Choose from 151 Fun Things to Do in Austria
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Dürnstein
Sitting on the Danube River in Lower Austria, Dürnstein is one of the most-visited villages in the Wachau Valley wine-growing region and is accessible from both Vienna and Salzburg. It's a charming mix of medieval and Baroque architecture, with labyrinthine cobbled lanes and pastel-hued houses with red-tiled roofs. Full of traditional Austrian restaurants and stores selling local vintages, it's the perfect lunchtime stopover on driving, cycling or walking tours through the valley. Often packed out by day "“ especially in summer "“ by night most visitors have left and the village reverts to its tranquil, romantic best.
Dürnstein Abbey perches right on the edge of the Danube, its stately blue Baroque tower is a local landmark. Although first mentioned as a nunnery in 1289, by the 16th century it had become an Augustine monastery and 200 years after that it was given its present Baroque facelift.
The ruins of Kuenringer Castle (also known as Burgruine Dürnstein), in which English King Richard the Lionheart was famously imprisoned on his way back from the Crusades in 1192, stand on a jagged promontory overlooking the town. According to legend, Richard's minstrel Jean Blondel rescued him from captivity and it is Blondel's name you will seen on several of Dürnstein's bars and hotels. It's a breathless 30-minute scramble up to the castle but rewarding for some of the best views along the Wachau Valley.
There are over 20 vineyards within stamping distance of Durnstein so the little town makes the perfect starting point for a day's trip through the vines or to an estate to tour the cellars; you can also get to sample some of the Wachau's crisp dry whites at the rustic little heurigen (wine bars) scattered around the region, although they are not open all year around.
Dürnstein Abbey perches right on the edge of the Danube, its stately blue Baroque tower is a local landmark. Although first mentioned as a nunnery in 1289, by the 16th century it had become an Augustine monastery and 200 years after that it was given its present Baroque facelift.
The ruins of Kuenringer Castle (also known as Burgruine Dürnstein), in which English King Richard the Lionheart was famously imprisoned on his way back from the Crusades in 1192, stand on a jagged promontory overlooking the town. According to legend, Richard's minstrel Jean Blondel rescued him from captivity and it is Blondel's name you will seen on several of Dürnstein's bars and hotels. It's a breathless 30-minute scramble up to the castle but rewarding for some of the best views along the Wachau Valley.
There are over 20 vineyards within stamping distance of Durnstein so the little town makes the perfect starting point for a day's trip through the vines or to an estate to tour the cellars; you can also get to sample some of the Wachau's crisp dry whites at the rustic little heurigen (wine bars) scattered around the region, although they are not open all year around.
Practical Info:
Dürnstein is one hour from Vienna and 2.5 from Salzburg; from Vienna trains from Franz-Josefs Station run to nearby Krems, then take WL1 bus to Dürnstein itself. Danube River cruises run hourly through the summer and stop at the riverfront quay. As Dürnstein is a pedestrian-only zone, there are parking areas for cars and bikes racks below the village.
Address: Dürnstein, Austria
From $ 98
Spanish Riding School (Spanische Reitschule)
Vienna’s storied Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule), established in the 16th century, is the world’s oldest haute école of classical equitation. Experience the Renaissance tradition of classical dressage—on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list—by witnessing the Viennese institution’s morning exercises.
The Basics
During morning training sessions at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, impeccable and graceful snow-white Lipizzan horses practice intricate figures and jumps accompanied by classical music, with riders dressed in their historic empire-style uniforms and bicorn hats. They go through their paces in the elegant 18th-century Winter Riding School (Winterreitschule), commissioned by Emperor Charles VI. In addition to exercises, the school also holds more formal exhibitions and even gala performances a few times each week in addition to daily guided tours of the Baroque Summer Riding School and the Stallburg, one of Vienna’s most significant Renaissance structures. If you want to see the horses without watching a training session, you can observe them from outside the adjacent Stallburg stables. A stop at the Spanish Riding School is a must during any Vienna city walking tour or hop-on hop-off bus tour; the school is included in the Vienna Flexi Pass and Vienna Pass tickets as well.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Children from three to six years old are admitted free of charge but must be held on an adult’s lap; children under three years old are not admitted.
