This guide includes the top day trips from Vienna, from medieval castles and wineries to scenic drives through the Wachau Valley—and even a quick hop over to another country—all within a few hours' drive!

I’ve personally tested all of these routes so I can give you all the practical details, maps, drive times, and brutally honest insights so you can plan your trip like a pro (or at least avoid wasting a day on something overrated).

This list will come in handy if you have some extra time when visiting Vienna, or if you decide Vienna is boring like I did and need another place to visit for the day.

Learn more about Austria.

I’ll start with the closest trips (under 30 minutes away) and work my way to the best full-day excursions. Here are the places I think are worth your precious time:

 

The best day trips from Vienna: cheat sheet

 

1. Klosterneuburg Abbey Winery: Austria’s oldest winery is housed in a monastery! 25-minute drive from Vienna (14 km/9 miles)
    
2. Kreuzenstein Castle: A medieval-looking castle built from real medieval parts. 25-minute drive from Vienna (25 km/16 miles)
    
3. Castle Liechtenstein & Seegrotte Hinterbrühl: A fairy-tale castle with great tours + one of Europe’s largest underground lakes. 30-minute drive from Vienna (26 km/16 miles)
    
4. Wachau Valley Road Trip: A scenic drive along the Danube with stops at Melk Abbey, castle ruins, and the charming town of Dürnstein. Full loop: 210 km/130 miles (total driving time: 3.5 hours)
    
5. Linz: Austria’s City of Media Arts, with futuristic museums and a colorful old town. 2-hour drive from Vienna (180 km/114 miles)
    
6. Graz: A perfect blend of history and modern art, featuring a unique "Friendly Alien" art museum. 2-hour drive from Vienna (200 km/124 miles)
    
7. Salzburg (not recommended as a day trip): Too far for a day trip! Visit as a day trip from Hallstatt instead. 3-hour drive from Vienna (300 km/180 miles)
    
8. Hallstatt (also too far as a day trip): My favorite lakeside village with a historic salt mine and breathtaking Alpine views. 3.5-hour drive from Vienna (280 km/185 miles)
    

Bonus: Day trips from Vienna to Bratislava & Budapest?

• Bratislava: Slovakia’s capital, full of history, an ok old town, and castle views over the Danube. 1-hour drive from Vienna (80 km/50 miles)
   
• Budapest: A grand European capital (of Hungary) with thermal baths and spectacular views from Buda Castle. 2.5-hour drive from Vienna (240 km/150 miles)​

 

 

Pro tip: If you do want to travel around even more, check out my Austria itinerary that’ll have you changing hotels faster than you can say Österreich (road trip, baby!).

 

An Austria itinerary wouldn't be complete without some time (or, ideally, a lot of time!) in the beautiful Alps...

 

 

1. Day trip from Vienna to Klosterneuburg Abbey Winery

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: A tour of Austria’s oldest winery, but can also include the actual monastery that it’s housed in. Wine tasting is optional but very much recommended. You can easily connect this stop with a visit to Kreuzenstein Castle (see next item on this list).
   
• Distance from Vienna: 14 km/9 miles (25 minutes)
• Visit time: 3 hours
• Notes: Admission to the winery includes entrance to the Klosterneuburg Abbey. Wine tasting is extra.

From the Klosterneuburg winery tour
 

This day trip from Vienna isn’t to just any random vineyard and winery, it’s Austria’s oldest!  

You need a guide to take you through the four underground levels and explain the 900-year history of wine making at Klosterneuburg in about 60 minutes.  

Note that some tours are in English, and some are in German with an English audio guide. I highly recommend getting in for the English tour because it’s just weird listening to your audio guide while there’s an actual human there talking to you. Even weirder is when the German speakers start laughing, and you have no idea why because your audio guide didn’t crack the same joke.  

The tour takes you through well-maintained, modern wine cellars. Everything is well-lit, clean, and not musty and smelly.  

You can then buy wine in the vinoteque. If you want a proper wine tasting, you’ll need to arrange that separately from the tour, though the tour does end with you getting two little glasses of wine. Not really a tasting as much as a farewell. They won’t explain anything about the wine you taste.  

When you buy the ticket for the winery tour, you automatically are allowed entrance to the Klosterneuburg Abbey itself, so spend a little time looking around there if you feel like it after your wine tour.  

• Tours run daily throughout the year. Winter tour time: 12:45 pm. Summer tour times: 1 pm Monday to Friday, 1 pm and 2:45 pm on weekends.
• Tickets cost EUR 11 for adults.  

