Vienna is without doubt extremely expensive. It is also an extremely popular place to visit and now that we’ve spent two days roaming the city I can see why. I think that this city is one that really should be on your radar if you are traveling in the area. With its impressive architecture, gorgeous museums, amazing delicacies and tons of sights, you would be hard pressed not to enjoy it.
If the budget is worrying you, fear not… All is not lost because there are free things to do in Vienna and just knowing where to go and when, will make sure that you don’t break the bank. I’m sure you get what I mean.
So, if you are one of the detailed planners like me and are headed to Vienna on a budget, I highly recommend reading and bookmarking this post because I’m going to detail all the free things to do in Vienna.
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Table of Contents
Transport In Vienna
There are so many ways to get around Vienna because it has an amazing public transport system. If you are looking for a tried and true method of transportation that will not fail and is budget friendly then I would suggest your own two feet because the city is very walkable.
In fact, we pushed our stroller all around the city and found it pretty wheelchair accessible with the exception of a few museums.
Where To Stay In Vienna
As I’ve mentioned before, Vienna is not the cheapest city so accommodation can come with a price. Always try to book your stay early. That way you can ensure that you have the best deals. We sometimes even book as much as three months in advance. Sounds crazy right?
Before the kids we used to travel using hotels. Really keeps the budget low if you know what I mean. As the kids have grown we have started booking hotels and apartments instead. Anyways, while in Vienna check out these places because they are great places to stay.
Hollmann Beletage Design & Boutique Hotel – Luxury
⭐️ Rating: 9.3/10 (706 Reviews) Price: $239 per night 📍Location: Köllnerhofgasse 6, 01. Innere Stadt, Vienna Details: Read more on booking.com now!
The hotel is located bang in the center of the city and is literally in the hub of all the excitement. This alone makes the Hollmann Beletage Design one of the cool hotels to stay at.
One of the things that people love about this hotel is the breakfast. I mean you can head out to one of the cafes but when you get up and have a meal ready for you, it makes for the perfect start to the day.
“We loved everything about this property! Centrally located in old town Vienna providing walkable excursions and so many restaurant options. The room was huge, quiet, and the bed was very extra comfy. Breakfast was SUPERB including fresh made to order crepes, omelettes, etc and divine coffee. if I ever return to Vienna, here I will stay.”
Gee (read more reviews now!)
The staff are also extremely attentive. Plus the staff are extremely attentive so you can be sure that your stay is comfortable.
Tired of walking around the city? You can head to the relaxation area where there are games and hot beverages. It’s one of the very best places to stay in Vienna if you don’t mind spending a bit for the luxury.
Zoku Vienna – Mid Range
⭐️ Rating: 9.2/10 (4,779 Reviews) Price: $164 per night 📍Location: 6 Perspektivstraße, 02. Leopoldstadt, Vienna Details: Read more on booking.com now!
Apartments like these are our new way of staying while we travel. This is because its spacious and sometimes the weather really sucks. So you kinda want to spend sometime indoors. When you find a nice cozy apartment like Zoku Vienna, it because so pleasant to stay indoors too. It is also great if you want to stay longer in the city or work from home.
“Excellent breakfast, nice views from common spaces on 7th floor, fun and modern decor. Staff was really friendly and nice. Two metro stops within walking distance and only a few stops to the city center.”
Emma (read more reviews now!)
It has air-conditioning, a kitchenette where you can cook up a meal easily, a flat screen TV and most importantly free high speed Wi-Fi. We all know how important good Wi-Fi is when you are working. The building also has co-working spaces, meeting rooms, a restaurant and a bar. So you don’t even have to go far if you want a meal or just to chill.
JO&JOE Vienna – Budget
⭐️ Rating: 8.7/10 (3,140 Reviews) Price: $36 per night 📍Location: Europaplatz 1/6, 15. Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, Vienna Details: Read more on booking.com now!
If you are on the lookout for a good hostel in Vienna, I would recommend checking out Jo&Joe Vienna. Some of the reasons why it is very popular is because it has a garden, a terrace, a shared lounge and a restaurant.
This makes it super easy to interact with other people who are staying there. It is one of the reasons why I love hostels. You get to meet some amazing people.
“Best hostel I’ve ever been. Professional staff, very progressive and youth ambiance. Great for solo travellers and young couples seeking to make new friends.
Daily entertainment activities and great social space. There are three different stories to socialise and spend quality time meeting new people. Highly recommended.”
