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Vienna Culture & history

Our most recommended Vienna Culture & history

Vienna: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert in Karlskirche

1. Vienna: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert in Karlskirche

Experience Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, a masterpiece of classical music. Visit Vienna’s Karlskirche and listen to the concertos of a string quartet and basso continuo. The performance by Orchestra 1756, a classical period instrument ensemble, makes this concert extraordinary. Enjoy a journey through time with this evening concert and experience unforgettable moments with historical sounds. The Four Seasons includes four of twelve revolutionary violin concertos that interpret each season of the year. Four sonnets are the inspiration for this masterpiece that takes you into a world of sound, with thunder and lightning, cracking ice and birdsong, a sleeping shepherd boy, hunting parties, and many other places. Program: Le quattro stagioni – The Four Seasons Spring, Op. 8 Nr. 1 Summer, Op. 8 Nr. 2 Autumn, Op. 8 Nr. 3 Winter, Op. 8 Nr. 4 One or two additional parts which are changing from week to week and could be from these composers: Works by W. A. Mozart, J. S. Bach, H. I. F Biber, and other major composers.

Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens Skip-the-Line Tour

2. Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens Skip-the-Line Tour

Visit the Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens and gain quick access inside this Viennese gem on a guided tour that includes skip-the-line tickets. Follow a licensed guide through lavish interiors, learn about the Habsburgs Royal Family, and explore the ornate palace gardens. Meet your guide in front of the palace and start with an informative introduction to the history of the royal compound. Receive a modern audio device so that you can always hear the tour’s live narration along the way. Benefit from priority entrance tickets and gain quick access inside the palace. Marvel at the grand entrance and begin your guided walk through 22 staterooms of the famous Austrian palace. Admire the 40-meter long Great Gallery and the Hall of Ceremonies and see how the Habsburg Dynasty lived as you stroll through lavish halls and peek into private chambers. Listen to entertaining stories about the former royals, which are infused typical Viennese humor by your local and friendly guide. Learn not only about the fascinating history of the royal family of Habsburgs and the famous Empress Sissi but also about how the palace has evolved in modern times and where the royal descendants now live. Following the tour, enjoy the opportunity to walk around the gardens at your own pace and catch a glimpse of the Gloriette, an arch on top of a hill overlooking Vienna’s forests.

Vienna: Upper Belvedere & Permanent Collection Entry Ticket

3. Vienna: Upper Belvedere & Permanent Collection Entry Ticket

The Belvedere in Vienna is one of the leading museums worldwide. Its famous art collection includes works ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. The unique complex, with its two palaces of the Upper and Lower Belvedere and extensive gardens, is one of the most stunning Baroque architectural marvels in the world. Highlights include the world's largest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings as well as prominent works from the periods of Viennese Biedermeier, Austrian Baroque, Vienna around 1900, and French Impressionism. Now, for the first time in decades, the museum will once again host large-scale special exhibitions that you can admire on your visit. In the 18th century, the Austrian general Prince Eugene of Savoy commissioned the renowned Baroque architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt to build the complex. After the death of Prince Eugene, Empress Maria Theresa acquired the entire complex and transformed the Upper Belvedere into an exhibition venue for the imperial collections – making it one of the first public museums in the world. The Lower Belvedere, formerly the residence of Prince Eugene, is home to illustrious exhibitions. The Baroque gardens of the Belvedere rank among the most beautiful in the world. The main garden is situated between the Lower and the Upper Belvedere and extends over three large terraces. The Belvedere park is also home to the Botanical Garden and the oldest Alpine garden in Europe.

Vienna: Hofburg and Empress Sisi Museum Guided Tour

4. Vienna: Hofburg and Empress Sisi Museum Guided Tour

Hear about the life of Empress Elisabeth (commonly known as Sisi), of Austria-Hungary on a guided walking tour of Vienna. Meet your guide at the Albertina and make your way straight to the Hofburg, where you will explore the former Imperial Apartments. Discover more about the daily life of the Empress. Then, visit the Augustinian Church where the Bavarian princess married Emperor Franz Josef in 1854. Afterwards, pay a visit to her favourite confectioner, her favourite jeweller, as well as other shops where Sisi liked to indulge in some retail therapy. Hear anecdotes and curiosities about the life of the famous empress and be amazed by her complex character and personality. Finally, have the option of booking an additional visit to the Imperial Crypt. Located beneath the Capuchin Church, see Sisi's final resting place as well as the burial sites of other famous figures of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Vienna: Classical Concert at Mozarthaus

5. Vienna: Classical Concert at Mozarthaus

Witness the Mozart Ensemble Vienna and enjoy a moving and unforgettable concert at Mozart's first house in Vienna, Mozarthaus. Hear music from the Viennese Classical Period, including Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Beethoven, and more. Step into Vienna’s historic city center, near both St. Stephan’s Cathedral and Hofburg, and enter the Sala Terrena at Mozarthaus Vienna. Built as part of the monastery of the German Knightly Order in the second half of the 12th century, view the refined architecture and ornate frescos of the Sala Terrena. Walk in the footsteps of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who lived in the monastery in 1781, and hear his symphonies where he used to play. Experience Viennese classical music in an authentic setting and let the night drift by as the Mozart Ensemble Vienna performs.

Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace Evening Tour, Dinner and Concert

6. Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace Evening Tour, Dinner and Concert

Spend a wonderful evening at Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace with a tour, dinner, and concert. Immerse yourself in the world of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Franz Joseph I and explore the imperial hunting lodge after hours with your smartphone. Tuck into a 3-course dinner before a classical concert. 15 minutes before the start of the tour, please be at the visitors entrance of the Palace, which is at the left side wing of the Palace. One of our employees will welcome you there. Marvel at the magnificent architecture and exquisite interiors as you listen to your smartphone guide. Then, enjoy a 3-course dinner at a restaurant within walking distance of the palace. After dinner, head back to the Orangery to enjoy music by Mozart and experience a concert in the magnificent concert hall. Enjoy the marvelous overtures, arias, and duets from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s concertos and operas, such as “The Marriage of Figaro”, “The Magic Flute”, and “Don Giovanni”. The most popular arias, waltzes, and polkas of the waltz king Johann Strauss will delight you during the second half, such as “Die Fledermaus”, “The Gypsy Baron”, “The Blue Danube”, and “Radetzky March”. The orchestra is accompanied by 2 opera singers.

Vienna: Classical Concert in St. Anne's Church

7. Vienna: Classical Concert in St. Anne's Church

Enjoy a classical concert by a string ensemble of musicians from renowned Viennese orchestras. The program includes complete works by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven or Schubert, played on period instruments and therefore recreating the atmosphere of the golden age of the Viennese Classic Era. St. Anne's Church ( Annakirche), the concert venue, is located in the heart of Vienna and is considered an architectural masterpiece with splendid acoustics and Baroque ambiance. Vienna is widely known as the capital of music. Enjoy a live performance in the city of Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, and Beethoven. The church is heated during the cold months.

Vienna: Mozart and Strauss Concert in Schoenbrunn

8. Vienna: Mozart and Strauss Concert in Schoenbrunn

Take part in this excursion to a concert in the Orangerie Schönbrunn in Vienna, a city full of magical castles and palaces, spectacular musical events and a courtly tradition dating back many hundreds of years. In Schönbrunn you will experience the magic and spectacle of this UNESCO world heritage site, where Mozart once played the harpsichord. Feel welcome at the Schönbrunn Palace. Listen as the Palace Orchestra plays masterpieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss. On selected dates, the concerts take place in the Great Gallery or in the White-Gold Room directly in the Palace, in the Schönbrunn Palace Theatre or other concert halls in Vienna.

Vienna: Classical Concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral

9. Vienna: Classical Concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral

Visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, one of the most beautiful buildings in the Austrian capital. Whether you're a music aficionado or simply curious, you're sure to enjoy the tremendous acoustics within the cathedral walls. Choose from famous classical or Christmas shows for an elegant concert in Vienna. Admire the jewels of classical music at St. Stephen's Cathedral, where W. A. Mozart and J. Haydn once played. Listen to the great works of European composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach, even during Christmas time (if option selected). Enjoy the Advent Concert with the world-famous Vienna Symphony Orchestra on December 7, 2023, a seasonal highlight. Celebrate the 225th anniversary of the composition of Haydn's The Creation with a fitting performance. Hear Mozart's famous Requiem at the All Saints Weekend and at midnight on December 4, the hour of Mozart's death. Listen to a concert on the new Giant Organ (if organ concert option selected) with mighty sounds from more than 12,000 pipes, one of the biggest organ units of Europe. Hear world-class organists play a wide-ranging program with masterful virtuosity in the central nave of the church.

Vienna: Time Travel and Magic Vienna History Tour

10. Vienna: Time Travel and Magic Vienna History Tour

Experience fun and action for the whole family and travel through 400 years of Vienna's history. Lose yourself In the extensive cellars of the St. Michael's monastery, on this journey into Vienna's past. Through the use of the latest in entertainment technology travel through time, going back to the days of the ancient Roman camp of Vindobona up to present-day Vienna – a thrilling experience for the senses. Get to know some of the most important people in Viennese history and listen to what they have to say in the portrait gallery. Visit the 5D cinema, where spectacular effects give you the impression of really living in ancient Vienna. Witness imperial Vienna and learn about the nobility of the Viennese court. Meet the imperial family personally, and create your own impressions of the royal highnesses of the past. With the help of new technology and VR glasses, have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a virtual reality and to experience the course of Viennese music history in a special simulated world. With Enemy Aircraft!, feel as though World War II is raging all around you and you find yourself inside a bomb shelter. In Austria is free!, listen to the moving speech by Chancellor Figl within the battered remnants of Vienna, and feel the sigh of relief from the citizens of Austria. Finally, enjoy a special treat: simulated flying over the roofs of Vienna. Your journey ends with a beautiful virtual horse-drawn carriage flight over present-day Vienna.

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What people are saying about Vienna

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 6,338 reviews

We had an incredible experience with Haas & Haas, learning about the history of wine making in Vienna and sampling their wine to. Bernie was very knowledgeable and made sure the experience was fantastic. The shop itself was also brilliant for gifts/treats after the experience! Would definitely do again when in Vienna!

beautiful church, in a central location. very talented musicians. The lengh of the concert was just right, even though we didn't recognize the pieces they played

We will return, it's great for the kids and also for teens and let's bot forget the grown-ups.

Such a fun experience and very informative! The staff were amazing and very friendly

Excellent museum with lots of interesting exhibits