- The school is accessible to those with limited mobility, and tickets for wheelchair spaces are available.
- The school is not recommended for those with allergies to horses or dust.
How to Get There
The Spanish Riding School is located in the Hofburg, in central Vienna. The closest metro station is Herrengasse on line U3; alternatively you can take tram line 1, 2, D, or 62 and get off at Kartner Ring Oper or Burgring station. Buses 1A (Herrengasse stop), 2A (Michaelerplatz stop), and 3A (Habsburgergasse stop) also stop nearby.
When to Get There
Morning exercises are held daily from 10am to 12pm, except from late June to early August and on days when a gala performance is scheduled.
History of Lipizzan Stallions
Maximilian II first imported this prized breed of horse from Spain in 1562, and in 1580 a stud was established at Lipizza (hence “Lipizzan” or “Lipizzaner”), now in Slovenia. Since 1920, the stud located in the village of Piber has been the breeding center for Lipizzan stallions destined for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.
Address: Michaelerplatz 1, Vienna 1010, Austria
Hours: Times vary for performances, exercise sessions, and guided tours
Admission: Varies
From $ 17
Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum)
Housed in the elegant Renaissance Bürgerspital, which was once a hospital, the Toy Museum was founded in 1978 and surrounds one of the most beautiful cloistered courtyards in Salzburg. It is an offshoot of the Salzburg Museum, which incorporates seven branches, including the Museum of Natural History (Haus der Natur) and the Monatsschlössl ethnology museum at Schloss Hellbrunn as well as its main branch at the Neue Residenz. Exhibits include antique dolls’ houses and puppet theaters among its collection of historic toys, but the museum is largely given over to interactive displays for children. It is a joy to visit for families with young kids as there are many games to play and puzzles to solve as well as Teddy bears to cuddle, dolls to dress up and a maze to get lost in. Model trains and racetracks are found on the second floor along with lots of costumes to dress up in and possibly the world’s biggest collection of Barbie dolls.
Practical Info
Bürgerspitalgasse 2. Open Tue–Sun 9am–5pm. Admission is adults €4, seniors €3.50, students €2, aged 4–15 €1.50. Take the bus 1, 4, 10 or 22 to Herbert von Karajan Platz.
Address: Bürgerspitalgasse 2, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Adults: €4
From $ 29
WestLicht Center for Photography
Vienna’s first museum dedicated purely to photography opened in 2011 in a former glass factory and the following year combined its collection with the OstLicht Gallery in Absberggasse, which curates special exhibitions of hard-hitting, edgy contemporary photography.
WestLicht has Vienna’s biggest collection of historic cameras, ranging from daguerreotypes produced in the 1840s – the world’s first commercial camera – to KGB spy cameras and a Hasselblad that went into space with the Apollo missions. As well as temporary exhibitions throughout the year – past shows have featured landscapist Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier-Bresson – the museum also participates in the annual World Press Photo, which celebrates award-winning photo-journalism.
Along with a stylish café and bar, the WestLicht also has an arty shop selling images shot by contemporary photographers such as Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams and German film-maker Wim Wenders.
Practical Info
Westbahnstrasse 40. Open daily 2pm–6pm. Admission adults €7, seniors & students €4, kids 6–16 €2, under 6 free. Metro U3 to Zieglergasse.
Address: Westbahnstrasse 40, Vienna, Austria
Hours: Open daily 2pm–6pm
Admission: Adults €7
From $ 139
Silent Night Chapel
Silent Night is arguably one of the world’s best-loved Christmas carols and its words were written in 1816 by a priest called Josef Mohr, who lived locally to Salzburg in the rural village of Oberndorf. Its sentimental but catchy tune was composed two years later by Franz Xaver Gruber and the carol was performed for the first time on Christmas Eve 1818 in the village’s St Nicholas Church. This church destroyed by heavy flooding at the end of the 19th century, only to be replaced by the white-washed, many-sided neo-Baroque Silent Night Chapel in 1937. Since then a whole local industry has grown up around the carol, which has been translated into more than 300 languages, and life in Oberndorf has changed forever.