Hassan (read more reviews now!)
The hostel has all kinds of rooms. Some are private rooms and others are dormitories. The price of the room obviously differs depending on the number of people who share it. The rooms are clean and have privacy curtains which is always good. It also has a communal kitchen if you need to whip up a quick meal.
Free Things To Do In Vienna: Palaces And Gardens
You probably don’t know it but most of the grounds and gardens in Vienna are free for the public to enter. There are a few exceptions to the case though. I love this about the city because it means that even though the city is expensive, you will still find free things to do in Vienna that can help you keep your trip to the city within a budget.
1. Schonbrunn Palace Grounds
A bird’s eye view of the Schonbrunn Palace Grounds which is one of the top free things to do in Vienna.
Yes I know it sounds crazy but the Schonbrunn Palace grounds are actually free to enter. The Palace on the other hand requires a paid ticket. The palace grounds are huge and I highly recommend visiting as it is an experience in itself. You will get a chance to see the palace from both the front and the back. You can also wander into the extensive palace grounds and visit the Gloriette.
What you won’t be able to do is get into the Schonbrunn Palace, visit the maze, the orangery, the privy gardens or climb up to the Gloriette viewing deck. Now there are various different tickets that you could choose when it comes to entering these and if you are going to splurge on one just like we did, I would recommend just getting the tickets to the inside of the palace because it is very interesting especially if you are a history geek.
Young children get in for free and you can request for an audio guide for the kids too. This is something that I would really recommend because even my two year old found it fun to identify what was being said in the audio guide and correlate it with her surroundings. True she didn’t get most of it but it was a fun activity nonetheless.
2. Belvedere Palace Grounds
The sprawling garden of the Belvedere Palace are another of the iconic free things to do in Vienna that people love.
Just like the Schonbrunn Palace, entrance into the Belvedere Palace is charged. The palace grounds on the other hand are free to enter. Unfortunately for me, this is one of the attractions that I missed out on. I quite literally forgot about it. YUP! That can happen to a travel blogger too!
I guess two days in Vienna is not really enough to cover all the marvels but that was all that I could do considering Vienna is costly and I wanted to keep everything as budget friendly as possible.
3. The Botanical Gardens
While we are on the topic of free things to do in Vienna in terms of gardens, head to the Botanical gardens near the Belvedere Palace. These are run by the university and are free to visit too!
4. Stadtpark And The Johann Strauss Monument
One of the most photographed statues in Vienna is the golden Edmund Hellmer’s golden Strauss Monument. This was set up as a memory of the famed musician Johann Strauss. The statue is located in Stadtpark which is a lovely green space. It is one of the best places to sit in if you want a quiet spot. Plus it is one of the free things to do in Vienna, so why not?
5. Volksgarten
This manicured garden is located very close to the Museum of Natural History and the Parliament. It is one of the iconic free things to do in Vienna because this ground is often used for concerts. It has played host to some iconic people over time. Strauss and Lanner are some examples.
While you are here don’t forget to visit the Theseus Temple that is located in its center. It is a beautiful temple and in summer you will find that the surroundings are lush green that makes the white columned building stand out instantly.
I unfortunately wandered through here after the sun had set so I don’t have really good pics of the place.
Free Things To Do In Vienna: Monuments
Let’s be honest. Vienna is full of monuments. Everywhere you look, you will see a building of interest. The more that you walk through the city, the more you will find that the buildings begin to merge together. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve listed the following monuments that you should pay attention to when you are walking.
Some of these free things to do in Vienna are also some of the top attractions in the city which means that you can add them to a 3 day itinerary in Vienna or even if you are in town for just a day.
6. Ankeruhr
This is one of the cool free things to do in Vienna. Well not so much do as see. The arch between the two buildings houses a cool clock. This has copper accents and figures. Every hour when the clock minute hand completes a revolution, the tiny figures move. It is a cool thing to stop and see if you are in the vicinity.
I personally looked at it, liked it and moved on without hanging around to see the figures move. This was largely because our kids would have been bored with waiting and we were rather short on time in the city.
7. The Column Of Pest
The Column of Pest was something that we saw while we were wandering about the center of town. We stopped, we admired it and moved on. It was only latter that I realized the significance of the monument. I think that happens a lot when you’ve really not planned your day well. It happens to me sometimes especially when I’m exhausted on a trip and I hate it but I’ve learned to take it with a pinch of salt.
