My Photography & Travel Guide to Vienna, Austria

Vienna (“Wien” in German) is a must-visit city for photographers. It is for good reason that for more than a decade, it has held the title of “most livable city” in the world.

Vienna is a city rich in culture. It has stunning museums, cafes where iconic writers once visited, beautiful churches, Baroque architecture, and much more. Not only is it the birthplace of the waltz, but it was also home to Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, and Johannes Brahms.

I have visited Vienna a half-dozen times, and in this blog, I have listed my recommendations for the best photography locations in the city.

Where to Eat?

It is hard to have a bad meal in Vienna. This is the city that created Wiener Schnitzel. Some of the best cafes in the world are also in Vienna. In these cafes, you can sit for hours without someone asking you to leave. Here are a few of our favorites:

Fabios - located right next to the Rosewood Hotel, is an excellent Italian restaurant.

Do & Co in the Albertina Museum - after visiting the Albertina Museum, a wonderful place to have lunch is Do & Co.

Trześniewski - Make sure to try the sandwiches from Trześniewski. It has been a Viennese institution for 120 years and serves more than 5,000 sandwiches per day. They serve dark bread sandwiches with more than 20 different toppings. Bacon and egg are the most popular. The recipes have remained largely unchanged and are closely guarded secrets.

Cafes - one thing that should not be missed are the cafes of Vienna. They are among the best in the world. Here are some of my favorites: Café Central, Café Landtmann, CAFÉ HAWELKA, CAFÉ SACHER, CAFÉ SPERL, CAFÉ PRÜCKEL CAFÉ SCHWARZENBERG, and CAFÉ FRAUENHUBER.

Coffee (Kaffee in German) is part of Vienna's culture. There’s a reason Vienna is known as the coffee center of Europe. If you’re visiting, make sure to try the coffee with a delicious cake. Some nice coffee shops are the Good Coffee Society, Cafe Fenster, and Balthasar Cafe.

Where to Stay?

Like most large cities, Vienna has a wide range of accommodations to suit every type of traveler and budget. I recommend staying close to the Graben Area, which is central and within walking distance of most attractions.

My favorite new hotel is the Rosewood in Vienna. The location, service, and rooms are just fantastic. You will be able to walk to many of the photo locations within 10 minutes.

I also loved the Park Hyatt. It is located in the former Bank of Austria building, right off the Graben.

Photography Locations

There is a lot to photograph in Vienna. The good thing is that most of the locations are very close together. Uber is available in Vienna for locations that require a car ride like the Schoonbrunn Palace.

Stallburg and the Spanish Riding School

Stallburg is a Renaissance courtyard from the 16th century where the Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School are stabled.

I recommend attending a performance by the Spanish Riding School. You are not allowed to take photos while they are having a performance.

The stallions are so beautiful, and the demonstrations are thoroughly impressive and entertaining. So, if you haven’t seen a performance, I would definitely check for event times and tickets! Click here to visit the official website for the Vienna Spanish Riding School.

Ferstel Passage

Ferstel Passage is an upscale arcade built by the Austrian architect Heinrich von Ferstel in 1860. The marble-clad passage with a vaulted ceiling is full of restaurants and stores. If you visit early in the morning you can find the passage way empty.

Triton Fountain

The city is full of beautiful fountains. One of the most famous is located in the Museum Quarter in between 2 museums.

Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library is the largest library in Austria, with more than 12 million items in its collections. The library is located in the Neue Burg Wing of the Hofburg in the center of Vienna.

The library was quite busy when I visited. There are lots of details to photograph in this beautiful library.

Museums quartier

The Museum Quartier is one of the largest museum quarters in the world. The area is not only home to many museums but also some wonderful restauants.

Make sure to go into the Museum of Natural History. The architecture and exhibits are wonderful.

A Long Exposure to Make the People Disappear

The ceiling inside the Library is simply incredible.

Their collection of rocks is unparalleled. There are so many shapes and colors that I have never seen before.

Albertina Museum

The Albertina Museum should not be missed. It contains over one million drawings and prints from the late Gothic to the present. From Michelangelo and Dürer to Rembrandt and Rubens, and from Klimt and Schiele to Picasso and to Richter and Lassnig.

I really wanted to see the drawings of Dürer shown below.

Even the stairwell into the museum is beautiful. After your visit the Do & Co Cafe is a wonderful place to stop for lunch.

Belvedere Palace

The Belvedere is a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Orangery and the Palace Stables.

Michaelerplatz & Hofburg Palace

Michaelerplatz is the plaza or square in front of the Hofburg Palace complex and Sisi Museum. Just about 50 meters away, you will find Café Central, which should not be missed.

The Hofburg Imperial Palace is a massive museum complex in the center of Vienna. The Habsburg royal family ruled from here for over seven centuries, leaving behind a treasure trove of art and antiquities.

In the center of Michaelerplatz lies an archeological site and museum where the remains of a Roman camp suburb and medieval building foundations were found.