Although a visit to this idyllic little village is a joy any time, and it has a small museum where there are copies of the original manuscript and score, Oberndorf really comes into its own at Christmas. A traditional market takes over its main square and hundreds of visitors from across the world come to hear Silent Night being sung at Midnight Mass in the chapel on Christmas Eve.
Practical Info
Oberndorf is a 20-km (12.5-mile) drive from Salzburg along the A1 and B156. In summer cyclists can follow the Tauern bike path along the River Salzach directly to Oberndorf.
Address: Stille Nacht-Platz 2, Oberndorf, Austria
From $ 52
Schloss Leopoldskron
A short stroll from the historic center of Salzburg, the lakeside palace of Schloss Leopoldskron is one of Austria’s most acclaimed works of architecture, built in 1736 by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian. The masterwork of architect Pater Bernhard Stuart, the Rococo-style palace is renowned for its elaborate stucco works, the handiwork of Johann Kleber, and a series of striking interior paintings, including Andreas Rensi’s Four Seasons in the Festsaal hall and Franz Anton Ebner’s Wedding of Atalante, which adorns the ceiling of the chapel.
Changing hands several times throughout its over 200-year history, Schloss Leopoldskron has amassed a fascinating history, once belonging to King Louis I of Bavaria, hosting the engagement ceremony of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria and Empress Sissi, and being purchased by Max Reinhardt, co-founder of the Salzburg Festival, who used the dramatic setting as a backdrop for the festival’s main events. Perhaps most famous though, is the palace’s starring role in the iconic ‘The Sound of Music’ – the lakeside gardens were one of several original filming locations dotted around Salzburg.
Address: LeopoldskronstraBe 56-58, Salzburg 5020, Austria
From $ 38
Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn)
Built to rival the opulence of Versailles, Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) was once a summer residence of the Habsburg monarchs. Today, this baroque palace is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in Austria.
The Basics
Forty of the palace’s 1,441 rooms are open to the public, including the private apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), as well as the exquisite 18th-century rooms of Maria-Theresa—the only female ruler of the Habsburg dynasty. The vast palace gardens are also a must-see, with a spectacular palm house made from iron and glass, a hedge maze, and a labyrinth. Visit on a skip-the-line tour to beat the crowds and benefit from the knowledge of an expert guide, or opt for a private tour for a more personalized experience. For an evening of culture and music, attend a live concert in the Schönbrunn Palace Orangery and listen to famous works by Mozart and Strauss. Or, get an overview of the city and the palace on a Vienna city tour, stopping at other highlights such as the Vienna Opera House, the Danube River, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Filming and photography are not permitted inside the palace.
- The palace has nine onsite dining options, including outdoor cafés and formal sit-down restaurants.
- Three accessible parking spaces are available near the main gate, and wheelchairs can be rented free of charge. All display rooms are wheelchair-accessible.
How to Get There
Schönbrunn Palace is located on the outskirts of Vienna, roughly 15 minutes by road from the city’s historic center and 30 minutes by road from Vienna International Airport. Public transportation is the easiest option; the U4 underground line, the 10 and 16 trams, and the 10A bus run directly to the palace—just get off at the Schönbrunn stop.
When to Get There
The busiest time to visit Schönbrunn Palace is during the summer months of July and August, when it’s best to visit early or purchase a skip-the-line ticket to avoid crowds. Spring and fall bring mild weather and fewer crowds.
The Schönbrunn Palace Orangery
For lovers of music and culture, an evening visit to Schönbrunn Palace is a must. The Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra performs concerts in the fully renovated Palace Orangery, where Mozart himself often played. The orchestra is accompanied by ballet dancers and opera singers, and they perform various works from Mozart and Strauss.