 

2. Day trip from Vienna to Kreuzenstein Castle 

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: Tour a (sort of) medieval castle just a 30-minute drive north from central Vienna. You can easily connect this stop with a visit to Klosterneuburg Monastery Winery (see previous item on this list).
   
• Distance from Vienna: 25 km/16 miles (25 minutes)
• Visit time: 1 hour 
• Notes: Guided tour only

Kreuzenstein Castle
 

Kreuzenstein Castle was built by the Wilczek family in the 19^th century on the remains of a medieval castle.  

Why does it look so medieval, then? It’s because the family scavenged Europe for sections of medieval structures and built their castle out of them. Upcycling at its best!  

You can only visit Kreuzenstein on a guided tour. Tours start hourly and take 45–60 minutes. It’s only in German, which is a little unfortunate, but hey at least you get to see the thing! Pull up some information on your phone and read about the history of the castle while you walk through.  

They also sell an English guidebook, but for some reason, they like to keep that bit of info a secret. Make sure to ask for it at the ticket desk.  

If you are lucky and if your group is small enough and English-speaking, the guides actually are capable of explaining things to you in English and are willing to explain things in more detail to you. If you are in a large group and don’t speak German, all you get is the English name of the next room you’re walking into.  

No photos are allowed inside the castle, but the exteriors are up for grabs and still make very nice pictures.  

Note that at the end of October, opening hours are shortened if it’s too dark outside. Are they afraid of ghosts or something? So make sure to get there when it’s still light out, or you may be out of luck.  

Kreuzenstein is a very nice and well-maintained castle, so don’t get discouraged by the German-only tour and give it a chance.  

• Open daily from April to October. Monday to Saturday 10 am–4 pm, Sundays 10 am–5 pm. 
• Tickets cost EUR 15 for adults. Cash only.  

 

3. Day trip from Vienna to Castle Liechtenstein and the underground lake

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: See the castle on one of the most interesting castle tours in Austria. Head underground to the nearby Seegrotte Hinterbrühl to see one of Europe’s largest underground lakes.
   
• Distance from central Vienna: 26 km/16 miles (30 minutes) + 1 extra km (0.6 miles) to mines
• Visit time: 2 hours (+ extra 1 hour for the underground lake)
• Notes: Guided tour of the castle only. Bring a jacket for the caves.
   

Start at Castle Liechtenstein

Castle Liechtenstein
 

Let me guess, you’d love to see not one, but two sort of similar castles that are close to Vienna, right? Happy to oblige! But let’s head south this time—30 minutes from downtown Vienna.  

If Castle Liechtenstein reminds you of Kreuzenstein Castle (the previous item on this list), then you aren’t totally wrong. Both were restored by the same architect in the 19^th century, and he clearly used the same notes for both castles.  

That said, they still each have a different feel, and visiting both won’t have you feel like you stepped into a copy machine.  

This castle is privately owned, and the owners take great pride in providing tours that are very informative and entertaining, and that attention to the guide quality shows. The guides are very well prepared, fun, and every tour is in German and English.  

The interior of the castle can feel small, but at least you’re never bored. Our guide was entertaining, and I was never trying to catch a glimpse of the next room to see if I could escape to it early.  

There are several types of tours at Castle Liechtenstein, lasting from 1 to 2 hours. I’d say go for the Grand Tour because you can’t climb the tower on any of the other tours, and the views from there are pretty cool. You also see the previously private fireplace room.  

The Grand Tour takes 2 hours.  

Tip: There is one special pre-Christmas tour every year where the Vienna State Opera singers accompany the tour with their music. Or, try to take the monthly night tour and see the castle lit by lanterns.  

• Open year-round but with different tour times depending on the month. December – February, they go only on weekends. Otherwise daily except for Wednesdays and Thursdays.
   
• Tickets cost from EUR 12 for the basic tour to EUR 20 for the Grand Tour.
   

Side quest: Seegrotte Hinterbrühl 

Seegrotte Hinterbrühl tour
 

Since you’re already in the deep south of Vienna, why not take a look at one of Europe’s largest underground lakes? The caves are only 1 km (0.6 miles) down the road.  

Straight off the bat, I will say that you need to go in with low expectations because, yes, the lake is nice and turquoise, but the boat ride lasts barely 10 minutes.  

Besides your short tour on the water, you’ll be told about the history of the former gypsum mine while walking and standing. 

The few “exhibits” trying (are they really?!) to show what life was like down there are pathetic, not gonna lie. 

