Five cities worth visiting within a 300km radius of Vienna.

Vienna, the capital city of Austria, is a popular tourist destination known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. However, many other cities within a 300km radius of Vienna are also worth visiting. From charming towns to cosmopolitan cities, there is no shortage of places to explore. In this article, we will highlight five cities that are definitely worth adding to your itinerary when visiting Vienna. Whether you’re looking for breathtaking landscapes, rich history, or vibrant cultural scenes, these cities have something for everyone. So, let’s start exploring!

Five cities worth visiting within a 300km radius of Vienna.

Salzburg

Salzburg is worth visiting on a day trip from Vienna, as it is one of the most beautiful cities in Austria and rich in history, culture, and stunning architecture. Salzburg is located approximately 300km west of Vienna, making it a perfect destination for a day trip.

Salzburg is best known as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most celebrated composers in history. Visitors can explore Mozart’s birthplace and childhood home, which have been turned into museums. The city is also home to many other historic landmarks, including the Hohensalzburg Fortress, which overlooks the city from a hilltop, and Mirabell Palace and Gardens, which are known for their stunning baroque architecture.

salzburg

In addition to its historic landmarks, Salzburg is also known for its beautiful Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can stroll along the narrow streets, admire the colorful buildings, and take in the city’s charming atmosphere. The Old Town is also home to many quaint cafes and restaurants, where visitors can enjoy traditional Austrian cuisine and local specialties.

Prague

Prague offers a unique blend of history, culture, and stunning architecture. Prague is located approximately 300km north of Vienna, meaning that you can get there within a few hours of driving from Vienna.

Prague is known for its stunning Gothic and Baroque architecture, with attractions like the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and Old Town Square being among the most iconic landmarks in the city. Visitors can also explore the Jewish Quarter, which is home to many historic synagogues and museums, or take a stroll along the Vltava River, which offers stunning views of the city.

prague

Prague is also known for its vibrant cultural scene, with many museums, galleries, and theaters to explore. Visitors can check out the National Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts, or catch a show at the National Theatre.

Another highlight of Prague is the Czech cuisine which you can eat at one of the many local restaurants, or sample some of the famous Czech beer at a local brewery or beer garden.

Bratislava

Bratislava is only 60km east of Vienna, making visiting very easy. There are boats connecting the cities, but you can also travel to Bratislava by train or bus or by car.

The city is known for its charming medieval old town, which is filled with colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, and beautiful historic landmarks. Visitors can explore attractions like Bratislava Castle, St. Martin’s Cathedral, and Michael’s Gate, which are all located within the old town.

bratislava

Bratislava has many museums, galleries, and theaters to explore. Visitors can check out the Slovak National Museum, the Bratislava City Gallery, or catch a show at the Slovak National Theater.

Another highlight of Bratislava is its beautiful location along the Danube River. Visitors can take a stroll along the riverfront promenade, enjoy a relaxing river cruise, or take in the stunning views of the city from the UFO Observation Deck, which is located on the top of the iconic Nový Most bridge.

Budapest

The distance between Vienna and Budapest is approximately 240km, making it a convenient destination for a day trip from Vienna.

Budapest is a beautiful city that offers a unique blend of history, culture, and stunning architecture. Visitors can explore attractions like the Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle, and Fisherman’s Bastion, which are all located within the historic Castle District.

Budapest is also known for its beautiful thermal baths, which are popular with both tourists and locals alike. Visitors can soak in the natural hot springs at iconic baths like the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Gellért Thermal Bath, or Rudas Thermal Bath.

visit budapest

Do not forget about the Hungarian cuisine as you visit Hungary. Budapest has many local restaurants serving traditional Hungarian dishes like goulash, chimney cake, and paprika chicken. If you have time, you can also visit a vineyard near Budapest or maybe visit Pannonhalma which is very close to the city of Györ (which you pass by as you travel between Vienna and Budapest).

Graz

The distance between Graz and Vienna is approximately 200km, and it takes around 2.5 hours to drive by car or 2 hours by train. Graz is the second-largest city in Austria and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it a popular destination for tourists visiting the country.

Graz is known for its stunning architecture, particularly in the historic old town, which is filled with beautiful buildings, narrow streets, and charming courtyards. Visitors can explore attractions like the Graz Cathedral, the Landhaus courtyard, the Graz Clock Tower, and the Schlossberg hill, which offers stunning views of the city.