Address: Schonbrunner Schlosstrasse 47, Vienna 1130, Austria
Hours: April through June, Sept through Nov: 8am - 5:30pm. July through Aug: 8am - 6:30pm. Nov through March: 8am - 5pm
Admission: Varies
From $ 9
Schubert Sterbewohnung
In 1828, the Austrian composer Franz Schubert spent the last few weeks of his life at his brother’s apartment near Vienna. Although Schubert was dying of either typhoid fever or syphilis, he continued to compose during this time, completing a series of piano sonatas and his last work, ‘Der Hirt auf dem Felsen’ (The Shepherd on the Rock). The two-room apartment where Schubert spent his last days (40, to be exact) is now a poignant museum that documents the final weeks of his life, his funeral, and his grave – he was buried next to Beethoven in the local cemetery at Wahring, although both composers have since been exhumed and reburied in Vienna’s central graveyard. Schubert was a keen admirer and contemporary of Beethoven, and even carried a torch at Beethoven’s funeral (little knowing he would only outlive the great composer by a year or so). Although the Schubert Sterbewohnung (‘Schubert’s Death Apartment’) doesn’t have many of the composer’s personal effects, there are many touching letters to and from his family that were written around the time Schubert discovered he was dying, and visitors to the museum may also listen to some of Schubert’s music there.
Practical Info
Schubert’s Sterbewohnung is located close to Vienna’s Naschmarkt, and it is worth combining the two in one visit as the museum is a small (yet charming) attraction that won’t take very long to visit. To get there by public transit, take the underground (U4 line) to the stop Kettenbrückengasse, or the Hop On Hop Off Yellow line to the stop Naschmarkt. The museum is free to visit on the first Sunday of the month.
Address: Kettenbrückengasse 6, Vienna 1050, Austria
Hours: Open Tues-Sun and holidays, 10am-1pm and 2pm-6pm. Closed Mon
Admission: Adults: 5 €; Children: Free
From $ 139
Theseus Temple
The focal point of the Volksgarten in Vienna is the Theseus Temple. It is a Greek-style temple that was built in 1820-1823 as a replica of the Temple of Hephaestus (Theseion) in the ancient Agora of Athens. It was originally built to house one piece of art, the “Theseus and the Minotaur” sculpture. The sculpture is now located in the Art History Museum. The temple was recently renovated, and as part of the Art History Museum's Modern and Contemporary Art Program, it showcases exceptional works of art one piece at a time.
Volksgarten is an elegant park in Vienna that was once a favorite gathering place for the aristocracy. It was designed in a formal French style with geometric flowerbeds and rose gardens. Along with the Theseus Temple, there are several fountains and other interesting monuments, such as the Kaiserin Elisabeth-Denkmal and the Grillparzer Monument. The park is a popular place for relaxing or taking a leisurely stroll.
Practical Info
The Theseus Temple and Volksgarten can be accessed from the Volkstheater station on the Ubahn line U2 or U3 or from the Herrengasse station on the U3. The park is open from 6am to 10pm April through October and 6:30am to 7pm November throughout March.
Address: Vienna, Austria
From $ 64
Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn)
Set against a backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) is the world’s oldest zoo, dating back to 1752. Today, the park houses some 750 species, including rhinos, polar bears, and pandas, and focuses on the conservation and protection of endangered species.
The Basics
General admission to Vienna Zoo includes access to all exhibits, including daily zookeeper talks and feedings. Guided tours, night tours, and safari dinners are also available. Vienna PASS holders enjoy admission to the zoo and other city attractions, as well as a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Vienna. Combination tickets are also available, including entrance to the Palm House and Desert House, entrance to Schönbrunn Palace, or a ride on Vienna’s Giant Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad).
Things to Know Before You Go
- Lines can be long, especially in peak season (July and August), so it’s best to book your tickets in advance.
