48 Hours In Vienna, Austria: Exploring The City Of Music

This post will share all the details of how I spent 48 hours in Vienna.

I headed to Vienna, Austria, for my first international trip of the year.

I had planned to visit Geneva, Switzerland, in February, but I cancelled my flight at the last minute because I did not feel like waking up at 4 am for a 6 am flight.

So I was looking forward to this trip.

For this year, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and explore more of Central Europe.

I spent most of 2022 exploring Western and Southern Europe, and now it is time to do more.

Naturally, as a solo traveller, I find this part of the continent more diverse and generally safe for women.

So, venturing out of my comfort zone took much more courage, especially in a less diverse part of Europe.

But this year, I’m determined to make it work one way or another.

Also, I’m looking forward to hitting a few new countries while returning to my faves, which include Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Italy.

Without further ado, let’s get into all the details.

How To Spend 48 Hours In Vienna As A Solo Traveller

Vienna is the capital city of Austria, a country in Central Europe.

The city sits on the Danube River’s banks, the second longest river in Europe.

It originates from Germany and flows through nine European counties, including three capital cities: Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade and Bratislava.

Yes, you can take a ferry through these cities.

I had quite an interesting but unsurprising experience in Vienna.

So far, nothing has beaten the terrible experience I had in Copenhagen.

While I had little to no expectations of the reception I would get from the city as a Black woman, I’m happy to say the city disappointed me.

Don’t get me wrong, Vienna is magnificent, and I would love to return.

But there’s only so much you can bear from a homogenous city.

The diversity is quite frankly appalling, which makes the idea of staying for an extended period deeply uncomfortable.

Despite being a capital city, the residents were still unwelcoming and unfriendly.

Would I go back to Vienna?

Maybe, but only on a day trip this time because the Airport transfer service is brilliant.

With that being said, let’s get down to business.

Flights

Cost: £50.48/€67.19 return

I took a 9.25 am flight to Vienna International Airport on a Monday morning.

I’ve said several times that I try to avoid travelling at the weekends because the prices are extortionate.

The difference between the prices of flights between Monday and Wednesday and Thursday and Sunday is just crazy, so I stick to the former.

For the first time, I flew a subsidiary of a Ryanair flight.

This time, it was Lauda Europe, which is based in Vienna.

My body could tell the difference between the two operators.

Other than that, the flights were generally pleasant.

The flight was about two hours, and it went by quickly.

Airport Transfer

I might consider returning to Vienna on a day trip because of the airport transfer.

I live for airports with train stations.

I generally prefer them to coaches/buses because I get motion sickness.

Plus trains are also faster.

You can get to the city centre from Vienna Airport in different ways, but the regular trains are the most convenient.

Now, the airport has a special express train called the City Airport Train(CAT), which takes only 16 minutes to get to the city centre but costs €14.80 in return.

Except you’re running late and about to miss your flight, I do not recommend this train.

It’s mostly a waste of money when you can get a much cheaper option for €1 – 5 one way.

The journey takes about 30 to 45 minutes to the Vienna Central Station with stops, but it is fast.

You wouldn’t notice anything.

Accommodation

Cost – €121.58 for two nights

This year, I decided to temporarily switch from hostels to hotels because I realised I wasn’t getting enough sleep at night.

Unlike many solo travellers, I work a 9-5, but I can frequently travel with my annual leave allowance.

More often than not, with my short city breaks, I’m always the exception in hostels.

Towards the end of last year, I noticed that I was always returning from my trips exhausted.

I wasn’t getting enough sleep in the hostels due to several distractions.

I’m not a deep sleeper and am easily affected by noise.

For this trip, I decided to stay at the Riess City Hotel, right in the city centre.

This is a sleek, modern hotel whose selling point is around self-check-in.

This means you would not need to speak to a staff member for anything from the beginning to the end of your stay.

Honestly, this was fine by me.

I booked a single room that was clean and spacious, with tasteful decor and a few necessary facilities for a short, comfortable stay.

I believe I left the hotel well-rested despite being near a busy street.

For the quality, the room was surprisingly also very affordable.

Plus, the transport links couldn’t be more convenient.

A tram stop about two minutes away takes you directly to the city centre.

It’s also walkable if you decide to go on foot.

More importantly, the fee included the tourist tax, making the booking seamless.

I would stay there again if I needed to.

Getting Around Vienna

Cost: €14.10 for 48 hours

€19.60 for 48 hours + Airport transfer

Typically, I prefer not to buy transport tickets until I gauge the city centre.

More often than not, many city centres can be explored on foot.

But then, factors like the weather and distance to your hotel can determine how you will get around.

