Then: Vienna is the musical and artistic capital of the world and seat of the Hapsburg Empire.

Now: It’s the best city in the world for quality of life—awarded for the ninth year in a row.

As you walk the streets and sip espresso alongside lively residents, and soak in the grandeur of palaces and churches, you start to get it. Vienna is the best. I could move here, but the reality is that I only had two days on my trip to soak up as much as I could. Plan your own visit to Vienna in 48 hours with these top things to do.

Day 1

1. Schonbrunn Palace

The proximity to the Banhof-Miedling train station we arrived in from Budapest made this a natural first stop. If you are in the city center already, make this a very early morning activity—it’s on the outskirts of town. The Hapsburg’s summer retreat is grand, with gorgeous imperial apartments and grounds of manicured gardens, waterfalls, obelisks and the Gloriette building standing majestically on the hillside.

2. City Walk

Back in the heart of the city, our path took us along the Ringstrasse, a boulevard denoting the original location of the city walls, by the ornate Rathaus, into the Hofburg, a gorgeous plaza flanked with palace wings, parks, museums and music halls.

 

3. Austrian National Library

The library from Beauty and the Beast ain’t got nothing on this. Visit just to oggle the interior and ceiling motif.

 

4. Haus der Musik

I’m not a classical music buff, but wanted to get some exposure to Vienna’s greats. The Haus der Musik is an interactive museum with science & sensory experiences and a tribute to classical composers, so I got my fill. Go after 8 p.m. for a half-price ticket.

 

5. Museum Quarter

My one regret is that we didn’t do the renowned Kunsthistorisches Museum. If you have time, visit this or another museum nearby.

 

Day 2

 

1. Hofburg Imperial Treasury

Browse a massive and fascinating collection of jewels, dinnerware, religious artifacts and much more in the Hapsburg’s family collection. I saw the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, gorgeous clothes, portraits made of hummingbird feathers, Catholic relics said to contain bits of saints, and the Holy Grail of the whole collection: a 4th-century agate bowl thought to be, well, the Holy Grail.

2. The Imperial Apartments

As with the residences at Schonbrunn, you’ll enjoy these if you like to peer into the lavish lives of nobility. Plus, it features Sisi’s bedroom, where she scandalized everyone by keeping 19th century workout equipment bolted to the walls.

3. Sisi Museum

I had a vested interest in Empress Elisabeth or “Sisi” after reading Allison Pataki’s New York Times Bestseller Empress On Her Own. While I found her—or her representation—annoying, I shared anecdotes with my unfortunate husband throughout the whole museum (“oooh yeah, Sisi did say that!”) and fully enjoyed comparing her real life to the novel.

4. St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Start a ‘trinity’ of church-viewing with St. Stephen’s 12th century gothic arches, and go up a frighteningly narrow spiral staircase to the watchtower windows.

5. St. Peter’s Cathedral

This cathedral is a gorgeous ode to baroque architecture, with deep gold and purple ornamentation.

6. Cafe break

Sit to sip espresso and spike your energy levels with cake. Or, grab a sausage wrapped in a baguette from a stand.

7. Kaisergruft

Now you’ll have the appetite for royal crypts in the Kaisergruft, where the Hapsburgs were laid to rest. Caskets proceed from the beautiful to outlandish, then back to sparse post-French-revolution sensitivity to spending taxpayer dollars on decorum like this:

8. Karlskirche

My favorite of the three churches is lavishly baroque with stark white statues and a radiating altar piece.  The switchback of creepy stairs isn’t renovation work; you can walk all the way up to get a closer view of the frescoes.

9. Belvedere Palace

Because Vienna is just an amazing place, these lovely palace grounds are completely free to enter. Walk around with city folk and enjoy the neat rows of hedges and statues.

10. Cafe Bar Bloom at the Hotel Lamee

Cap off the night with a drink on the terrace of Hotel Lamee, overlooking the city and St. Stephen’s colorfully tiled roof.

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Traveling to Vienna and need a recommendation, or want to share something I missed? (Because I am obviously going back.) Post a comment!

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