But overall, an ok little side-trip if you are at all interested to see some very clean water underground and have time on your hands.  

The tour at Seegrotte Hinterbrühl lasts about 45 minutes, and they just keep going throughout the day. If there isn’t anybody in the ticket office when you arrive, they’re out on a tour, so just hang back and wait. They’ll be back like Schwarzenegger.  

Remember to bring a jacket because no matter how warm it is outside, it’s only 9°C (48.2°F) underground. They rent blankets, too.  

• Opening times are almost secret, but they tend to be open daily, but close around 2 pm.
• Tickets cost EUR 18 for adults.  

 

4. Day trip from Vienna to Wachau Valley—a fantastic day-long road trip!

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: You’ll be taking a loop drive from Vienna. On this day trip, I recommend starting with what most people end with—Melk Abbey. Then you’ll drive by the river, stopping at a couple of ruins, optionally hiking to one of them, and end up in one of the cutest villages in the region, Dürnstein.
   
• Distance from Vienna: 88 km/55 miles to Melk Abbey, another 30 km/19 miles to Dürnstein, a total of 210 km/130 miles for the entire loop
   
• Total driving time: 3.5 hours
   
• Main stops: Melk Abbey, Aggstein Castle (with optional hike), Ruine Hinterhaus, Dürnstein
   
• Just 1 hour away from Vienna is Wachau Valley, a serene area along the Danube River (which is why it’s also referred to as Danube Valley) full of vineyards, forests, ruins, and little villages. And a Baroque monastery overlooking it all.  
   

First stop: Melk Abbey

Mel Abbey

 

Leave Vienna in the morning and be at Mel Abbey by 9 am to skip the largest crowds. It is a very popular day trip from Vienna, and the summers there are very busy.  

The abbey sits above the town of Melk overlooking the Danube, so even if old church-like places aren’t your jam, you’ll still enjoy the views from the balcony and the fascinating library. I’m personally all Baroque’d out for probably the next decade, but I’d make an exception for Mel Abbey.  

An interesting thing about Mel Abbey is that it’s still an active Benedictine Monastery. I wonder how much the half million annual visitors disturb the monks’ spirituality.   

You can tour the abbey on your own or on a guided tour during most months of the year. Do check the official website if you’re visiting between November and March. Guided tours are only available on weekends or not at all.   

Plan on spending 1.5 hours at the abbey.  

There are also the gardens, which are not free to visit even if you don’t want to see the abbey, though there is a discounted ticket available for just the gardens.  

• Opening times: April – October daily 9 am–5:30 pm. Check the website for winter opening times.  
• Tickets cost EUR 13 without a guide, EUR 16 with a guide
   

Second stop: Aggstein Castle

Aggstein Castle
 

After Melk, drive north towards Dürnstein. There are many places you’ll want to take photos, so I’ll just point out two that I think are worth a stop and a little wander.  

The first one is Aggstein Castle, a ruin about 300 m above the right bank of the Danube. Can anyone say “views”? You can either drive up to the castle parking lot or turn this stop into a little hike and leave your car under the hill and make your way up using good old leg power.  

This ruin is much more than some leftover rocks and still looks like a complete castle. You can walk around inside, ponder the workings of the allegedly escape-proof prison, and relax at the café or have lunch in the tavern.  

You can also have a wedding there, but I’m almost certain you won’t be doing that as a day trip from Vienna!  

• Open daily from sometime in March to sometime in October (check website!) 9 am–6 pm. They also have a Christmas market.
• Tickets cost EUR 8 for adults
   

Third stop: Ruine Hinterhaus

The views from Ruine Hinterhaus
 

The second stop on your drive through Wachau Valley is also a ruin, Ruine Hinterhaus.  

This one is similarly dramatically up on the hillside, but much less complete than the Aggstein Castle. It’s free to visit (and always open), though the 10-minute uphill scramble up from Spitz riverside will be more than enough payment for some couch potato-type folk.  

Ruine Hinterhaus is on the other side of the Danube than you’ll be driving on, but don’t fret, there’s a car ferry that’ll get you across to the town of Spitz.   

There are steep parts, stairs, and even a ladder to the tower of Ruine Hinterhaus. But you can see far and wide over the Danube and the countryside, so it’s worth the mild sweat to get up there. Plus, it’s fun!  

If you like boats, need some place other than a ruin to take your kids, or just have extra time, consider visiting the local maritime museum. You can easily reach it down another path from the ruins.
 

