A New England Traveler’s Guide to Vienna, Austria

The view from Heldenplatz, or Heroes’ Square, in Vienna. / Photo by Vladislav Zolotov / Getty images

Like all great European capitals, Vienna is a city where wandering is more rewarding than checking off items on a to-do list; one has to accept that it’s impossible to see everything. Arranged vaguely like a bull’s-eye, at its center lies the “Inner City,” with its medieval buildings, baroque palaces, fountain-and-statue-dotted squares, and streets once trod by Beethoven, Johann Strauss, and Sigmund Freud (given that much of the center is closed to traffic, the only risk to pedestrians is horse-drawn carriages). Surrounding the inner city, roughly where the medieval walls once stood, is the 19th-century Ringstrasse, a boulevard lined with museums, parks, the iconic Opera House, and the Parliament Building. Despite its history as the center of the Habsburg empire, though, Vienna’s contemporary cultural scene is just as vibrant as the days when Mozart performed in front of the Empress Maria Theresa. For every exhibit of Renaissance masterpieces, there’s a gallery opening by cutting-edge artists, and for every concert of Mahler or Schubert, there’s an experimental musical happening. In other words, Vienna remains, as ever, a nexus of civilization.

The elegant ambiance at Café Gerstner. / Photo by ©tm-photography.at

Taking in the art of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. / Courtesy of © WienTourismus / Paul Bauer

PLAY

The inner city is compact, arranged around the Gothic marvel of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In an afternoon’s walk, you can easily take in the Vienna State Opera House—although a ticket for a performance or guided tour is required to go inside—as well as the Hofburg Palace, which houses the crown jewels, the Sisi Museum, and the Spanish Riding School. (The famed white Lipizzaner horses perform on the weekends). Nearby is the second-floor apartment where Mozart wrote some of his best-loved works, while the Kunsthistorisches Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Bruegel masterworks, along with other eye-popping royal bric-a-brac. On what was once the edge of town is the Belvedere Palace, a royal residence turned museum, notably highlighting Gustav Klimt, while Schönbrunn Palace (the Habsburgs’ summer residence) gives Versailles a run for its money in terms of splendor. The thing that defines Vienna above all else, though, is its coffeehouses, where lingering over conversation and pastries is an art form. For a more authentic experience, we suggest skipping the tourist hordes at the Hotel Sacher (famous for using the torte’s original recipe) and Café Central in favor of Café Gerstner, a 19th-century gem patronized by the imperial family, or the off-the-beaten-path Café Goldegg, a favorite among locals.

Fine dining at Wrenkh. / Photo by ©Jennifer Fasching

EAT

Austrian cuisine is best known for wurst and schnitzel, and for the former, we suggest stopping at the outdoor Alles Wurscht, where locals sitting at picnic tables wash down their sausage with a mandatory beer. For traditional schnitzel, Praterwirt, located near Vienna’s famous Prater amusement park, is a current favorite, while Glacis Beisl serves up Austrian classics in a charming garden. Surprisingly, though, Vienna also boasts superb vegetarian-friendly restaurants, like Wrenkh, which offers a mouthwatering mushroom schnitzel, and Donnersmarkt, which reimagines Tyrolean cuisine through a plant-forward lens.

SHOP

The “golden quarter” is chock-a-block with designer shops (Gucci, Chanel, Prada, et cetera), but for something more uniquely Viennese, try the 7 District. Independent designer boutiques line the streets—from women’s wear at Lila and slow fashion treasures at Meshit to streetwear and fragrances at Anouk.

A room at the Park Hyatt Vienna. / Courtesy of ©Park Hyatt Vienna

STAY

Housed in a historic bank building, the Park Hyatt Vienna is an easy stroll from many of Vienna’s main attractions. The on-site brasserie is a showstopper when it comes to both design and food, and the five-star spa is charmingly built into the bank’s former vault.

GETTING THERE

Last summer, Austrian Airlines began operating daily nonstop service from Logan to Vienna International Airport. It’s worth springing for “premium economy,” which has amenities—think extra-wide seats—that are usually reserved for business or first class.

This article was first published in the print edition of the June 2025 issue with the headline: “Vienna, Austria.”