Free tours in Vienna
Free walking tours Vienna · Trip Tours Vienna
Walk the old town of Vienna, from St Stephen's Cathedral to the Hofburg and the Ringstrasse, and venture into the Jewish Quarter of Judenplatz before heading out to Schönbrunn Palace.
The best free tours in Vienna
Vienna can be walked in one go because the historic centre is enclosed within the Ring, the boulevard that replaced the old city walls. Between St Stephen's Cathedral and the State Opera there are barely ten minutes on foot, and almost everything imperial, the Hofburg, the Albertina or the classic cafés, lies inside that ring. It is a city of short distances, with pedestrian streets like the Graben and Kärntner Straße, where a free walking tour makes sense because it threads together palaces, squares and music without relying on transport.
Three named walks give the city its order. The first is the Innere Stadt, or historic centre: it begins at Stephansplatz, by St Stephen's Cathedral, and carries on through the Graben and Kohlmarkt to the Hofburg and Michaelerplatz, the backbone of the walk through central Vienna. The second goes into the unknown Vienna and the Jewish Quarter, around Judenplatz and the medieval lanes that were left behind the bustle, with the traces of the Jewish community. The third is the Ringstrasse, the boulevard that circles the centre with the State Opera, Parliament and the neo-Gothic City Hall, a good link for anyone who then wants to carry on to Schönbrunn Palace.
Almost all of them leave from the centre, by St Stephen's Cathedral on Stephansplatz, an easy point to reach by metro (lines U1 and U3). The morning slots, around 10:00 or 10:30, catch the Innere Stadt with fewer people and better light for photos at the Hofburg; the mid-afternoon ones work well in spring and summer, when night falls late. Booking is done online and is free: at the end, if the walk was worth it, you leave a voluntary contribution for the guide.
Day trips in Vienna
Day trips, skip-the-line tickets and guided visits in Vienna, booked through GetYourGuide.
Free tours in Vienna are booked through Trip Tours partners such as FreeTour.com and GuruWalk. Booking is free and the price is the same for you; it helps us keep the site running.
Frequently asked questions about free tours in Vienna
- Which free tour is best to start with in Vienna?
- The walk through central Vienna, the Innere Stadt. It leaves from Stephansplatz, by St Stephen's Cathedral, and in a couple of hours places you on the imperial axis: the Graben, the Hofburg and Michaelerplatz. It is Episode 1 and sets the stage for Episode 2, the one on the unknown Vienna and the Jewish Quarter around Judenplatz.
- Do I need to book in advance in Vienna?
- Yes, it is worth it. The places on each slot are limited and in high season (May to September, and at the December Christmas markets) the groups fill up. Booking is online and free, so reserving the day before secures your spot and the exact meeting point on Stephansplatz, by St Stephen's Cathedral.
- What does the free tour in Vienna cost?
- Signing up is free. At the end you leave the guide a voluntary contribution, in the region of 15 to 20 euros per person. Nothing is paid in advance: it is handed over in person at the end of the walk.
- Does the free tour run if it rains?
- Yes, it goes ahead in the rain. Much of the itinerary through the Innere Stadt runs along pedestrian streets and covered passages, and there is always a classic café nearby to take shelter in, from the Graben to the area around St Stephen's Cathedral. In winter Vienna often rains or snows, so comfortable, waterproof shoes and a raincoat or umbrella are wise.
- Which experience completes a visit to Vienna?
- Schönbrunn Palace, the former imperial summer residence to the west of the city. You can combine the gardens with the Schönbrunn Zoo (the oldest in the world still in operation, from 1752) and the Imperial Carriage Museum. If you would rather leave the city, the day trip through the Danube Valley, the Wachau, with its vineyards and Melk Abbey, is the classic getaway. To finish on a musical note, the gala concert at the Auersperg Palace or the classical concert at St Anne's Church.
Why book your free tour with Trip Tours
Local guides
Walks with Vienna guides who tell the city first-hand, with stories you won't find in a paper guidebook.
Several time slots
Departures at different times of day so they fit your trip, morning or afternoon.
Free booking
Hold your spot without paying anything upfront and cancel at no cost if your plans change.
