Things to do in Vienna

Vienna's imperial sights start at Schönbrunn Palace, the UNESCO-listed summer residence of the Habsburgs, where an audio-guided tour covers the state rooms before you explore the gardens, the maze and the Gloriette terrace; in the same grounds, Schönbrunn Zoo, the world's oldest zoo, keeps around 500 species, giant pandas among them. In the Hofburg, the Sisi Museum leads into the Imperial Apartments, the Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School perform in the baroque Winter Riding School, and a Vienna State Opera Guided Tour climbs the grand staircase to the auditorium. Art lovers can choose Klimt's The Kiss at the Upper Belvedere, five millennia of collections at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Monet to Chagall at the Albertina Museum, Hundertwasser's colourful work at KunstHausWien and the free permanent exhibition of the Wien Museum, with works by Klimt and Schiele. Climb the South Tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral, ride the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, turning above the Prater since 1897, or the express lift up the Danube Tower, browse fruit, spices and cheese at the Naschmarkt and try the cakes at Demel on Kohlmarkt; in Advent, Christmas markets fill Rathausplatz, the courtyard of Schönbrunn Palace, the square in front of the Upper Belvedere and the lanes of Spittelberg, and the Wiener Eistraum ice rink spreads out in front of the City Hall.

Good to knowThe Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments have fixed admission times, so book a slot in advance, and buy Schönbrunn and Hofburg tickets only from the official imperialtickets.com shop to avoid fake sellers. Large suitcases are not allowed in St. Stephen's Cathedral, which has no luggage storage, the Wien Museum is closed on Mondays, and the Naschmarkt stalls close on Sundays, with farmers mostly there on Fridays and Saturdays and a flea market alongside on Saturdays. Demel takes no reservations, so expect a queue at busy times, while the Kunsthistorisches Museum stays open until 9 pm on Thursdays, a quieter time for the picture galleries.