Vienna Neighborhoods Guide [2024]: 11 Best Places to Visit!

Visit a historical palace in the morning. See some crazy architecture in the afternoon and eat the best Schnitzel in the world in the evening. Vienna makes it possible. But which neighborhood offers what?

Vienna is a traveler's dream. The city combines many contradictions in one fantastic package: historic and hip. Old-fashioned but cool. It has something for classic music lovers. But also offers great nightlife options for the more techno-minded partygoers.

The problem for visitors is the sheer variety of things to do in Vienna. It doesn't help that the 23 neighborhoods are pretty different.

I could list out all of Vienna's neighborhoods and tell you at least one awesome thing about each. But let's be realistic: you won't have the time to visit them all, so I'll focus only on the best in this article.

If you want to know what you can do in Vienna in three days, check out this cool overview of things to do in Vienna.

Well-Known Areas in Vienna

Vienna consists of 23 Bezirke (aka districts or neighborhoods). Each neighborhood has a proper name and a number, with the Innere Stadt (inner city) being number 1. But is it also the number 1 for visitors? You'll find out soon!

You can find a very useful and interactive Vienna map on the official Vienna website. 

As a tourist, you'll stick to the lower numbers (1-9), except district 13 (no, not the Hunger Games one).

Neighborhoods 2-9 circle around the Inner City. If you have a limited time frame, the Inner City is the neighborhood you want to focus on first.

Let's look at those 10 neighborhoods and what they have to offer.

District 1: The Inner City

Vienna's Inner City is a paradise for people like me. (Ex. people who like a mix of history and culture with the conveniences of modern life (i.e., awesome coffee shops).

It's also where Sacher Torte comes from. It would be a shame if you didn't get some - after a visit to one of the many museums.

Some parts of the Inner City neighborhood make you feel like you stepped back in time. There are horse-drawn carriages and historic buildings with incredible architecture and history.

One of my favorite places is the Theseus temple in the "Volksgarten." It looks like it should be in Greece, but there it is - in the center of Vienna in a lovely park. It might not be one of the top attractions, but it's worth visiting if you can fit it in.

The Inner City is the best neighborhood for tourists with limited time. You can find everything here: Accommodation, the best tourist attractions, and great food and drinks.

A special mention for horse lovers: Don't miss a performance of the Spanish Riding School. You need to book at least a month in advance. 

While it's not cheap, it's still a very impressive experience.

District 2:  Leopoldstadt

Leopoldstadt is the former Jewish Quarter. There are some beautiful parks along the river Danube. This neighborhood is perfect for a stroll along the river. It's relaxing and calm because of all the independent shops and hip art galleries.

District 3: Landstraße

This neighborhood is the most diverse and home to many foreign embassies. This is valuable information if you run into some issues and need help.

What makes this neighborhood great for visitors is Belvedere Palace. Not only is it an impressive building, but it also houses some beautiful art. 

Speaking of art, do you like Hundertwasser? If so, this neighborhood is the place to go, as you'll see quite a few buildings inspired by his unique style.

District 4: Wieden

This is one of Vienna's smallest districts but doesn't need to hide. If you want to eat a truly awesome Schnitzel, eat it in Wieden. In general, Wieden is home to many great eateries and cafes. I recommend visiting Wieden towards the end of your day to have dinner there.

You'll also come across a lot of vintage shops in this neighborhood.

One of my personal favorites is Elfenkleid (which means "elvish dress"). It's a store that sells beautiful dresses. If you're planning a wedding or love fancy evening events, visit this store.

District 5: Margareten

Do you love coffee? 

Then you MUST visit Margareten and book a tour of the coffee museum. 

Yes, a coffee museum. It also has a cafe attached to it, so you can learn about coffee and have some as well.

It's a strange but unique place. Not only is it old-fashioned, but it's cool at the same time. I loved it, and it felt like heaven on Earth.

District 6: Mariahilf

If you want an insight into Vienna's shopping culture, Mariahilf is the neighborhood to visit. It has a large pedestrian area with large department stores, the usual eateries, and smaller independent stores.

