Downtown Vienna: A Self-Guided Audio Tour
- 1–1.5 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
This self-guided audio tour takes you through Vienna's historic city center, where the entire city once stood within medieval walls. You'll explore the Imperial Palace complex including the Spanish Riding School and Habsburg Wedding Church, then dive into the heart of downtown to discover the city's past through major landmarks like St Stephen's Cathedral and the Habsburg royal burial ground. Marvel at the bronze statue of Emperor Joseph II, the strangest Habsburg emperor who believed in equality, and visit Vienna's first Holocaust memorial while learning about the city's Jewish community that was once Europe's third largest. Stroll through elegant streets where you'll hear about both the glory and darker aspects of 650 years of Habsburg rule, ending at the controversial Looshaus that shocked imperial Vienna in 1909.
Inclusions
What's included
- Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
- App for Android and iOS
- Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
- Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
What's not
- Smartphone and headphones
- Personal expenses for attractions not included during the tour
- Food and Drink
- Transport
Itinerary
You'll stand before the impressive bronze statue of Prince Eugene on horseback in this grand imperial square. Marvel at how this military hero who defeated the Ottoman Empire still commands respect in the heart of Habsburg Vienna.
You'll walk through the sprawling complex that served as the imperial palace for over 600 years. Explore the courtyards and facades where Habsburg emperors once ruled an empire stretching across Central Europe.
You'll pass the elegant baroque building where white Lipizzaner stallions have performed for centuries. Stroll by this living tradition that continues to showcase the refined equestrian arts of imperial Vienna.
You'll see the bronze statue of Emperor Joseph II, the enlightened ruler who shocked his subjects by abolishing serfdom. Walk through this peaceful square while learning about the Habsburg emperor who believed in equality and faced revolution for it.
You'll gaze up at the stunning baroque facade of one of the world's most beautiful libraries. Pass this intellectual treasure house that holds centuries of Austrian and European knowledge within its ornate walls.
You'll stand before Vienna's towering Gothic masterpiece with its distinctive diamond-patterned roof tiles. Marvel at this medieval church that has witnessed 700 years of Vienna's triumphs and tragedies from its position at the city's heart.
You'll encounter Vienna's powerful memorial dedicated to the victims of war and fascism. Stroll past this modern sculpture while reflecting on the city's darker chapters and commitment to remembrance.
You'll walk by the modest entrance to the Habsburg family's final resting place beneath the Capuchin Church. Pass this underground vault where 150 members of Austria's imperial dynasty lie in elaborate bronze coffins.
You'll stroll through this charming square where Viennese nobility once gathered for markets and celebrations. Walk across these cobblestones where you might still spot members of Vienna's aristocratic families going about their daily lives.
You'll stand before this dramatic baroque monument that spirals toward heaven with golden figures and cherubs. Marvel at this ornate column that commemorates Vienna's survival of the plague while serving as bold Habsburg propaganda.
You'll walk down Vienna's most elegant pedestrian shopping street lined with baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. Stroll past luxury boutiques and historic facades while soaking up the atmosphere of imperial Vienna's main thoroughfare.
You'll end your tour at this controversial modernist building that shocked Vienna in 1909 with its stark, undecorated facade. Pass this architectural rebel that caused such outrage Emperor Franz Joseph reportedly had his palace curtains drawn to avoid seeing it.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 51
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Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- This tour starts at the big bronze statue of Prince Eugene in Heldenplatz. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- VoiceMap Audio Tours
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Vienna
- Its from-price is 93% below the median of the 1219 experiences we list in Vienna.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 609 of 1219.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Vienna
Vienna is Austria's elegant capital on the Danube, a city of imperial palaces, grand coffeehouses and a musical heritage known the world over.
The Ringstrasse circles the old centre with monumental buildings: the State Opera, the Parliament, the City Hall and the Burgtheater. Inside the ring, St Stephen's Cathedral, with its patterned tile roof, rises above lanes of shops and cafés, and the Hofburg palace complex holds the imperial apartments, the Spanish Riding School and a museum devoted to Empress Elisabeth.
Top-ranked sights in Vienna: Hofburg Imperial Palace (Hofburg Wien) , Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn), Rathaus.
Special offers in Vienna
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
