DAY 1 IN VENICE

SAINT MARK’S AND RIALTO

Saint Mark’s Square is the epicenter of Venice. It is where the

main gatherings, parties and events have been held for
centuries.
Therefore we’ll begin our first day exploring the iconic square
and the attractions around it.
In the afternoon we’ll head over to the famed Rialto Bridge to
meander through its shops, and the stalls of the adjacent
Rialto Market and end the day with dinner along the Grand
Canal.

SUGGESTED HOTEL

Hotel Casanova
Just 71 m from Piazza San Marco and 100 m from Harry’s Bar,
Hotel Casanova is set in an 18th-century building in the center
of Venice.
It offers free WiFi throughout.
Check out on TripAdvisor
Check it out on Booking.com

1. SAINT MARK’S BASILICA – BASILICA DI SAN

MARCO
Basilica di San Marco Exterior
Saint Mark’s Basilica holds pride of place at the end of Saint
Mark’s Square. A visit here is a Venice must.
This intricately designed church is covered with impressive
mosaics, gold leaf design and has grand statues of apostles
around it and equestrian statues keeping sentry on top.
Some highlights inside are visiting the Treasury, which holds
Venice’s most important religious relics, and the Pala D’oro, a
Byzantine golden cloth.

TIP S FOR VI SITING SAI NT MA RK 'S BA SI L I CA

 Lines are long in summer, but visiting early or late is
quieter.
 Backpacks and luggage cannot be brought in and bare
knees and shoulders must be hidden.
 Photography is not permitted inside the church

Hours: Church Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm (last entry 4.45pm), Sun

2-5pm (after services). Museum, Treasury and Pala D’oro
9.35am-5pm summer (April 16-October 28), 9.45am-5pm
winter (October 28-April 15).
Cost:  Free for the main church, and €5 for the museum, €2.50
children 6-18 years, free under 6. Treasury €3, €1.50 for
children, Pala D’oro €2, €1 for children.
Location:  Saint Mark’s Square.
Vaporetto Stop:  San Marco or San Zaccaria

2. CAMPANILE
Campanile
Once a lighthouse for ships coming into Venice, Campanile, the
city’s most famous bell tower stands at 323ft tall, being the
tallest structure in the Saint Mark’s Square.
Climb the steps to the loggia belfry for a wonderful view of the
square, city and surrounding lagoon.
Originally built in the 12th century, and rebuilt in the 16th
century, it still has one of its original bells. All five are still
rung daily.
A statue of the archangel Gabriel adorns the top.
This was the prototype for the other campaniles in the city,
and is an iconic place to visit and view Venice from.
Hours:  March, April, October 9am-7pm, November-February
9.30am-3.45pm, 13 June-12 September 8.30am-9.30pm.
Cost:  €8, €4 for students.
Location:  Saint Mark’s Square
Vaporetto stop:  San Marco or San Zaccaria
As you leave the Campanile, you are already in our next stop,
Saint Mark’s Square.
As you leave the Campanile, you are already in our next stop,
Saint Mark’s Square.

3. PIAZZA SAN MARCO WITH COFFEE

Piazza San Marco
No trip to Venice would be complete without visiting the Piazza
San Marco. Often called the world’s most beautiful square, it is
easy to see why as soon as you lay eyes on it.
Grand buildings, monuments, a clock tower and basilica are all
around it, with intriguing porticos sheltering unique art stores
and pretty cafes.
The ambiance of just being in this iconic square is something
you must experience at least once.
Piazza San Marco view of the Basilica
Hours:  24 hours
Cost:  Seeing the square is free. A hot drink at a café will be
around €10-13.
Location:  Saint Mark’s Square
Vaporetto stop:  San Marco or San Zaccaria

4. BRIDGE OF SIGHS
Bridge of Sighs
This is probably the most photographed bridge in Venice.
It is a bridge between buildings that you can view from by the
San Zaccaria vaporetto stop just around the corner from Saint
Mark’s Square.
It connects the Doge’s Palace and Venice’s jail.
The story goes that is got its names as this was the last place
that condemned prisoners would taste fresh air before
entering the jail for years.

 This isn’t technically true, but it does make for a good

story.
This is a perfect photo stop, for the beautiful bridge itself, and
it’s setting down a small canal way with the two grand
buildings on either side, as well as the fact that many gondolas
pass here.
Grab a few photos and then we’ll head to our next stop.
Hours:  24 hours
Cost:  Free
Location:  Waterside by San Zaccaria vaporetto stop
Vaporetto stop:  San Marco or San Zaccaria
From here, we walk just around the corner back into Piazza
San Marco to the Doge’s Palace – the Palazzo Ducale.

5. DOGE’S PALACE – PALAZZO DUCALE

Palazzo Ducale
This stunning white stone palace is historically Venice’s most
important building.
This was the home and headquarters of the Doge – who was
the city’s head of state as well as religion. You can learn all
about this unique powerful position as you walk through the
staterooms, galleries, and courtyards..
Important artifacts of Venice’s heyday are here, along with an
impressive art collection.

DOG E' S PA LA CE TI PS
 Your ticket here also allows entry to Museo Correr, Museo
Archaologico Nazionale and Biblioteca Nazionale.
 Allow at least 90 minutes for your visit to make the most
of it.

