One day in Vienna
 

I'll need to fly to East Europe for a very short trip this May. Was thinking about breaking a trip and spending one day in Vienna. May be someone can share thoughts about possible itinerary for 1 day and whether it's a good city for such a short excursion. Any recommendations regarding place to stay and things to see/do will be really appreciated.

Thanks.

I'm no expert on Vienna but I spent a few days there several years ago and I did enjoy it. Around the Museumsquartier (sp?) is visually very impressive, it has a very planned, monumental, imperial feel to it which may or may not be to your taste. The two things I enjoyed most were the Kunsthistorischesmuseum (art gallery) - I've been to many of Europe's finest galleries, and I personally rated this with the best of them although I know not everyone would agree - and Schoenbrunn Palace, which is a bit out of town, not far from memory, but may be less of an option depending on what you mean by "one day" (i.e. is much of that eaten up by travelling to and from Vienna, or are you staying one or two nights but have one full day to see the sights).

Thanks for your response. I was thinking about staying 1 night (probably near the airport) and spending a day in the city. Most likely will have 6 to 8 hours. Seems like getting to/from airport is quite easy.

I can also recommend the Kunsthistorischesmuseum :) My friend is on Erasmus in Vienna now. I'm thinking about visiting her next month, and this museum is the first place to see for me.

There's a lot to do and see in Vienna..

Getting to the city from the airport is really easy.
You can take either the city airport train and be in Wien Mitte in 16 minutes(there you can change to the metro ) , or take a bus to Schwedenplatz, which is in the centre of Vienna and in walking distance to Stephansplatz, the heart of Vienna.

To see and walk through the centre you will need some 4 hours,
and you can make a break in one of the fabulous Cafes like Cafe Landtmann, Demel or my favorite Cafe Hawelka

You can also visit the famous Hofburg, or the Belvedere to see a collection of famous paintings, or the Sezession.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum is a huge museum, i don't think that it would fit into your timeframe...

The Schönbrunn Palace is not far away from the city centre, but it would require quite a few hours to walk in the gardens and have a guided tour of it's interior.

One of the great things about the Kunsthistorischemuseum are the sofas! :) One can just sit and admire a painting without getting sore feet!

http://www.khm.at/en/collections/picture-gallery/

6-8 hours is not much time. You didn't say where om East Europe your trip originates. Have you thought of taking an overnight sleeper train to/from Vienna? It'll save you time, if it is at all possible. Where does your trip originate?

I'd second what clausar wrote.
One or both Belvedere museums are easier to incorporate into a diverse but very short stay than the Kunsthistorisches Museum or Schönbrunn. Especially during Klimt Year 2012 you might want to see the Sezession paintings and arts & crafts.
Walking around the inner city and the Ringstrasse will give you quite an impression. And lots of sights to choose from. And with Cafes everywhere even the rest you may need can turn into a real experience.
So, yes, Vienna is a great destination even if you have only one day.

I agree about the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It is a must see. Right up there with the Prado, the Hermitage, etc. I would return to Vienna if only to visit it again. Isn't Klimt a bit ho-hum by now ?

Klimt is a great painter !!
I was living in Vienna for 9 years and never got tired of visiting all the Museums that are hosting his paintings.

Thanks everyone for the input. This trip is somewhat unplanned. Since I can change planes there I might as well stay a night to have a sneak peek of the city, so I could come back with the family and enjoy everything it has to offer. I'll be flying from the West Coast.

With the severe time limit that you have, I would strongly suggest that you just stay in the inner city (Innere Stadt) and not go out to Schonbrunn (or even the Belvedere), since you plan on coming back with your family. You can always do those at a more leisurely pace.

To get acquainted with the sights within the inner city, there is the yellow Ring Tram (not the yellow bus! which is a private company):

http://www.wienerlinien.at/eportal/e...rogramId/19580

It takes about a half hour to go one complete circuit and you can go round and round as many times as you wish on one ticket (but once you get off...) There are multiple language earphones which will introduce you to the major sights along the way.

Once you know what you want to see, you can get off at that stop and just walk around that area, probably wander into Stephansplatz first and then wander out again to the Ring, to Michaelerplatz and the Hofburg.

Thank you, easytraveler. Like the tram idea.

You're quite welcome, BR_VEV! glad the tram idea will work for you.

Another suggestion for the night: if you are planning on staying overnight in Vienna, try for a musical event for the evening. After all, Vienna is the city of music.

http://events.wien.info/en/