- On-site facilities include small storage lockers, gift shops, drinking fountains, and a range of restaurants and cafés.
- The zoo is accessible for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
- The Schönbrunn Panorama Train links the many attractions of Schönbrunn Park, including the zoo, the palace, and Gloriette Hill. Passes are valid all day.
How to Get there
Tiergarten Schönbrunn is located in Schönbrunn Park, and it’s a short walk from Schönbrunn Palace along signed trails. To get there from downtown Vienna, ride metro line U4 to Hietzing station. Trams 10, 58, 60, and 61 also run to the palace.
When to Get There
The zoo is open daily year-round. July and August are the busiest months, but it can get crowded on weekends and public holidays throughout the year, so make an early start to avoid lines. Most keeper talks and feedings only take place once a day, so be sure to check the schedule in advance if there is a particular animal you are most interested in.
Animal Sightings at the Schönbrunn Zoo
The zoo is home to about 8,500 animals, including tigers, jaguars, koalas, elephants, hippos, Siberian tigers, giraffes, a huge variety of birds, monkeys, reptiles, and insects. Watch orangutans in the ORANG.erie, observe polar bears swimming from Polar World’s underwater viewing area, and admire the Rainforest House, a living recreation of a tropical rainforest. The zoo also houses giant pandas, with the birth of cub twins Fu Feng and Fu Ban making headlines in 2016.
Address: Maxingstrasse 13b, Vienna 1130, Austria
Admission: Adult: €20 Children: €10, Under 6: Free
From $ 9
Third Man Museum (Dritte Mann Museum)
Serving a triple role, the Third Man Museum shines a light on post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War, looks at movie making in the 1940s and 50s, and features artifacts from the famous movie of the same name. The Third Man was a British film shot in Vienna and released in 1949, featuring the spy Harry Lime; it was a worldwide smash hit and made the careers of both Orson Welles – who played the lead part – and the composer of the famous theme tune, Anton Karas. The privately owned museum is the brainwave of Karin and Gerhard Strassgschwandtner, who have collected more than 2,500 relics of the film, including posters, screenplays, cameras used on set, the original zither that Karas played for the film, and stark black-and-white images depicting life in divided Austria during the Cold War. They often lead tours around the museum themselves, and regular zither concerts are held there as well.
Practical Info
Pressgasse 25. Open Sat 2pm–6pm, some Weds at 2pm for guided tours. Admission: adults €8.50; seniors & students €6.50; children aged 10–16 €4.50. Take metro Line U4 to Kettenbrückengasse, near the Naschmarkt.
Address: Pressgasse 25, Vienna, Austria
Admission: Adults: €8.50
From $ 10
Trautenfels Castle (Schloss Trautenfels)
Sitting high on a cliff above the Enns River in Austria, Trautenfels Castle is home to the regional landscape museum of the Universalmuseum Joanneaum, also known as the agricultural museum. The castle dates to the 13th century and features an impressive marble hall and colorful frescoes from the 16th century. Twelve rooms with different themes showcase more than 1000 exhibits relating to the natural and cultural history of the Enns Valley, Palten Valley and Aussee Lake District. One room focuses on the forest and the work of lumberjacks in the area, while another focuses on the natural landscape of the surrounding valley. Other rooms show off items ranging from mining tools to knitting work to sets of antlers and objects made from antlers. The State Rooms and their elaborate furnishings are also open to visitors, and the castle’s viewing tower offers superb views of the entire valley.
Also worth a stop are the ruins just west of the palace of the Protestant church of Neuhaus. Once the most important religious center in the valley, they were excavated in 1991 and today serve as a memorial.
Practical Info
Trautenfels Palace is located near the towns of Purgg and Stainach, most easily accessible from the city of Linz. Take the train from Linz to the Purgg Bahnof and walk 30 minutes to the castle from the train station. You can also take bus 900, 940, 941 or 6889 to the Schloss Trautenfels stop.
