Vienna Historic Centre

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Centre Of Vienna (2001, In Danger Since 2017). The Imperial Capital'S Core, With St Stephen'S Cathedral (Stephansdom), The Hofburg Palace Complex, The Ringstrasse Boulevard, The Opera House, Habsburg Era Museums And The Traditional Coffee Houses (UNESCO Intangible Heritage, 2011). · Vienna, Vienna

Vienna's Innere Stadt, the First District, is the old heart of the former Habsburg capital, enclosed by the Ringstrasse, a 4 km boulevard of 19th century monuments built where the city walls once stood. Inside are Stephansdom with its tiled Gothic roof, the Hofburg palace complex, the Graben, grand coffee houses and quiet courtyards, with the State Opera, Parliament, the Rathaus and the great museums on the Ring itself. The historic centre is a UNESCO site, though it has been listed as 'in danger' since 2017 because of a high-rise project near the Hotel InterContinental. It is walkable, very safe and best taken slowly. The honest picture is that the main streets are busy and pricey, and the pleasure is in a long coffee house morning, one or two museums a day, and an evening walk when the crowds thin and the buildings are lit. Trains from Salzburg take about 3 hours 30 minutes, and the whole centre can be crossed on foot in half an hour. Plan on mild, sometimes damp weather and book the popular tickets before you arrive.

Historic first district of Vienna inside the Ringstrasse, with St Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg palace, the Spanish Riding School, the Opera House and the cafes of the Graben, Vienna, Vienna, Austria

The streets, courtyards and cathedral nave are open all year, though the cathedral closes for services and tours. The Hofburg, Kunsthistorisches Museum and State Opera tours open daily in season, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum is CLOSED on Mondays. Many shops close on Sundays. Confirm hours locally.

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