Once I got to the Vienna Central Station from the airport, I had to find my way to my hotel.

The easiest and most effective route I found was via the tram.

Thankfully, I had bought a 48-hour day pass at the airport to hop in and out of the trams throughout my trip.

Just so you know, you can buy either your 24-, 48- or 72-hour pass with your airport train ticket at the airport.

You’ll find ticket machines which are unmissable around.

Meals & Shopping

When travelling on a budget, one of the ways I try to cut down my expenses is by eating out less.

Thankfully, I’m not an adventurous eater, so I can get by with basic meals.

Notwithstanding, whenever I visit any city known for its excellent cuisine, I try to eat out at least once.

So, if you want to spend 48 hours in Vienna on a budget, ensure you take advantage of the supermarkets to get meal deals.

Look out for the SPAR outlets for affordable groceries.

You’ll also find street vendors that sell authentic street food, including the ‘Vienna hotdog‘, which you can get for around €5-6

For affordable restaurants, I suggest you go on Google Maps to read reviews and find a menu that works with your budget.

Attractions

Possibly the only redeemable thing about Vienna is the abundance of attractions.

There’s just so much to see and do to keep you busy.

You could easily stay a week and won’t run out of things to do.

Every corner of the city radiates opulence.

The historic buildings, including the palaces, all feel majestic, and you want to keep walking around all day.

Vienna screams wealth and royalty, unlike any city I’ve ever visited.

If you ignore the unfriendly residents, the vibes just hit differently.

Now, to deeply enjoy and appreciate this city, the weather has to be great.

Unfortunately, the weather was horrible on my first full day in the city.

It was blistering cold and windy, so much so that I had to jump on a sightseeing bus if I was going to get anywhere.

After an hour of roaming about with no progress, I eventually took the Vienna Sightseeing Bus from the Opera House.

It cost a whooping €27/£23.80, so I ensured I took full advantage of the tour.

By the time I was done in the evening, I was a bit satisfied.

I managed to see the major attractions in a few hours.

So if you want to spend a stress-free 24 or 48 hours in Vienna, the City of Music, I suggest you jump on a sightseeing bus.

Here are some must-see attractions you should pay attention to:

Iconic Landmarks

• Hofburg: The 13th-century former imperial palace and winter residence of the Austrian dynasty. Also, the current official home and workplace of the President of Austria.
• Schönbrunn Palace: The 15th-century 1,441-room Summer residence of the Austrian dynasty. Now a UNESCO Heritage Site. You’ll also find the world’s oldest zoo in the palace gardens.
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral: 11th-century Romanesque and Gothic cathedral, which happens to be Vienna’s most important religious building.
• United Nations Office: Located in the Vienna Internation Centre, this is one. of the four principal offices of the UN. There’s a daily guided walking tour for €15.
• Danube Tower: A 19th-century tower on the Danube River’s banks, Vienna’s tallest structure. If you’re not afraid of heights, it is a fantastic viewpoint from which you can see the skyline of Vienna.
• Imperial Crypt: A 16th-century burial vault beneath a church and monastery for the Austrian dynasty.
• Vienna State Opera: 18th-century massive opera house which is unmissable.
• Austrian Parliament Building: An 18th-century Greek Revival-style building quite frankly iconic. It was recently reopened after five years of renovation.
• Mozarthaus Vienna: The 17th-century residence of Mozart.
• Karlskirche: 17th-century Baroque Catholic church with a striking dome.

Museums

• Albertina: One of the world’s most visited museums with the most prominent print rooms, which houses a collection of classical graphic arts.
• Belvedere: A 16th-century museum with the most extensive collection of Austrian art dating from the Middle Ages to the present.
• Leopold Museum: Another art museum home to the most extensive collection of modern Austrian art.
• Kunsthistorisches Museum: The 18th-century classical art museum, the largest in the country.
• Natural History Museum: One of the world’s prominent natural history museums, home to over 30 million objects across human, earth, and life sciences.
• The Secession Building: An 18th-century exhibition hall completed on behalf of a group of rebel artists.

Experiences

If you have the time, here are some experiences you can combine with sightseeing and attractions:

• Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert in Karlskirche
• Mozart and Strauss Concert in Schoenbrunn
• Chocolate Workshop in Chocolate Museum w/ Tasting
• Vienna: City Cruise

Finally,

As you can tell, there’s so much to see and do that I couldn’t contain it within my 48 hours in Vienna. In hindsight, I’m glad I jumped on the sightseeing bus.

There’s no way I could have covered as much ground in one day.

So, if you’re looking for a city break that will keep you fully occupied, you must visit Vienna. It reminds me so much of Rome.

I’ll be returning to Salzburg before the end of the year.