Free Things To Do or See in Vienna, Austria
Vienna, the capital city of Austria, has many free things to do, including lots of things to see and beautiful open spaces. The city’s impressive architecture is one of its principal attractions, and you can see most of it without spending a euro if you enjoy lots of walking.
I’ve visited Vienna a few times and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the historic city, most of which was for free. With so many grand buildings to see, exploring Vienna on foot rarely feels dull. As we travel with a dog, walkies tend to be very picturesque.
This guide focuses on free places and budget-friendly sightseeing rather than every major attraction in Vienna. For a wider list of paid and free sights, see my main guide to places to visit in Vienna.
Free Things To Do & See in Vienna
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Free things to do in Vienna range from seeing grand architecture to visiting parks, spotting monuments and joining tip-based walking tours. To save money on various attractions in the city, you can purchase a Vienna Pass.
See the Sights of Ringstraße
Walking around parts of Ringstraße is one of the best free things to do in Vienna if you enjoy grand architecture. The route takes you past some of the city’s most impressive public buildings, squares, parks and monuments without needing to pay for entry.
St Stephen’s Cathedral
St Stephen’s Cathedral is an iconic church building in Stephansplatz, a central square in the historic heart of the city.
Visitors can enter the cathedral for free and see many parts without paying. They have optional paid tours to access other areas. During the summer, the cathedral can get busy, especially near the railings looking up the nave.
The Historic Funfair At Prater
The iconic amusement park Prater is located just outside the central areas of Vienna. Prater is a great place to visit for an evening of fun. Although the rides and refreshments cost money, sightseeing at the site is free. You can see the famous Ferris wheel and many other rides. After the sun goes down and the lights come on, the amusement park gets very colourful.
The Architecture of the Hofburg Palace
On my visits to the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, I’ve only seen the free parts, which kept me entertained. The Hofburg is one of the most distinctive buildings in central Vienna. It is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty rulers.
They built this palace in the 13th century and expanded it several times over the years. In the days of the empire, it served as the imperial winter residence.
The imperial palace is an impressive place to have a mooch around, taking in the grand designs of the building. This includes admiring the many statues in Heroes Square and the inner courtyard. Josefsplatz is a square in the Hofburg Palace. It is home to the Josephs-Statue (Kaiser Joseph II). When we visited, we saw lots of comings and goings, including horses and carts and a ceremonial marching band.
See The Austrian Parliament Building on Ringstraße
The Austrian Parliament building on Ringstraße is fantastic to see when walking around the city. This building is stunning, especially the Pallas Athene fountain. The fountain is one of the most eye-catching features outside Parliament. The parliament building is in the neoclassical style, with some pretty cool statues and columns on its facade. They started construction in 1874, and by 1883, it was being used. Overall, a wonderful thing to see while exploring Ringstraße in Vienna.
Walks Along The River Danube & Danube Canal
Walking beside the Danube and the Danube Canal is a pleasant way to see another side of Vienna. A pleasant place to see the river is near Reichsbrücke, where there are splendid views, including the island and the skyscrapers of Vienna. It’s a good place for a walk too, and to enjoy the riverbanks.
Visit Belvedere Palace Gardens
The gardens of the Belvedere Palace are between the lower and upper Belvedere palaces, which are both beautiful buildings in their own right. The gardens have lots of interesting statues and a fountain.
As a bonus, a gate from the garden leads to the university botanical garden, which is a fascinating place. Beautiful gardens, impressive architecture, and it doesn’t cost a penny. What’s not to like?
Schönbrunn Palace Grounds: A Magnificent Place to Visit
The Schönbrunn Palace Gardens are a fabulous place to visit and one of the most popular sights in Vienna. It was the principal summer residence of the leaders of the Habsburg Empire. The palace and its gardens have over 300 years of history, making them a fascinating place to explore.
You can explore the gardens for free. However, if tempted to pay to go inside, you can book tickets in advance for this attraction.
Explore The Central District
One of the great pleasures of exploring Vienna is seeing unexpected sights and buildings in the side streets. There are many unique things to see.
Maria Theresien Platz
Near the city centre is Maria Theresien Platz, which has lots of imperial architecture at the edges. The landscaping is special here, too, making it a nice place to sit and relax away from the bustle of the city. At the centre of the square is a big statue depicting Empress Maria Theresa, after whom they named the square.
At the edge of Maria-Theresien-Platz is the city’s Museum of Natural History. It is housed in a very grand building that opened in 1889. Also, the palatial architecture in this entire area is special. The interior is ornate. Although the museum costs to enter, the views of the building cost nothing.
See the ornamental architecture of Palais Trautson.
Another beautiful building in the museum quarter is Palais Trautson. Palais Trautson is a very nice-looking government building used by the Austrian Ministry of Justice.
They built the palace in 1712 in the Baroque style of architecture for the first prince of Trautson. The palace has lots of ornate detail on its facade; the gold-and-white fascia really caught my eye.
Wiener Minoritenkirche
In the Altstadt area is the French Gothic church known as Wiener Minoritenkirche. It is a beautiful building with a nice, quiet area to sit outside, with a few statues nearby. The church dates back to the 11th century, but it was completed in its current form in 1350. The church has a fascinating history and features to match both inside and outside.
