Do you want to visit Vienna while spending as little as possible?
Then follow this Top 11 free tours, museums and activities to do in Vienna that we have created for you to enjoy without breaking the bank.
The capital of Austria is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, appreciated for its character, charm and priceless culture. In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to visit Vienna for free and have amazing experiences that will make you fall in love with the Imperial.
Table des matières
Get a (free) pass for the city’s museums
The MAK (Museum of Applied Arts) houses a multitude of fascinating art-related sights that will delight and intrigue you.
Admission is usually charged, but if you go on a Tuesday night, you can see all the exhibits for free.
In addition, every first Sunday of the month, a series of museums throughout the city open their doors for free, including the Vienna Museum Karlsplatz, the Römermuseum, the MAK and the Otto Wagner Hofpavillon Hietzing.
Top tip: The “Streetart Passage”, which showcases the work of local and international artists, is located in the Museums Quartier and is always free.
The museums are also free on the Austrian National Day, October 26.
Attend an opera for free in Vienna
Attending a performance at the Vienna State Opera is often on the list of things to do for visitors to Austria.
Unfortunately, tickets for these exceptional performances are rarely cheap, but you won’t be deprived of opera.
Fortunately, for the less fortunate visitors, every summer you can watch shows for free outside the opera house, when they are projected on a large screen outside with a few rows of chairs in front of it.
There are a few drawbacks, however. The shows are only subtitled in German, and the projections are, of course, weather dependent.
Take a look inside the city’s secret buildings
Open House Vienna, an annual event held each fall, gives the curious access to some of Vienna’s most unusual architectural gems, giving tourists the chance to explore the city’s hidden treasures that are not usually accessible.
Buildings like the lavish Wohnenmitscharf with its pink corridors and the Microsoft headquarters are among those whose doors are open to the public on this occasion.
Free walking tours of Vienna’s famous sights
There are probably a few “must-see” sites that you don’t want to miss (and surely photograph at the same time).
St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a Gothic building, known as the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, and is one of the most important monuments in Vienna, known throughout Austria as a jewel of the city’s heritage.
You can walk around it from the outside and admire the colored tiles reflecting the sun, but the entrance is also free (except for some areas like the bell tower which will cost you a few euros).
From the cathedral, you can then head to several notable monuments easily (and in any order), including the Hofburg Palace (the largest palace in the city), the museum district or the church of St. Charles Borromeo.
Spend some quality time in the city’s beautiful parks
From the meticulously maintained gravel paths of the former royal gardens of Schonbrunn and the Belvedere Palace to the almost wild wooded areas of Vienna, the capital has some splendid outdoor spaces.
Put on your hiking boots and explore the city on foot or sit on the grass for a picnic.
The best of summer for the budget-minded
The Danube, simply the longest river in Europe, which flows through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, offers its coolness to locals and visitors looking to escape the scorching summer heat.
Its banks are frequented by locals who drink beer and dive into the blue waters. The Danube Island is a favorite place for swimmers and other swimmers.
You can even lounge on a family beach or enjoy a climbing park – all of which is of course completely free.
Top tip: Go to the Danube Island early enough to avoid the crowds and reserve a spot on one of the wooden piers.
Watch a free movie under the stars in Vienna
During the summer, there are countless open-air cinemas all over the city where you can watch all kinds of movies.
Among the most popular are the Cinema On The Roof, which shows films above the city’s largest library, and the Music Film Festival, which turns the town hall square into a huge open-air cinema.
Explore the city’s diverse music scene
Vienna has a vibrant music scene that will satisfy even the most demanding ears.
Classical music fans can enjoy a wide range of concerts without spending a cent, from the extravagant Schoenbrunn Summer Night Concert to choir concerts in St. Stephen’s Cathedral, especially at Christmas.
Fans of electronic, indie and other music can rest assured that the B72 and The Chelsea offer many free concerts throughout the year.
If you prefer to enjoy music outdoors, multiple free festivals, such as the Danube Festival, take place throughout the year.
Drink a good glass of water
No, this is not a joke, wait for it!
Vienna’s water is renowned for its high quality; the city’s water supply comes directly from springs in the Styrian/Lower Austrian Alps, and the water arrives in the Austrian capital just 36 hours later, without even a single pump.
You can enjoy a free glass of water at one of the 900 public fountains in the city.
It’s a small trick, but nevertheless very convenient, especially on hot summer days.
Explore Vienna for free by bike
Renting a bike in one of Vienna’s parking lots is free for the first two hours!
Vienna is ideal for cycling, with wide, well-marked bike paths in the city center and many routes to explore along the banks of the Danube.
Taste the samples offered by the merchants at the Naschmarkt
Stroll the aisles of this 16th-century market and sample authentic products as you go.
From Austrian to Turkish cuisine, you’ll find plenty of tastings along the way – a bite of falafel, a piece of sausage, or a little something sweet.
The Naschmarkt is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines from around the world and is the oldest (and tastiest) market in Vienna – a must-see.
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