How to spend 3 Days in Vienna

Where to stay ? At the mythical Hotel Sacher!

Located at the very heart of the Austrian capital since 1876, Hotel Sacher Vienna is an institution offering to its guests an experience that skillfully combines the service of a grand hotel with the care and personalization of a family business.

On the culinary side, Hotel Sacher Vienna impresses with 6 restaurants and bars – the Restaurant Rote Bar, Restaurant Grüne Bar, Blaue Bar, Sacher Eck Wien, Café Sacher Wien, and Salon Sacher – each inviting guests to relish specialties of Viennese cuisine. Meanwhile, the Sacher Boutique Spa completes the experience with a unique wellness menu featuring the hotel’s very own Time to Chocolate brand of products – which uses the benefits of the cocoa bean -, along with exclusive partnerships with brands such as Seed to Skin, Royal Fern. The hotel also offers the services of a beauty salon and a 24-hour fitness room.

Discovering the historic city center and its landmarks

As a city of art and architecture, Vienna is studded with landmarks that allow visitors to immerse themselves in its fascinating history. During a tour of the city center, visitors will discover addresses such as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the most important church in the capital, with a beautiful Romanesque architecture that dates back the 12th century, and the Baroque St Peter’s Church. The Judenplatz is a town square at the heart of the capital, important for the history of the local Jewish community, while the Michaelerplatz give visitors the opportunity to see the iconic Loos House, the Spanish Riding School, Palais Herberstein, and the Hofburg Palace. We recommend ending this first outing with a visit to the National Library, a splendid Baroque address, situated just a few steps from the Hofburg.

Visit to the unmissable Museum of Fine Arts

The largest art museum in the country and one of the most important in the world, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is located on the Vienna Ring Road – a 5.3 circular grand boulevard that goes around the historic area of Innere Stadt. Housed in a neo-Renaissance building of palatial proportions, the museum’s interior is sumptuously decorated with polychrome marble, large colonnades and frescoes, as well as a grand staircase alongside which visitors can observe paintings by Gustav Klimt, Franz Matsch, Hanz Makart and Mihály Munkácsy. The museum holds one of the largest art collections in the world, focusing primarily on the Habsburg’s collection of 17th century paintings and features masterpieces from Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, among many others.

End of day trip to Grinzing, the vineyards at the outskirts of the city!

Located on the outskirts of the capital, the former village of Grinzing, now a district of Vienna, is famous for its vineyards and numerous wine bars called Heuriger. These local taverns have become popular because of their warm atmosphere and the fact that wine, beer and cider are enjoyed over hearty meals. Grinzing’s lush natural vistas makes for great walks, with various trails across the Vienna Woods, as well as popular vineyards, such as Kahlenberg. The hike on the famous Leopoldsberg hill, topped by a church, offers beautiful views of the Danube.

Dinner at Müllers Heuriger & Weingut to experience a Heuriger

A charming little heuringer located in Grinzing, the Müllers Heuriger & Weingut invites guests to partake in a traditional Heuriger experience, with traditional Viennese dishes shared, alongside the latest vintage of wine made by house Muller itself. The décor is a welcoming tavern of wood and stone, and a magnificent courtyard setting surrounded by lush greenery.

Visit of the Vienna Central Cemetery to see the graves of the greatest personalities

A sacred destination for classical music enthusiast, the Vienna Central Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in the world and the most important among Vienna’s 50 cemeteries. The Cemetery is located on the outskirts of the city and is the resting place of important historical personalities such as Beethoven, Brahms, Antonio Salieri, Schubert, Johan Strauss I, among many others. The cemetery was also featured in the iconic noir film The Third Man. At the heart of the cemetery lies the Art Nouveau St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery Church.

Lunch at Buxbaum, an elegant tavern

Tucked away in the city center, Buxbaum is house within an intimate and charming 12th-century house protected from the buzz of the city. With its arcaded rooms and white walls and velvet benches, the restaurant has the look of a refined and elegant tavern, where a warm atmosphere prevails. Guests can experience the culinary heritage of Vienna and Austria, with classic dishes such as the traditional Wiener Schnitzel, accompanied by a wide selection of local and international wines.

Tour of Domgasse to discover the city’s architectures

One of the many historic streets of Vienna, Domgasse dates back to the Middle Ages and is known for being a popular pedestrian destination. Its main attractions include the Mozart House, as well as a slew of buildings that display the various architectural ages of the city, with examples of Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism, Historicism and Art Nouveau. Located near Domgasse, the Jesuit Church is one such building. The Baroque building extends over two floors and is adjacent to the University of Vienna, which earned it the name University Church. Beyond its conservative facade, the church has a sumptuous interior with marble and stucco colonnades, gilding, frescoes and a trompe l’oeil dome by the Italian Andrea Pozzo.

Taste the emblematic Viennese chocolate at Demel

Opened in 1786, the Demel tea room has earned its place as the best café in Vienna among a plethora of offerings in the capital. In a classic décor with dark wood panelling, large mirrors and chandeliers in the style of an old bistro, the large display cabinets showcase the many creamy and colorful pastries of the shop, such as the popular Dobos pie or the Russian Punschtorte, as well as the iconic Strudel. We recommend you try the pastries on the spot to enjoy the décor and accompany them with the famous Viennese chocolate, or the Anna Demel coffee with orange liqueur, or even the Fiaker coffee with cherry schnapps.

Discover the local craftsmanship

Vienna is home to a number of local artisans who are still carrying on their family business to this day. From a company that specializes in wine glass making to boutiques that sell authentic Austrian jewelry, the city is filled with hidden gems that are often only known by the locals. Markus Sheer, for instance, is heir to 6 generations of shoemakers, and continues to preserve the 200-year-old tradition of hand-made shoemaking. His family was once the official supplier to the Imperial Court of Austria-Hungary, and is one of the most ancient businesses in Austria. Similarly, Lobmeyr is a 200-year-old family business that specializes in the crafting of crystal ware and chandeliers, offering an unparalleled level of craftsmanship to its buyers.