Visiting inside is free, and there are lots of interesting features, including a rather impressive artwork, The Last Supper. As a bonus, it seemed quite quiet compared to other churches in the city.
Votivkirche
The Votivkirche is a neo-Gothic-style church building near Sigmund-Freud Park. This is a very interesting-looking building, especially the design of the spires. The entire building is very ornate, with some interesting architecture to look at, despite being young for a church.
They built this building in 1879 to celebrate the emperor surviving an assassination attempt. It has been renovated for years, and it is now possible to visit inside it. The church is free to enter, and there are many interesting features to see.
See The Exterior Of Various Viennese Palaces
Vienna is a top city to explore on foot, and I enjoyed locating the various palaces of the city. Some of these are very famous, with free-to-access grounds, and others are not so well known by tourists. The various designs and sizes kept me engaged in researching each site as I visited.
Stadtpark
Stadtpark is a 28-acre site with lots to see and a relaxing place to hang out.
The park has many gardens, statues, a lake, and a river running through it, plus plenty of places to sit and enjoy an al fresco drink or picnic.
Other features of the park to see include a pretty weather house, the Kursalon building and the Art Nouveau Stadtgartendirektion. It’s a wonderful place to spend time with interesting features and a great spot for a budget picnic in the city.
Visit Various Churches
Most churches in Vienna are free to visit; the minority that aren’t are worth popping to see from the outside too. The city has churches in many styles, and they invariably have lots of interesting decor to see inside. Many churches also have artwork inside, for example, the Last Supper mosaic in the Wiener Minoritenkirche.
Visit Ferstel Passage
The Ferstel Passage is a nice place to visit inside the Palais Ferstel and is free to enter. Palais Ferstel is a building on Herrengasse Street near a few other sights, including Schottenkirche. It was originally built for the Austrian National Bank and the stock exchange in 1860. Baron Heinrich von Ferstel, the building’s namesake, constructed it. The building’s design is inspired by early Renaissance architecture from Florence.
The Ferstel Passage is home to the famous Café Central, and it’s beautiful to walk through. It has vaulted ceilings and is home to the Danube Mermaid Fountain. The fountain is in a courtyard with a hexagonal glass dome.
Circus & Clown Museum
The Circus & Clown Museum in Vienna is a free thing to do on a Sunday. This is within walking distance of the Messe-Prater Tube station and Prater Park. They only open between 10 am and 1 pm each Sunday, so you need to have a plan. The museum covers a variety of topics, including Viennese and international entertainers. This includes clowns, magicians, artists and other circus entertainers.
Strudlhof Steps & Fountain
Another pleasant place to visit for free is the Strudlhofstiege Fountain. The Strudlhofstiege Fountain is near the picturesque gardens of the Liechtenstein Palace. The Strudlhof Steps form an outdoor Art Nouveau staircase with both architectural and literary significance.
They were named after Strudl, a famous Austrian artist. These date from 1910 and are rather unique to see. It’s also pretty quiet, so it’s a nice place to sit and ponder things to do next.
Visit Various Gardens & Parks
There are many other gardens and parks throughout Vienna. These include small, pretty gardens and massive ones with grand features. These are usually free to visit and have many things to do. I enjoy buying a drink or lunch and eating al fresco in the parks when visiting.
There are usually loads of nice places to sit, including on benches or on the lawns in some of them. Some notable gardens to visit include Volksgarten, Stadtpark and Rathauspark. The city’s palaces also have pleasant gardens to visit and enjoy a walk in.
Free Seasonal Things to Do
Film Festival At Rathausplatz
A fantastic free thing to do in Vienna is to attend some events at the film festival in Rathausplatz. This runs each summer from July to early September and is a great night of entertainment. The backdrop of the Rathausplatz and nearby gardens is scenic.
There are also culinary stalls for refreshments, or you could enjoy a cheap picnic in the park while the screenings are on. Each year, the programme is different; you can find out more details of what’s on each night on their website.
Christmas Markets in December
During the festive season, there are over 20 Christmas markets in Vienna. These cost nothing to enter, and it’s enjoyable just to wander around and see what’s going on. Some even have entertainment in the evenings. If you want food and drink, they have stalls selling Christmas food or drinks.
Free Walking Tours
Another option is to go on a free walking tour. These are tip-based but are budget-friendly. These are a great way to familiarise yourself with the city and learn about what you are seeing from the great guides.
There are various options for these walking tours, including themed walks on specific topics. For example, some cover the historic centre, and other tours cover specific places, including palaces. Other walking tours include seeing the city’s street art. There is a handy overview of these on the Guru Walk website.
Is Vienna in Austria Worth Visiting on a Budget?
Vienna is a fantastic city with lots of impressive architecture to see and parks to visit for free. If you enjoy these, then it is an ideal city to visit on a budget as long as you can find cheap accommodation.
The free stuff is a great experience, but some paid attractions will certainly add to your visit. Just choose the right ones for you. The Vienna Pass can be a valuable option if organised to save some money and see the inside of various places.