Hours:  Summer (April 1-October 31) Sun-Thur 8.30am-9pm,

Fri-Sat 8.30am-11pm. Winter (November 1st-March 31st)
8.30am-7pm. Last entry always 30 minutes before closing.
Cost:  €25. €13 for children 6-14, students 15-25 and people
over 65.
Location:  Saint Mark’s Square
Vaporetto stop:  San Marco or San Zaccaria
After seeing the impressive palazzo, it's time for something to
eat.

6. SNACK AND STROLL TO RIALTO

Snacks and sampling on the stroll to Rialto
Venice is a city of food – like all Italian cities. You will never
have to go far to find something tasty.

V ENICE S EL F GUIDED WA LK I NG T OUR – F OR FO OD!

From the palazzo on Saint Mark’s Square, follow the signs

towards the Rialto Bridge that say – per Rialto.
On this route there are many tiny sandwich vendors where you
can grab a hot toasted Panini and cappuccino to keep you
going.
1. As you walk along here, check out Bottega la Tartufo a
shop dedicated to products made from local truffles, which
offers samples.
2. Make sure to stop in Nino and Friends too, where they
sell all manner of Venetian chocolates and give very
generous samples! They also have a corner dedicated to
truffles.
3. If you still have space for something sweet after the
sampling, try some of Venice’s best gelato at Gelatoteca
Suso. This award winning little ice cream stop has about
30 flavors to choose from. Ask for the crema del Doge –
cream of Doge, an amaretto, vanilla and chocolate mix
flavor that you can only find in a few places in Venice.
Cream del Doge gelato at Gelatoteca Suso
Hours:  Snack bars generally 9am-9pm, Gelatoteca Suso daily
9.30am-11.30pm.
Cost:  Sandwiches around €3-5. Gelato €2-4. Tastings free.
Location:  Walking route from San Marco to Rialto.
Vaporetto stop:  San Marco, San Zaccaria or Rialto.

7. PONTE DI RIALTO (RIALTO BRIDGE)

Rialto Bridge at night
Steps to the Grand Canal, modern hotel with great amenities.
One of the best hotels in Venice if you are looking for that
modern interior.
The most famous bridge in Venice, and the only one that you
can shop on is another Venice must see attraction.
Dating back to the 16th century, this is the oldest of the four
bridges that cross the Grand Canal today.
Browse the shops on the bridge itself for jewelry, usually
higher end souvenirs than other places in Venice and Murano
glass products.
It divides the San Marco and San Polo districts of Murano.
Stop to take photos from the middle of the bridge of both
sides, the view is exactly like a Canaletto painting from three
centuries before.
I love sitting at the steps by the water on the San Polo side
just watching the vaporetti and the world go by.
Hours:  24 hours
Cost:  Free
Location:  Rialto Bridge, Grand Canal
Vaporetto stop:  Rialto

8. RIALTO MARKETS
Rialto Market
Small but elegant boutique B&B in an excellent location just 5-
10 minutes walk from every interest point.
ust after the Rialto Bridge, you can find the Rialto Markets.
These are the oldest markets in Venice.

T HE RE AR E T WO MAR KE TS TO V IS IT IN VE NI CE .

 The older of the two is the food market. It sells fruit,

vegetables and fish.
 The market you’ll see first as you walk off the bridge is
now a souvenir market.
It is my favorite place to buy souvenirs as has a large
collection and is usually cheaper than in the stores.
Clothes, scarves, magnets, anything that says Venice on them.
You can also find Murano products and trinkets.
There are a few food and drinks stalls in case you wish to have
a coffee or Bellini.
Hours:  Usually 9am until about 9pm in summer, until dark in
winter.
Cost:  Free to stroll.
Location:  Rialto
Vaporetto stop:  Rialto

9. DINNER ALONG GRAND CANAL

Seafood at Grand Canal restaurant by Rialto Bridge
After our first day sightseeing so many of Venice’s most
important sites, its time to relax for the evening, enjoying
some great Venetian food, drink and atmosphere along the
Grand Canal.
Venice has had a reputation of having some bad restaurants –
thinking the hoards of tourists will just accept anything that
says “Tourist menu” or “Fixed Price”.
Happily, this is no longer the case.
The rise in more food cultured, foodie educated tourists means
that you should get a very nice meal pretty much anywhere.
Restaurants along the banks of the Grand Canal close to the
Rialto Bridge offer reasonably priced “fixed price” menus.
Sip an Aperol Spritz and enjoy the magic of Venice.
Hours:  Restaurants and cafes, most open from breakfast
around 9am until last order for dinner around 9pm.
Cost:  Varies by establishment.
Location:  Rialto
Vaporetto stop:  Rialto

DAY 2 IN VENICE

CANAREGGIO AND DORSODURO

On the second day in Venice, we’ll visit the religious, artistic
and culinary delights of the Canareggio and
Dorsoduro sestieri.
Here is an interactive map (just click on it to open in another
window) that will help you see what kind of distances you will
be covering as well as where everything is in relation to each
other.

V ENICE I TINERARY MA P   DA Y 2
 Click here for the interactive map!
Today we’ll begin in the historic Canareggio area visiting
street markets, artistic churches, learning some Jewish history
here, and then sampling local cicchetti.
After lunch we’ll admire the astounding collection at the
Galleria dell’Accademia, enjoy one of the city’s most beloved
churches, followed by a lively evening in the cool Campo Santa
Margherita.

