seeksocean

I’ll be in Vienna in September and have two full days (Sunday and Monday) and three nights. I have a hotel picked out. How would you suggest I spend my two days? I love museums, art, history, food and nature. I hope to see an opera one of the nights. Any tour guides or companies you recommend? Thank you!

Michael

You'll need to choose the museums according to what you like. We liked the Albertina and the Leopold Museum



You'll probably will want to see the Secession building


and I do not think that you will have the time for the Kirche am Steinhof that I prefer to the Secession building


The Michelin Green Guide is good for what there is to see.

seeksocean

Thank you! I will explore your suggestions. I always love a good tour guide. Any recommendation of guides or companies? Also a food tour is another great way for me to get the ‘flavor’ of a city. I found one…but it starts at 9:30am. I’d rather do an afternoon to evening food tour.

shelemm

In addition to the obvious walking around, snaking your way through the many stately squares like the Graben and Stephansplatz, Am Hof, Judenplatz, Schul Hof, etc. I like the gardens at Schonbrunn Palace and also between the upper and lower Belvedere Palace. These provide such iconic vistas that are uniquely Viennese. I probably wouldn't spend a lot of time indoors if the weather is superb.

If you want to see an indoor space with a lot of 'bang for the buck,' then the Imperial Crypt is a small space that doesn't take much time to visit, is centrally located, and has work of staggering beauty and complexity that you get to see close up. As a final resting place, I could get used to that.

jeffhullinger3220

The Kunsthistorisches Museum shouldn't be missed. It's my favorite art museum, and I've visited a whole bunch.

seeksocean

Thank you! I will make note of all of these. Any tour guide recommendations?

WeisserTee

In addition to being a great museum (which usually isn't that crowded), the Kunsthistorisches Museum has an appealing cafe.

fourfortravel

If you are in Vienna in late September, the annual "Wiener Wandertag" is not to be missed. Two days of wandering the vineyards around Vienna, stopping at the little huts to sample Sturm (new wine) and enjoy nibbles and outstanding views.

I'm heading back to Vienna (we lived there for 7 years) later this month. My 4 days are jam-packed with exhibits, hiking, and eating at favorite restaurants. Depending on your museum interests, consider the KHM annual pass and/or combination tickets to save on entrance fees.

Jean

It's been several years, but we took an architecture tour. Although the city has some great modern design, we opted to concentrate on historic buildings. I don't remember the name of the tour company, but with a guidebook and a map you could create your own walk...

https://www.thegeographicalcure.com/...ture-in-vienna

Trophywife007

Would you care to share a few names of those favorite restaurants? I love Vienna... can't get enough, just short on time at the moment.

Madam397

The Albertina, the Leopold, the Kunst, the Belvedere as well as the historic St Stephen's Cathedral- so many sights and of course there is Schonbrunn Palace, a really impressive site. . My youngest daughter did semester abroad and when we went to visit her, we were able to get standing room tickets for the opera which was memorable. Love the cafe culture in Vienna and of couse the Sacher Torte which we enjoyed one afternoon at the Cafe Sacher.

k_marie

We built music into every day of our visit to Vienna. Opera, both Staatsoper and Volksoper. Daytime organ recitals. Liturgical music—organ, choir, horns, strings—at the 11 am Mass at the Augustinerkirche which was directed by the conductor of the orchestra of, I believe, the State opera. Here’s the listing of the music for the next few months.

https://hochamt.augustiner.at/erlebe...usik-programm/

fourfortravel

I've not included our very favorite restaurant intentionally. We discovered it the first week we arrived, and share its name with no one. Sorry. Whenever we walked in, the proprietor would ask, "Unserer Stammtisch?" (Your usual table?) Don't want it to become any more popular than it already is.

I've also left out the many Heuriger that we frequented (we lived in the 18th district). Everyone has their favorite; and mostly, they're all good. (Especially Kierlinger and Schübel Auer )

Also, I caveat this list as being from 2019, when we left Vienna. We won't get to all of them on this trip, though I am curious about how the restaurants may have changed over the last 5 years.

That written:
Gasthaus Pöschl (Inner Stadt) The Rindsgulasch warmed me on cold days; and somehow the restaurant always seemed nearby when I was in the Inner Stadt.

Gasthaus Rebhuhn (9th, just steps from the D Tram) The seasonal dishes are well prepared.

Beaver Brewing Co. (9th, close to public. American food. We know the owner and always found a familiar (American School family) face whenever we dropped in.)

Palais Coburg's Clementine (Inner Stadt) Never, ever, ever had a bad meal.

Al Caminetto (Inner Stadt) When we needed Carpaccio de Polpo and a good Montepulciano, especially on a warm summer evening. The pizza is quite good, too.

Gerstner's near Opera. I love their Esterhazy Torte. Reserve a table upstairs in the painted rooms.

Restaurant Beograd (4th, near Naschmarkt). Unparalleled Tartare. We first discovered the restaurant in 1999 while on a work trip and it doesn't seem to have changed.

Do & Co. (Inner Stadt) When we wanted to impress visiting friends and family.

Beaulieu (Inside Palais Ferstel, Inner Stadt). Their Plat du Jour was always inspiring.

seeksocean

Thank you so much!

bhuty

Not trying to talk you out of or into anything... you do you.
Just speaking for me.... I didn't book in tour guides cos I wanted to move a bit faster than the tour companies. I've seen so many buildings now that I'm happy to visit them differently now. I can't explain it but I feel like I enjoy the sight of it in less time although I get no substantive information about it. I say this because this is how I can see the following in 1.5 days

State Opera house, museum of natural history, one of the palaces, st stephens, parliament. We booked in a 3 course dinner at the Ferris wheel but this could be your time to do a show.
my pick is the summer palace using a tour but you may choose differently and you might also find a way to see the winter palace as well


Oh and I found a couple of good 2 day itineraries for Vienna.

seeksocean

Thank you so much!