{"id":59926,"date":"2023-05-04T10:09:27","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T09:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=59926"},"modified":"2025-09-25T14:51:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T13:51:51","slug":"tours-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/tours-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"Tours: an overview"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/tourssmall.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;This way&quot; sign\" class=\"wp-image-59927\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/tourssmall.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/tourssmall-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once in Vienna, tours in all sorts of flavours can add depth and entertainment to your visit. So I have tips, links and reviews for you covering numerous options: from guided walks and movie maps to buses, boats and VR experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-city-tours-l205280\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_CityTours\" rel=\"sponsored\">tour experience<\/a>* for your Vienna stay<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sightseeing\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1632\">Sightseeing in Vienna<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Jump to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#walking\">Walking &amp; themed tours<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#bus\">Bus tours<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#vr\">VR tours and experiences<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#film\">Film locations<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#boat\">Boat and river trips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#historical\">Tours of historical buildings<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#day\">Day trips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#pass\">Useful passes<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trips &amp; tours, oh my!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We shall begin on two feet&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"walking\">Walking &amp; themed tours<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mozartmonumentflowers.jpg\" alt=\"Flower display in front of the Mozart monument\" class=\"wp-image-49149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mozartmonumentflowers.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mozartmonumentflowers-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(A tour of the centre should take you past the Mozart monument in the Burggarten park)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tours\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59674\">This overview<\/a> takes you through various possibilities, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>My suggested self-guided <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tour\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"50322\">walking tour route<\/a> sends you around the best bits of the historical centre, lets you explore at your own pace, and links to insight &amp; tips on the highlights you pass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Links for guided services from official licensed guides<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Various articles I put together to let you discover architectural eras (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/culture\/baroque\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"30588\">the Baroque<\/a>), historical epochs (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/culture\/wwii-vienna\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"69411\">WWII<\/a>) and other themes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Options for tracing the lives &amp; works of notable personalities associated with Vienna, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/beethoven\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2056\">Beethoven<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/gustav-klimt\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2264\">Klimt<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/mozart\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2074\">Mozart<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/empress-elisabeth\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"16956\">Sisi<\/a> and many others<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/walking-tours\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59674\">walking and themed tours<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"bus\">Bus tours<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hoponhopoff2025.jpg\" alt=\"A sightseeing bus in front of an opera house\" class=\"wp-image-83803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hoponhopoff2025.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hoponhopoff2025-300x218.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The Vienna Sightseeing bus)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vienna has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/sightseeing-bus\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3789\">two main hop on hop off bus services<\/a> that take you past (and to) important sights like the Sch\u00f6nbrunn and Belvedere palaces, the historical gems around the Ringstrassen, the Riesenrad giant ferris wheel, and the Danube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These services may also include bonus experiences with upgrades, like a river cruise or guided walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/sightseeing-bus\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3789\">hop on hop off buses<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-content-type=\"venue\" data-content-ids=\"219199,205287\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_VR\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vr\">VR tours and experiences<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/timetravel.jpg\" alt=\"Time Travel Tour sign\" class=\"wp-image-45980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/timetravel.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/timetravel-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/time-travel-tour\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"16923\">Time Travel attraction<\/a> involves VR, 5d cinema, animatronics and more)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Virtual reality has put a realistic, well-animated arm around the shoulders of traditional Vienna to add <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/vr-multimedia-immersive\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"57016\">another dimension<\/a> to tours in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Discover a growing number of seated and mobile hi-tech experiences that transport you to places old and imagined. I also cover immersive and multimedia attractions in that overview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/vr-multimedia-immersive\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"57016\">VR, multimedia &amp; immersive tours or experiences<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"film\">Film locations<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/harrylimesdoorthirdman.jpg\" alt=\"The Harry Lime doorway from The Third Man\" class=\"wp-image-47285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/harrylimesdoorthirdman.