2 Days in Vienna: Schönbrunn Is the One to Prioritise
A short two-day Vienna itinerary — Schönbrunn Palace and the Gloriette, the Hofburg and St Stephen's, Klimt at the Belvedere, and the coffee houses.
I had two days in Vienna, which isn't long for a city this size. So rather than pretend otherwise, here's the honest version: what I did, and the one thing I'd tell anyone to make room for.
That one thing is Schönbrunn Palace. If your time in Vienna is short, put it first. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Day 1: Schönbrunn and the imperial centre
Schönbrunn Palace
The former imperial summer residence, and the highlight of my two days. The palace itself is the draw, but don't treat the gardens as an afterthought — they're vast, they're free to walk, and they're a large part of what makes the place.
Walk up to the Gloriette. It's the colonnade on the hill behind the palace, and the climb gives you the whole of Schönbrunn laid out below with the city behind it. This is the view worth the legs.
The city centre
The Hofburg — the winter palace — holds the imperial apartments and the Sisi Museum.
The Spanish Riding School is next door. Note that there are two different things you can see: a full performance, or the morning exercise, which is cheaper and earlier. Check which is running before you plan your day around it.
St Stephen's Cathedral anchors the middle of the city, and you can climb the tower.
Finish along Graben and Kohlmarkt, the grand shopping streets running off the cathedral square, and eat somewhere in the Innere Stadt.
Day 2: Art and coffee
The Belvedere is where Klimt's The Kiss hangs, and it's the reason most people come.
The Naschmarkt is the city's big food market, and a good breakfast stop.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum and the MuseumQuartier sit close together, so you can do one properly or graze across both depending on your appetite for galleries.
Then a coffee house, and take your time over it. Café Central and Café Sacher are the famous two. The thing to understand about Viennese coffee houses is that lingering is the point — nobody will move you along, and rushing one defeats the exercise.
Worth knowing
- Schönbrunn is the priority if you only get one big thing. The palace and the Gloriette together are half a day well spent.
- Two days is tight. I wouldn't try to add much more than the above to it.
- Check the Spanish Riding School schedule — performance and morning exercise are different events at different prices.
- The centre is walkable and the trams are good for everything beyond it.
Ready to explore more? Check out my 4-day Austria road trip covering Salzburg and Hallstatt, my Prague city break, 2 days in Belgium, and 3 days in the Netherlands.