Anyways, the Column of Pest is dedicated to the memory of the plague that passed through Vienna in 1679. The disease ravaged the city and it was so bad that Vienna lost almost two thirds of its population. The Column of Pest is also the largest baroque black death monument in Europe.
8. The Monument Of Maria Theresa
If you’ve taken one of the tours of the Schonbrunn Palace, you have probably acquainted yourself with the history of the rulers of Vienna. Maria Theresa was one of the most important people of her time. The monument that stands in her honor has her seated on a throne with four horsemen and famous composers around her.
Before you ask, yes! I took the pic from the wrong angle because I was in a hurry. Another epic fail on my part! Can you relate with it?
Free Things To Do In Vienna: Churches And Religious Institutions
One of the cool things to do in Vienna is to visit the churches and religious institutions is something that you consider. This is because the buildings are old and beautiful. Most of them are free! Here are some of the top picks among the ones that we visited.
Oh and believe me… You can get overwhelmed walking through church after church. It kind of merges together after a point of time. So intersperse these with other activities so you don’t zone out.
9. The Annakirche
The Annakirche or the Anna Church is my favorite church in the city.
It is also one of the churches that is easy to miss if you are not paying attention because it blends in with the surroundings from some of the sides so make sure to mark it on your map.
The inside of the Annakirche is beautiful. The building itself is centuries old and has been renovated over time. The inside of the church has marble columns and impressive frescos.
For those of you who are curious about the architectural styles, you will find that the church has one of the most impressive baroque styles. The frescos that you see are painted by a renowned painter named Daniel Gran.
Oh and the best part is that entrance into this church is absolutely free. So yes it is definitely one of the free things to do in Vienna that you should have on your list!
10. Augustinerkirche
The Augustinerkirche or Church of Augustine was built way back in the 1300s. I know! That fact really took my breath away. That a building has been preserved for all those years in itself is impressive. This church was the imperial court parish church from 1634 to 1918. I think this is one of the main reasons why it has remained so well preserved.
Unlike the Annakirche, this church is more simplistic in its design and is still as impressive.
11. Peterskirche Or St. Peter’s Catholic Church
St Peter’s church is one of my favorite free things to do in Vienna.
Like the Annakirche, the Peterskirche is another must when it comes to free things to do in Vienna. The exterior of the church is has a characteristic green dome with golden spires.
It reminds me a lot of the churches that I saw in Saint Petersburg in Russia.
The interior is decorated in a rich baroque style. I honestly did not expect such vivid interiors. The high dome brings in a lot of light which illuminates the intricate décor inside.
12. St Charles Church
Another domed cathedral that is free to enter is the St. Charles Church. This is one of the churches that is not located within the inner parts of the city. Like the other churches, this one too has ornate frescos that decorate the inner sanctum of the church.
If you are a fan of the baroque architecture then this is one of the free things to do in Vienna that should be on your list.
13. Votivkirche
The Votivkirche is hard to miss if you are walking through the area. Its white in contrast to the duller buildings in its surrounding. Yes… I called the other majestic buildings dull by comparison. The church towers up and is eye-catching. It was built in a neo-Gothic style.
This church was built after the failed assassination of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1853. It was the emperor’s idea mind you. Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, his brother was the one who started the campaign for the funds. The church was built in gratitude to God for sparing the emperors life.
Entering the church is free and highly recommended because it is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. There is also a nice patch of lawn in front of it that you can sit and chill at. Plus a playground at the side which means that your kids can play while you enjoy the view.
Many people miss this gorgeous list when they plan out all the free things to do in Vienna that they want to see. I think that’s rather sad because it is one of the prettiest buildings that I have seen in the city.
14. St Stephen’s Cathedral
One of the churches that people will rarely miss is the St. Stephen’s cathedral. Now, I haven’t really gone into the church because it was closed but the church is bang in the center of the city. We did get to admire the outer façade of the building. It should not come as a surprise that our walks through the city meant that we passed by this church numerous times.
One thing that you have to realize is that the square is teaming with people. So watch your valuables or you may get pickpocketed while you are busy clicking photographs. The reason why St Stephan’s cathedral is such an important monument in the city is because it is deemed as the mother church of Roman Catholic archdiocese of Vienna.
So there you have it. These are some of the free things to do in Vienna that we loved. Honestly just wandering the different streets of the city will keep you entertained. My pro tip is to just include these along your itinerary. Pick things that your really want to see and then incorporated the free things in as you go.
