Vienna Solo Travel Guide: Things to Do for First-Time Travellers

If you are travelling solo to Austria and wondering what to do alone in Vienna, then you have to follow my Vienna solo travel guide. I included everything you need to know before starting your solo trip to Vienna, plus all the best attractions, places to eat and so much more.

As the capital of Austria, Vienna is a world-class city with many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is indeed very cultured and you can spend many days meandering through museums and palaces.

Moreover, Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world, which makes Austria one of the best solo destination for solo female travellers.

If you are planning a trip to Vienna as a first time visitor, keep reading. I’ll tell you everything you need to know so you can plan a solo trip to Vienna Austria.

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Is Vienna Safe for Solo Female Travellers

Vienna is a very safe city for female solo travellers. The city’s crime rate is low, pickpocketing is not a major concern, and violent crime is pretty rare.

As for my own perspective and experience, I’ve been to Vienna several times and spent over two months in the city. I walked around alone during the day and night and felt completely safe.

Tips for staying safe in Vienna

Even though Vienna is a safe city, I still recommend practicing regular travel safety precautions. Here are some safety travel tips to keep in mind while you are in Vienna:

• Be aware of your belongings (bags, mobile phone, etc), especially in a crowded area.
• Leave your passport, (large sums of) money and other valuables at your hotel.
• Avoid poorly lit alleys at night when you are walking home.

How to get to Vienna Austria

Plane

Vienna International Airport (VIE) is located 18km southeast of the city centre. 

The easiest way to get to central Vienna is by taking the CAT (City Airport Train), a fast dedicated non-stop express train from Vienna International Airport to Wien Mitte Station. The 16-minute train ride costs €14.90. Tickets can be purchased at the CAT ticket counter or machine.

The cheaper option is to take a local train from Vienna Airport to Hauptbahnhof on the OBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen) rail network. The train journey takes 15-23 minutes and costs €4.60. Tickets can be purchased online via the ÖBB ticket app, at the counter or a kiosk.

Train

There are four major train stations in Vienna. Wien Mitte Station and Wien Nord are for commuter trains whereas Wien Westbahnhof and Wien Hauptbahnhof are international railway terminals.

Depending on where you are coming from, you could arrive at either Wien Westbahnhof or Wien Hauptbahnhof. From either station, you can take either subway or bus to your specific destination in the city.

How to get around Vienna as a Solo Traveller

Walk

Vienna is a very walkable city. You can get to most places on foot.

Subway, Tram & Bus

When you are sightseeing outside of the city centre, take advantage of the easy-to-use public transportation system in Vienna.

Vienna U-Bahn network has five subway lines (U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6) and is a reliable way to get around the city. The bus is an excellent way to travel between places within the city while the tram is a fun way to see many places en route to your destination.

Buy single journey ticket (up to 80 minutes) which costs €2.40. Or buy 24-, 48- or 72-hour passes. Tickets are available online, at information and ticket offies and Viennese tobacconists.

Uber

Uber is an inexpensive way of getting around Vienna. Download the Uber app and set up an account before you travel to Vienna.

Where to stay in Vienna for Solo Travellers

I’ve only stayed at Airbnb apartments during the last two trips to Vienna because I was slow travelling both times. I particularly liked the apartment in the Neubau area (see photo below) because it was walkable to many places and is in an excellent and safe neighbourhood.

But if I only had a few days in Vienna, I would stay somewhere central in Vienna. I searched online and here are the places I would stay:

• Hotel Indigo Vienna – Naschmarkt by IHG – a newish modern contemporary hotel near the outdoor market in Mariahilf neighbourhood. Check prices & reviews on Agoda and Booking
• Jaz in the City Vienna – book the In-Tune room and stay at this newly built hotel. Also in the in Mariahilf area. Check prices & reviews on Agoda and Booking
• Max Brown Hotel 7th District – a modern hotel and well-decorated hotel in the Neubau neighbourhood. Check prices & reviews on Agoda and Booking

Get to Know Vienna: District Map

As one of the most cultured capitals in Europe, there are a lot of things to do alone in Vienna. Depending on how fast you go through the museums and palaces, you may need two or three days in Vienna. 