SUGGESTED HOTEL

CA RNIV AL P AL ACE HOT EL  

Modern and stylish 4-star boutique hotel tucked away from the
hustle and bustle on the Cannaregio Canal.
Check it out on TripAdvisor
Check it out on Booking.com

10. FONDAMENTA DELLA MISERICORDIA

Chestnuts on the street market
We’ll begin our second day on the longest street in the
Canareggio area, Fondamenta della Misericordia
This long street whose name translates to Foundation of
Mercy, has a long street market that covers most of it. The
market sells all sorts of things, from snacks and fruit, to
Venetian masks and sweaters saying Italia. It can be a good
place to find bargain souvenirs and hotels.
The street is lined with lots of small family run stores and
trattoria. This is a good place for lunch or a morning pastry
from one of the many pasticceria or a gelato.
Shops selling masks or specializing in lemoncello in multiple
flavors are here and they usually offer free tastings.
Hours:  Street open 24 hours. Stores and market usually open
from around 9am-9pm.
Cost:  Free to stroll.
Location:  LCanereggio area main street.
Vaporetto stop:  Piazzale Roma

11. MADONNA DELL’ORTO CHURCH  

Located on the northern side of the Canareggio

Square, Madonna dell’Orto Church is a Gothic 14th century
church that is still used today.
It was founded by the Umiliati order and is dedicated to the
Virgin Mary.
This church is particularly interesting to art lovers. It contains
a moving statue of the Mother and Child as well as works by
Venice’s beloved artist Tintoretto.
Hours:  Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm.
Cost:  Free.
Location:  Canareggio 3512.
Vaporetto stop:  Piazzale Roma.

12. JEWISH MUSEUM

Jewish Ghetto
Venice has a long and turbulent relationship with its Jewish
community.
At the Museo Ebaico di Venezia you can learn all about this.
This museum protects the area’s history and showcases the
textiles manufacturing and goldsmith work done here.
It was set up in the Jewish Ghetto Novo (new ghetto) between
the oldest two of the five synagogues here in 1953 to educate
people on and celebrate Jewish traditions and local art.
You can also take their tours through the ghetto and five
synagogues.
Hours:  Sunday-Friday: June-September 10am-7pm, October-
May 10am-5pm.
Cost:  €8, €6 senior/student.
Location:  Campo di Ghetto Novo
Vaporetto stop:  S. Marcuola – Ghetto or Ponte della Guglie –
Ghetto.

13. CICCHETTI LUNCH

Hostaria Vecio Biavarol dal Puppa
Hostaria Vecio Biavarol dal Puppa
We’ll stop for a very Venetian type of lunch today.
Cicchetti – Venice’s answer to tapas.
This means you have small dishes, such as bruschetta with
various toppings, or little pies or meats, basically like
antipasti.
Usually you’d have a glass of wine with this too, or maybe a
glass of wine per each cicchetti dish, like you would with
tapas.
My favorite is in this area is a tiny place called Hostaria
Vecio Biavarol dal Puppa, run by local artisan Andrea.
He provides excellent cicchetti with local produce including
locally sourced meats and cheeses, his own home made pesto
and freshly baked bread.
Wines from nearby vineyards are on offer, as well as friendly
banter and a welcoming atmosphere.
The prices are very low for high quality ingredients, and this is
a perfect stop to rest up and fuel up.

Selection of cicchetti at Hostaria Vecio Biavarol Dal Puppa

Hours:  Daily 10am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10pm
Cost:  From €1-3 for wine, from €2-4 for cicchetti dishes.
Location:  Santa Croce 225
Vaporetto stop:  Piazzale Roma
14. GALLERIA DELL’ACCADEMIA

Galleria dell’Accademia
This is Venice’s most prestigious art gallery and houses the
most comprehensive collection of Venetian art.
Before it was a museum, the three building complex was used
for religious purposes.
The main themes represent Venetian life, historical figures of
the city and religion.
Its permanent collection has an impressive array of works by
Venetian greats including Tiziano, Canaletto, Veronese,
Carpaccio.
My personal favorite is Canaletto, whose detailed,
architecturally perfect works made my fall in love with Venice
from afar.
There are also changing temporary exhibits included in the
ticket price.
Hours:  Tues-Sun 8.15am-7.15pm, Mondays 8.15am-2pm.
Cost:  April 14-July 14: €16.50 aged 18-25, seniors and
children, under 5 free. July 15-April 13 €13.50, €3.50 Free
entry first Sunday of every month.
Location:  Campo della Carita 1050.
Vaporetto stop:  Accademia.

15. BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA DELLA SALUTE

Basilica do Santa Maria Della Salute
This story of Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is held close
to the hearts of many Venetians, as survivors of the plague
built it.
It was designed by Baldassare Longhena and finished in the
17th century.
After 80,000 Venetians died from the plague and a miracle at
this church secured the plague would spread no further and
others who were ill survived, they wanted to give thanks.
So they built this church.
It sits pride of place at the entrance to the Grand Canal and is
one of the most photographed churches in Italy.
Its beautiful facade of white stone and elegant statues and its
imposing white dome ensure all who sees it admires it.
Hours:  9.30am-12pm, 3pm-5.30pm
Cost:  Free, but donations are welcomed.
Location:  Dorsoduro, 1.
Vaporetto stop:  Salute

16. EVENING IN CAMPO SANTA MARGHERITA

This bustling square has been popular with locals since it was
created in the 14th century.
By day it is home to a popular fruit, vegetable and street food
market, which sells tasty Venetian treats.
At night it is the place to be in Venice.
Dorsoruro is the main student area of Venice and this square is
popular with them as it has plenty small hostaria and trattoria
with tasty local food at typically un-Venetian prices.