Last stop: Dürnstein 

Dürnstein
 

Finally, end your day in the village of Dürnstein at the northern end of Wachau Valley. It’s a popular tourist destination, so if you don’t like people, you’ll be miserable. Still, it’s just a tiny place in Austria’s countryside, so you shouldn’t be too overwhelmed.  

Wander its alleys and stare at the very blue tower, or, if you haven’t had enough ruins for the day, take a little trip out to Dürnstein Castle.  

There are many places to stop and eat, some notable ones being the little bistro called Schloss Greisslerei or Schloss Dürnstein Restaurant, with river views.  

The drive from Dürnstein back to Vienna will take about an hour. You’ll be completing the loop, so no backtracking is necessary.

 

 

5. Day trip from Vienna to Linz

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: You can take in most of Linz’s highlights within a day, so if you depart from Vienna early in the morning, it’ll be a full but very worthwhile day trip.
   
• Distance from Vienna: 180 km/114 miles (2 hours)
• Notes: Nothing really, just maybe to not overlook Linz, it’s a very cool city!

Linz—The City of Media Arts
 

Linz isn’t on most people’s radars, and it’s a shame! An industrial city turned technology center, Linz now has not only a generally charming, colorful historical center, but is also made just a bit cooler with its media center and futuristic gallery space. UNESCO didn’t make it one of its Cities of Media Arts for nothing! 

You can drive to Linz from Vienna in an easy 2 hours, so it’s still just barely ok to turn it into a day trip from Vienna.  

The ARS Electronica Center is every futuristic nerd’s dream and it’s the best place to visit in Linz. There are plenty of other art spaces in the city, like  Lentos Kunstmuseum, Linz’s museum of modern art.

At Höhenrausch (literally “height rush”), you climb up structures (a ship in the sky, anyone?) and walk across rooftops, and it’s… an experience! Even if you don’t especially crave strange art (there’s a lot of it), you’ll enjoy the views and adrenaline rush.

The unmissable, luminous Ars Electronica Center
 

There are of course also your more typical tourist spots, like the castle and the cathedral, and a nice stroll by the river.  

One tourist spot that is not in the historical center is Pöstlingberg, a hill above Linz. This is not the Alps, mind you, but the tram route that takes you up the hill, Pöstlingbergbahn, is the steepest adhesion railway in Europe.   

I have details, opening times, and prices of all of Linz’s things to do in a dedicated Linz guide, so hop on over there if you’re going to visit Linz as a day trip from Vienna.

  

6. Day trip from Vienna to Graz

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: Graz is 2 hours away from Vienna, so you’ll need to plan for a full day of travel if you want to see all of the city’s highlights. You’ll have no trouble fitting everything in and getting back to Vienna in time for a good night’s sleep.
   
• Distance from Vienna: 200 km/124 miles (2 hours)
• Notes: Graz is great for modern art fans and history fans alike.

 

Friendly Alien a.k.a Kunsthaus Graz

 

Graz is an Austrian city that’s an art hub (it’s also the second-largest city in Austria). Besides that, it has one of the largest, best-preserved historical city centers in Europe, where all of the beautiful historical structures live in harmony with the more modern ones and artsy design elements that have made their way into the city. 

 

 

You’ll need 2 or 3 hours to stroll the Old Town and see the most important sights: the Main Square, the Town Hall, the cathedral, the castle, the Gemaltes Haus (a historical house with a full-painted fresco facade from 1742), and Luegghäuser a 17th-century arcade house with rich facade decoration. And if there’s one thing you can’t miss in Graz, it’s the Clock Tower on Schlossberg.  You will be dumbfounded by one building in particular—the big, black, gug-looking thing, or “Friendly Alien” as the locals call it, houses contemporary art in the Kunsthaus Graz.  

And last but not least, Murinsel, a steel man-made island on the river Mur, also very interesting in appearance. It was designed by New York artist Vito Acconci, who thought about it as a floating shell, linked to the banks with footbridges. Don’t forget to grab a coffee at the cafe.  

All in all, I think Graz is the perfect day trip from Vienna. It’s not too far, and it doesn’t really need to be visited as an overnight trip unless you prefer slow travel. If you do, book one of the cool Graz hotels and enjoy another day.  

 

7. Day trip from Vienna to Salzburg—possible, but not comfortable

Click over to Google Maps for the route map. Notice all the other places you could take a trip to instead… Salzburg is just too far as a day trip from Vienna!

