The Historic Centre of Vienna covers 371 hectares and illustrates medieval, Baroque and Gründerzeit phases of the city’s development. Its distinctive skyline has also been preserved. This historic setting gives Vienna a common thread: its buildings, art and public culture represent different chapters of the city’s history.

Architectural History and Public Culture

For more than seven centuries, the Hofburg was the seat from which the Habsburg Empire was ruled. In 1955, the Spanish Riding School returned to its traditional home at Vienna’s Hofburg. The tradition of its classical horsemanship is presented to the public in national and international riding performances. Here, history is therefore reflected not only in a building, but also in a living tradition of performance.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is Vienna’s largest church and, at 136 metres, Austria’s tallest church. A climb of 343 steps leads to the Türmerstube. The Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel represents another historical dimension: it was built in 1897 in anticipation of Emperor Franz Joseph’s upcoming 50th anniversary on the throne and is the oldest surviving Ferris wheel of its type in the world. The buildings are different, but each makes the city’s history tangible in its own way.

Art, Stages and Viennese Ways of Life

The Upper Belvedere is a Baroque palace with 800 years of art history and works by artists including Klimt, Schiele and van Gogh. The specific works on display may change. The Kunsthistorisches Museum focuses on art treasures spanning five millennia and the Habsburgs’ extensive collections. At the Vienna State Opera, meanwhile, the varied programme includes operas and ballets. The cultural spectrum thus ranges from historic collections to the performing arts.

Viennese ways of life also include coffeehouse culture, understood as a way of life that goes beyond enjoying coffee. Another distinct tradition is Viennese Heurigen culture: it was included in 2019 as intangible cultural heritage for Vienna and encompasses social practices centred around Heurigen taverns, most of which are family-run. A genuine Viennese Heuriger serves only wine from its own vineyards. This definition directly connects the tradition with viticulture.

Vineyards shape the landscape on the outskirts of the city and also provide a place for recreation. About 700 hectares of Vienna’s urban area are covered by vineyards; there are around 400 individual vineyards in Vienna. Some Viennese wine taverns and wineries offer guided tours of vineyards and wine cellars, including wine tastings. The offerings of participating businesses may change.

Green Routes and Recreational Spaces

There are different ways to enjoy a walk or get active: Vienna has eleven urban hiking trails and a route around the city, which pass through scenic areas. The Lobau has a well-signposted network of hiking and cycling trails. On Danube Island, 42 kilometres of beach and a nature reserve in the middle of Vienna meet bathing areas and an extensive network of paths. Walkers, joggers, cyclists and inline skaters use these paths.

The Green Prater is also a large recreational area in the city, used by walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders. Lainzer Tiergarten offers a free nature experience; check the access conditions before your visit. These different places offer different ways to spend time outdoors: on paths, swimming or in a spacious recreational area.

A distinctive group of green spaces comprises the Botanical Garden, Schweizergarten, and the parks of Belvedere and Palais Schwarzenberg. Together, they form Vienna’s largest inner-city green space. The Belvedere Garden is one of Europe’s most significant historic gardens and an example of late Baroque garden design. Belvedere is easily accessible by public transport; check current timetables for specific connections. In the Schönbrunn Palace Park, fountains, statues, monuments, trees and flowers are all part of the scene, along with the Gloriette.

Discover more destinations: Vienna, Meidling, Liesing, Ottakring, Mariahilf, Innere Stadt, Währing, Neubau, Josefstadt, Hietzing, Alsergrund.

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