Weekend
A weekend in Vienna: three hotels and a plan for two nights
The waiter in a white jacket sets down your coffee on a small silver tray, with a glass of water beside it. Nobody hurries in a Viennese coffee house, and from Friday evening neither do you.
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In short: a weekend in Vienna
Two nights are enough for Vienna if you stay inside the Ringstrasse or just outside it. Spend Saturday morning at Schönbrunn, the afternoon at the Naschmarkt and the evening at the opera, and Sunday at the Belvedere and the MuseumsQuartier. Our first choice is the Hotel Sacher, right behind the State Opera.
Our first choice: Hotel Sacher Wien. Check availability and prices at Hotel Sacher Wien
Vienna was the capital of the Habsburg empire for centuries, and you see it in the palaces and the great ring road, the Ringstrasse, that circles the centre. The city is made for walking, and for sitting down.
One thing surprises many visitors: almost every shop is closed on Sundays. Do your shopping on Saturday and keep Sunday for museums and parks. Flights from London take around two hours, so Friday evening is easily within reach.
The hotels we choose for a weekend in Vienna
One for the classic weekend, one by the Naschmarkt for less and one with a rooftop bar by the MuseumsQuartier. All score highly with guests on Hotels.com.
Hotel Sacher Wien: a weekend at the opera
The Hotel Sacher is on Philharmonikerstrasse, right behind the State Opera. Inside there is red velvet, dark paintings and waiters in white jackets, and the original Sachertorte is served in the café.
Rooms vary, so ask for one facing away from Kärntner Strasse. The Sacher suits a weekend where the opera is the reason to travel, and anyone who wants a taste of old Vienna.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Sacher Wien
By the Naschmarkt
Hotel Beethoven stands next door to the Theater an der Wien. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Hotel Beethoven: the Naschmarkt without the grand-hotel price
Hotel Beethoven is on Papagenogasse, next door to the Theater an der Wien and with the Naschmarkt across the road. It is a family-run house where the owner has decorated each floor around a different theme.
Several evenings a week there is a wine evening in the salon for guests, and breakfast gets plenty of praise. The opera is a few minutes' walk. The street is lively on Saturdays when the flea market is on.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Beethoven Wien
25hours Hotel beim MuseumsQuartier: a weekend with friends
The 25hours is on Lerchenfelder Strasse, just behind the MuseumsQuartier, and is decorated with a circus theme. At the top is a rooftop bar with views across the whole city to St Stephen's Cathedral.
The mood is informal and young, and several rooms sleep four. Choose the 25hours for a trip with friends or a family weekend, but not if you want peace in the evening.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at 25hours Hotel beim MuseumsQuartier
More options are in our guide to the best hotels in Vienna, and the districts are described in our Vienna travel guide.
Friday: the airport train and a Viennese coffee house
The City Airport Train runs from the airport to Wien Mitte in around fifteen minutes, and from there the U-Bahn takes you on to your hotel.
Spend the first evening in one of the classic coffee houses, with a Wiener Schnitzel and a slice of cake afterwards. Walk round St Stephen's Cathedral once the streets have emptied.
Saturday: Schönbrunn and the opera
Go to Schönbrunn in the morning, before the groups arrive. The palace was the Habsburgs' summer residence, and the park behind climbs up to the Gloriette, with views over the city.
Take the U-Bahn back to the Naschmarkt for lunch. The food market has stalls and restaurants, and on Saturdays there is a flea market at the Kettenbrückengasse end.
Saturday night is the night for the State Opera or a concert at the Musikverein. Tickets for the best performances go early, so book before you travel. Afterwards you can eat late at one of the wine taverns in the centre.
Above the opera
The Hotel Sacher stands right behind the State Opera. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Sunday: the Belvedere and the MuseumsQuartier
Sunday is museum day, since the shops are closed. Start at the Belvedere, the baroque palace with formal gardens that holds Klimt's best-known painting, The Kiss.
Walk on to the MuseumsQuartier just outside the Ringstrasse, with museums and courtyards where the Viennese sit in the sun. If you have time before your flight, take the U-Bahn to the Prater and ride the Riesenrad Ferris wheel.
Turn a work trip into a weekend
Vienna is one of Europe's big congress cities, and many meetings fall on Thursday and Friday. Stay for the weekend and you get the opera and the museums instead of the airport on Friday night.
Stay inside the Ringstrasse and you are close to both your meetings and the City Airport Train at Wien Mitte. Ask about late check-out on Sunday, and check whether breakfast is included in the price you are comparing. At the Beethoven it is highly praised.
When is the best time for a weekend in Vienna?
April to June and September to October are best, with mild temperatures and outdoor tables. From mid or late November there are Christmas markets in Vienna, and hotels fill early.
January and February are ball season, and the city is quiet outside the ball nights. Book with free cancellation where you can, so you can secure the weekend early and still move it.
Our first choice for a weekend in Vienna
Hotel Sacher Wien
The Hotel Sacher stands on Philharmonikerstrasse, right behind the State Opera, and makes no attempt to be modern. The waiters wear white jackets, and the walls are hung with dark paintings. The original Sachertorte is served in the café, and the opera is a minute away. Ask for a room facing away from Kärntner Strasse, and book your opera tickets when you book the room.
Frequently asked questions about a weekend in Vienna
How do I get from Vienna Airport to the city centre?
Take the City Airport Train. It runs from the airport to Wien Mitte in around fifteen minutes, and from there you take the U-Bahn to your hotel. A regular regional train is cheaper but slightly slower. A taxi is practical late in the evening or if you have a lot of luggage.
Are shops open on Sundays in Vienna?
No, almost all shops in Vienna are closed on Sundays. The exceptions are some shops in the main stations and at the airport. Museums, coffee houses, parks and most restaurants are open. Do your shopping on Saturday and spend Sunday at the Belvedere, the MuseumsQuartier and the Prater.
Is two nights enough for a weekend in Vienna?
Yes, two nights are enough if you stay central. You will have time for Schönbrunn, the Naschmarkt, an evening at the opera and the Belvedere. If you also want the Hofburg, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and a wine tavern on the edge of the city without rushing, add a third night.
Which hotel is best for a weekend in Vienna?
The Hotel Sacher is our first choice for a classic weekend, right behind the State Opera. Hotel Beethoven by the Naschmarkt gives you a great location for less, and the 25hours by the MuseumsQuartier suits friends and families. All three are close to the U-Bahn and score highly with guests.