 

• The plan: Don’t do it. Salzburg is too far from Vienna for a day trip. If you want to visit Salzburg, stay overnight (I’d recommend in Hallstatt).
   
• Distance from Vienna: 300 km/180 miles (3 hours)
• Notes: I have an overview of Salzburg’s highlights and an itinerary for 1 and 2 days in Salzburg in a separate article.

 

Mirabell Gardens are beautiful, but is Salzburg really worth more than a day?

 

The 'Pieta' by Anna Chromy is as eerie as it is fascinating... also reminds you of Moscomore from Harry Potter?

 

I, for one, think that Salzburg doesn’t warrant more than a day of your time, which sounds like it would make a great day trip from Vienna in my book, but there’s a big BUT. It’s a 3-hour drive one way. That’s 6 hours in the car… just to see Salzburg! No, thank you.  

What I recommend you do is take a trip to Hallstatt instead and stay overnight there. Then, take a day trip to Salzburg from there because it’s only a 1-hour drive as opposed to 3 hours from Vienna. 

Here are the best things to do in Salzburg:

The Salzburg Fortress is quite impressive, but the rest of the city is boring as hell. From my perspective, it’s somewhere between Vienna and Prague: better than Vienna, less interesting than Prague. And again, just too far away!  

Even in my Austria itinerary, I only give Salzburg part of a day.

 

Me, Mirabell Castle and Gardens in Salzburg
 

If you make the trip, make sure to stop by the Salzburger Weihnachtsmuseum. A small museum with a historical collection of Christmas decorations, toys, and various Christmas-related this and that. 

Besides the fortress and some Christmas fun, you’ll spend most of your time around Residenzplatz (the Residence Square), with all the mandatory sights at your fingertips:  Salzburg Cathedral, DomQuarter/Alte Residenz, Neue Residenz with the famous Glockenspiel (nowadays home of the Salzburg Museum), St. Peter’s Monastery, Cemetery, and Catacombs.   

Besides the main sights, you won’t have time for much more. Perhaps choose one of the following based on your interests:  

• Hellbrunn Palace with its trick fountains, magnificent well-preserved frescoes and even a unicorn inside. 
   
• Museum of Modern Art or Beer Museum. No description is necessary; it’s obvious what they display (for a serious beer fan, you need to head to Belgium for the best beer museum I’ve ever visited). 
   
• Hangar 7 is a stylish hangar filled with airplanes, motorbikes, rally cars, and a Formula 1 exhibition. It’s a real gem for technology enthusiasts, under Red Bull patronage.

 

8. Day trip from Vienna to Hallstatt—not enough time to give it justice!

Click over to Google Maps for the route map
 

• The plan: Just like I said for Salzburg, I think Hallstatt is too far and also too interesting to visit as a day trip from Vienna. The town has so much to offer (for a tiny place), so stay overnight and go on a day trip to Salzburg, too.
   
• Distance from central Vienna: 280 km/185 miles (3.5 hours)
• Notes: Treat Hallstatt and Salzburg as a package deal and connect the two into an overnight trip.

Hallstatt, a beautiful town by the lake, surrounded by mountains
 

Hallstatt is a must-visit destination, not just a day trip... From charming streets to the world’s oldest salt mine

 

Hallstatt is my personal favorite city in Austria, so I’d really consider it a destination on its own as opposed to a day trip from Vienna.

A drive to Hallstatt from Vienna takes 3.5 hours, which makes absolutely no sense for a day trip. You need to stay overnight (or 2) to see Hallstatt’s highlights and perhaps add Salzburg as a day trip from there.

Once in the town, take in the charm of this picturesque village and stare out onto the lake and surrounding mountains. That alone can take up a good chunk of your afternoon, but there are some other more unexpected experiences waiting to be had.  

One notable one, since Hallstatt gained its glory mainly for salt mining, is the Hallstatt Salt Mines (Salzwelten). It’s the oldest salt mine in the world, with a 7,000-year history. The ancient tribes were working in these mines 7,000 years ago, which means the mines are older than the Egyptian pyramids! 

This is a must-visit. The tour of the salt mines is super fun—it starts with a train ride and includes going between the individual floors on wooden slides! You can get details of my visit to the salt mines in my Hallstatt article.

The view from Welterbeblick
 

The salt mine combination ticket (EUR 32) also gets you to the second-best experience in Hallstatt—the Hallstatt Skywalk (Welterbeblick). Take the Salzbergbahn funicular up 838 m (2,750 ft) onto the mountain.