Vienna is quite big and has many districts. However, if you are only visiting for a few days, you will need to know about these five neighbourhoods. I also coloured them on the map.

• Innere Stadt (red) – 1st District is Vienna’s old town. It is encircled by the round Ringstrasse (Ring Road), a 5.3km road with many famous attractions.
• Neubau (purple) – 7th District. The area has boutique shops, galleries, hip eateries and Museum Quartier.
• Mariahilf (green) – 6th District. The trendy neighbourhood has the busy Mariahilfer Strasse shopping strip and an Naschmarkt outdoor market.
• Wieden (yellow) – 4th District, including Karlskirche is the main attraction. It is also home to galleries, bookstores and shops run by local designers. Its quirky bars, cafes and eateries draw a hip urban crowd.
• Landstrasse (blue) – 3rd District. Many embassies, palaces and gardens. And some of best attractions in Vienna: Hundertwasserhaus and Belvedere Palace.

Top 10 Things To Do Alone in Vienna Austria

1. Palaces & Churches in Vienna

While you are wandering the historical centre of Vienna, you can see many historical sites including the most beautiful cathedral and palaces. If you are short on time, visit one of these palaces or churches so you can see the grandeur of these amazing places.

• Stephansdom (9-11:30am & 1-4:30pm Monday to Saturday; 1-4:30pm Sundays; €7) – see the iconic St. Stephen’s Cathedral and climb up 343 step in the south tower (or take the elevator at the north tower) for a closer look at the gorgeous tiled roof and panoramic views.
• Hofburg Palace (8am-6pm; varies) – this was the former imperial winter residence. Today, it houses the Imperial Apartments, Imperial Treasury and various museums.
• Scholls Belvedere (9am-6pm; €19.5 online) – Belvedere Palace is home to Austria’s most famous painting: Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” and Vienna’s largest medieval art collection. While you are there, enjoy a leisurely stroll in the palace and admire the 18th-century Baroque palaces and landscape.
• Schloss Schönbrunn (8:30am-5pm; €38) – Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence for Habsburg emperors. Tour the well-maintained yellow Baroque building with an audio guide.

2. Pedestrian Shopping Streets

Around the city centre, there are many pedestrian streets for visitors.

While you are in Vienna’s Old Town (red zone on the map), walk through Kärntner Strasse, which is a pedestrian street that that passes through many important sites in Stepheomdom, like churches, statues and many brand name shops.

And while you are in Mariahilf (green), follow Mariahilfer Strasse from Museums Quartier all the way to X. Along the way, there are many shops and cafes.

3. Architecture in Vienna

If you are an architecture lover, like me, you would be amazed by all the different types of design in the city.

My favourites were the art nouveau and modernist architecture by Austrian architect, Otto Wagner.

• Hundertwasser House (24 hours; free) – Friedensreich Hundertwasser designed this residential building, and people come here to see the colourful facade where plants grow out of windows and large trees grow inside the rooms. It is one of the most visited buildings in Vienna.
• Succession (10am-6pm; closed Monday; €13; free first Wednesday of every month) – learn about the Vienna Secession and how it all began. This museum has the world’s oldest independent exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art. Take note of the Beethoven Frieze and the 3000 gold-plated iron laurel leaves.
• Österreichische Postsparkasse (10am-6pm; closed weekends; free) – the modern Austrian Postal Savings Bank is designed by Otto Wagner
• Majolikahaus (24 hours; free) – admire the art deco facade of the residential building on Linke Wienzeile no 40.
• Otto Wagner Pavilion Karlsplatz (24 hours; free) – the museum is closed but you can still see the building exterior.

4. Museums Quartier

Possibly the best things to do in Vienna are all within Museums Quartier. Also known as MQ, it is one of the largest cultural sites which has over 60 cultural institutions showcasing art, architecture, music, theatre, dance, fashion and literature.