Mariahilf is also home to the "Haus des Meeres" (house of the sea), a place no fan of aquariums should miss.

District 7: Neubau

The inner city boasts some exciting museums, but Neubau is the neighborhood with one of Europe's largest museum complexes. 

If you love museums, you can spend days on end in this neighborhood (and some of them are anything but boring).

District 8: Josefstadt

Like Wieden, Josefstadt is small but has much to offer for foodies and history lovers.

There's a historic pharmacy and a dumpling deli that serves some incredible dumplings. Don't ask me how many I ate when I was there. You can get chocolate-filled to savory dumplings, and the variety is amazing.

District 9: Alsergrund

Alsergrund is worth a visit because of the stunning neo-gothic Votivkirche (a church). You can participate in a church tour if your visit falls on the last Saturday of the month. It usually starts at 2 PM but check with the church first as times can change. 

The church museum itself is open from Tuesdays through to Saturdays.

Alsergrund is also the place to go if you're a fan of Johann Strauss. You can find the museum of the Strauss Dynasty in this neighborhood.

District 10: Favoriten

Favoriten is the largest neighborhood in Vienna and the most multicultural. Favoriten is mainly residential and industrial. This means it isn't a hotspot for tourists. Yet, it's worth a few hours of your time if you like markets and the vibe of international districts.

District 13: Finally, There’s 13, Also Known as Hietzing

Neighborhoods 11-23 are the outer suburbs of Vienna and are mainly residential. Some have exciting architecture and woodlands but aren't as attractive to tourists. 

Why do I mention district 13? 

Simple: Schönbrunn Palace

Hietzing is home to a tourist attraction worth visiting. This palace has 1,441 rooms and an exciting history dating back hundreds of years. 

I recommend booking a ticket online to avoid standing in a long queue (it's a popular place). Many different tours are available, and you can also book access to the maze.

If I had to pick my favorite place for visitors in Vienna, it's this one. 

Stroll through the gardens, check out the arrangements close-up, and walk up the hill to look down on the same gardens. It's quite an amazing view and hats off to the gardeners who keep this looking awesome!

Don't miss it!

What Is the Worst Neighborhood in Vienna?

Vienna isn't Rome or London. In those two cities, there are plenty of places tourists shouldn't go to. In Vienna, you can feel pretty safe. It's a civil city, and I never felt uncomfortable wandering around as a female traveler.

In District 10, there could be some dodgy areas if you wander too far out from the popular spots. Keep in mind that it's the district with the most significant population. There are bound to be some dodgy types around - but which city doesn't have them? 

The worst thing visitors like you and I have to deal with is the people who like taking advantage of tourists. These scammers think all tourists are naive and pay for things without asking many questions.

I can only recommend not buying anything - be it a tour or some goods - from strangers on the street. Always get your tickets from official sources.

Where to Stay in Vienna?

There are some hidden gems for people looking for a place to stay in Vienna.

I recommend staying in the Inner City. It's the center of Vienna, and you can visit every other neighborhood from there.

The Inner City is also home to a great variety of accommodation options. You can find cheap hostels, accommodations for women, bed and breakfast options, and plenty of hotels. Prices range from budget-friendly to higher-end accommodations. 

Getting to the Country

Vienna is straightforward to get to via a variety of means. Traveling from within Europe, you can get there by train, bus, car, and plane. 

More active people even hike or bike through Europe, with Vienna being one of the most popular stops.

If there's an ocean between you and Vienna, you can fly or take a cruise. Flying is the more realistic and affordable option, even though the Danube is also used for traveling via ships.

If you're wondering about cheap flights to Vienna, you may have heard about Eurowings. This Eurowings Review tells you whether the airline is reliable or not. 

Some Final Thoughts About Planning Your Trip!

I hope you now know better which Vienna neighborhoods to visit during your stay. 

If you have little time, stick to the first district and squeeze in a visit to District 13.

Now that you have a better idea of Vienna's neighborhoods, it's time to start planning a trip that you and your friends will love...