Things to do in Austria

25 things to do in Austria

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Tour Schönbrunn Palace and its Gardens

  Roam the lavish 1,441-room summer residence of the Habsburgs, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and get lost in its grand Baroque gardens and the Gloriette with sweeping city views.

  Vienna

• Climb St. Stephen's Cathedral South Tower

  Ascend the 136-meter Gothic spire of Vienna's most iconic cathedral for a panoramic view of the city's rooftops and the colorful tiled roof below.

  Vienna

• Taste your way through Naschmarkt

  Savor fresh olives, spices, falafel, and Viennese street food at this bustling open-air market that has fed the city since the 16th century, with energetic farmers' stalls on Saturdays.

  Vienna

• Attend a performance at Vienna State Opera

  Witness world-class opera or ballet in a magnificent Neo-Renaissance hall, where standing-room tickets let you soak up the opulent atmosphere for a few euros.

  Vienna

• Ride the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater

  Step into an 1897 icon — the Riesenrad — rising 65 meters above the Prater amusement park for nostalgic views over Vienna, featured in 'The Third Man.'

  Vienna

• Encounter pandas at Schönbrunn Zoo

  Visit the world's oldest continuously operating zoo, within the palace grounds, to see giant pandas, koalas, and an innovative rainforest house.

  Vienna

• Sip a Melange at Café Central

  Sit under high vaulted ceilings where Trotsky and Freud once lingered, and indulge in a classic Melange coffee and slice of moist Sachertorte at this legendary coffee house.

  Vienna

• Admire Klimt's 'The Kiss' at Belvedere Palace

  Stand face-to-face with Gustav Klimt's luminous masterpiece inside the Baroque Upper Belvedere palace, surrounded by Austrian art and formal gardens.

  Vienna

• Watch the Lipizzaner stallions at Spanish Riding School

  Marvel at the elegant white horses performing classical dressage in a glittering Baroque hall, a tradition cultivated for over 450 years in the Hofburg complex.

  Vienna

• Stroll the Vienna Christmas Market at Rathausplatz

  Sip steaming Glühwein, nibble roasted chestnuts, and browse wooden stalls aglow with fairy lights against the backdrop of the neo‑Gothic city hall in December.

  Vienna

• Explore the imperial Hofburg Palace

  Walk through the vast Habsburg palatial complex, from the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments to the treasure-filled Schatzkammer, absorbing centuries of Austro-Hungarian power.

  Vienna

• Visit Mozart’s Birthplace in Salzburg

  Enter the bright yellow house on Getreidegasse where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born, now a museum filled with instruments, letters, and his childhood violin.

  Salzburg

• Walk the battlements of Hohensalzburg Fortress

  Take the funicular up to one of Europe's largest fully preserved medieval castles, peering down over Salzburg's domed skyline and the Salzach River.

  Salzburg

• Sing along in Mirabell Gardens

  Stroll the geometrically manicured gardens where Maria and the von Trapp children belted 'Do-Re-Mi' in 'The Sound of Music,' with the fortress providing a cinematic backdrop.

  Salzburg

• Get soaked at Hellbrunn’s Trick Fountains

  Laugh as hidden water jets surprise you around every corner of this 17th‑century pleasure garden, designed purely for playful delight by Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus.

  Salzburg

• Photograph Hallstatt village at dawn

  Watch the first light hit the pastel houses and 16th‑century church, perfectly mirrored in the glassy Hallstätter See, the scene that inspired countless postcards from China to UNESCO.

  Hallstatt, Salzkammergut

• Descend into the Hallstatt Salt Mine

  Slide down wooden miners' chutes deep into the world's oldest known salt mine, then cross a subterranean lake on a raft to learn about 7,000 years of salt harvesting.

  Hallstatt

• Venture inside Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave

  Hike and take a cable car to the largest accessible ice cave on Earth, winding through frozen waterfalls and colossal ice formations lit by carbide lamps near Werfen.

  Werfen, Salzburg

• Drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road

  Wind through 36 switchbacks past cascading falls and snow‑capped peaks to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe, where Austria’s highest mountain and the Pasterze glacier loom before you.

  Hohe Tauern, Carinthia/Salzburg

• Hike to Krimml Waterfalls

  Feel the spray of Europe’s highest tiered waterfall as it thunders 380 meters down three stages along a well‑maintained trail through the Hohe Tauern National Park.

  Krimml, Salzburg

• See the Golden Roof in Innsbruck

  Gaze up at the shimmering 2,657 fire-gilt copper tiles that Emperor Maximilian I added to a medieval balcony, the enduring symbol of the imperial city framed by the Nordkette Alps.

  Innsbruck

• Soar up the Nordkette Cable Car

  In just 20 minutes, zip from the city streets to the high‑alpine realm of Seegrube at 1,905 meters, where hikers and skiers enjoy panoramic views of Innsbruck far below.

  Innsbruck

• Enter the Chambers of Swarovski Crystal Worlds

  Immerse yourself in 18 fantastical art installations, including a giant animated crystal cloud, at this glittery museum and garden created by the crystal giant in Wattens.

  Wattens, Tyrol

• Tour the Baroque splendor of Melk Abbey

  Stand in awe in the golden library and the marble hall of this Benedictine masterpiece perched above the Danube, then walk the 200‑meter Kaisersteg for river views.

  Melk, Lower Austria

• Taste Grüner Veltliner in the Wachau Valley

  Cycle through terraced vineyards and medieval villages like Dürnstein, stopping at a rustic Heuriger to sample crisp white wines with a plate of Brettljause on a sunny terrace.

  Wachau, Lower Austria