See the Kabinettpassage

These are two of my favourite museums at MQ:

• Leopold Museum (10am-6pm; €15) – it showcases Austrian artists such as Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Richard Gerstl and Oskar Kokoschka. They also have the biggest collection of Egon Schiele’s self-portraits and work in expressionism.
• MUMOK (Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien) (10am-6pm; closed Mondays; €11.5) – focuses on 20th-century modern and contemporary art, pop art and Vienna Actionism.

5. Other Art Museums in Vienna

• Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) (10am-6pm; €18) – see Raphael’s Madonna in the Meadow, Vermeer the Alleegory of Painting and Pieter Bruegel the Elder collection. It is worth visiting if you like Dutch and Flemish paintings.
• Albertina (10am-6pm; 10am-9pm Wednesday and Friday; €24.9 combo) – the modern museum has over 65,000 drawings and prints as part of their permanent exhibit.
• Museum of Applied Arts – Mak Vienna (10am-9pm Tuesday, 10am-6pm Wednesday to Sunday; €15) – an arts and crafts museum focusing on design, applied arts, architecture and contemporary art. 
• KunstHaus Wien Museum (10am-6pm; €11) – this is the only museum where you will find Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s artwork, who also designed the famous building, Hundertwasser House.

6. Unique Museums in Vienna

• Vienna Furniture Museum (10am-5pm; closed Mondays; €18) – the museum houses the largest collection of furniture in the world and it features modern Austrian furniture during the interwar period.
• Exhibition Red Vienna (1-6pm Thursday, 12-4pm to Sunday;€10 English guided tour) 
• Sigmund Freud Museum (10am-6pm; closed Tuesday; €14) – 
• Mozarthaus Vienna – for music lovers, specifically Mozart, visit this building which was Mozart’s residence from 1784 to 1787. And today, it is a museum displaying pieces from Mozart’s home and installations of his music.
• Welt Museum Wien (10am-9pm; closed Mondays; €16)

Unique Things to Do in Vienna

7. Unique Cultural Activities in Vienna

There are several unique activities in Vienna that you should consider. These are some of the most popular activities and tours in Vienna.

• Vienna State Opera – take a guided tour or get a standing ticket for a performance.
• Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert – a 75-minute classical concert with a period instrument ensemble performing at the Karlskirche.
• Mozart Concert at the Golden Hall – listen to works by Mozart and Strauss by the Vienna Mozart Orchestra in period costumes.
• Vienna Spanish Riding School Guided Tour – take a 55-minute tour behind the scenes of the Spanish Riding School, which has been in continuous operation for more than 450 years.
• Performance of the Lipizzans at the Spanish Riding School – if you perfer to to watch a show instead, attend a performance of the High School of Classical Horsemanship.

8. Outdoor Markets in Vienna

Naschmarkt is Vienna’s largest food market. Cafes, restaurants and food vendors line the mile-long market. Rows of open stalls selling all types of Viennese food. From street food to full sit-down meals. The food market has 100 years of history and is the most popular one in Vienna. 

On Saturdays, over 400 vendors sell various items at the Naschmarkt Saturday Flea Market. You can find antiques, books, home goods, knick knacks, food, wine and many other things. Visit between 6:30am and 3pm.

Neubaugasse closes on Wednesdays between 11am and 8pm for Neubaumarkt. Vendors line both sides of the street and you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables and homemade pastries.

Vienna Food Guide: What and Where to Eat

9. Traditional Austrian Food

When you think of Austrian food, you might think of the wiener schnitzel because that is what they are famous for. And it is delicious!

But there are so many other dishes to try. Austrian food in Vienna is hearty and wholesome. Many of their culinary dishes have German origin and other neighbouring countries, especially the Slavic culture.

