How to visit Vienna for free in 3 days

While I was planning the trip to Vienna, I had a  constant thought: follow Klimt’s footsteps. Of all art, current, painters – I’m high over heels in love with Art Nouveau and Gustav Klimt. So I kind of gathered information for the free access places and the museums I found Klimt in.

Transportation

From the airport to the center (depending on where you have your accommodation) there is a 40-minute trip by train (S7) and metro (4,20 Euro). We did not need the subway because the accommodation was central. A metro journey costs €2,40.

Free Access Places: 

• Stephansdom in Stephan’s Platz can be visited for free; it’s located in the heart of Vienna, in the Old Town (program: Mo-Sa, 06-22).
• St. Michaels Church – Michaelskirche in Michaelerplatz, near the entrance to the Hofburg Palace from the Old Town (program: Mo-Sa, 09-18).
• The Augustinian Church – Augustinerkirche is located in Josefsplatz, near the Hofburg Palace (program: Mo-Sa, 09-18).

• Walking on Ringstraße, the circular street that separates the center of Vienna, offers a great opportunity to see the most important buildings, such as the State Opera House (I wrote a post on how you can see an Opera for 3 Euro), Academy of Fine Arts, Ministry of Justice , The Parliament Building, the City Hall (Rathaus), the Burgtheater (its ceiling is painted by Klimt and can be visited for a fee of 7 Euro), the University, the Votivkirche, the Börse (the stockmarket), the Natural History Museum, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Hofburg Palace, Palace Schey von Koromla, Ephrussi Palace.

• The City Hall (Rathaus) can be visited free of charge, with guided tours at 13:00 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with online advance booking. Details can be found here. Address: Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz, No. 1.
• If you want to go shopping, most shops are on Mariahilfer Street, which is partly pedestrian.
• Dating back to the 16th century, the oldest market in Vienna – Naschmarkt – is open from 06-18 daily, but most restaurants have longer program. Address: 1060 Vienna.

• Hunderwasser House is the equivalent of a home made by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona. It has living apartments and can be admired from the outside, being built by the architect of the same name. It is at Kegelgasse street 36-called8.
• After the city center, visit the gardens of the Schönbrunn Palace, which are open from 6: 30-17: 30.
• Museum Start Gallery Artothek (MUSA) has an impressive collection of works of contemporary art. Entrance is free (program Tu-Su, 10-18).
• If you go to Vienna in November & December, you can visit the Christmas fairs called Weinachtmarkts – where you can enjoy hot wine (Glühwein), eat baked chestnuts and other local goodies.
• Various outdoor performances are organized in the summer, such as the Rathausplatz Film Festival or free movies at Karlsplatz. The last weekend in June takes place the Donauinselfest where the entrance is free.
• October 26th is Austria’s national day, all museums have free entry.
• Museums with free entry on the first Sunday of the month: Clocks Museum, Haydn House, Wien Museum Karlsplatz, Wienmuseum Hermesvilla, Römermuseum, Otto Wagner Pavilion, Geldmuseum.

As you can see, there are many things to admire for free in this city full of history and art. Apart from the above, there are also some of the most important museums that I have selected below:

• Belvedere Castle – the former residence of General Eugene of Savoy. Here lays an impressive collection of artworks, including 24 of Klimt’s works including The Kiss, Judith, Sonja Knips’ Portrait, The Woman in Black, Fritza Riedler (ticket 22 Euro, Mo-Fr, 9-17).

• The Secession building where Klimt painted the Beethoven frescoes (9.5 Euro entry, Tu-Su, 10-18).
• Hofburg Palace – the home of Empress Sissi (entrance 9 Euro, Sa-Fr, 9-17: 30).

• The Schönbrunn Museum is a vast one, you can spend a whole day here. Details of how you get here can be found here (entry 14,2 Euro, Sa-Fr, 8-17).
• Albertina Museum includes paintings by Monet, Picasso, Warhol (entrance 14 Euro, Mo-Su, 9-18).
• Leopold Museum also has works of art signed by Gustav Klimt (entrance 13 Euro, We-Mo, 10-18).
• Wien Museum Karlsplatz (entry 10 Euro, Tu-Sa, 10-18).
• Kunsthistorisches Museum houses works of art, as well as frescoes by Klimt in its lobby (entrance 15 Euro, Tu-Su, 10-18).

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The flight ticket (20 Euro / person, Laudamotion from Bucharest) and the accommodation (40 Euro / night on Booking.com) were bought about one and a half months before the traveling period and we had almost 3 days to see the beauty of Vienna.