Vienna, Austria

Photo spots in Vienna

• Schonbrunn PalaceHistoric
  Magnificent imperial palace with gardens, zoo, and musical heritage
• Hofburg PalaceHistoric
  Historic center of imperial power with courtyards and museums
• St. Stephen's CathedralArchitecture
  Gothic cathedral with distinctive tile roof dominating Vienna skyline
• Danube River CruisesWaterfront
  Scenic boat tours with views of city bridges, castles, and countryside
• Kunsthistorisches MuseumMuseums
  World-class art museum with Old Masters in opulent Renaissance building
• Belvedere PalaceHistoric
  Baroque palace complex with art collections and formal gardens
• NaschmarktMarkets
  Vibrant outdoor market with produce, spices, and international cuisine
• Giant Ferris WheelLandmarks
  Iconic Riesenrad wheel with panoramic city and Danube views
• Musikverein Concert HallCulture
  Golden concert hall hosting classical music and New Year's concerts
• RingstrasseArchitecture
  Grand circular boulevard with palaces, museums, and historic buildings
• Vienna State OperaArchitecture
  Renaissance opera house hosting world-class performances
• Danube TowerLandmarks
  Modern tower with rotating restaurant and panoramic city views
• Tiergarten SchonbrunnZoos & aquariums
  The world's oldest zoo, and a separate ticket from the palace even though you enter through the same grounds. Plan around the baroque octagonal pavilion at the centre, shot from the panda side in morning light.
• AlbertinaMuseums
  Habsburg state rooms upstairs, Monet-to-Picasso below, and a free ramp terrace over Albertinaplatz that gives you the Opera roofline. No flash or tripods inside, and the state rooms are several stops darker than the modern galleries.
• Naturhistorisches Museum WienMuseums
  The 19th-century cases and parquet halls photograph better than the specimens, especially the whale skeletons and the domed staircase. Book the separate rooftop tour for the only elevated angle over Maria-Theresien-Platz.
• Leopold MuseumMuseums
  The largest Schiele collection anywhere, inside a white limestone cube in the MuseumsQuartier. The upper-floor windows frame the Natural History Museum dome, a clean interior-to-exterior shot with no queue.
• Haus des MeeresZoos & aquariums
  An aquarium built inside a WWII flak tower, with a rooftop terrace on top. The tropical house atrium is bright enough for handheld work, and the roof is the best unobstructed view over the Sixth District at golden hour.
• Spanish Riding SchoolNightlife & music
  Cameras are banned during the gala performances, but the far cheaper morning exercise sessions use the same white baroque hall and the same Lipizzaners with much looser rules. Sit in the upper gallery and expect ISO 6400 under the chandeliers.
• KarlskircheReligious sites
  When the panorama lift is running, the ticket puts you metres from the dome frescoes, so ask at the desk on arrival. Outside, the twin columns reflect in the Resselpark pool and that is the blue-hour frame.
• MonzaGo-karting
  Indoor karting.
• Monza Grand Prix go-kart trackGo-karting
  Outdoor kart circuit.
• Daytona RacewaysGo-karting
  Indoor karting.
• The HofburgPalaces
  addr Michaelerkuppel, 1010 Wien. The Austrian president's residence.
• Kunst Haus WienMuseums
  addr Untere Weissgerberstrasse 13, 1030 Wien. Second Hundertwasser building.
• Hundertwasser HouseArchitecture
  addr Kegelgasse 36-38, 1030 Wien. Hides in plain sight, no signage.
• Graben and PestsauleHistoric quarters
  addr Graben 28, 1010 Wien. Shopping street with the Plague Column.

Where to stay

Hotels near these spots are shown on the map as bed pins, grouped into three price bands, with a booking link for each one. Open the map and tick “Hotels” in the legend.