RECOMME NDE D CAFÉS

 Margaret Duchamp has low prices and a chilled café vibe.

 Al Bochon Divino is a top spot to sip spritzers and snack
on more cicchetti at.

Hours:  Square 10am-midight-ish.

Cost:  Varies per establishment.
Location:  Dorsoduro, 1.
Vaporetto stop:  Ca’Rezzonica or Piazzale Roma

DAY 3 IN VENICE
MURANO AND BURANO

For our final day in Venice, we’re going to island-hop.

We’ll visit two of Venice’s most interesting islands, which are
both known for their own crafts, as well as trattoria culture.

SUGGESTED HOTEL

  MURA NO SUI T ES
A romantic hilltop hideaway housed in an elegant villa.
Located at Piazza Sant’Anselmo 2
Check it out on TripAdvisor
Check it out on Booking.com

VENICE MAP DAY 3 ITINERARY

CLI CK HERE FO R A N INTE RA CTI VE MAP !

17. BURANO WATERFRONT

Burano is one of Venice’s most beautiful islands.
Its multicolored houses that line the waterfront are picture-
perfect and always draw admiration and are
consistently voted in the top 10 most colorful towns in
the world.
Take a leisurely stroll along the waterfront and take lots of
photos of the houses and view out onto the lagoon before
heading to some of the island’s attractions.
Hours:  24 hours.
Cost:  Free
Location:  Burano, waterfront
Vaporetto stop:  Burano
18. MUSEO DEL MERLETTO (LACE MUSEUM)
Burano is known for its lace craftsmanship. The Lace Museum
showcases the works of the traditional artisans here.
You can see exhibitions on delicate lace works from the 17th
and 18th centuries, and layouts of lace from 19th and 20th
century.
Explore the museum and watch demonstrations on lace work
and admire the precious rare works of lace art.
This craft is passed down from generation to generation,
through family members teaching their secrets.
After you’ve seen the demonstrations, you can purchase lace
in the shop here, and in various family-run stores around the
island.
Hours:  Museum: Nov 1-Mar 31: 10.30am-4.30pm, April 1-Oct
31: 10.30am-5pm.
Cost:  Museo del Merletto: €5, €3.50 for children 6-14,
students 15-25, over 65s.
Location:  Piazza Baldassarre Galuppi.
Vaporetto stop:  Burano.

19. LUNCH AT A TRATTORIA BURANELLA

Lunch today will be at a small family-run trattoria on the
waterfront of Burano.
Trattoria buranella – Burano taverns – line the waterfront
and are great places to sample local dishes that are specialties
not only of Venice, but also of Burano in particular.
Seafood is the most popular local food, serving fresh fish
caught in the lagoon. Risotto de go – goby risotto, is delicious
and available in most of the taverns.
For something sweet, try “bussolai buranei”, which are buttery
home made Burano cookies.
Hours:  Taverns usually open 12pm-10pm.
Cost:  Around €7-10 for main courses.
Location:  Waterfront Burano.
Vaporetto stop:  Burano.

After lunch, hop on a vaporetto over to Murano to see the best

of this lovely island.
Murano is most famous for its fine artisan glass products, and
in the Museo del Vetro – Museum of Glass, you can see how
it’s made.
Take a tour of the museum to watch artisans at work and see
demonstrations of the intricate art of glass blowing, which
they’ve been doing since the 13th century.
After touring, check out the shop to find something beautiful to
take home. This is the most authentic place to get a real
Venetian souvenir, from real Murano.
You can even give it a try yourself to see how tricky it is.
ours:  Summer April 1-October 31 10.30am-4.30pm, winter
10.30am-4pm.
Cost:  Original Murano Glass factory €5, free for under 14s.
Location:  Fondamenta Marco Giustinian.
Vaporetto stop:  Murano.
 

21. BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA E SAN DONATO

This is Murano’s most beautiful church and Murano’s Duomo.
It has been here since the 600s and is the most important
church on the island and is a Roman Catholic Romanesque
architecture church.
It is dedicated to Saint Maria and Saint Donata. Its style is the
same as that of Ravenna, with the white and red alternating
marble and bricks on the façade.
Take time to walk around it and admire the Byzantine style
paintings inside.
Hours:  Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 12.30pm-6pm.
Cost:  Free, but donations are welcomed.
Location:  Campo San Donato.
Vaporetto stop:  Murano.

22. SHOPPING
Murano glass earrings
Murano is a great place to shop. It is much quieter than most
of Venice, and it is a pleasure to stroll and browse the artisan
shops that dot the waterfront of the island.
Most of the shops here are run by artisan families and have
been in their families for generations.
Murano glass is the best souvenir here, and all kinds of
products are available, from jewelry, to ornaments to large
sculptures and trinkets.
Hours:  Usually around 9am-6pm.
Cost:  Free to browse.
Location:  Waterfront Murano.
Vaporetto stop:  Murano.
23. TRATTORIA DINNER AND PASSEGIATO

After visiting the sights of the island, relax for a leisurely

dinner at one of the charming waterfront trattoria.
Pick a place that looks friendly and has a lot of locals in it, and
sit down to enjoy the ambience and local dishes.
All the restaurants here pride themselves on using fine local
ingredients.

