the Most “instagrammable” places in Vienna
Ok so let me guess, you’ve finally booked your tickets to visit this gorgeous European capital and you can’t wait to do all kinds of interesting activities, including, but not limited to attending a Viennese Ball, seeing the collection of Klimt’s art and visiting the Habsburg’s summer residence. All in all you want to visit a whole lot of glamorous locations and I don’t blame you – Vienna was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and trust me, there is A LOT to see here. But besides expanding your cultural knowledge about this amazing city and its rich history, you probably clicked on this article because you want to discover the most Instagram-worthy places, as the title suggests. I’ve been fortunate enough to call Vienna “home” for quite a few years so let me share with you my most favourite “instagrammable” places here. The locations vary from “everyone knows this spot” to “hm, I never knew that place even existed”:
Gloriette
When visiting the Schönbrunn Palace many people don’t even bother to go up the Gloriette – huuuuuuuuge mistake! Up there you have an amazing view of the flower gardens, the Palace itself and over a big portion of the city as well, as the Gloriette is situated on a hill.
How to get there: U4 (Schönbrunn)
Tram № 10, 60 (Schönbrunn)
Bus 10A (Schönbrunn
Heergeschichtliches Museum
Or the Museum of War is situated a few minutes away from the Belvedere Palace, though not many people know of its existence. The beautiful mixture of medieval castle style architecture of the whole complex and the lush green trees and flowers in the park surrounding it makes it a perfect (and most importantly QUIET and not crowded) place for photoshoots.
Quick tip: if you`re visiting Vienna in the spring time you should 100% go there to see if the trees are blooming. It’s quite unlikely you’ll catch them since they only bloom for about 1 to 2 weeks but they look like magic!
How to get there: U1 (Südtirolerplatz/Hauptbahnhof) 15 min walking distance.
Tram № 18, O (Fasangasse), D (Quartier Belvedere) 5-10 min walking distance.
Bus 13A (Hauptbahnhof), 69A (Arsenal)
Karlsplatz
If you can catch this place early in the morning when there aren’t that many people you can get some pretty amazing shots with this beautiful church in the background.
How to get there: U4 (Karlsplatz)
Tram № 1, 62 (Resselgasse) D (Gußhausstraße)
Bus 4A (Karlsplatz)
Albertina Terrace
Definitely one of my favourite spots, especially around sunset time. The Opera building is impressive on its own but the fact you can observe it from a different high viewpoint and get a few shots that show the whole thing instead of taking photos of it from the street, is an added bonus.
How to get there: U-Bahn U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz/Oper); U3 (Stephansplatz)
Tram № 1, 2, D, 62, 71 (Kärntner Ring/Oper)
Bus 2A (Albertina)
Rathaus
This is a tricky location, as most of the time there’s ALWAYS something happening in front of the building, be it a Christmas Market, an ice skating rink or preparations for the Life Ball. So it’s quite hard to get a photo of the empty square in front of it but hey, having those little cute Christmas houses in your shot definitely won’t ruin it!
Quick tip: if you actually get closer you’ll notice you can go below the columns in the front of the building, the corridor there is an “instagrammable” place all by itself!
How to get there: U2 (Rathaus, Schottentor), U3 (Volkstheater)
Tram № 1, D (Burgtheater)
Hofburg Palace
“Omg so original, everyone takes photos there” you might say, but WAIT, there’s a plot twist! I’m actually talking about the backside of the Palace, not the front. There are usually far less tourists there and the building has a more dark, rugged vibe to it.
Edit 2022: the building was renovated in the past few years since the article was written(2018), the back side of Hofburg isn’t that dark and moody but still, there are usually less tourists on that side
How to get there: U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz/Oper)
Tram № 1, 2, D (Burgring)
Bus 1A, 2A (Hofburg)
Hohe Brücke
I’m not entirely sure why but I find this place great for taking photos. You can be beneath it, you can climb up, it’s kinda versatile and I like it.
How to get there: U3 (Herrengasse)
Bus 1A, 3A (Schwertgasse)
Maria am Gestade
Maria am Gestade is a gothic church that happens to be situated at the top of some very “photogenic” stairs. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
How to get there:
Bus 1A, 3A (Schwertgasse)
Franz Von Assissi Kirche
This building might look like a Disney castle but it’s actually a gorgeous church.
Quick tip: if you go to the bridge over the river you’ll be able to perfectly capture the whole thing, which might be a challenge if you’re trying to take photos from Mexikoplatz.
How to get there: U1 (Vorgartenstrasse)
Bus 11A, 11B (Vorgartenstrasse)
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Both museums there look aaaaaaaalmost identical, although the crowds are always in front of the Naturhistorisches Museum.
How to get there: U2, U3 (Museumsquartier)
Tram № D, 1, 2 (Burgring)
Bus 2A, 57A (Burgring)
Michaelerplatz
Let’s make one thing clear: Michaelerplatz looks like a place out of a fairytale and it smells like a stable. If you can get over the horrific smell then you’ll be able to take some really beautiful photos.
How to get there: U3 (Herrengasse)
Bus 1A, 2A (Michaelerplatz)
Belvedere Palace
One of the most recognisable landmarks in the city is a great place for a photoshoot, if you manage to go there early enough so that there aren’t a million other tourists in your shot.
How to get there: U-Bahn U1 (Südtirolerplatz/Hauprbahnhof) around 12 min walking.
Tram № D (Schloss Belvedere), 18, O (Quartier Belvedere)
Bus 69A (Quartier Belvedere)