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/harrylimesdoorthirdman-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Which shadowy post-WWII figure once famously stood in this doorway?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vienna has provided outdoor and interior locations for many international movies and TV shows; from classics of the 1940s to today&#8217;s Netflix productions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/vienna-book-song-film\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1684\">Follow in the footsteps<\/a> of Harry Lime, Ethan Hunt, James Bond, C\u00e9line &amp; Jesse, Jack Ryan, Max Liebermann, and others. Most of the location guides feature a map, as well as links, tips, and anecdotes about the places you pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/vienna-book-song-film\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1684\">movie location guides<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"boat\">Boat and river trips<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/danubeunocity.jpg\" alt=\"The Danube with a view across to the UK headquarters\" class=\"wp-image-57870\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/danubeunocity.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/danubeunocity-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Take a turn along the Danube, which lacks a certain blueness to it in the photo)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vienna owes much of its historical prominence to a convenient location on the banks of the continent-crossing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/mapsgeography\/the-danube\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5019\">Danube<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/boat-tours-river-trips\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59447\">river trip options<\/a> include boat transfers to Bratislava and back, various tours of the Vienna bits of the Danube (and beyond), and even a municipal service out to a wetland nature reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main river itself passes through the northeast of the city, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/donaukanal\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"34106\">one arm<\/a> kindly snakes around the edge of the old town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/boat-tours-river-trips\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"59447\">boat tours &amp; river trips<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-content-type=\"venue\" data-content-ids=\"205280,205281\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_Tours_River\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"historical\">Tours of historical buildings<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parliamentnight.jpg\" alt=\"Parliament and Athena fountain at night\" class=\"wp-image-57680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parliamentnight.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/parliamentnight-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Tour the inside of the Austrian parliament)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vienna is the kind of place where a restaurant bears a world-famous personality&#8217;s name because that same personality used to live upstairs. We have a lot of history here. A lot. It oozes out of gothic doors, baroque portals, and art deco windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many historical locations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/tours-historical-buildings\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"58561\">offer tours of their interior<\/a> in one form or another: opera houses, palaces, concert venues, civic &amp; religious buildings, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also have some annual events that let you enter places normally closed off to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/tours-historical-buildings\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"58561\">tours of historical buildings<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"day\">Day trips<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgoldtown.jpg\" alt=\"Salzburg old town and fortress\" class=\"wp-image-44213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgoldtown.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgoldtown-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Salzburg makes a great day trip and can be reached by train in a little over two hours)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we stretch our definitions a little, then a tour in Vienna might take you outside the city and back again to such destinations as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/mapsgeography\/salzburg\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"12693\">Salzburg<\/a>, Hallstatt, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/mapsgeography\/alps\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5177\">the Alps<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/mapsgeography\/day-trip-melk-abbey\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"62841\">Melk abbey<\/a>, or Budapest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It pains me a little to suggest you leave my home city for pastures new, but honesty compels me to present a few ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After all, much of Vienna&#8217;s beauty and cultural riches date back to the times of the Habsburgs. However, their lands extended across much of nearby central, southern and eastern Europe too. So, for example, many other places got a share of the imperial cake, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/activities\/day-trips\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"18205\">day trip ideas<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pass\">Useful passes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, a sightseeing pass might offer discounted or one-time free access to various paid travel and tour options. For example (at the time of writing):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/vienna-pass-review\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3960\">Vienna Pass<\/a> includes a couple of guided tours, a city cruise and (repeat) use of a hop on hop off bus service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/vienna-welcome-card\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"77567\">Vienna Welcome Card<\/a> works as a network travel card for public transport and also includes a number of discounts on other travel services<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Once in Vienna, tours in all sorts of flavours can add depth and entertainment to your visit. So I have tips, links and reviews for you covering numerous options: from guided walks and movie maps to buses, boats and VR experiences. Jump to: Trips &amp; tours, oh my! We shall begin on two feet&#8230; Walking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":59927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-59926","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-transport","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59926"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85957,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59926\/revisions\/85957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}