Travel with Emily

I will always advocate for spending at least 3 full days in a new city so that you have enough time to balance the jam-packed business of sight seeing, along with long meandering walks through the cobbled streets and cups of coffee in cosy cafes. 

Sometimes, however, 24 hours is all you’ve got, so here’s my guide on how to squeeze the most out of Vienna in a short amount of time. 

Place yourself centrally, it’s a walkable city. 

Vienna immediately stunned me with how much there is to see and do crammed into a small area. I racked up quite a few thousand steps across my limited time here, but not once did I contemplate public transport – it simply wasn’t necessary. 

Immerse yourself in the local specialties, and make those meals count!

I arrived at about midday in Vienna and went straight to my hostel to drop my bags off. Right across from my hostel in the Wieden area was the Naschmarkt, a long line of permanent market stalls standing side by side selling everything from candied almonds to knick-knacks and souvenirs. 

I ate here twice during my stay in Vienna; there were that many options that were just irresistible. My first meal was driven by my grumbling stomach and a spur of the moment decision once my eyes caught Dr-Falafel. The promise of the hot crunchy snack had me ordering 6 falafel balls and a pot of hummus on the side. Overwhelmed by choice I stuck to the classic hummus, but be more adventurous than me and branch out with one of their other options! The falafels were delectable and an incredible bright green inside that fueled me up for my first afternoon of sightseeing.  

Let the sightseeing begin and your feet lead the way!

With the afternoon sunlight dwindling the only thing on my list was to see the iconic Saint-Etienne Cathedral and eat Kaiserschmarrn, an Austrian take on pancakes. You can tick them both off at once (and I highly recommend you do!) at Demel, a bakery that’s been around since 1786. Kaiserschmarrn is a dense but fluffy pancake that is chopped into bits and topped with a chunky plum sauce. This was perfect to clutch in my hands, especially in the colder evenings, as I took a slow lap and marveled at the outside of the cathedral. 

Before I had even reached the Cathedral, however, I was sidetracked by the sheer amount of monumental buildings that dominated the skyline. I was drawn in by the luminous stone facades of the Burggarten, Hofburg, Austrian Parliament House and the Rathausplatz. I had hardly stopped to wonder at one before I caught a glimpse of another imposing building and curiosity got the better of me, “what is that?!” I would murmur and take off in a new direction. What had started out as a simple mission to tick off one of Vienna’s must-see attractions, quickly turned into an impromptu tour of the city center. 

Finally, after making my way to the Cathedral and devouring my tasty snack, I headed inside. The interior of the Cathedral was incredibly intricate, with massive stone arches and pillars lined with tiny carvings of religious figures and symbols. I was even lucky enough to catch the end of a service and hear the choir’s voices echoing around the cavernous space. A slow stroll home was then the perfect way to end my perusal of the city. Back at my accommodation, I made myself some dinner and was prepared for an early night when I got roped into Karaoke with some other Aussies (can confirm, we’re everywhere!), and proceeded to have a very lively night belting out some of the international icons with my new friends. 

The early bird gets the worm.

The key to making the most of a limited time in the city is grouping sights together that are easily accessible and waking up just that tiny bit earlier to beat the rush. 

As a book lover the National Library was a personal must-see. Although a relatively small space, the level of detail in decoration was unmatched. Stepping into the room made me feel like I was Belle in Beauty and the Beast. The walls were filled with endless polished wooden bookshelves that rose up on two levels to the whimsically painted ceilings. These ceilings were a treasure trove of religious and symbolic iconography and rival some of the prettiest church paintings I’ve seen. Gold and marble was thrown around every surface, and if that glamour wasn’t enough, there were statues and a pair of massive topographical globes dotted around the floor. You can schedule in an hour here and still have time to fit in one last activity in Vienna.  

I chose the Karlskirche which offers a view out over the city from its roof. There are many iconic churches in Austria and whilst everything paled after the Saint Etienne Cathedral, the inside of the Karlskirche mixed the history of the ancient building with a modern art display of hanging fluorescent tubes of light. The display changes periodically and can be marvelled at from the gallery and also below in the pews. 

It was time to head back to my hostel to pick up my bags and then head off to the airport, but I had just enough time to grab a quick lunch for the second time at the Naschmarkt and try out Käsekrainer, an austrian cheese-infused sausage. This isn’t for the faint-hearted and after eating you probably need a good serving of vegetables, but it was super filling and such a fun food to try. 

I hope that this has shown you just how much of Vienna you can see in 24 hours and how I made the most out of my short stay. My top tip is to choose only a few of the major sights, to leave room for some impromptu exploration and opportunities you just seem to run into.