The excavations can be visited at any time. More reading about this fascinating history and the museum can be found here.

While you walk under the passage way of the Hofburg Museum—make sure to look up at the ceiling.

ZUM Figlmuller Passage

Just around the corner from St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the Zum Figlmuller Passage. It is where you will find the best Wiener schnitzel in Vienna. The world-famous Figlmüller restaurant is where celebrities, locals, and tourists come to enjoy a good meal.

Graben

Graben is the famous, pedestrianized shopping street in Vienna. The entire street is also filled with cafes where you can sit and people-watch. The architecture and window shopping along Graben are something to be experienced even if you aren’t a big shopper.

There are beautiful buildings on the Graben like this one from the General Company. Stephensplatz, located at the very end of Graben.

Hundertwasserhaus & AlthanGRUND

If you’re interested in capturing some of the more unique and off-beat aspects of Vienna, there are also several hidden gems that are worth exploring. These are places that are not typically included in traditional travel guides but can offer a wealth of photographic opportunities for those who are willing to seek them out. One of these would be the District Heating Plant providing energy to the city. It’s probably the prettiest building I’ve ever seen with such a boring purpose!

A fun fact is that it was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the architect behind the famous Vienna landmark, the Hundertwasser House. When you compare the two, it’s really no surprise who the architect is. However, I’ll bet this building gets far fewer tourists snapping photos due to its removed location.

One such hidden gem is the Hundertwasserhaus, which is a colorful and whimsical apartment building designed by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The building’s unique architecture, with its undulating lines and brightly colored façade, make it a popular subject for Instagram photography.

Graffit & Murals

Exploring the street art was one of the highlights of my Vienna trip: high praise when there was so much else I loved about the city. In this guide, I’ll share my self-guided Vienna street art tour, which includes a map and tips for getting around. Enjoy!

Since 1995, there have been ‘legal walls’ in Vienna for street artists to play around with. New York was the first city to designate spaces for street artists to get creative. Vienna now has several legal spots for street art dotted around the city, which have attracted artists from around the world, such as Stinkfish, David Shillinglaw, and more.

There is also a lot of wonderful graffiti along the river walkways that go on for miles and miles.

Anker Clock

The Anker Clock is an Art Nouveau mechanical clock built in 1914 located on Hoher Markt street. It is a quick stop, but worth seeing on your rounds about town. Twelve historical figures rotate around the front when the clock strikes the hour.

Street Photography

There are tons of opportunities for Steet Photography in Vienna. I loved photographing people, details, and people sketching in front of the St Stephan Church, just to name a few.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom)

One of the most visited churches in Vienna is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The cathedral is massive. Once you catch your breath from the awe-inspiring gothic architecture, you can pay a small fee to go up either or both towers for a closer look at the multi-colored tile roof and panoramic views of the city.

At its tallest point, St. Stephen’s Cathedral reaches 136 meters, making it the tallest church in Austria and one of the most recognizable sights in Vienna. Visiting the main entrance is free, but you’ll need to purchase a ticket to see the cathedral in its entirety.

St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche)

Just a short walk from St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the early 18th-century St. Peter’s Church.

There are regular organ concerts, plus the church is often used as a concert venue for other fine art performances. Event calendars and more details are available here.

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

Located in the Inner City district of Vienna, the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Vienna, was constructed in 1858 and serves the city's huge Greek population. The area has been home to churches and places of worship since ancient times.

I found this church while walking around. It was an unexpected, great find.

The Rathaus

One of the tallest and most impressive buildings in central Vienna is the Rathaus. The towers look down majestically onto a central square and park alongside Vienna’s mighty Ringstrassen boulevard.

Schönbrunn Palace

The Schoonbrunn Palace was the summer residence of the Habsburg family. It is about a 20-minute car ride from the center of the city. I recommend going at Sunset.

It is also an imperial residence of the Habsburgs with Staterooms and 18th-century interiors from the time of Maria Theresia. Photography is not permitted inside the palace, but you can see a virtual tour on its website here.

The summer residence of the Habsburgs, Schönbrunn Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage.

The Church of St. Charles (Karlskirche)

St. Charles Church is an outstanding Baroque church located in Karlsplatz. This is a great spot for a Sunrise photo.

The marble inside this church is incredible. Built by Emperor Charles VI, the church was completed in 1739 and dedicated to St. Karl Borromäus. I especially enjoyed this church's access to the organ loft and the outside balcony overlooking Karlsplatz.

Vienna Christmas Markets

Vienna has over a dozen annual Christmas Markets, starting in mid-November and running until Christmas. They are located throughout the city in its most famous squares. The Christmas Market on Stephansplatz is adjacent to the cathedral. Around 40 wooden stalls offered mostly traditional Austrian gift items, Glühwein, and food.

If you have the chance to visit Vienna, do not hesitate. It is a wonderful city to explore for a few days.

If you have enjoyed this guide to Vienna, you can take a look at my other Photography & Travel Guides at this link.

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