A half day in Vienna

The centre, the palaces and the view from above

The first half covers the Vienna everyone comes for: the Hofburg, the cathedral, the Opera, Parliament and City Hall, the Belvedere and Schönbrunn. The second half goes where visitors on foot rarely reach: up to the Kahlenberg, across the Danube to the tower, and back through the Prater.

Ten stops are a menu, not a schedule. Pick the ones you want time at, see the rest from the car. Pickup and drop-off are at your hotel or any address in Vienna.

1. 1
   

   Your chosen meeting point

   Confirmed before the ride

   Your driver meets you at your hotel or any address in Vienna. The exact pickup point is confirmed before the ride, as one-way streets and access rules can change the approach.

   Fixed
2. 2
   

   Hofburg Palace

   The Habsburgs' winter residence, grown over six centuries into a town within the town: courtyards, the curved wing on Heldenplatz, the dome above Michaelerplatz. An exterior stop; the apartments and museums are ticketed.

   Traffic permitting
3. 3
   

   St Stephen’s Cathedral

   The Gothic cathedral at the heart of the city, with its patterned tiled roof and a 136-metre south tower. The square is car-free, so the driver waits at the nearest point while you walk the last few minutes.

   Traffic permitting
4. 4
   

   Vienna State Opera

   The opera house on the Ring, opened in 1869 and one of the world's great stages. An exterior stop, and a good place to see how the Ringstrasse was laid out around the old town.

   Traffic permitting
5. 5
   

   Vienna City Hall

   The neo-Gothic Rathaus, with a central tower of almost 100 metres. The square in front hosts the city's markets, its summer film festival and its winter ice rink.

   Traffic permitting
6. 6
   

   Parliament Building

   The Austrian Parliament, built in the 1870s and 1880s like a Greek temple, with the Pallas Athena fountain in front. It stands next to City Hall, so you usually see both in one pause.

   Traffic permitting
7. 7
   

   Belvedere Palace

   Two Baroque palaces built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, joined by a terraced garden that looks back over the city. The gardens are free to walk; the Klimt galleries in the Upper Belvedere are ticketed.

   Traffic permitting
8. 8
   

   Schönbrunn Palace

   The Habsburgs' summer residence, just outside the centre: the long yellow palace, formal gardens and the Gloriette on the hill. The park is free; the state rooms need a timed ticket.

   Traffic permitting
9. 9
   

   Kahlenberg

   The hill at the edge of the Vienna Woods, reached by the winding Höhenstrasse. From the terrace the whole city lies below, the Danube running through it and vineyards on the slope: the widest view of Vienna, day or night.

   Traffic permitting
10. 10
    

    Donauturm

    The Danube Tower, 252 metres high and the tallest structure in Austria. An exterior stop; the lift to the viewing terrace and revolving café is ticketed and can be added.

    Traffic permitting
11. 11
    

    Vienna Wheel

    The Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater, turning since 1897 and famous from The Third Man. An exterior stop; a 15-minute ride in a wooden cabin is ticketed and can be added if you ask in advance.

    Traffic permitting
12. 12
    

    Your agreed final address

    Confirmed before the ride

    Back at your hotel, or at any address in Vienna: a restaurant, a concert hall, a friend's door. The driver stops at the closest point local access rules allow.

    Fixed

What's included

Choose your vehicle

Price per vehicle for the whole ride, not per person.

Useful tips

• 01To go inside Schönbrunn or up the Danube Tower, book the entry separately and tell us the time. The route is built around it, and fewer other stops will fit.
• 02In the old town, access rules can mean a short walk from the nearest point the car may stop.

Questions