5 Days in Vienna: Itinerary With Map
5 days · 20 stops
What to do in Vienna in 5 days: one area per day, 20 stops, short walks and a map with directions for every stop.
By Amit KerenDay 1
Old town & imperial Vienna
4 min walk
5 min walk
10 min walk
Day 1 total: 1.4 km between stops
Day 2
Belvedere, Naschmarkt & MuseumsQuartier
16 min walk
10 min walk
10 min walk
Day 2 total: 2.6 km between stops
Day 3
Schönbrunn Palace & gardens
9 min walk
10 min walk
5 min walk
Day 3 total: 1.6 km between stops
Day 4
Ringstraße museums & coffee houses
5 min walk
7 min walk
6 min walk
8 min walk
Day 4 total: 1.8 km between stops
Day 5
Hundertwasser, Prater & Danube Canal
20 min walk
26 min walk
Day 5 total: 3.2 km between stops
How many days do you need in Vienna? Three days covers the big sights, and five days lets you add the museums, the coffee houses and the Prater without rushing. This 5-day Vienna itinerary covers one area per day, so every day is a short walk between nearby stops.
Day 1 is the old town: St. Stephen's Cathedral, Graben and Kohlmarkt, the Hofburg and the State Opera. Day 2 is Belvedere and Klimt's The Kiss, Karlskirche, lunch at the Naschmarkt and the MuseumsQuartier. Day 3 is all Schönbrunn: the palace, the gardens, the Gloriette and the zoo.
Day 4 follows the Ringstraße: the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Volksgarten roses, Parliament, City Hall and coffee at Café Landtmann. Day 5 is the fun side of Vienna: the Hundertwasserhaus, the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater and an evening on the Danube Canal.
Day 1
A compact first day in the old town, about 1.4 km on foot from the cathedral to the opera.
Open day 1 in Google MapsStart here · Attraction · Cathedral
Stephansdom is the symbol of Vienna, a Gothic cathedral with a roof of 230,000 coloured tiles. Entry to the main nave is free. Climb the 343 steps of the South Tower for the best view over the old town, or take the lift up the North Tower to see the Pummerin bell.
Tip: Climb the South Tower in the morning, before the queue builds.
Stop 2 · Area · Shopping streets
Graben and Kohlmarkt are the elegant pedestrian streets between the cathedral and the Hofburg. See the baroque Plague Column on Graben, window shop the luxury brands on Kohlmarkt and stop at Demel, the old imperial confectioner, for cake.
Tip: Stop at Demel on Kohlmarkt for cake and coffee.
Stop 3 · Attraction · Imperial palace
The Hofburg was the Habsburgs' winter palace for over 600 years. The courtyards and Heldenplatz are free to walk through. Inside, one ticket covers the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum and the Silver Collection. The Spanish Riding School is also here.
Stop 4 · Attraction · Opera house
The Staatsoper on the Ringstraße is one of the world's great opera houses. Join a guided tour of the grand staircase and the hall during the day, or buy cheap standing tickets on the day for an evening performance.
Tip: Standing tickets go on sale on the day of the show and cost a few euros.
Day 1 total: 1.4 km between stops
Day 2
About 2.6 km, from Klimt's The Kiss to lunch at the market and an evening in the MQ courtyards.
Open day 2 in Google MapsStop 5 · Attraction · Palace and art museum
Two baroque palaces linked by formal gardens. The Upper Belvedere holds the world's largest Klimt collection, including The Kiss. The gardens are free and give a classic view of the city.
Tip: Book an online ticket for the Upper Belvedere. The Kiss is on the first floor.
Stop 6 · Attraction · Church
St. Charles's Church on Karlsplatz is Vienna's finest baroque church, with a green copper dome and two tall columns. A panoramic lift inside takes you up close to the dome frescoes.
Stop 7 · Market · Food market
Vienna's best known market, about 1.5 km of stalls and small restaurants along the Wienzeile. Come for lunch, falafel, fresh fruit and cheese. Most stalls close on Sundays, and on Saturday mornings there is a flea market at the far end.
Tip: Most stalls are closed on Sundays, so plan this day for another day of the week.
Stop 8 · Attraction · Museum quarter
The MuseumsQuartier sits in the former imperial stables, with the Leopold Museum (Schiele and Klimt), the mumok modern art museum and big courtyards full of cafés and lounge furniture. The courtyards are free and lively on summer evenings.
Day 2 total: 2.6 km between stops
Day 3
A full day in the Schönbrunn estate, about 1.6 km on foot. Take the U4 to Schönbrunn station to start.
Open day 3 in Google MapsStop 9 · Attraction · Imperial palace
The Habsburgs' summer palace and Vienna's most visited sight. The Grand Tour covers 40 rooms, including the apartments of Franz Joseph and Sisi. Book a timed ticket online and come at opening time.
Tip: Book the Grand Tour for opening time. Take the U4 to Schönbrunn.
Stop 10 · Park & garden · Palace gardens
The formal gardens behind the palace are free to enter. Walk the Great Parterre to the Neptune Fountain at the foot of the hill, past flower beds and statues.
Stop 11 · Viewpoint
The Gloriette is the colonnade on the hill above the Schönbrunn gardens. The walk up takes about 10 minutes and the view takes in the palace and the whole city. Café Gloriette inside is a good coffee stop.