S UG GE STE D RE STAURA NT S MURA NO

 Osteria al Duomo, Trattoria busa alla Torre, and

Acquastanca are particularly known for this using fish caught
in the lagoon.
 Trattoria Valmarana and Trattoria bar Serenella dal Coco
have tasty and reasonably priced fixed menus.

After dinner take a passegiata along the waterfront and watch

the sunset over the lagoon to finish off the evening.
Hours:  Restaurants usually around 12pm-10pm.
Cost:  Around €7-10 for main courses, €4-7 for starters and
desserts, but varies depending on restaurant. May have fixed
price set course menus for around €10-20 for two to three
courses.
Location:  Waterfront Murano.
Vaporetto stop:  Murano.

3 Days in Vienna

Day 1
Mozarthaus Vienna

Vienna is very much associated with Mozart, one of the most well
known composers of Classical music. Vienna was his home for many
years during his prolific career, and he lived at a number of properties
during his time in the city. Only one of these homes survives today –
the Mozarthaus, which you’ll find in Vienna’s Old Town on Domgasse.
Which is our suggested first stop on day one of our three day Vienna
itinerary.
Mozart lived at this property for three years between 1784 and 1787,
and it has been open to the public since 1941. In 2004 it was totally
redesigned, and now the whole building is a centre dedicated to the
life of the composer.

You don’t have to be a Mozart fan to enjoy a visit to this building – it’s
a good insight into life in general in Vienna in the late 18th century.
Naturally it’s also filled with information about Mozart and his life, so
even if you don’t know much when you arrive – you’ll certainly know a
lot when you leave!

The Mozarthaus is open daily from 10am – 7pm, and there’s an

admission fee. You can see the official website for more details. It’s
included for holders of the Vienna Pass.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Just a short walk from the Mozarthaus is the magnificent St. Stephen’s

Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic church in Vienna. This is found right
in the centre of the old town. and is hard to miss!
As you approach you will instantly notice the roof, which is decorated
with glazed and painted tiles in an ornate design. There are also two
large towers – the massive south tower, which stands at 136m tall, and
the smaller north tower which is 68 metres tall. Both of these towers
are open to the public, and can be climbed for a fee. As expected, the
higher south tower offers the best views over the city.
Naturally, you can also go inside the cathedral, which is of a largely
Romanesque / Gothic design, and predominantly dates from the
Middle Ages. The three nave design with it’s huge columns is
definitely an impressive sight and you can visit for free. You can also
visit the Treasury.

This does require a small fee (included with the Vienna Pass), but you
get to see more stuff and it offers good views of the main church
interior from a first floor viewing area. The fee also means it’s a lot less
busy, so you can enjoy the building without feeling too hemmed in.

Vienna State Opera House Tour

Vienna has a world famous state opera house which dates from 1869
and has played host to some of the world’s most famous singers and
conductors.

If you are particularly interested in the Opera, then a night here

watching a performance is likely to be an experience you will never
forget. You can check performance times and buy tickets for shows at
various venues in Vienna here.
However, you can also visit the opera house without seeing a
performance, by taking a guided tour.

These last around forty minutes, and you’ll learn all about the
fascinating history of the building, see all the main highlights, and
even get a behind the scenes look at how an opera house is run. Tours
run a number of times during the day – see the official website for
information and pricing.
 

Wien Museum

If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Vienna, we

suggest heading to the Vienna Museum, or Wien Museum.

This is spread out over a number of buildings across the city, but we
recommend you visit the main building on Karlsplatz.

Spread across three floors, this building houses an excellent spread of

artistic and historical exhibits that will give you an excellent overview
of the history of Vienna, as well as some of its more notable artists
and other residents over the ages.

On display you’ll find everything from neolithic finds through to

Roman archaeological discoveries through to displays from the
present day.
There are also notable artworks from Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele
on display, as well as two incredible models of the city, one of which
shows what Vienna would have looked like in the mid-19th century.

Even if you aren’t usually a “museum” person, we think you will enjoy
the Wien Museum, and if you only visit one museum in the city, this
should be it.
Note that as of February 2019, the Wien Museum at Karlplatz is closed
for renovation. However, you can see exhibits at the Wien Museum
MUSA (1st District, Felderstraße 6-8), which is right next to City Hall.

Karlskirche

Right next to the Wien Museum is the beautifully ornate Karlskirche,

or St. Charles Church. This is an 18th century Baroque style church
with two impressive spiral columns on the exterior. It was built by Holy
Roman Emperor Charles VI, largely to celebrate the end of the plague
in the city, and is dedicated to St. Charles, known as a plague healer.
It’s a striking building with the central dome and two spires, and the
lake in front of it offers a lovely reflection as well.

Of course, you can also go inside, where one of the highlights are the
spectacular frescoes that adorn the interior of the dome.
You can also take a panoramic elevator for a closer view of the
frescoes. There’s an admission fee for the church, and you can see that
and the opening times at the official website.

Naschmarkt

We’re going to round off our first day of sight-seeing in Vienna with a
visit to one of Vienna’s most famous markets – the Naschmarkt. This is
just a short walk from Karlskirche.
The Naschmarkt runs for almost a mile along Wienzelle, and is
Vienna’s largest market by far. It’s also got some pedigree, having
existed here since the 16th century – although back then if you came
here you’d largely only be able to buy milk.

