Vienna walking route: St. Stephen's Cathedral to Hofburg
Explore Vienna's historic center on this 17.3 km route through Austria's imperial capital. Walk along the famous Ring Road circular boulevard lined with palaces, museums, and parks, visiting key landmarks like St. Stephen's Cathedral, Hofburg Palace, and Schönbrunn Palace's grounds.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Arrival in Vienna
- End
- Wiener Schnitzel
- Stops
- 10
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Arrival in Vienna — Austria's capital city welcomes visitors as a grand imperial hub blending Habsburg heritage with modern European culture and cuisine.
- St. Stephen's Cathedral — Gothic cathedral dating to the 12th century in the heart of Vienna's old town; famous for its distinctive colourful tiled roof and tower with city views.
- Mozart House — Historic residence where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived from 1784 to 1787 while composing The Marriage of Figaro; the only one of his Vienna apartments still standing.
- St. Peter's Church — Historic church in Vienna's city center with a working organ that provides free concerts; one of the city's oldest sacred buildings with frequent performances.
- Hofburg Palace — Former winter residence of the Habsburg dynasty and seat of imperial power; features Roman ruins, Imperial apartments, Sissi Museum and the Silver Collection.
- Schönbrunn Palace — Imperial summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty with extensive palace grounds; features free-to-visit park and gardens during opening hours.
- Albertina Art Gallery — Major art museum in Vienna featuring a world-class collection of prints, drawings and photographs; housed in a historic palace building.
- Prater Park Amusement Park — Historic fairground featuring the iconic Giant Ferris Wheel, offering panoramic city views and classic carnival attractions since the 19th century.
- Giant Ferris Wheel — Historic Ferris wheel built in 1897; world's tallest from 1897-1985 with distinctive enclosed tram-like cabins; featured in the film 'The Third Man'.
- Wiener Schnitzel — Thinly breaded and fried veal cutlet, Vienna's signature dish representing centuries of Austro-Hungarian culinary tradition and refined comfort food.
Useful for your trip
- Food
- Visit Cafe Sacher to try the famous Sachertorte (Viennese chocolate cake). It's a specialty and the cafe is where it originated.
- Tip
- Walk the Ring Road (Ringstraße) in Vienna's Old Town to see parks, museums, palaces, and historic buildings along this circular boulevard.
- Tip
- Climb St. Stephen's Cathedral tower for views of Vienna. Elevator access available for €5.50 per person.
- Tip
- Visit Mozart's House (Mozarthaus Vienna) at Domgasse 5 where Mozart lived from 1784-1787. Admission is €11. Note: no cameras or photos allowed inside.
- Tip
- Hofburg Palace admission costs €13.90 and includes access to Sisi Museum, Imperial Apartments, and Silver Collection. No cameras allowed inside.
- Save money
- Schönbrunn Palace park can be visited free of charge during opening hours. Admission to the palace interior requires additional tickets.
- Food
- Try Käsekrainer (sausage with cheese) as Vienna street food. It's a local specialty available at various vendors.
- Timing
- Visit Vienna vineyards for wine tastings. Weinfest (vineyard crawl) happens at the end of September; vineyards can be visited independently year-round.
- Food
- Try a traditional Viennese breakfast which includes croissant, ham, cheese, hard-boiled egg, butter, jam, and pickles.
- Tip
- Prater Park has free admission but individual rides cost €2-4 euros each. The famous Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad, from 1897) costs €10 per person.
- Food
- Try Austrian classics: Schnitzel (pork, breaded and fried), Goulash with bread dumplings, and Apple Strudel with icing sugar.
- Transport
- Use the U-Bahn (Metro) for transportation around Vienna.
Video on this route
VIENNA TRAVEL GUIDE 🇦🇹 Top 20 Things to Do, See, Eat & Drink in Vienna 🏰 Austria's Imperial Capital!