The palace can be visited as part of the Universalmuseum Joannean 24 or 48 hours ticket. Guided tours cost extra.
Address: Trautenfels 1, Stainach-Purgg, Austria
Hours: April-October, daily 10am-5pm
Admission: 9 Euro
From $ 15
Secession Building
The Secession Building is one of the foremost examples of Art Nouveau in Vienna, completed by Joseph Maria Olbrich in 1898, it was designed as an exhibition hall for artist Gustav Klimt and his contemporaries to exhibit their rule-breaking paintings in the new ‘Secession’ style. The squat, gleaming white hall is adorned with gilded patterns and resembles an Egyptian temple with a lacy globe of golden leaves on top. The motto “To each time its art. To art its freedom” is inscribed in gilt over the main entrance. Now regarded as the greatest symbol of Art Nouveau styling in Vienna and included on many architectural walking tours of the city, the building was originally considered scandalous for its modernistic design, which contrasted with the Baroque and Neo-classical beauty of the Imperial palaces and mansions.
The basement of the Secession Building now houses Klimt’s ethereal green-and-gold Beethoven Frieze, which was painted in 1902 as a visual interpretation of the German composer’s Ninth Symphony. The vast painting is full of twisting, elongated female figures and adorns three walls; it measures in at 111.5 ft (34 m) in length. Elsewhere in the light-flooded gallery are temporary exhibitions featuring the experimental work of contemporary artists.
Practical Info
Friedrichstrasse 12, Vienna. Open Tue–Sun 10am–6pm. Admission adult €9.50; seniors, students & children €6. Metro Lines U1, U2 or U4 to Karlsplatz.
Address: Friedrichstrasse 12, Vienna 1010, Austria
Hours: Open Tue–Sun 10am–6pm
Admission: Adults: €9.50; Seniors, Students & Children: €6
From $ 105
Werfen Ice Caves (Eisriesenwelt)
One of the world’s largest ice caves, this network of frosty caverns and tunnels extends for more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) through the Tennen Mountains in the Austrian Alps. Discovered in 1879, this subterranean wonderland encompasses vast blue-tinged chambers, sculptural ice formations, and frozen waterfalls.
The Basics
Access to the Werfen Ice Caves (Eisriesenwelt), nicknamed the World of Ice Giants, is by guided tour only. During the cave tour, visitors are led through the interior to sights including the gigantic Eispalast (Ice Palace) chamber and the sculpture Frigga's Veil, also known as the Ice Organ, formed by rows of icicles.
Visitors often explore the ice caves as part of organized excursions from Salzburg, which typically include transfers as well as entrance to the cave. Some full-day tours combine a visit to the caves with a trip to Golling Waterfall (Gollinger Wasserfall), the Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mines, and the medieval-era Hohenwerfen Castle.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Werfen Ice Caves is a must for nature lovers and the adventurous.
- Though the tour takes just 1 hours 15 minutes, allow at least 3 hours for your visit as the journey to the cave’s entrance takes additional time.
- Wear sturdy hiking shoes and warm clothes. The temperature inside the caves will be below freezing.
- Getting to the ice caves involves an uphill hike, and tours include ascents up many steps, so this attraction is best suited to reasonably fit travelers.
- Leave your camera behind—photography is not allowed inside the caves.
How to Get There
To get to the caves, drive or take the train to the town of Werfen, Austria, situated about 24 miles (40 kilometers) south of Salzburg. From there, follow the 3.5-mile (6-kilometer) signposted access road to the parking lot near the visitor center. If you don’t have a car, buses are available, departing from Werfen Station and more frequently from the Gries parking lot, a 5-minute signposted walk from Werfen Station. From the visitor center, it’s a 20-minute uphill hike to the cable car. Once you disembark, it’s a further 20-minute climb to the cave entrance.
When to Get There
The caves are open May–October and are busiest during July and August. To avoid the busiest times, go in early morning (8am–9am) or later in the afternoon (3pm–4pm).