Today there is a lot more on offer than milk. You’ll find fruit and
vegetables from the around the world, exotic spices, olives, cheeses,
meat, seafood – almost anything you can imagine in fact. There are
also many restaurants and food stalls serving everything from sushi to
Viennese specialities. A fine way to end your first day exploring
Vienna, we think you’ll agree!

Day 2
Spanish Riding School

One of Vienna’s most famous attractions is the Spanish Riding School,

home of the Lipizzan horses. These horses and their riders regularly
perform shows in the winter riding school arena, a purpose built
building which dates from 1729. The shoes focus on classical dressage,
and are rightly world famous.
However, you don’t have to book tickets for a show to see these
beautiful horses in action. On a number of mornings through the
week, the riders and the horses do training exercises in the arena, and
you can watch these training exercises for a moderate fee.
It’s worth noting that these are training exercises rather than a whole
show, so don’t go expecting to see an elaborate co-ordinated
spectacle. If that’s what you’re after, you should attend an actual
performance. Also note that photography is not permitted during the
training.

If you are interested in the behind the scenes operation of the Spanish
Riding School, you can also take a guided tour. We were lucky enough
to be taken on a private guided tour, and very much enjoyed getting
to meet the horses and learn about their lives (although do note that
for the horses’ health, you aren’t allowed to actually touch the horses).
For information on times and prices, see the official website of the
Spanish Riding School, where you can also book your tickets. Entry to
the morning exercise is included on the Vienna Pass.

Albertina
I’m now going to suggest a number of museums and art galleries that
you might be interested in visiting.

Visiting all three of these might be a challenge if you also want to do

the activities at the end of the day, but I wanted to include them all so
you can decide which sounds best to you. You could also add them in
to the first day of the itinerary if you have time. It all depends on your
own pacing.
The first museum you should consider adding to your Vienna itinerary
is the Albertina. This is an art museum, found in the Hofburg Palace
complex, which is home to one of the largest print rooms in the world.
With over a million items in the collection, you are assured to see
something you like, with art from world renowned artists from Monet
to Cezanne to Picasso on display. It’s also home to the Hofburg Palace
staterooms, which included as part of your entry fee.

The Albertina is open daily from 10am to 6pm, and until 9pm on
Wednesdays and Fridays. There’s an admission fee – you can see more
at the official website here. Entry is included on the Vienna Pass.

Natural History Museum

If you prefer your museums to contain fossils, dinosaurs and other

items of a natural history theme, then you should head to
Vienna’s Natural History Museum.
This is housed in a spectacular building (Vienna has a lot of
spectacular buildings), which was purpose built and opened in 1889 as
a museum to house the Habsburg collection. Today, the museum
collection contains over 30 milion items, collected over 250 years, and
makes for an impressive visit.

The Natural History Museum will definitely be for anyone who loves to
learn about the history of the earth, and there’s everything here from
dinosaur skeletons to exhibits on the history of the solar system. You
could easily spend a whole day just exploring this museum if you
wanted to.

The Natural History Museum is open Thursday – Monday from 9am –

6.30pm, and Wednesday from 9am – 9pm. It is closed on Tuesdays
and for public holidays. You can see full opening hours and ticket
prices on the official website here. It’s also included on the Vienna
Pass.

Sigmund Freud Museum

With Jess’s background as a psychologist, naturally, we had to visit

the Sigmund Freud museum in Vienna – and this might be something
you are interested in as well.

The museum is housed in the former apartment and office of Freud

himself, and has been open to the public since 1971. It’s not a huge
space, but it does contain a number of items related to Freud
including some of his clothes and part of his antiques collection.
The museum also has information related to the history of
psychoanalysis and its influence on art and society. However, it does
not contain much original furniture, as most of this was taken to
London by Freud when he moved there, and is now in the Freud
Museum in London.

There is a small fee to visit the museum, and do be aware that there
can be a wait at busy times as it is not a large space and it is a popular
spot to visit. You can see opening times and prices at the official
website.

Note that from March 2019 – May 2020, the Freud Museum is
undergoing renovation. During this time, exhibits can be seen at
Berggasse 13 and Liechtensteinstrasse 19. Tickets are available at the
former location for both. Open daily from 10am – 6pm, and included
on the Vienna Pass.

City River Cruise

We always enjoy taking a river cruise if it’s an option in a city, and

Vienna of course has the Danube. A river cruise is a relaxing way to
see a few sights whilst taking the load off your feet (and perhaps
enjoying a refreshing beverage?), and there are a number of operators
who run cruises in Vienna.
We took the tour with City Cruises Vienna on the MS Blue Danube,
which was conveniently included on our Vienna Pass.

This was a fun and comfortable experience, and we saw parts of the
city, including a lot of street art, that we hadn’t seen before. Cruises
run throughout the year, but the schedule varies depending on time
of year.
 

Danube Tower

If you’re looking for a good view in Vienna, look no further than

the Danube Tower. This tower, originally built to host the 1964
Viennese Horticultural show, is the tallest structure in Austria.

From the viewing platforms, which are 450ft above ground level, you
get an excellent view of the entire city and much of the surrounding
area.
As well as the viewing area (accessed by high speed elevator) there
are also two revolving restaurants in the tower, which would make for
a good spot for your evening meal. This would also be a great place to
watch the sunset at the end of your second day exploring Vienna!

