The 15 Best Guided Tours & Day Trips from Vienna

1.Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens Skip-the-Line Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7,739 reviews · 2 hours · from $63Our pick

Meet your guide at the Ehrenhof Fountain, look for the green umbrella, and tour 22 Schönbrunn Palace rooms before walking its gardens. A live guide, audio device, and priority palace entry are included. You can see the Great Gallery and Hall of Ceremonies, hear stories about the Habsburgs and Empress Sissi, and finish with time to explore the grounds.

“The palace was exceptional and Lisa, our guide, made the tour even better!”

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2.Vienna Spanish Riding School Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6,765 reviews · 55 min · from $28

Visit the Winter Riding School, Summer Riding School and Stallburg stables on a 55-minute guided tour in English or German. Learn how the Lipizzaners are bred and trained, and see the historic arena and tack room. Guides such as Sisi, Inga and Lorelei have led tours, though your guide may vary.

“Very informative tour. A good length as well. Great to see the horses and to understand how they (and the horse people) are trained. The history of the school was very interesting.”

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3.Skip-the-Line Sisi Museum, Hofburg and Gardens Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5,918 reviews · 2h 30m · from $61

Spend 2.5 hours with a licensed guide at the Hofburg, including timed-entry access to the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments, palace courtyards, the Spanish Riding School and Burggarten. Tours run in one selected language, with guides such as Alex, Mario and Mirko appearing on different departures. Expect close-up palace history, lively storytelling and some crowded museum rooms.

“i loved it all! perfect to know more about sisi, franz joseph and franz! the guide was an actual austrian who spoke spanish, not a translation device, which made it even better!”

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4.Skip-the-Line Schönbrunn Palace & Gardens Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5,411 reviews · 2h 30m · from $76

Spend 2.5 hours exploring Schönbrunn’s 22-room Highlights Route and formal gardens with a licensed guide. Timed entry avoids the ticket queue, while stories about Maria Theresa, Sisi, and Habsburg court life put the palace rooms in context. Guides vary, with names including Alex, Mario, Nicole, and Renato. Winter gardens can be subdued or weather-limited.

“Our tour guide Alex was great and very good at crafting a story of the whole tour, making us both learn a lot and understand a lot about what the palace is about. Overall a great experience and is worth the extra charge over just a regular entrance ticket”

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5.Guided Walking Tour of City Center Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4,989 reviews · 2 hours · from $25Best value

Walk Vienna’s center with a licensed English- or German-speaking guide, from near the Sacher Hotel past the Hofburg and Spanish Riding School to the coffee-house district, Blutgasse, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guides such as Alex, Sandra, and Wolfgang have led engaging tours, though your guide may vary. Expect exterior sightseeing, stories, and a brisk city-center overview, not palace entry.

“Sandra was a very good guide, covering many interesting facts about lovely Vienna. Would happily recommend the 'tour'. Tip - stand right outside the doors to the Information Shop (the meeting point).”

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6.Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour in 19 Languages

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 4,518 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $41

Explore Vienna on a 24, 48 or 72-hour hop-on hop-off pass covering up to four routes. Ride past the State Opera, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere and the Prater, then get off to explore at your own pace. Buses have free Wi-Fi and audio in 19 languages, plus a self-guided walking tour app.

“The system was very well organized, and extremely pleasant to use.”

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7.Time Travel and Magic Vienna History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,879 reviews · 1 hour · from $27

At Time Travel Vienna, you move through themed rooms beneath St. Michael’s monastery, from Roman Vindobona and the Habsburg court to wartime Vienna and the present. Expect multimedia portraits, a 5D cinema, VR music history and a simulated flight over the city. The one-hour attraction is near Stephansplatz, but its stairs make it unsuitable for wheelchair users.

“Very well organised & informative. Great fun way to learn about the history of Vienna”

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8.Big Bus Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour by Open-Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,529 reviews · 90 minutes - 2 days · from $36

Ride Big Bus Vienna’s open-top double-decker on City and Palace routes, passing sights from St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace to Belvedere and UNO City. Choose a 24 or 48-hour pass, listen to commentary in eight languages, and add a guided English walking tour with a 48-hour option.