The History of the Caves
Because of their remote setting, the caves remained largely unknown to outsiders up until the late 19th century when explorer Anton von Posselt-Czorich entered them. Posselt-Czorich only got about 650 feet (200 meters) into the caves, but his research inspired further exploration in the early 20th century. The addition of wooden planks, climbing aids, and an access road—followed by an aerial cable car in 1955—granted access to more and more visitors.
Address: Eishohlenstrasse 30, Werfen 5450, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 31
Sigmund Freud Museum
From 1891 to 1938 Sigmund Freud, considered the founding father of psychoanalysis, resided in Vienna at Berggasse 19 before fleeing to Britain when the Nazi’s annexed Austria. Today, his former residence houses the Sigmund Freud Museum and its collection of original furniture, antiques from Freud’s collection and several autographed first editions of his works.
Freud’s youngest daughter, Anna, helped transform the house into a museum in 1971, and she also helped compile a series of historic films of Freud and his family during the 1930s. The museum has steadily expanded since its opening and now includes a library, museum shop and exhibition hall.
In addition to the Freud-centric permanent collection, the museum also hosts special exhibitions and a rotating contemporary art collection, displayed in a former butcher shop storefront in the same building as Freud’s living quarters.
Practical Info
The Sigmund Freud Museum is open from 10am to 6pm seven days a week. Not all of the rooms are wheelchair accessible.
Address: Berggasse 19, Wien 1090, Austria
Hours: Daily 10am-6pm
Admission: Adults €9, Seniors €8, Students (Age 18-27) €6,50, Students (Age 12-18) €4
From $ 68
Tiroler Landesmuseum
The Tyrolean Cultural Museum was founded in 1823 and consists of a group of museums set up to showcase Tyrolean culture; it includes the Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum, the Zeughaus (Armory), the Volkskunstmuseum (Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art), and the Hofkirche (Court Church).
The Ferdinandeum offers a journey through 30,000 years of art and history; major draws include a collection of major Dutch paintings by Brueghel and Rembrandt, an exhibition of Biedermeier furniture, and masterpieces from Klimt and Kokoschka. The Hofkirche, containing the flamboyant German Renaissance tomb of Maximilian I plus his 28 marble guards, is accessible through the museum.
The Zeughaus is found in the 16th-century former weapons depot of Emperor Maximilian I; today it offers an insight into the cultural history of Tyrol, looking at how the region has been affected by local silver and salt mining, both World Wars, and the advent of mass tourism. Tyrolean customs and festivals are showcased at the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum (Museum of Tyrolean Folk Art), and the Tyrol Panorama at the Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium is now also under the auspices of the Tiroler Landesmuseum.
Practical Information
The Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (Museum of Folk Art), and Hofkirche are in Innsbruck’s Altstadt (Old Town), a few minutes’ walk from Innsbruck’s main parking garages. The Hofkirche (Court Church) can be accessed through the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum.
The Zeughaus is a ten-minute walk along Dreiheiligenstrasse from the Volkskunstmuseum, while the Tyrol Panorama is at Bergisel, a 20-minute walk from the center of Innsbruck or five minutes on Tram No 1.
Multi-language guided tours of all the group’s museums are available, with a bus connection between them all. Admission is free with the Innsbruck Card, which permits discounted entry to the major Innsbruck museums and galleries. The Volkskunstmuseum is open daily, as is the Hofkirche, which is closed for services on Sunday morning; the Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum and Zeughaus are both closed Monday.
Address: Museumstraße 15, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
Hours: Open daily except Mondays from 9am - 5pm
Admission: €10 (USD$13) for adults; €7 for students and seniors; Free under 19 years old
From $ 124
Time Travel Vienna
For good old family fun and a rip-roaring jaunt through history, Time Travel Vienna is the city’s newest kid on the block, and where great culture meets light-hearted Disney. Housed in the former monastery of St Michael, the history of Vienna from its beginnings as Roman Vindobona is presented in a magical 5-D show featuring animatronics and multi-media special effects. After this, visitors come face to face with the Vienna of Strauss, Mozart and the waltz as well as the great characters in the Habsburg dynasty before experiencing an air raid during World War II. Proceedings come bang up to date with a simulator ride taking in today’s major sights in Vienna. Shows last about 50 minutes and there are several in English per day.
