Vienna is the elegant capital city of Austria which oozes culture and sophistication at every corner. From palaces to museums and fabulous architecture, Vienna is a photographer’s dream and somewhere you can absolutely imagine stepping back in time and stepping into an iconic Vienesse ball of the 1800s. I’ve been fortunate to visit twice, ten years apart. First in 2014 during an inter-rail trip with friends from Uni and second on a Press Trip with Almanac Hotels. Two different visits! If you’re in Vienna for a special occasion then I do absolutely recommend a stay at Almanac Palais Vienna. Set inside a fabulous historic building, the hotel is a work of art with luxurious suites and an Insta worthy bar.
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code CATTHOMSON5 for 5% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
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1. Kunsthistorisches Museum
First up on this list is the Kunsthistorisches Museum which is one of the most important art museum’s in Vienna, even in Europe. The museum has numerous, significant collections and artefacts as well as paintings by the likes of Caravaggio, Dürer and Breugel. You can easily spend a couple of hours wandering through the ornate rooms here, spellbound by what you come across in each room. If you’re an art lover then that time could certainly increase to an entire morning or afternoon as you enjoy each collection. From an Instagrammable point of view, the main photo to capture here is the beautiful cafe in the museum, taken from above. The black and white marble of the floor and the columns contrast with the plush red velvet furnishings. The stairway up to the first floor is also a stunning place to photograph as well.
2. Vienna State Opera
Next up is the gorgeous State Opera. The building is one of the most impressive in the city with its Renaissance Revival style and was completed in 1869. The best spot to capture it from is the terrace of The Albertina museum. On my next trip to Vienna I’d love to visit the inside of the Opera House and either join a tour or see a performance to see the interior opulence as well.
3. Justizpalast
A Court of Justice is admittedly not where you’d usually think of going for an Instagrammable photo but in Vienna it is! This city really is so elegant and classy everywhere you look and the Justizpalast is no different.This is a working court house so it is important to be respectful of the people that work here and keep your voice down as you admire the beautiful interior. The best place to take a photo from is to walk up the stairs and walk around the balcony to the opposite end to get the excellent viewpoint above. You will have to pass through a metal detector to view the Justizpalast.
4. St. Charles’s Church
St Charles’s Church is an ornate Baroque church at Karlsplatz with a wedding cake white exterior topped by a copper green dome and flanked by two soaring columns. If you can take a shot from across the small lake in the morning that will be a great shot but at night the church glows against the night sky. One of my highlights of my most recent trip to Vienna was going to a classical concert of The Four Seasons at Karlskirche on a late summer evening. The interior is just as stunning and with the glowing candlelight as the sun was setting outside made for a very atmospheric experience.
5. Hundertwasserhaus
Historic Vienna also has its fair share of contemporary thinkers and design to complement its past and Hundertwasserhaus is one of these. This is an expressionist apartment block designed by Hundertwasser. It’s a bizarre building to look at and imagine to live in but it certainly makes for an Instagrammable shot. Particularly from further back where you can capture plenty of colour in one go.
6. St. Stephen’s Cathedral
St Stephen’s Cathedral is absolutely epic. It is a majestic and massive structure in the heart of Vienna and its Medieval Gothic exterior looms up above the city. In Stephansplatz it seems to be even more dominating as its nearly 450m height looks down. The imposing towers make the cathedral seem almost like a fortress and seems at an odd juxtaposition to the beautiful coloured tiles that decorate the rooftop. The Cathedral was rebuilt in 1952 after it suffered damage during the Second World War. Jasomirgottstraße is a good street to get an Instagram shot down.
7. Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace is one of Vienna’s absolute must see locations and is in fact one of the most important historical places in the whole of Austria. Schönbrunn is a stunning Baroque architecture palace with extensive grounds to explore. It is full of beautiful Instagrammable corners, rooms, facades and views. You could easily write a whole post just about the places to photograph here! Don’t miss the State Apartments and the Gloriette at the top of the hill in the gardens.
8. Upper & Lower Belvedere
The Upper and Lower Belvedere Museums are gorgeous. These two museums / art galleries are located opposite each other in the Belvedere Gardens. The external buildings are glorious. The gardens bursting with colours. The artwork incredible. The interiors are also beautiful. Everywhere you look is like a work of art and you’ll find yourself pointing your camera at everything you come across.
9. Austrian National Library
The Austrian National Library is located in one of the wings of the Hofburg Palace and is the largest library in Austria. It has gained attention on social media in the last few years which means that entrance is at a price of €11 per ticket which I have to say is quite high. If you’re after the photo and are a fan of bookshop / library aesthetics then you’ll say it’s worth the price to see this gorgeous place. If you’re not then you may be wondering afterwards why you spent so much! The Prunksaal is the room that you’ll see photos of.
10. Albertina
The Albertina is actually a part of the Hofburg Palace (as is the Austrian Library, previous on this list) and is full of important artworks. It is primarily an art museum but I have added it on this Instagrammable list for some of its stunning rooms and interiors which are bursting with lavish colours and exquisite craftmanship. The Albertina is packed with famous artists and marvellous paintings from the likes of Degas, Picasso and Chagall.
11. Hofburg Palace
The Hofburg Palace was once the Viennese Palace of the Habsburg Dynasty when they ruled in Europe. Today it is home to numerous museums, galleries, meeting places and even the Spanish Riding School as it finds its use when its former inhabitants are long gone. Discover the incredible Imperial Staterooms to see how the Habsburgs would have lived and worked here. It’s an incredible spot to capture an Insta shot because of its beautiful architecture and details. Whether you’re into architectural photography or lifestyle it’s an excellent backdrop or focus.
12. Karlsplatz
Finally on this list is Otto Wagner’s Karlsplatz station. It may look like Art Deco but it is in fact Vienna Secession which is closely linked to the Art Nouveau style. They’re rather charming and give me strong Wes Anderson vibes. It’s a relief to know that they were saved from demolition when the Stadtbahn train line turned into the U-Bahn instead.
For more Austria content take a look at my other posts about Salzburg & Graz!
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