“Great way to see the city. Passes through or near most attractions. Very cost effective for such a large city with many things to do. Cheaper on GYG than in person or on the app.”

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9.Vienna Central Cemetery Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3,307 reviews · 2 hours

Spend two hours walking Vienna’s Central Cemetery, opened in 1874 and home to about 330,000 graves. Your guide connects famous names such as Falco and Udo Jürgens with soldiers’ memorials, religious sections and the Luegerkirche. Guide Johann is praised for pairing detailed explanations with fine humor. Tours are offered in English and German.

“Imposant zu sehen! Sehr interessant gestaltet von unserem Guide Johann, der sein grosses Wissen mit Humor Preis gab!”

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10.Bus & Schönbrunn Palace Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,802 reviews · 3h 30m · from $81

Start near the Vienna State Opera for a coach tour past the Ringstraße, Hofburg, Parliament and major museums, then visit Schönbrunn Palace with a guide and priority entry. English tours run daily; German and Spanish departures follow a weekly schedule. You return near the Opera, with limited time to explore the palace grounds on your own.

“Very good guide just the right level of information and tim in the Palace”

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11.Guided Walking Tour of City Highlights & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,180 reviews · 2 hours · from $27

Walk from Minoritenplatz to St. Stephen’s Cathedral with a local guide, stopping at the Hofburg, Spanish Riding School, Albertina and State Opera. The focus is on exterior sights, with a look at the Minoriten Church’s Last Supper mosaic when church services allow. Guides have included Michael, Petra, Max and Celine. The two-hour tour costs $27.

“A thoroughly enjoyable 2 hours, despite the very cold day! Our guide was a great storyteller who brought Viennese history to life with his vast knowledge, wit and enthusiasm.”

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12.Viennese Underworld Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,865 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $37

Descend into private Viennese basements with a German-speaking guide, exploring sites that may include wartime relics, air raid shelters, a historic pharmacy cellar or places of refuge. Choose a 1, 1.5 or 2-hour option, since each has a different focus. Bella is one guide associated with the tour. Bring a flashlight and sturdy, closed-toe shoes.

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13.Classic Vienna: 3-Hour Guided Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,846 reviews · from $72

Pedal from Bösendorferstraße past the State Opera, Parliament, Rathaus and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, then follow the Donau Canal and ride through Stadtpark and Karlsplatz. A licensed guide leads the three-hour tour in English, German or Dutch. Guides such as Horst, Ute and Max have brought Vienna’s history and local stories to life.

“We had an excellent tour of the city. Our guide, Barbara, was knowledgable and interesting. Seeing Vienna by bike is the perfect way to get around! Would definitely recommend.”

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14.World War II Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,772 reviews · 2h 30m · from $31

Spend 2.5 hours walking through Vienna’s WWII history, starting by the Albertina and Opera House. Your English-speaking guide connects Hitler’s early years, the persecution of Vienna’s Jewish community, wartime bombing and the city’s postwar division to places along the route. Guides such as Dieter, Stefan and Siggi have led tours with vivid storytelling and time for questions.

“Tour was great! Led by Stefan, he was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining. He was a great story teller and introduced thought provoking questions to keep you thinking. Very well done and well worth it.”

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15.Vienna Historic Center Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,746 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $72Top rated

In 2.5 hours, walk from Maria-Theresien-Platz through Vienna’s imperial center to St. Stephen’s Cathedral with a certified English-speaking guide. Groups are capped at 15, and audio devices help you hear the commentary. Expect grand façades, history, and practical local tips, not museum admissions.

“The guide was lovely and definitely interested in making sure the guests were all cared for. The tour itself, while incredibly informative, was more pointing out historical places and providing context however not actually experiencing anything along the way. I recommend this for someone who has some knowledge of the city already and wants a deeper dive in the history as it's not as interactive/experiential and more of a teaching style tour.”

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