The Danube Tower is open from 10am – midnight every day, and
there’s a fee for visiting. It’s included on the Vienna Pass.
 

Day 3
Schönbrunn Palace

No visit to Vienna is complete without a visit to the

spectacular Schönbrunn Palace, home of the Habsburg empire.

This is a large complex with a lot to see and do, so we suggest you
allocate at least half a day, if not more, to your visit.

You’ll also want to arrive as early as you can, as the queues here can
become long as the day progresses.
On arrival, you’ll want to join those queues and book your time slot
for the palace tour, as well as get tickets for whichever of the other
attractions you want to visit. We’d highly recommend access to the
gardens, which are massive.

Once you have your tickets and tour time set up, you can plan what to
do for the rest of your visit.
There is so much to do at Schönbrunn, including a big zoo (the oldest
in the Western world!), the Imperial Carriage Museum, and the
Orangery. A visit to the Gloriette, a huge structure which crowns a hill
here, offers great views of the palace.

We’d also highly recommend taking the time to visit the Apple Strudel
show, where you can learn all about traditional apple strudel making
techniques – plus eat a slice yourself.
Schönbrunn Palace is open every day, including public holidays.
Closing times vary depending on the time of year, but it opens every
morning at 8am, when tickets and display rooms are opened. You can
see opening times and prices here.

Schönbrunn Palace is also included on the Vienna Pass, and we highly

recommend the pass if you are planning on visiting the palace, which
is relatively expensive due to all the various attractions on site.

To be honest, if you have the time and inclination, you could easily
spend all day at Schönbrunn Palace, and we wouldn’t blame you if you
choose to do just that. On a warm sunny day it’s definitely one of the
nicest places to be in the city.

If you’d rather do a bit more sightseeing though on your third day in

Vienna, here are a couple more options for you to consider.

Belvedere Museum

If you have time, we very much recommend a visit to the UNESCO

world heritage listed Belvedere Museum.

This actually consists of two buildings, the Upper and Lower

Belvedere. which were constructed  in the early 18th century as the
summer residence for Prince Eugene, a military commander and
statesman of the Holy Roman Empire.
The two palaces are separated by sloped landscaped gardens which
contain a number of water features and sculptures, and are considered
some of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Europe.

Within the museum are a number of artworks, including the largest

collection of Klimt paintings in the world, as well as works from Monet,
Van Gogh, Renoir and Cezanne. The Upper Belvedere also affords an
excellent view of the city.
The Upper Belevedere is open daily from 9am – 6pm (9pm on Fridays),
and the Lower Belvedere is open daily from 10am – 6pm (9pm on
Fridays). Each palace has an individual entry fee, and you can see full
details of fees and opening times here. Both are also included on the
Vienna Pass.

Time Travel Vienna

If you are travelling in Vienna as a family, or you prefer to learn about

history in a more interactive way, then you might enjoy a visit to Time
Travel Vienna.
This is a fun tour through 2,000 years of Viennese history, told
through the medium of costumed guides, animatroic shows and a
“5D” cinema experience, as well as various special effects and music.

The tour lasts around an hour, and is available in a number of

languages. Definitely a fun way to learn about Vienna!
Time Travel Vienna is open daily from 10am – 8pm, with the last tour
starting at 7pm. There’s a fee for entry, and you can check times and
prices here.

Prater Park and Ferris Wheel

Last on our list of what to do in Vienna for three days, before we move
on to some practicalities for your visit, is a visit to Prater Park.

This is an old traditional amusement park, a couple of metro stops

from the old town centre, which is home to Vienna’s iconic Giant Ferris
Wheel.

Originally built in 1897, this was the world’s largest ferris wheel for
decades, right up until 1985 in fact. It was seriously damaged in World
War 2, and today’s version is the rebuilt model from after the war.
If you’re visiting with a partner and  feeling romantic, you can even
hire out your own cabin on the Giant Ferris Wheel and have
a romantic meal. Group cabin reservations are also possible, perhaps if
you are celebrating a special event.

Otherwise, you can just do what we did, and take the standard tour
which lasts around twenty minutes, and offers lovely views of the city.
Prater Park itself is also a lot of fun, especially for families. There are
rides, an arcade, a Madame Tussauds and a number of places where
you can get food. One thing to be aware of though is that it
attractions aren’t open that late all year round, so check opening times
on the official website before you go to avoid disappointment.

Day1 of 3 days in Paris

An evening cruise & bus tour
On the first day of our 3 days in Paris, we arrived by noon. And then went to our hotel.
From there, after checking in and getting refreshed, we set out for our tour across Paris.
As the first part of this tour, on the banks of River Seine, the pre-booked boat was waiting
to get us on-board. Along the cruise, we saw some iconic buildings like the Norte Dame,
the Louvre,The Conciergerie, Institute-de-France etc. We also crossed several iconic
bridges like Pont Neuf during this cruise. By the time the cruise was over, it had started
getting dark and a few lights were popping up here and there. We saw people doing their
evening jog as well along the bank of the river. And it was really a refreshing tour.
An evening in Paris on the river Siene
Thereafter, we went on to a short duration bus tour. The bus took us through some iconic
streets of Paris, covering the old parts of the city. And the guide on-board introduced us
to the important buildings on either side of the streets. We also crossed from near the
Eiffel Tower and then entered into the campus of the Louvre Museum. Crossing the
campus, we went along the bank of the river Siene. The tour continued for around an
hour, after which we got down on the banks of river Siene to proceed to the next stage of
our trip.
We recommend that instead of going for a river cruise and then a bus ride, you rather go
for this river cruise with dinner. Since, you end up seeing pretty much the same things via
both river and bus cruise. But if you are visiting around Christmas, try this Christmas night
bus tour that will take you through the beautifully illuminated streets and show glimpses
of Christmas markets.

