It is that time of the year again when people start thinking about holidays, and spending some quality time together as a family. If you usually spend the holidays away, have you thought about travelling to Vienna? With its captivating modern elegance and rich history, Vienna is a fascinating destination for families. In this article, we’ll take you through many of its most beautiful and enjoyable attractions.

Moving Around

European cities are known for their outstanding public transport facilities and Vienna is not the exception to the rule. You can rely on the metro, the different bus lines, a hop-on-hop-off bus or even a ferry to easily take you from one place to the other.

However, if you are travelling with children or visiting Vienna as part of a larger road trip around Central Europe, you’ll feel more comfortable driving a rental car. Whichever car rental agency that you choose and car brand and model you rent, don’t forget to purchase a reliable and affordable car rental damage insurance policy to make sure you’ll enjoy a

safe ride.

Experience Royalty at the Schönbrunn Palace

Also known as the Imperial City, the Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most touristy attractions in Vienna. This stunning building used to be the Habsburg’s summer residence and it’s one of the must-sees in any visit to Vienna.

The gardens that surround the building are absolutely stunning. You’ll be naturally drawn to its irresistibly frustrating maze and its Gloriette offers jaw-dropping views across the city. Schönbrunn Palace is one of the most famous Baroque complexes and it was redesigned in the early 1740s. There are 1441 rooms in the palace, but only 45 are open for visitors. Did you know that Mozart made music in its mirrored hall when he was a 6 year old prodigy?

Schönbrunn Zoo

Considered one of the best zoos in Europe, more than two million visitors yearly come to Schönbrunn Zoo to admire panda babies, newborn elephants and many rare animals. Animal compounds are carefully designed and have generous dimensions. More than 700 animal species can be found here, including rhinoceros, Siberian tigers and koalas. Children will love the South American enclosure and the polar bears in their 1700 m2 enclosure. And who wouldn’t love admiring the hippos happily splashing in their pond?

The Hofburg Palace

The Hofburg Palace was the heart of the Imperial Austria and it was inhabited by the Imperial Family until 1918. Today, it’s the official residence of the Austrian president and the home of many of the city’s top museums and galleries.The staterooms are exquisitely painted in yellow, green and turquoise and partly furnished with original furniture. It’s an amazing trip back in time to the Imperial Vienna!

The Sisi Museum, devoted to Austria’s most beloved empress, Empress Elizabeth, is the highlight to see. There are multilingual audio guides and ladies will love to see the clothing and jewellery she wore daily and for special occasions.

The Belvedere

The Belvedere is much more than a beautiful Baroque Palace; it is the home of one of the most well-curated art collections. The palace is divided into the Upper and the Lower Belvedere and it houses Austrian art from the Middle Ages to present days. At the heart of The Belvedere are 24 paintings by Gustav Klimt, including “The Kiss” and “Judith”.  

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Dating from the 12th century, St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the symbol of Vienna. It’s a stunning Gothic structure with four towers. The tallest one offers great 360° views of the city only to those brave enough to climb up its 343 steps.

While in St Stephen’s Cathedral, don’t forget to look up and admire its colorful ceiling. It’s filled with tiles of different colours that recreate the Royal and Imperial double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna. It is one of those attractions that you can’t miss. It has valuable altars and side chapels as well as invaluable relics. Numerous important people were buried here too, and their tombs are exquisitely ornate.

You really can’t miss visiting the treasury. It is located a floor above the main church floor, there are usually less people visiting it and allows you to enjoy great views of the church interior. You are invited to visit the north and the south towers (paid option).

Vienna For Children

Zoom Children’s Museum

With its 1600 square meters, the Zoom Children’s Museum is all about exploring, playing and touching. Children (and adults, of course!) are invited to put their five senses to the test. There are multiple exhibitions that take children to adventure areas where they can learn everything about the oceans, the world underwater and life in the sea. Some areas invite children to try different art techniques and materials, while others are dedicated to school-age children and are hands-on interactive and participatory exhibitions. There’s also an animation studio that will keep your teenagers really interested!

