city offers a wide variety of ways to explore these themes, from baroque ensembles and historic landmarks to museums, parks, water features and trails. If you’re looking for hotels in Vienna, consider which of these themes you’d like to include in your stay. The examples below show different sides of the destination.
Green spaces, water and activity
Vienna’s Danube Island combines 42 kilometres of beach with a nature reserve. The Danube Canal is another distinctive waterway in the city: it is about 17 kilometres long, about 50 metres wide and runs through seven Viennese districts. These two places represent different waterscapes. Contrasts like these can help you decide whether you’d rather focus on natural surroundings and the beach, or on the scale of a canal during your stay.
The Türkenschanzpark’s landscape includes numerous ponds and streams, waterfalls and fountains. Several paths invite you to go running or Nordic walking, and the Paulinenwarte offers views of Vienna and the Vienna Woods. This makes it possible to combine a visit to the park with both activity and a scenic outlook. To find your way around on foot, the Vienna walking map shows the network of paths and city hiking trails. It provides an overview of these routes, while the park description lists specific activities in Türkenschanzpark.
Architecture and historic landmarks
At the Belvedere, the Upper and Lower Belvedere and the expansive gardens form a baroque ensemble. The gardens are among Europe’s major works of historic garden art and are designed in the French style. The gardens and both palaces form a harmonious whole, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Belvedere thus brings together architectural history and historic garden design.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral can also be explored through its architectural history and present-day appearance: construction began in the 12th century, and the interior changed over the centuries before taking on its current baroque appearance. At 136 metres, the cathedral is Austria’s tallest church. Schönbrunn Palace was the former summer residence of the Habsburgs and is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Giant Ferris Wheel was built in the Prater in 1897 and is one of Vienna’s landmarks. Together, these examples illustrate different historical points of reference, from sacred architecture to a landmark in the Prater.
Museums and special experiences
More than 50 cultural institutions are based in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier. The House of Music has a distinct focus: as an interactive sound museum, it invites visitors to discover the world of music and experience and explore sound phenomena firsthand. Visitors can see, feel and create sounds themselves. The Prater Museum offers a different perspective. Its permanent exhibition features historic merry-go-round and Punch and Judy figures, parts of a grotto railway, early arcade machines, as well as plans, models, photographs, tickets and posters. Exhibition content may change, so check the latest information before your visit. Interactive sound experiences and historic exhibits therefore offer different ways to enjoy a museum visit.
The Danube Tower’s observation terrace offers another specific perspective for visitors: it is 150 metres above ground and partly open-air, partly glazed. Visitors can reach it in 35 seconds. As visitor attractions can change, it’s a good idea to check the latest information before your visit. The terrace’s features also give you a clearly defined point of reference when weighing cultural attractions against views as you plan your stay in Vienna.
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