Tip: The path uphill is steep in places. Wear comfortable shoes.
Stop 12 · Attraction · Zoo
Opened in 1752, Schönbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world still running. It has giant pandas, a polar bear world and a rainforest house, all inside the palace park.
Day 3 total: 1.6 km between stops
Day 4
About 1.8 km along the Ringstraße, from the art museum to a classic coffee house.
Open day 4 in Google MapsStop 13 · Attraction · Art museum
The Museum of Fine Arts holds the Habsburg collections, with the largest group of Bruegel paintings in the world, plus Vermeer, Raphael and an Egyptian wing. Have coffee in the café under the main dome.
Tip: The museum is closed on most Mondays outside summer. Check the opening days before you go.
Stop 14 · Park & garden · Rose garden
A free park next to the Hofburg, known for its rose garden with thousands of bushes in bloom from May to October, and the Theseus Temple in the middle.
Stop 15 · Attraction · Landmark
The Greek temple style Parliament on the Ringstraße, with the Pallas Athene fountain in front. Since its renovation the visitor centre is free, and there are free guided tours and a rooftop restaurant.
Stop 16 · Attraction · Landmark
The neo-Gothic Rathaus faces a big square that hosts Vienna's main Christmas market in winter, an ice rink in January and February, and a free summer film festival.
Stop 17 · Café & dessert · Coffee house
A classic Viennese coffee house from 1873, opposite the Burgtheater. Order a Melange with Apfelstrudel or Sachertorte and take your time, the way the Viennese do.
Day 4 total: 1.8 km between stops
Day 5
About 3.2 km, from Vienna's most colourful house to the Ferris wheel and dinner by the canal.
Open day 5 in Google MapsStop 18 · Attraction · Architecture
Friedensreich Hundertwasser's colourful apartment block with wavy floors, trees on the roof and no straight lines. People live here, so you see it from outside. The Hundertwasser Village shops are across the street.
Tip: Take tram 1 to Hetzgasse, right by the house.
Stop 19 · Attraction · Amusement park
The Wiener Riesenrad has turned since 1897 and is the symbol of the Prater amusement park. A ride in the wooden cabins takes about 15 minutes and goes up to 65 metres. Entry to the Prater itself is free.
Tip: Ride the Ferris wheel near sunset for the best light.
Stop 20 · Area · Riverside walk
The Danube Canal runs along the edge of the old town, with street art on the walls, beach bars in summer and restaurants by the water. Finish at Schwedenplatz, a short walk from the cathedral.
Day 5 total: 3.2 km between stops
Recommended hotels
Opposite the State Opera
Best for: Classic luxury
Vienna's most famous hotel, opened in 1876, home of the original Sachertorte. Rooms with antiques and a spa, right by the opera and Kärntner Straße.
Am Hof, old town
Best for: Luxury
Five-star hotel in a former bank building on the Am Hof square, with an indoor pool in the old vault. Graben and the cathedral are a few minutes on foot.
Ringstraße
Best for: Palace stay
A former palace on the Ringstraße, opened as a hotel in 1873, with silk walls, marble bathrooms and its own Imperial Torte.
Petersplatz, old town
Best for: Rooftop views
Modern luxury hotel next to St. Peter's Church, with a rooftop bar and restaurant over the old town and a spa.
By St. Stephen's Cathedral
Best for: Location
Two design hotels facing each other, about 200 metres from the cathedral, with a rooftop bar at the Lamée.
Neubau, by the MuseumsQuartier
Best for: Design
Playful circus-themed design hotel with a rooftop bar over the city, a short walk from the museums and the Ringstraße.
Landstraße
Best for: Rooftop pool
Stylish hotel in a 1950s building with a seasonal rooftop pool and bar, about 15 minutes on foot from the cathedral and the Belvedere.
Old town, quiet side street
Best for: Value in the centre
Family-run Art Nouveau hotel on a quiet lane, five minutes from the cathedral, with a roof terrace and family rooms.
By the State Opera
Best for: Budget
Budget design hotel in a 19th-century building, about 100 metres from the opera and Karlsplatz metro. Now branded The Cloud One.
Fleischmarkt, old town
Best for: Budget
Compact, well designed rooms in an 18th-century building near Schwedenplatz, with a 24-hour bar.
Recommended activities
2 hours
A guided Grand Tour of the palace with timed entry, so you skip the ticket queue.
Book1 hour
See the grand staircase, the halls and backstage areas with a guide.
Book2 hours
Mozart and Strauss in a historic hall, such as the Kursalon or a palace venue.
BookBefore you go
spotz.guide is a collection of travel maps and step-by-step routes, made to be opened on your phone and followed on the ground. Every guide is put together and checked by founder and editor Amit Keren.
Spots come from time on the ground and strong recommendations, and each one is checked before it goes on the map.
Prague · 8 markets
All 8 Prague Christmas markets for 2026 on one map: opening dates, hours, where each market is and which one is best for you.
Open map
Paris · 8 markets
8 Paris Christmas markets for 2026 on one map: dates, where each market is and which one is best for you.
Open map
Budapest · 8 markets
8 Budapest Christmas markets for 2026 on one map: dates, opening hours and which market is best for you.
Open map