Children’s Museum (Kaiser Kindy)

Kaiser Kindy is all about having fun; and tons of it! Children are invited to dress up as queens or princesses, and can sit on thrones and play with toys from imperial times. What about decorating the table for an imperial banquet? Or what about decorating an old style wig? Everything is related to Imperial Vienna and children will leave the place educated on what was life like during the era of the Empire.

Enjoy Vienna from Above

The Wiener Riesenrad & The Danube Tower

Erected in 1897, Wiener Riesenrad is a giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater. It is one of the city’s symbols and offers a breathtaking view of the city on the Danube. The Danube Tower, with its 252 meters and its two fast lifts offers visitors one of the best opportunities to see Vienna from above. There’s a restaurant and café on top that revolve around its own axis so you can enjoy a privileged 360° view of Vienna while sipping a cup of Austrian coffee and a tasty pastry.

Enjoy Vienna And Its Museums

Vienna seduces curious minds and artistic spirits with its various museums. Whether they are dedicated to art, science or the city’s famous artists or thinkers, you definitely can’t miss them!

The Kunsthistorisches Museum

Located near the Imperial Palace, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is the house of the extensive collections of the imperial family. It ranks as one of the top world museums and it has the largest collection of Bruegel paintings. Children will definitely find the wonderful Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, fascinating! Don’t miss the Kunstkammer Vienna. It’s a chamber of art and wonders where you’ll be able to see curiosities of the Habsburgs and precious artworks from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque era.  

The Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna

From insects to gemstones and minerals or pterodactyls, the Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna has a collection of 20 million objects that describe the history of the earth and its natural wonders. Children and adults alike are fascinated by the numerous taxidermy specimens of animals that are either extinct or in risk of extinction. The jewel of such a stunning collection is the “Venus von Willendor”. Despite being only 11 centimeters tall, it’s 29,500 years old and a masterpiece of Early Stone Age sculpture. It is one of most famous archaeological discoveries and it is displayed along the 36.000 year-old Statuette von Stratzing.

The digital planetarium, with its impressive inner dome and Fulldome technology offers live presentations on different topics related to astronomy, biology, prehistory and the deep sea.

Is there a young paleontologist in the family? Take him or her to the dinosaur hall! Not only dinosaur fans can admire skeletons and remains of these gigantic beasts but also share some time with a lifelike allosaurus that moves and makes terrifying noises! Space fans will have a blast at the Meteorite Room with its stunning collection of meteorites. There are 1100 rocks to be seen!  

Vienna’s Museum of Sound

Music lovers will have a blast at Vienna’s Museum of Sound (Haus der Musik). As soon as you cross the entrance door you’ll be embarked on a musical journey that you won’t be able to forget. There are five floors that invite you to explore the world of sound and noise phenomena. You can listen to music but also see, feel and even create noises yourself. You’ll be able to observe the great composers, spy how they work and look at the future of computer music.  Needless to say, installations are fascinating. Children love the virtostage for children, a multimedia and interactive production, while Namadeus and Facing Mozart are just stunning exhibitions.

Tour the Vienna’s Ringstrasse

Vienna’s Ringstrasse is long enough to provide space for numerous monumental buildings. From the Vienna State Opera to the Museum of Fine Arts, the different buildings are amongst the most remarkable sights of the city. It’s definitely nice to tour the Ringstrasse by tram. As the road encircles the city’s historic centre, you can comfortably enjoy a glimpse of this area of Vienna and orientate yourself around.

Visit The Best Christmas Markets in Vienna

Austrian Christmas markets are probably the best and most charming in Europe. The city’s most scenic spots are filled with the festive atmosphere and the aroma of the baked goods to get everyone ready for Christmas.

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Updated on 9/26/22