A visit to Vienna is always an experience - but what can you do if you want to travel a little more economically? With our free must-sees, you'll find the highlights of the city that are guaranteed to offer unforgettable moments while still being easy on the vacation budget. Watch out money savers: With the Vienna Welcome Card, you can also enjoy discounts on many sights and means of transportation.

Viennese charm in the Prater

With its famous Ferris wheel, the Vienna Prater is a magnet for visitors to the city. But what many people don't know: The Prater can be visited free of charge around the clock all year round! So you can stroll through the numerous stalls and rides at your leisure, marvel at the Giant Ferris Wheel from below and soak up the bustling atmosphere to the full. If you do want to try out one of the 250 attractions in the Prater, you only pay for the individual admissions and can choose between traditional rides such as the big ghost train or cool roller coasters. The Vienna Welcome Card also offers you discounts on some of the best attractions in the Vienna Prater. And afterwards, we recommend a stroll along the Prater Allee, which is an eye-catcher at any time of year. Incidentally, this is where Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge ran an unofficial marathon world record of under two hours. 

Ring walk: the boulevard with history

With its 5.3 kilometers, Vienna's Ringstrasse invites you to take a walk with history. The boulevard, which runs around the center of Vienna, was built between the 1860s and 1890s and offers views of a series of luxurious buildings erected by the nobility of the time. In addition to the private buildings, there are also numerous public institutions along the Ringstrasse, such as the university, the town hall, the parliament and the state opera. Each building has its own style, imitating numerous architectural styles of the past. You can begin your walk at any point, but it is best to start at one of the many public transport hubs, such as the Schottentor or Karlsplatz stations. The Votive Church, which was completed in 1879 in neo-Gothic style and can finally be seen again without scaffolding in November 2023 after 25 years of renovation work, awaits you right at Schottentor station. The Votive Church is just one of the buildings on the Ringstrasse that you can visit for free. The City Hall also offers free guided tours and you can of course also visit the foyer of the State Opera free of charge to get an impression of the magnificent interior architecture. For a stopover on the Ringstrasse, we recommend the traditional Viennese café Landtmann, where you can also get a 2 euro discount on coffee, cake and mineral water with the Vienna Welcome Card. 

St. Stephen's Cathedral: visit the landmark of Vienna for free

St. Stephen's Cathedral is Vienna's landmark and one of the most important Gothic buildings in Austria. With its 136.4-metre-high south tower, St. Stephen's Cathedral dominates Vienna's city centre and is a popular postcard motif. The “Steffl”, as St. Stephen's Cathedral is also called by the locals, not only offers an impressive history, but also a beautiful interior with arcades, statues, artistically decorated altars and organs. Entry to St. Stephen's Cathedral is free and you can also book tickets for extended tours of the cathedral, the catacombs or a visit to the towers. 

Fire department museum: the development of the fire department in Vienna

Vienna also has several museums that you can visit for free (more on this in our article on free museums in Vienna). We would like to highlight one of them: the Fire Brigade Museum. In eight showrooms, you can learn all about the history of the Viennese fire department. On display are numerous uniforms, equipment, paintings, photos and documents from the more than three centuries-old history of the Viennese fire department. There is also a special exhibition about the volunteer fire department and information about tragic fire incidents of the past. 

Village at the Hundertwasserhaus: the creative nature village in the middle of the city

The Hundertwasser Village was designed according to the visions of the famous Viennese artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Here you can experience a creative mix of art, nature and human-centered architecture for which Hundertwasser became famous. With more than 30 trees, the green inner courtyard offers a small oasis for people and animals in the middle of the city. The colorful and playful architecture and the bazaar character of the stores are a welcome change from everyday life and provide inspiration and peace. And the best thing is: you can visit Hundertwasser Village all year round free of charge and experience the unique atmosphere for yourself. 

Kahlenberg: Vienna's local mountain with a panorama

There is also plenty to discover on the outskirts of Vienna: The Kahlenberg is the local mountain of the Viennese and offers a wonderful panorama over Vienna as well as numerous hiking trails and a small museum that you can visit free of charge. History was also written here, because when Vienna was besieged by the Turks in 1683, the Kahlenberg served as an ambush for the liberation army, which successfully defended the city. You can reach the summit on foot via the city hiking trail 1a, which takes you through vineyards, forests and meadows from Nußdorf to Kahlenbergerdorf. Of course, public transport is also available, with bus 38a running from Heiligenstadt to Kahlenberg via the historic, winding Höhenstraße. Once at the top, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Vienna and the Danube as well as the charming Sisi Chapel, St. Joseph's Church and the Stefaniewarte. With the Vienna Welcome Card, you can use the Vienna public transport system free of charge and travel all over the city all day long.

Central Cemetery: discover the Viennese soul

50 years ago, Austrian musician Wolfgang Ambros created a humorous monument to Vienna's largest cemetery with his song “Long live the Central Cemetery”. And indeed, if you want to get to know the (slightly morbid) Viennese soul, the Central Cemetery is the place to be. Freely accessible, the park landscape with its natural oases and many graves of honor is a place of peace and contemplation. On a walk through Vienna's Central Cemetery, the second largest cemetery in Europe, you will discover famous names such as Beethoven, Schubert and Falco and, with its 150-year history, the site also boasts architecturally valuable Art Nouveau buildings. If you are looking for other historic cemeteries, we can also recommend the former Biedermeier cemetery in St. Marx, where you will find Mozart's grave. 

Free events in Vienna: rocking at the Danube Island Festival or waltzing at the Summer Night Concert

In addition to numerous sights that you can visit for free, Vienna also offers top events without admission. Depending on the time of year, you can experience some highlights for free, from live concerts on the Danube Island to classical concerts in the ambience of Schönbrunn Palace. 

We have put together some of the best events for you so you don't miss out: 

● Danube Island Festival: The Danube Island Festival is a free open-air festival that attracts visitors every year with more than a dozen stages and numerous artists from different styles. Greats such as Falco, Udo Jürgens, the Kelly Family and The Beach Boys have played here. Who's coming next? Just drop by, the festival traditionally always takes place over 3 days at the end of June. 

● Summer night concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra: The famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the highlights of classical music in Vienna. If you've ever tried to attend one of their concerts in the beautiful Musikverein, then you know that it can quickly become expensive. But don't worry, because every year in May or June, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's free summer night concert takes place against the impressive backdrop of Schönbrunn Palace. Our tip: it's best to get there as early as possible, as places are limited. 

● Film festival on Rathausplatz: Every year, the summer on Rathausplatz is all about the film festival. At Europe's largest cultural and culinary festival, you can expect free music productions on the big screen and varied gastronomy. 

● New Year's Eve Trail: Vienna's New Year's Eve Trail is the city's biggest party at the turn of the year. Numerous locations in and around the city center offer stages with free entertainment, live bands and DJs. So you can always ring in the New Year with a huge party!

Of course, you can save even more with the Vienna Welcome Card, which gives you discounts at numerous sights and in the city's most beautiful cafés. Want more tips for Vienna? You can find an overview of activities here. These include a visit to one of Vienna's wonderful palaces.