Practical Info
Habsburgergasse 10A. Admission adults €19,50, seniors & students €17,50, children €15,50.Open daily 10am–8pm. Metro U3 to Herrengasse.
Address: Habsburgergasse 10A, Vienna, Austria
Hours: Open daily 10am–8pm
Admission: Adults €19,50; Children €15,50
From $ 23
Mönchsberg Lift
Zipping up to one of Salzburg’s most impressive viewpoints, the Mönchsberg Lift makes easy work of the 60-meter climb to the top of the Mönchsberg plateau. From the 523-meter-high viewing terrace, the views span Salzburg’s Old Town, with its hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress, striking cathedral and scenic riverside, and it’s a perfect spot for photos.
Hop on the lift from Anton-Neumayr-Platz in the Old Town, then jump out at the top of the hill, where you can visit the Museum of Modern Art or hike along the plateau’s woodland trails all the way to the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Practical Info
The Mönchsberg Lift is located on Anton-Neumayr-Platz in Salzburg Old Town and is open daily in July and August from 8am-11pm, and the rest of the year, Mondays from 8am-7pm, and Tuesday to Sunday from 8am-9pm. An adult return ticket costs €3.60.
Address: Gstättengasse 13, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Hours: July-Aug daily 8am-11pm; rest of the year Mon 8am-7pm, Tues-Sun 8am-9pm
Admission: Adult single €2.30, return €3.60; Child single €1.20, return €1.80
From $ 3
Schlosspark Schoenbrunn (Schonbrunn Palace Garden)
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is the former summer residence of the royal family. The gardens at Schönbrunn Palace were opened to the public at the end of the 1700s and since then have been a popular recreational area, both with the Viennese population and international visitors alike.
The palace and its immaculate grounds made it onto the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in 1996. Spanning some 1.2 kilometers from east to west and approximately one kilometre from north to south, these are no ordinary gardens; they house a spectacular iron and glass palm house, a maze, and a viewing terrace. The original Baroque-style layout, along with the additions made during the last decade of Queen Maria Theresa’s life, has more or less been retained.
Practical Info
The palace and its gardens sit approximately six kilometers from the center of Vienna and are easily accessible by public transport. Simply catch the metro U4, bus 10A or trams 10 or 58. The gardens are open from dawn until dusk and entrance is free.
Address: Schönbrunner Schlosstrasse 47, Vienna 1130, Austria
From $ 9
Schubert Geburtshaus
Franz Schubert was unique in that he was one of the few composers able to make a living from the music he wrote during his lifetime. Schubert was born in 1797 in the kitchen of a small apartment near Vienna, and lived there with his family for the first five years of his life. Today the apartment has been converted to a museum that documents and illustrates most of the composer’s biography including: his training, his musical development, his friends, and his family. Objects on display at the Schubert Geburthaus (‘Schubert’s birthhome’) include famous contemporary portraits of Schubert by Moritz von Schwind, Wilhelm August Rieder, and Leopold Kupelwieser. The composer’s trademark spectacles are also on display, and visitors may listen to works composed by Schubert while sitting at his desk. Though the museum is small and simple, with a little imagination the visitor can transport themselves back 200 years and imagine what life might have been like in Austria at that time.
Practical Info
This museum is just a short ride out from Vienna’s city center on the number 38 or 37 tram (get off at Canisiusgasse), or take the Metro to Währinger Strasse. The museum is free to visit on the first Sunday of the month.
Address: Nußdorfer Straße 54, Vienna 1090, Austria
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday and holidays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Admission: General admission 4 €; younger than 19 visit for free.
From $ 139