Vienna is one of the most beautiful capitals of central Europe. Being the 6th largest city by population in the European Union, as well as a beloved destination by travellers, no matter the season, Vienna can be a crowded touristic destination. In summer, Vienna is an extremely romantic city to visit, whilst in winter it becomes a winter wonderland, organising some of the most fairytale Christmas markets in Europe.
Vienna is easy explored by foot. Once you arrive in the city, it’s great to take one of the free walking tours in which you will learn about the history of the city, as well as familiarize yourself with the surroundings. After, you can explore the city at your own pace and find those hidden gems that make Vienna such a special destination. In this article, we will talk about seven amazing locations which will take you on the off the beaten path and show you a different side of the Austrian capital.
Find Peace at Vienna’s Zentralfriedhof
Vienna is one of the best cities in the world when it comes to the quality of life. An interesting thing is that Vienna is home to one of the most fascinating cemeteries in the world as well. Zentralfriedhof is not only just very big, but it is caters for different faiths, not just Christianity.
Locals like to stroll around the Central Cemetery, as Zentralfriedhof is also known as, as if it was a park. The beautiful headstones and the carefully landscaped green areas make the Central Cemetery a very peaceful place to visit.
great composers are buried here, including Franz Schubert, J. Strauss, Johannes Brahms, and Ludwig van Beethoven – which are all on the composers alley. But do not look for Mozart: he is buried in the cemetery of St. Mark – an ancient burial ground used from 1784 to 1874.
Visit the Imperial Crypt
The Habsburg Family was once one of the most powerful in Europe. The ruled Austria between 1282 until 1918, controlled Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic) from 1526 until 1918, and the Spanish Empire between 1504-1506 and 1516 – 1700.
The Imperial Crypt, located in the centre of Vienna, is the resting place of over 100 members of the Habsburg family. It can be visited in an organised tour, for a fee of 8 euros.
Check out the Jubiläumswarte Observation Tower
If you are travelling to Vienna on a budget and don’t want to spent 15 euros to climb St Stephen Cathedral’s tower, there is another great place from where you can see the panorama of the city free of charge. The Jubiläumswarte, in the 16th district of the city, is an observation tower 31 meters above the grown, offering fantastic panoramic views over Vienna and the Viennese forest.
You can get to the observation tower by bus 52B. You can also take route lines 46A and 46B to the Feuerwache am Steinhof or Savoyenstraße stop and walk twenty minutes from there.
Have Fun on the Danube Canal
In summer, the banks of the Danube Canal transform into the place to be in Vienna. Many pop-up bars, cafes, restaurants, beaches with sand, sun loungers and umbrellas invite the residents of the city to enjoy the sunshine and have fun by the water. There is always upbeat music playing, as well as many parties organised in the evenings.
Relax at Setagaya Park
Setagaya Park is a Japanese garden in one of the most picturesque districts of Vienna. It was designed in 1992 by the Japanese landscape gardener Ken Nakajima, to imitate a tranquil park in Japan. The landscape is beautiful with several ponds, sculptures, Sakura trees and Japanese maple trees.
There is a small Japanese tea house built in a Yukimi style, where you can sit and drink a cup of fragrant drink, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. The garden is open from April to October.
Have a Coffee at Terrace Amerlingbeisl
Terrace Amerlingbeisl is a lovely café and restaurant in a beautiful location, with a courtyard covered by wine leaves. This is a perfect spot for coffee, a light lunch, or a glass of wine with friends. This is a great restaurant for vegans as well, with an extensive menu catering to them.
Have Dinner at the Garden at Hotel am Brillantengrund
If you have already tasted all that delicious Austrian food and want to try something different, check out the Garden at the Hotel am Brillantengrund. Here you will find a great restaurant serving Filipino vegan food. Whilst this place is still quite unknown to tourists, locals love it.
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I adore Vienna due to how walkable it is! Because of its tranquil atmosphere, I would love to take a stroll around Zentralfriedhof. I am drawn to Setagaya Park because I adore Sakura trees, in addition to its beauty. The Danube Canal is a great place to wander through and also have fun at night.
I agree that taking a walking tour of a city when you first visit is a great idea. It gives you great perspective of some of the most important sights of a city and allows you to orient yourself. It also helps you decide what you want to go back to and explore more of. I’d love to visit Vienna someday. It’s definitely on my list!
My cousin just came back from Vienna and I don’t think she visited any of these Vienna’s off the beaten path. I like the cemetery because it has special aisles for people buried there like the Composer Alley. The observation tower is hard to miss when you are on a budget, as well as the Danube Canal. I will check out these three places when I go to Vienna.
As I have been in Vienna several times I know some of the places you are suggesting. But I did not know the Setagaya Japanese garden! I lived in Tokyo for a few years and know the original Setagaya Garden there. Therefore visiting the Vienna Setagaya garden would definitely be an very interesting experience.
These do look like some activities to do beyond the top attractions. I start first at Setagaya Park, I love to stroll through Europe’s gardens. I love the cafe culture that Austria has, so Terrace Amerlingbeisl sounds like a great recommendation.
WOW what a beautiful place, I had never really thought about visiting Vienna before but this post is certainly making me think again!
Vienna, Austria is definitely in my bucket list, a place with so many historic points. The Central cemetery is something I would love to visit and fix a rendezvous with world famous composers.
Jubilaumswarte is such a beautiful piece architecture and observation tower and of course the Imperial crypt of Hapsburg family and Setagaya Japanese garden is somewhere I would love to spend some quality time.
You had me at the old cemeteries…Even more fascinating would be to stand before the headstones of some of my favorite classical composers! I will definitely stroll the Central Cemetery when I visit Vienna. In fact, you’ll often find me admiring the old-fashioned names, beautiful carvings, and thought-provoking epitaphs whenever I come across a cemetery when traveling. It’s such a cool connection to the past, on a personal level!
The observation tower looks so cool, and I love the look of the Japanese gardens. What a lovely place to explore, I’ll have to add it to the bucket list.
I went to Vienna a few years back for a long weekend and we had a great time but we didn’t do any of those things. Now I just need to go back again haha x
I’ve heard a lot about this lovely city and would love to go there. I’d like to unwind in Setagaya Park. It appears to be very lovely and peaceful.
The park sounds like it would be ideal for me. I love to see pretty natural places. Not sure I’d cope with the observation tower as I’m not so good with heights although I’m guessing the views of Vienna and the forest must be amazing.