Inner City

Until 1918, the Hofburg was the residence of the Habsburgs and the monarchy's center of power. Today, you can visit the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Silver Collection here, while the Imperial Crown is located in the Imperial Treasury. The complex also includes the almost 80-meter-long State Hall of the Austrian National Library.

The Gothic cathedral on Stephansplatz is Vienna's landmark and, with its 136-meter-high South Tower, the highest church in Austria. You climb 343 steps up the South Tower and look out over the colorful glazed roof tiles onto the Old Town.

The Opera House on the Ringstrasse is the heart of Viennese musical life and the venue for the annual Opera Ball. If you don't attend a performance, you can get to know the building on a multi-language guided tour.

Opened in 1891, the museum on Maria-Theresien-Platz, opposite the Natural History Museum, showcases the art collections of the Habsburgs and is one of the world's most important museums. In the Kunstkammer, rarities from the Middle Ages onwards are on display.

The former Habsburg Palace behind the State Opera combines its original opulent rooms with major art exhibitions. The collection ranges from Old Master drawings to 20th-century art.

The white Lipizzaner stallions are trained in the Hofburg; their stables are located in the Stallburg, part of the complex. You can attend performances or take a guided tour to get a look behind the scenes.