Day Trips from Vienna: Beautiful Getaways You Never Knew About

Salzburg

Salzburg is known for classical music vibes, the sound of music, and everything Mozart in general.

You can't miss Salzburg when in Austria, and if you are not going to spend a night or two there, I highly recommend adding this city to your day trip itinerary first thing.

Take a stroll through the charming Getreidegasse street, visit the manicured Mirabell Gardens in spring, go shopping at the Christmas market for gifts in December, or visit the Fortress Hohensalzburg for the best views of the city.

Salzburg will live up to your dreams!

Tip: Salzburg is worth a night or two. Make it your base and add these Salzburg Day Trips to your Bucket list or, compare Salzburg and Vienna.

Hallstatt

If you have been dreaming of visiting Hallstatt, you can do so from Vienna.

This village is known as one of the most beautiful in Austria, besides Alpbach, and it is also one of the most visited in the world, and that too for a good reason.

Pristine lake views with a village perched along the mountains. Add to that the historical aspect that some of the oldest and most mysterious central European civilizations used to call this area their home.

Take the lift to the mountain and visit the age-old, and still active, salt mines or hire a boat or visit the stunning Hallstatt bone house.

Wachau and Melk Abbey

The Wachau should be on your bucket list if you are an avid wine lover. White wines, but also red wines, are renowned for their high quality in the Wachau valley.

Incidentally, the world-famous baroque masterpiece, the Melk abbey, is located at the heart of the Wachau valley, just above the Danube river.

If you can afford it, I highly recommend a Danube boat day trip tour from Vienna to the Wachau valley to drink good wine and visit the abbey.

You will be able to learn more about Austrian wine, and enjoy the incomparable nature just outside the city, the rolling green vineyard dotted hills of the stunning Wachau.

Neusiedler Lake & Rust

The Neusiedler lake is the lowest point in Austria and a declining, climate change threatened, important bird sanctuary in Europe.

Reed, a tall grass native to the continent, grows around the lake, providing essential cover for many bird varieties.

The lake is surrounded by vineyards and towns that have been known for centuries for producing unique wine varieties.

One of these towns is Rust, which counts, with medieval Rattenberg, as the smallest cities in Austria.

Here they have been producing a rare sweet wine known as the Ruster Ausbruch. The grapes are not picked in autumn, but rather left until winter, so that the noble rot gets to work (a fungus).

For those seeking the authentic rural Austria experience, I recommend a Rust Neusiedler Lake private tour.

Carnuntum Roman Town

You probably have never heard of Carnuntum, a former Roman military town near Vienna.

Several ruined structures have been identified as the Roman's most important legionary camp of the upper Danube front.

The former legionary headquarters, or what's left of it, is an archeological park that has been transformed into a replica Roman camp.

Here you can take a peek at how the Romans lived, with full-fledged reconstructions.

Our highlights were the bathing room, where the floor was heated. Roman ingenuity can be experienced, and that makes Carnuntum unique in this world.

With a rental, you can venture to the nearby pagan gate, which might be even older than the Roman civilization, and the Amphitheater.

Esterhazy Palace and Eisenstadt

The Esterhazy family hailed originally from Hungary but quickly gained on power in Austria as they were very loyal to the Habsburg emperors in Vienna.

They were richly rewarded and became the rulers, residing in what is today the stunning Esterhazy palace in Eisenstadt.

One of the most famed composers' of his time, Joseph Haydn, was the families own Kapellmeister, who resided and worked at the palace.

The famous Haydn hall in the palace is named after him. This particular room is acoustically perfected and still serves as a prominent concert event hall today.

Visit the historical palace with its stunning gardens and the adjoining quaint capital of the Burgenland region.

Riegersburg Castle

Once upon a time, there was a fantastic castle on a hill in the historical region of Styria in Austria.

Over the centuries, this castle has earned its reputation as an impenetrable fortress atop a massive rock formation.

Today, the castle can be visited, and it's a must-see for all the medieval history fans out there. Several rooms are open to the public, as well as interactive object that help the visitor travel in time.

We were surprised by the witch trial exhibition, which talks about the infamous witch trials and its countless victims in the region, as well as the current witch trial situation in the world (this is still an ongoing thing in some countries!).

Don't miss the falconry demonstrations, which take place at special times in the day!

Graz

Graz, the capital of the Styria region, is probably one of the most underrated cities in Austria. It deserved more love than this!

A vibrant old town with medieval and Renaissance structures awaits you here. Go up the Schlossberg to the iconic clock tower and for an unparalleled view of the city.

Styria is great for budget-friendly wallets and offers some of the best occasions for all visitors to try the traditional local fair.

Styrian food, with its pumpkin seed oil and scarlet runner beans, is absolutely tasty! Perhaps this is how Arnold Schwarzenegger, who grew up nearby, fed his muscles.

Graz is great if you are looking for an easy day trip, so to unwind, and to explore a city that isn't overcrowded with tourist groups.

Mauthausen

Mauthausen is Austria's largest former Nazi Concentration camp. Today, it's a memorial place that is open to the public, free of charge.

The camp served as a work camp, where prisoners were put to work at the quarry. It was strategically chosen as it is located on a hill near the Danube river and the railway.

The Mauthausen memorial camp talks about the despicable acts of the Nazi regime and its victims, of many of which were political victims of the fascist regimes in Spain and Italy.

The movie “The Photographer of Mauthausen” on Netflix covers the subject in detail.

It's a place where you reflect and learn about the darker history of Austria. If you are interested in this topic, you may want to visit the Nazi prison and concentration camps in Germany.

Bratislava

The capital of Slovakia is just a stone's throw away from Vienna, which is one of the reasons why you should visit Bratislava.

Besides, it's a stunning historical city that deserves more love, and you will be pleased to learn that not every traveler has discovered it. Bratislava doesn't know mass tourism yet!

This alone is reason enough to venture to Bratislava, and the food, of course.

The budget-friendly city is small but just the right size for a day trip from Vienna, and you will be busy discovering great architecture, historical landmarks, and much more at your own pace.

Győr is a lesser-known city located between Vienna and Budapest. It's a real travel gem waiting to be seen!

We loved strolling across the streets of the old town, marveling at the typical Hungarian architecture and pretty landmarks.

Picture-perfect as it is, you will most definitely enjoy this town if you are seeking a laid-back alternative to all other cities because you have seen all the others on previous trips to Vienna.

But, I would still pick Győr as a destination in a heart beat if I had some extra days to spend in Vienna or Budapest.

It has its own gratifying flow that we didn't experience anywhere else in Europe.

Český Krumlov

We were told by my in laws to visit a town known as Český Krumlov (Krumau) in Czechia because it was special.

They were not wrong at all! We were pleasantly surprised when we discovered this town was nothing like we had ever seen.

Located near the Austrian border, Český Krumlov is known for its colorful old town with its winding Vlada River and the castle that reminded us of the Lord of the Rings.

It's magical! We visited on a cold and wet late October day, and probably that was the right time to see Český Krumlov because the atmosphere is amplified with the essence of the old town in autumn.

Besides, Český Krumlov can get busy in the tourist months, and therefore I recommend you visit this city in autumn or winter on a day trip from Vienna to make the most of your trip.

Budapest

You might not know it, but Budapest, the Belle Époque capital of Hungary, is a day trip away from Vienna.

So, if you can't spend more time in Budapest because of budget or time constraints, you can still make a day trip from Vienna to Budapest happen.

Budapest is not necessarily super budget-friendly anymore and to save money, it makes sense to see all the wonderful capitals near Vienna by making the Austrian capital your base, as it's centrally located.