On to the Eiffel Tower

After the boat tour and the cruise, on the last leg our trip, we went atop the Eiffel tower.
It was really a great experience being atop the Eiffel tower and seeing the lights play
miracle from there. Thereafter we called it a day, but not without having some really
extreme adventure. You can read about the full account of our evening in Paris and our
uncalled for adventures here. In short, after all the adventures that we had, we were
pretty exhausted by the end of the first day itself out of our 3 days in Paris.

Day2 of 3 days in Paris

After reaching hotel, we caught on a few hours of decent sleep. Thereafter, on the second
day of our 3 days in Paris, we headed to the Disneyland. It was a pretty exciting day. We
did all our homework beforehand and were fully prepared to go ahead and enjoy
Disneyland. This is the trip we booked – Disneyland Paris express ticket with Shuttle
transport. It was a one hour journey to Disneyland Paris.

Then the whole day we spent there. Hopping through both the Disneyland Park and the
Disney World Studio. As, we had to make the most of our one day two parks trip to
Disneyland. End of the day, we were happy the way our Disneyland trip turned out.
Thereafter, we returned back to the hotel. And tonight, we decided to take a good sleep.
Our plan was to relax and take the next day of our 3 days in Paris in a slow and steady
fashion. And so did we.

Day3 of 3 days in Paris

On the third day of our 3 days in Paris, we woke up after a good amount of sleep. There
after, we had our breakfast. Then we discussed how best to make use of this last of our 3
days in Paris. And we decided on two things – (1) Instead of rushing between places, we
will pick just a few places to visit and enjoy them thoroughly. (2) We will make use of the
Paris metro today. Because it seems to be an economical and speedy way of transportation
between the places. With this thought in mind, we decided to head to just 3 places – (1)
Notre Dame (2) Luxembourg Garden (3) Louvre Museum.

Notre Dame
We took the metro to the Saint Michel Notre Dame station right from the Metro at our
hotel. And from there, we walked to Notre Dame. It was a short walk. Like many other
iconic places in Paris, the Notre Dame doesn’t need any introduction. It is a medieval
cathedral, best known for it’s fine French Gothic architecture. It is also one amongst the
largest and the most famous churches in the world. Although the interiors of Notre Dame
look stunning any time, from outside, the church appears particularly pretty at night.
Once the lightings are all on.
Luxembourg Garden

Next, we went to Luxembourg Garden, again, through the metro The Garden is really
beautiful – a vast stretch of green to get some real breathing space in the center of the
city. The day was cloudy and cold. And the air felt crisp and fresh. While two of our
friends went out to get some lunch packed for us, the rest of us strolled lazily through the
garden. Looking at the people I realized, many do use Luxembourg Garden as a short-cut
road to walk quickly from the part on one side of the garden to the other. There was
constant footfall happening in the garden, even though the weather didn’t look very
favorable.

And from not very favorable, the weather slowly started turning towards nasty. The clouds
slowly turned darker, Soon it started drizzling. And with that, we also experienced a
sudden drop in temperature. So, we went inside one shade near the farther entrance to
the gardens. There, a couple of chairs were placed here and there inside the shade. We
occupied some, huddling closer together to protect ourselves from the cold, waiting for
our friends.

Soon our friends arrived with some fresh packets of warm burger, packed pasta and
noddles. We were delighted to have some warm meal in the middle of the freezing
climate. After finishing lunch, we headed to our next destination – none other than the
grand Louvre Museum – which was a must visit on our list anyways. And now looked like
the perfect time to get ourselves indoors.

PS: If you have a few days at hand, you might not want to miss on any of
the Paris Arrondissements. Checkout the link to see how you can plan a trip around the
same.

Louvre Museum

We ducked inside the underground metro station metro station right at the entrance to
the Luxembourg Garden for shelter from the chill and the cold. And from there, we went
ahead to the Louvre. getting down right inside the campus of the Louvre Museum. This was
a strategy that worked really well. This way, we beat both the bad weather as well as the
outside traffic. Also, today being a Wednesday, the Louvre was supposed to stay open for
longer time – till 9:45 pm in the evening. So, we had enough time to explore the place.

And we did make the most of this time. After getting the tickets, we went to Mona Lisa
first, visiting different sections on the way. And thereafter, we covered various other
sections of the museum until 8:30 pm at night. Post evening the crowd had dispersed a
lot. And we enjoyed our trip around the Louvre thoroughly. Overall we feel we saw all
that we were interested in. But definitely using some strategy, some tips and tricks once
again, to make the full use of our time there.

Read the full account of our visit to the Louvre and learn our tips to effectively visit
Louvre in a day here. In case you plan to explore other museums as well along with
Louvre, we highly recommend you take this multiple museum entry pass to save both
money and hassle. And then explore them on your pace.