Graz

Graz is also home to many museums and galleries, including the Styrian Armoury, the Kunsthaus Graz, and the Universalmuseum Joanneum, which houses a variety of art and natural history exhibits.

Another highlight of Graz is its vibrant food and drink scene. Many local restaurants serve traditional Styrian dishes like pumpkin seed oil, Styrian apple strudel, and roasted pork with sauerkraut. Visitors can also sample some of the region’s famous wines at a local vineyard or wine bar.

Don’t forget to spend some time in Vienna.

In this article, we have told you why it is worth visiting Graz, Budapest, Bratislava, Salzburg, and Prague. Do not forget to walk up and down the streets of Vienna as well. The city has beautiful attractions waiting for you and hidden gems you don’t discover unless you spend time just walking around the city.

You can read more about Vienna’s most famous attractions, activities, museums, and programs in our Vienna Guide. If you want information about ongoing and upcoming programs in Vienna, find out what’s happening in Vienna in our calendar.

Can I visit Zagreb on a day-trip from Vienna?

Are you coming to Vienna and considering opportunities for different day excursions? Can a day-trip to Zagreb be arranged from Vienna?

Vienna is a beautiful city, but if you have been there a couple of times, then you might consider visiting other cities and places not so far from Vienna. Can Zagreb be an example of such a destination? Maybe you have been inspired by the fact that Zagreb was just recommended as the number one destination to visit in Europe in 2017 by Lonely Planet?

Visit Zagreb from Vienna
Zagreb is a truly beautiful city. But, maybe a bit too far away from Vienna for a day trip… By Dreamer4787 / Shutterstock

Facts about the trip between Vienna and Zagreb

If you do the trip with a flight, it can be expected to last for about 50 minutes. It is a short travel when you go straight, but if you decide to go with a car instead the fastest road is totally 373km. On a day when traffic goes as normal and there are no special accidents or lines, then you should be able to cover this distance in about 4 hours. If you ask us, then 4 hours is a bit too much for a day-trip to Zagreb, and thus we would not recommend a day-trip to Zagreb from Vienna.

Where should you go on a day trip from Vienna then?

There are lots of destinations that can be reached on a day trip from Vienna much easier than Zagreb. What about Bratislava in Slovakia? The capital is less than an hour away from Vienna by car and can easily be reached. You can even travel by boat if you are lucky.

If you want to travel some more than a day trip to Salzburg can also be arranged quite easily, and if you want to go to the east, then Budapest is a capital only 250km from Vienna. Traveling on the highway you can reach Budapest in about 2,5 hours of driving if there is no trouble on the road.

What do you think? Where would you like to go on a day trip from Vienna?

 

What to see in Budapest?

I am going to Budapest next week on a day trip from Vienna, and I wonder: What should I see, what should I do?

The question does not really have anything to do with Vienna, but we will of course try to answer it as good as possible anyway. Budapest is a great city, and if you have 7-8 hours in the city we would for sure recommend some sort of a guided tour making it much easier to get the most out of your time in the Hungarian capital. There are jump on – jump off tours in Budapest and you can find them almost anywhere in the center. If you are more into a private guided tour in Budapest, then you should visit Budapest Guide. There are also many other private tour operators, so if you do a search on Google you will find many others as well.

Another piece of advice would be to read the article written by Budablogger named: Budapest best – best five of Budapest. The article is a bit long, but it contains some really good advices and the five favorites of the author. If we would write the article there would probably be some changes, we would for example add the area around Fishermen’s Bastion and the Matthias Church and maybe the St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Heroes Square, but all in all the article is really interesting and contains some really good advices. What is for sure is that the area around the City Park is great, and even though it doesn’t look the best on first impression, it still is a wonderful area with lots of great activities and cool things to do. If you want a beautiful picture/panorama, take a walk along the Danube.

If you are on a budget in Budapest then you can also walk along the Danube on the Buda and the Pest side, especially wonderful after sunset. If you travel with tram 2 along the Danube on the pest side you can see a whole lot for the price of a public transportation ticket.

These advices will hopefully help you a bit, and then the given links can give you the information missing from this page.