You spend much of a trip to Vienna looking up and around. But there’s a lot to be said for looking down. Which means a tour of the sewers finding somewhere offering wonderful views of the city. Here some suggestions.
- Book a themed guided tour* in Vienna
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A view from above
Some might argue that the best view of Vienna is out the window of a coffee house while holding a small fork loaded with cake. But for something slightly higher up and involving less calories…
The Donauturm (Danube Tower)
(Easily spotted from afar)
This purpose-built viewing tower stands in a big park near the Danube river, so you get clear views across the entire city and beyond. It’s Austria’s tallest building, with fast lifts taking you up to a 360° viewing platform.
As a bonus, a revolving restaurant and coffee house up top let you rest your feet in the company of traditional fare and fine coffee.
Stephansdom cathedral
(The south tower is on the right of the photo)
It has towers and it’s slap bang in the middle of the city. Sounds like the perfect place for a top view. And you can indeed – for a small fee – climb the cathedral’s South Tower (343 steps) to get a good look across the rooftops.
You’ll find no coffee shop up there, but it does have a small souvenir shop.
If climbing’s not your thing, then the North Tower has somewhat less impressive views, but a lift up to them.
The Giant Ferris Wheel
(A view, history and fairground ride in one)
With a diameter of over 60m, the view across the city rooftops and over the Prater park is rather good.
But it’s the whole experience, rather than the view, that makes the Riesenrad giant Ferris wheel worth a visit.
The wheel forms a landmark part of the city, having provided a famous backdrop for memorable scenes in The Third Man, Before Sunrise, and other movies.
Most people just take a ride in a wagon, but you can also book a gastronomic experience on board.
The Gloriette
This is a “thing” built on top of a hill in front of the Habsburg summer palace at Schönbrunn.
I’m sure there’s a technical word to describe the Gloriette, but it basically consists of an intricate façade constructed to give palace inhabitants something nice to look at from their bedroom window. We’ve all done it.
Anyway, you can look down from the roof over quite a bit of Vienna. It’s not the very best view of the city, but it’s a pretty good one (especially in summer with the Schönbrunn gardens and palace below).
As with the Riesenrad, the experience counts as much as the view: you’re standing on a bit of 18th-century history. Inevitably, the Gloriette also houses a café.
Karlskirche church
(Look out from the balustraded terrace)
A spiral staircase takes you up and out onto the panorama terrace of this glorious 18th-century church. This gives you the chance to look out across to the north and west of Vienna.
A particular highlight is seeing the famous Musikverein more or less from above, so you can appreciate the building much better. Incidentally, I can recommend the evening concerts at the church, too.
Wien Museum
(The Wien Museum terrace with the Karlskirche behind; press photo by Lisa Rastl © Wien Museum)
You wait ages for a viewing platform to arrive and then two come along at once. Karlskirche’s neighbour also has a long and broad terrace with views of the square and over to the Musikverein, for example.
Reach the terrace from the self-service café on the third upper floor. The Wien Museum building reopened in late 2023 after a massive refurbishment project, and you only pay to see special exhibitions on the top floor. So access to the terrace is free.
MQ Libelle
(View of the Kunsthistorisches and Naturhistorisches museums from the Libelle)
A free-to-access viewing terrace, the MQ Libelle sits atop the Leopold Museum in the grounds of the MuseumsQuartier.
Go up using a lift on the outside of the building. You’ll find views across toward the old town (and a small café up top, too).
Strangely, the best view from the Libelle might actually be of the Libelle event building to one side of the platform. The glass exterior creates the effect of a shimmering, translucent silk scarf. Impressive.
Surrounding hills
(The Jubiläumswarte viewing tower)
The west of Vienna has hills and woodland, which offer views across to the east and the city.
Hiking route 4, for example, leads you up to the Jubiläumswarte: a 31m high lookout. And route 1, for example, takes you up Kahlenberg “mountain”, which extends to just under 500m above sea level and looks over Vienna and the Danube valley.
Kahlenberg has an observation tower at the top, as well as (surprise!) a restaurant and coffee house.
You can reach both the Jubiläumswarte (Johann-Staud-Straße 80, 1160 Vienna) and Kahlenberg (Am Kahlenberg, 1190 Vienna) by car, but also by bus: line 52B to the Jubiläumswarte stop or line 38A to the Kahlenberg stop.
Spanish Riding School
(The home of the famous white stallions; photo taken with permission of the SRS on a press tour)
It might seem odd to mention the arena of the Spanish Riding School as a place for views. After all, you spend your time inside looking down at the horses.
However, the school’s guided architectural tour takes you up several levels into the roof of this Baroque construction. At the very top, two small windows offer a rare chance to see across to domes and the cathedral from the perspective of the Hofburg complex.
Bars and restaurants
Several restaurants have high-rise locations providing dinner with a view. Which makes them excellent options for a romantic dinner. For example:
Bar & restaurant in the SO/ Vienna
(A new building for views of old Vienna)
The SO/ Vienna has already become a bit of an iconic spot, despite only opening this century. Located on the banks of the Danube canal, the hotel’s Das LOFT restaurant and bar offers a clear view across the old town rooftops.
Incidentally, “Das LOFT” is possibly even more famous for the illuminated ceiling designed by Pipilotti Rist.
Ocean Sky & Haus des Meeres
(View from the top terrace; press photo courtesy of the Haus des Meeres)
An old flak tower close to the centre houses a rather fine and large aquarium and vivarium (the Haus des Meeres). And the roof-top terrace with glass walls offers a 360° panorama of the entire city.
The Ocean Sky restaurant and bar up there allows you to sup your melange with views across the Viennese skyline. I’d advise making a reservation, should you choose to visit, especially if you want to sit out on the terrace.
Reach the restaurant through the Haus des Meeres or via a dedicated external Panorama Lift inside the entrance foyer. We had brunch there and enjoyed good food and service.
(Last time I checked, you paid nothing to access the terrace if visiting the museum or using the restaurant but had to pay a fee otherwise.)
57 restaurant & lounge
(A former 18th-century Habsburg palace. Nah. One of the city’s new tower buildings)
The giant DC Tower overlooks the Danube and the so-called Donau City, which houses a UN headquarters and associated institutions.
Up top you’ll find the 57 restaurant and lounge, which redefines the meaning of a riverside view. The location also has one of the convenient hotels for the Austria Center Vienna event location.