While you are in Vienna, you have to try some of these typical Viennese food:

• Wiener Schnitzel and Erdäpfelsalat – deep-fried veal cutlet and Austrian-style potato salad
• Tafelspitz – traditional Viennese boiled beef in broth
• Austrian Beef Goulash and Knödel – Austrian beef stew with bread dumpling
• Frankfurter Würstel – Frankfurter or Viennese sausage
• Sachertorte – Austrian chocolate cake
• Kaiserschmarren – shredded pancake in a pan

10. Coffee and Dessert at a Kaffeehaus

A Kaffeehaus is a traditional Austrian coffee house. But it is more than just coffee itself. The Viennese coffee house culture dates back a few hundred years. In fact, it is listed in Vienna’s “National Agency for the Intangible Cultural Heritage”, which is part of UNESCO.

Today, it is a popular place of gathering; people at the coffee shop write, read newspaper, play games or simply relax. It is a very social and relaxing activity for locals. And of course, delicious Viennese coffee and cake is part of the culture as well.

Because of the popularity of coffee culture, many old Viennese coffee houses are still around and some even have the original and traditional decor. When you’re in Vienna, go to at least one of these cafes:

• Cafe Sacher – famous for its original Sachertorte
• Cafe Central – opened in 1876, it might be Vienna’s most beautiful coffee house
• Demel – founded in 1786, this is Vienna’s first confectionery for fine pastries
• Cafe Hawelka – not as busy as the other popular coffee houses but the vibe is amazing
• Cafe Sperl– love the traditional interior in this Viennese coffee house

Related Post –  Why you must visit Vienna in Winter

Fun Day Trips from Vienna

1. Visit a Heuriger in Grinzing

At the northern edge of Vienna, there is an old wine village called Grinzing, renowned for its Heuriger, a traditional tavern that serves local wine and homemade food.

The perfect day trip to Grinzing includes an easy uphill walk through vineyards and wooded trails, magnificent views of Vienna and the Danube, and, of course, sampling the best local wine and food.

2. Day Trip to Bratislava, Slovakia

A day trip to Bratislava is easy-peasy because the capital city of Slovakia is very close to Vienna. Plus, the city has many historical sites concentrated in the centre of town where you can see them all on the same day. Some highlights include Bratislava Castle, Michael’s Gate, Blue Church and Old Town Hall.

The journey from Vienna to Bratislava is only an hour by train. Or you can join a full-day Bratislava tour that includes a bus transfer to Bratislava, a walking tour and a boat ride on the Danube back to Vienna.

Places to go beyond Vienna Austria

There are many places to see after you visit Vienna. If I have to do it all over again, I would plan a perfect Austria itinerary which includes Vienna, Salzburg, and Hallstatt. Here’s some more info on each city:

1. Hallstatt, Austria – the alpine village in the Salzkammergut region is known for its production of salt. But most people know of Hallstatt because this town has the most picturesque views of the Austrian Alps, Hallstätter See and surrounding villages.
2. Salzburg, Austria – visit Austria’s fourth biggest city, Salzburg, for a day of historical sites and baroque architecture. And make sure to join a Sound of Music tour as the movie was filmed in Salzburg.

Are you ready to travel solo to Vienna Austria?

Vienna is one of the safest cities for solo female travellers. I’ve been to the beautiful city twice and didn’t feel unsafe at all. Feeling safe is a top priority and you can be at ease when you are in Vienna Austria.

I hope you like some of my travel tips before heading off to the beautiful city. If there is anything else you would like to know, leave a comment below.

Ready to plan your trip to Austria? Here are some of my go-to travel planning resources:
* Book your flight: find flight deals on Skyscanner 
* Book accommodation: find the best accommodations in Austria on Agoda or Booking
* Buy insurance: Safetywing is my go-to provider for travel insurance, as it covers many things. I will never travel without the Nomad Insurance Package because it protects me against unforeseen events. Get a quote today.
* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination.
* Join tours: check Get Your Guide and Klook for the best tours around Austria.

Thank you for reading my solo Vienna Travel Guide

For more travel inspiration, check out my Austria page for posts on solo travel in Austria. Here are some posts you might enjoy.

Vienna travel posts:

• Vienna Food Guide: Where and What to Eat
• Visit a Heuriger in Grinzing from Vienna: 1-day itinerary
• Bratislava day trip from Vienna

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queenie mak

Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!