Then, cross the suspension bridge leading to Rudolf’s tower (it looks more like a villa than a tower, but ok), and right under the tower, you will see the viewpoint platform.   

Yes, the platform hangs there as if in thin air, and yes, the views are spectacular. Don’t miss it!  

 

BONUS: Should you take a day's trip from Vienna to Budapest and Bratislava?

1. A carriage ride through the centre of Vienna, 2. The Parliament building in Budapest, 3. The Bratislava UFO
 

I’ve decided to stay within the country's borders for this list, so Bratislava and Budapest aren’t included, at least for now. That said, both of the neighbors’ capitals make fine day trip destinations, but there is a BUT:
 

NO: Bratislava is close but boring

I’d seriously skip Bratislava since it’s even more boring than Vienna. Every single item on this list is a better choice. It is only 1 hour away, though, so if it feels fun to visit another country for a day, by all means, it’s easy enough to do.
 

Also, NO: Budapest is too interesting to visit for just a few hours

As for Budapest, it can be reached from Vienna in 2.5 hours, so semi-easy, but that’s also the problem. Using up 5 hours of your day for the drive would mean running around Budapest, which is honestly quite nice, in what—6 hours? It’s just too rush-rush. If you ask me, an overnight trip to Budapest is much better than a day trip from Vienna to Budapest.

 

Hotels in Vienna: Try this artsy boutique hotel or a 5-star historical gem

Design elements galore @ Boutiquehotel Das Tyrol

 

Since you’re basing yourself in Vienna for all of these day trips, you’ll need a place to stay that you’ll be happy returning to after your adventures.  

The 4-star Boutiquehotel Das Tyrol is located on Mariahilfer Straße shopping street, just a short walk from a metro station, making exploring the city proper super easy.  

It’s  full of art—pieces from Vienna’s best designers decorate the interior. If you don’t feel like doing too much on one of your days in Vienna, you can stay in the hotel and still say you explored Viennese art!

The beds in this hotel are uber-comfortable, the staff goes above and beyond, and Prosseco is served with breakfast. I mean, come on—how does it get better than this?

 

Classy vibes @ Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof
 

If you plan on taking a long drive or a morning-to-night day trip one day, you’ll appreciate a hotel smack in the middle of Vienna’s city center, meaning you can see the sights in the city with very little effort (and no commute). There’s no need to feel like you need a vacation after your vacation! 

Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof is a 5-star hotel that probably has the best price/quality/location ratio out of all of Vienna’s hotels. And it has a private parking garage.

The rooms in this historical building are pleasantly modern (with AC), with 21st-century interpretations of various styles. Two whole floors of the hotel are dedicated to a spa and fitness center—also a great bonus for a bit of a rest day.

The breakfast and basically all meals are amazing here.

 

What cities can you visit from Vienna?

The best cities to visit from Vienna are Linz and Graz—both offer a mix of history, culture, and modern vibes. Hallstatt is the clear standout for me personally, but it’s way too good to rush through in a day. Salzburg is another option, but unless you love sitting in a car for six hours, I wouldn’t recommend it as a day trip. And yes, you can visit Bratislava or Budapest, but I have doubts about both—explained above.

 

What is the most beautiful place near Vienna?

Wachau Valley takes the crown—it’s a picture-perfect stretch of the Danube with vineyards, castles, and ridiculously scenic drives. If you prefer something more unique, Castle Liechtenstein & Seegrotte Hinterbrühl are stunning in their own way—medieval charm + underground lake = a solid day out. Both are easy to visit as a day trip from Vienna.

 

1. Hallstatt, 2. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, 3. The Krimmler Waterfalls, 4. Dachstein Glacier
 

Is Austria worth it?

Yes, Austria is a wonderful place to visit. Check out my list of the best places in Austria to see what I mean. I vote that the nature in Austria surpasses the man-made tourist destinations, though there are some towns that you shouldn’t skip

• Case in point: Zell am See-Kaprun is the must-visit location in Austria for the spectacular Alpine location
• See my Austria itinerary if you voted to get the best of the entire country.  
• See my Vienna itinerary if you’re limiting yourself to the capital and surrounding area.  

 

You might also be interested in reading:

• A Detailed 10-Day Austria Itinerary
• 3 Days in Vienna: The Ultimate Itinerary
• What is Austria Known For? 13 Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
• 9 Unusual Things to do in Vienna
• 7 Top Tourist Cities in Austria: Highlights, Trips, Hotels, and More

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission if you make bookings through my links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!