The Best Sightseeing Tours in Vienna for First-Time Visitors

This private tour gives you an insight into the history of Vienna and Austria through a leisurely stroll in the city’s old town. The stories and topics are many, and all equally fascinating:

Learn about one of the greatest dynasties in the world, the Habsburgs. Witness how their influence shaped Vienna and understand why the city is a baroque centrepiece in History. Uncover some of their biggest stories and the Grande Finale as their Empire came to a disastrous end a bit more than 100 years ago. It was a Golden age for Vienna, but also a schizophrenic one; modern, progressive, but also antisemitic and nationalistic.

Surrounded by stunning art and architecture, and with these stories and more to guide you, I bring life to these ancient monuments and make this an immersive and unforgettable experience.

Lower Austria is the cradle of Austrian viticulture, so we want to take you to the beautiful forests & vineyards of the Thermal Region, just south of Vienna. Home to traditionally quaint wine villages and some unique local varietals, we showcase the finest in farm-to-table Austrian wine tours. In summer, we'll hike through these foothills to the alps along forested trails, as well as through lush green vineyards on their southern facing slopes. We'll stop en route to appreciate some beautifully expansive views over the forest canopy & the Vienna basin over to Hungary & Slovakia, before reaching one of Austria's oldest wine villages for lunch and a winery visit. In the winter time, instead of the hike, we visit two wineries to focus our attention more on the history of Thermal Region wine making, and on meeting a local vintner to learn about modern day wine production - all with glasses of the best the region has to offer in our hands, of course!

Discover the true beauty of Vienna through its vast history and amazing architecture! Our guides are passionate with the city and will showcase the attractions from a unique perspective that will make you want to return to Vienna in the future! This tour will make your stay memorable.

How would you describe Vienna - the capital of culture? The birthplace of the waltz? The birthplace of psychoanalysis? All of these, and more, are true characteristics of the Austrian capital.

The Genius Loci (spirit of place) is packed with details and you won't find them in quite as many places as in Belvedere. Do you want to discover what works of art from the different eras can tell you about the specific Austrian and Viennese identity? Then take a tour of the Belvedere and gain an insight into the different facets of the national character.

In Gustav Klimt's golden "Judith" and "The Kiss" we can explore why female sexuality is the focus of medical interest in Vienna. The troubling mood of Egon Schiele's "Embrace" and "The Girl and Death" can also help us understand why this city became the birthplace of psychoanalysis.

The ornate baroque decoration of the palace, the accent on the ancient heroic themes will explain the special imperial atmosphere of the city, in which the Viennese live and in which tourists so eagerly dive. And Ferdinand Waldmüller's pellucid paintings will try to enchant us by showing the famous "Viennese cosiness" and we have to make an effort to see what tragedies lie behind these well-marketed images.

The gilding of medieval altars and Klimt's golden masterpieces, the sparks of intellectual life and Viennese humour that glimmer through the sombre paintings of Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka - what really makes this famous palace's collection shine? And what exactly shows us the true face of the (former imperial) capital? The answers to these questions await you in the galleries of Belvedere Palace.

Our private full day trip from Vienna shows you the must-see places in Austria in a comfortable and flexible manner. First we bring you to the highlight of the picturesque Wachau Valley, the most romantic village Durnstein on the Danube River. The next highlight is the City of the Sound of Music - Salzburg, where you will have free time to stroll through the same scenes in the Old Town that you can see in the film and enjoy the world capital of classical music. After experiencing the cultural side of Salzburg, you'll head out to explore the natural beauty of the Salzkammergut lake region.The next highlight of the trip is the unique village of Hallstatt, located right on the shores of an Alpine lake with an amazing view of the huge mountains rising steeply from a narrow valley. On the way back we´ll stop at the charming resort town Traunkirchen, located on the shore of Austria's deepest lake.

Discover the hidden Vienna on a unique tour! Join Martin, who lived on the streets himself, and immerse yourself in his fascinating world.
Experience the reality of homelessness, addiction and squatting through gripping stories and personal insights.
Get an authentic insight and immerse yourself in a whole new side of the city away from the usual tourist paths and sights. Discover hidden places and experience Vienna from a unique perspective.
Book your unforgettable tour today and experience Vienna like never before!

Discover Vienna's multi-faceted history on a 3-hour small-group, history walking tour with an expert scholar guide. Marvel at the city's iconic buildings and admire their prestigious history and breath-taking architecture. Admire Stephansdom, Museum Quartier, and many other iconic sites.

Embark on a journey through Vienna's cultural treasures. Admire the architectural grandeur of the Vienna State Opera and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of classical music. Stroll along Albertinaplatz and see the Spanish Riding School, where the history of the Lipizzaner horses unfolds. Explore the Roman ruins, delve into Vienna's ancient past and witness the grandeur of the Hofburg Palace, steeped in imperial history and its fascinating Empress Sissi. Next, pause at the Plague Column, honouring endurance in the face of adversity. Together with your local guide, admire the intricate art of the Anker Clock and delve into Vienna's vibrant markets. Embark on a cultural odyssey through the Jewish Quarter and marvel at the baroque beauty of St. Rupert's Church. Explore Mozart's House and marvel at the Gothic splendour of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Conclude your journey with a coffee and Sacher cake at Café Sluka, savouring Vienna's culinary delights.

The title of masterpiece gives a work of art a special status and if you are going to visit a museum for the first time, you want to see famous works by renowned masters. The Museum of the History of Art in Vienna has many paintings, gems and statues that count to the world famous masterpieces. They include paintings by Rembrandt, Cranach, Vermeer, Raphael and Caravaggio, sculptures by Canova, Gianbologna as well as works by ancient Greek and Roman artists. And you don't need experts to enjoy their works.

This tour of the museum is for those who value both an aesthetic pleasure as well as an intellectual one. We will go through all the collections of one of the best art museums in the world and look at masterpieces from different perspectives to understand why this particular work, and not the neighbouring one, has made on the shortlist of must-see objects.

To do this, we'll follow the museum's list of most valuable exhibits and I'll not only tell you their official histories and characteristics, I'll also explain how artists have used our cognition and clever self-promotion. We will also discuss the fickleness of worldly fame and the role of the spirit and the taste of the times.

Among the major masterpieces we will break down in detail are Benvenuto Cellini's "Saliera", Raphael's "Madonna in the Meadow", Peter Brueghel's "The Tower of Babel" and "Hunters in the Snow", Caravaggio's "Madonna with Beads", Vermeer's "Allegory of Painting" as well as The Reserve Head from the Egyptian collection and Sarcophagus with Amazons from the Greek collection.

On a tour with me you can not only enjoy the art, but also learn to navigate a little more in the intricacies of such a subtle matter as "genius".