Best Day Trips from Vienna
The once hallowed seat of the Habsburg Empire, Vienna spoils travelers with baroque palaces, fabled coffee houses, and plenty of cultural pizzazz. However, Austria’s stirring capital also serves as a great base for exploring some of the country’s other jewels. Here are the best day trips from Vienna.
See Storybook Settings in Salzburg
Storybook Salzburg could easily steal a week of your time, but even a swift day trip from Vienna will leave you mesmerized. The massive 900-year-old clifftop fortress, Festung Hohensalzburg, will consume a whole morning, while a wander through the historic Altstadt will take up the rest of your day.
Not much has changed since Mozart was born and raised here 250 years ago, except for the historic St Peter’s Stiftskeller, which serves food. Allegedly Europe’s oldest restaurant, it’s said to have been around since the 13th century. Reservations are essential.
Make sure to immerse yourself in the baroque finery at the DomQuartier’s cathedral and abbey, or enjoy a potent stein of monk-made ale at Augustiner Bräustübl.
Getting to Salzburg: The Railjet express travels direct from Wien Hauptbahnhof to Salzburg in under two hours, while regional trains require about two-and-a-half hours. The journey by car takes around three hours.
Go for a Stroll in the Vienna Woods
For superb hiking and a taste of mountains near Vienna, head to the Wienerwald. This 45km (28-mile) expanse of forested hills was immortalized in Johann Strauss Jr’s 1868 concert waltz, Tales from the Vienna Woods.
There are 11 walking trails to choose from, all easy day trips from the city. The best lead travelers deep into the forest. You’ll need about three hours to complete trail No. 4, a 7.2km (4.5-mile) trek that leads to the Jubiläumswarte lookout tower, offering sweeping views of Vienna and the distant Schneeberg peak.
A slightly longer option is trail No. 1, an 11km (6.8-mile) loop that starts in Nussdorf and climbs 484m (0.3 miles) up Kahlenberg, a vine-streaked hill with impressive city views.
Getting to the Wienerwald: For trail No. 1, tram D takes 27 minutes from the Ring to Nussdorf. For trail No. 4, tram line 49 takes 34 minutes from the Ring to Rettichgasse.
Hop Across the Border to Bratislava
A short zip across the border leads to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Overlooked by a mighty Renaissance castle, it’s easy to lose a morning wandering around the delightful old town, which merrily mixes medieval and Gothic architecture.
The heart of the city is Hlavné námestie (Main Square), where architectural beauty shines in every direction, particularly at the Stará Radnica (Old Town Hall). Look out for Soviet-era designs throughout the city, from stern statues to the space-age bridge.
Do not miss the art nouveau Blue Church, dedicated to St Elisabeth of Hungary. If you’re in search of a meal, the cellar restaurants serve generous portions of dumplings and fried cheese.
Getting to Bratislava: International trains take about one hour from Vienna to Bratislava, and the journey takes a similar amount of time by car.
See the Subterranean Lake at Seegrotte
This former limestone and gypsum mine, just over an hour from Vienna, closed in 1912 after a controlled explosion caused 20 million liters of water to flood its underground tunnels—resulting in the largest subterranean lake in Europe.
Visitors can stroll through echoing chambers and enjoy a short boat ride on its turquoise waters. The mine also displays military artifacts from WWII, as the Nazis secretly built aircraft in the mine’s upper sections. Small group tours last about 45 minutes.
Getting to Seegrotte: Take the S-Bahn from Vienna to Meidling, transfer for bus 364 or 365, and get off at Seegrotte. This journey takes around one hour 15 minutes, while the drive by car takes about 30 minutes.
Wander the Cobblestone Streets of Melk
Melk is an easy and rewarding day trip from Vienna, notably for its blockbuster abbey-fortress overlooking the Danube. The monastery church, with its twin spires and high octagonal dome, is a striking feature of the complex, showcasing a baroque décor that captivates visitors.
As day-trippers stream in from Krems, the cobblestone streets bustle throughout the year. Be sure to stop by Schloss Schallaburg to admire more than 400 terracotta sculptures, completed between 1572 and 1573, and pass the Altes Posthaus, dating back to 1792.
Getting to Melk: The regional train from Wien Westbahnhof to Melk station takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. The drive lasts about one hour and 10 minutes.
Discover the Arts and Culture of Graz
Graz, Austria’s second-largest city, is a bit over two hours from Vienna by car but offers a stunning combination of renaissance courtyards, baroque palaces, and vast parkland.
The captivating architecture of Kunsthaus Graz, a unique art gallery known as the “friendly alien,” catches visitors off guard. Its modern design contrasts starkly with the city’s traditional aesthetic.
For an equally striking yet traditional experience, visit Schloss Eggenberg, a beautiful 17th-century palace featuring magnificent courtyard arcades crafted by Italian master builder Giovanni Pietro de Pomis.
Getting to Graz: The train from Vienna to Graz takes around two hours and 30 minutes, while driving takes about two hours and 15 minutes.
Survey the Scene in Budapest
A couple of hours down the road lies Budapest, a former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, making for compelling comparisons to Vienna.
Begin in the Castle District, where Castle Hill towers above the Danube. Take in the scene from Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Gothic viewing platform built in 1905. Look out at the stunning Parliament building, often compared to London’s Palace of Westminster.
Spend time at the Royal Palace, a historical landmark with a tumultuous past. For lunch, navigate across the river at your leisure, and then stroll along Andrassy út and up to Heroes’ Square. Conclude your day with a soak in one of the thermal pools.
Getting to Budapest: Direct trains travel from Vienna to Budapest in two hours and 37 minutes, while the car journey takes around two-and-a-half hours.
Go for a Bike Ride in the Danube Valley
To admire the grand Danube in its dramatic glory, head to the Wachau. This romantic stretch between Krems an der Donau and Melk winds through terraced vineyards, forested slopes, and contrasting landscapes alongside the river.
Less than an hour by car, it’s perfect for family cycling trips. Start in Krems an der Donau and follow the B3 towards Spitz, passing the charming town of Dürnstein and its castle, where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192.
After Wösendorf, look for the quaint church of St Michael, where children can count the terracotta hares on the roof. The charming town of Spitz beckons you for a well-deserved glass of wine at its heurigen (wine tavern) before returning.
Getting to the Danube Valley: Travel from Vienna to Krems an der Donau takes about one hour and 13 minutes by direct train, or just under an hour by car.
Hit the Slopes in Semmering
In December, when the snow blankets the Austrian Alps, several ski slopes are easily accessible from Vienna for a day trip. Semmering stands out as a premier destination.
Long known for hosting the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup races, it features 14km (8.7 miles) of slopes at Zauberberg and 26km (16.2 miles) at Stuhleck, with night skiing available until 8:30pm.
Getting to Semmering: The train from Wien Hauptbahnhof to Semmering Bahnhof takes approximately one hour and 16 minutes, while the car journey totals about one hour and 50 minutes.
Soak up the Scenery in Hallstatt
A few hours by car, a day trip from Vienna to Hallstatt is achievable, albeit demanding. This fairytale town is believed to have inspired Disney’s Frozen, attracting more visitors than locals.
Hallstatt’s surreal beauty captivates guests as boats glide across the lake, connecting the train station to the village perched between mountains and shores.
If aiming for a day visit, catch the first train from Vienna at 4:55am to beat the crowds, or opt for an overnight stay to enjoy a lakeside dinner in tranquility after the day-trippers leave.
Getting to Hallstatt: Trains typically require a change at Wels or Attnang-Puchheim and take around three hours and 52 minutes. The drive by car takes around three-and-a-half hours.
