Tour Vienna Old Town in 2023 (360 VR video)
Tour Vienna’s vibrant Old Town with my 360 VR video! Take a virtual trip through the cobbled streets, lined with magnificent Baroque-style monuments and buildings. Marvel at key historical sites such as the breathtaking St. Stephen’s Cathedral and world-renowned Opera House.
As you progress through this article and this old town walking tour, I will showcase some of the best tours I have discovered. If this 360 video ignites your desire to travel, then consider one of them.
Let’s begin our old Vienna city tour with my 360 VR travel video that I took on my multiday tour of Europe.
A virtual reality sightseeing guide is a great way to visit before you go as a tourist yourself.
If on mobile I recommend opening in Youtube app to be able to look around in 360.
The Vienna State Opera House (Staatsoper)
• Explore its grand building’s ornate architecture and stunning interiors
• Watch popular performances like opera, ballet or Viennese Ball events
• Enjoy over 300 performances each year from renowned Austrian classical musicians
• Experience the cultural heritage of Vienna with a capacity of 1200
As I stroll by the renowned opera house in my video, you can witness a magnificent façade and iconic statues. You’ll also see Vienna’s Ringstrasse which encircles Vienna’s old city center!
If you cross this road, a short walk leads you to Belvedere Palace and my blog and 360 VR video.
Ringstrasse
• Ringstrasse is a 4-mile route that circles Old Town Vienna, Austria.
• It was constructed in the 1850s as a symbol of pride for the city.
• It features iconic monuments, parks, cafes and restaurants including the Vienna State Opera, City Hall, Parliament and university buildings.
• Taking a tour around this ring road lets you see a lot of highlights quickly
You will see more of this road in my other videos, but for now we will be heading towards the center of Old Town.
Here is my quick cinematic highlight reel version of my video of touring Old Town Vienna.
Albertina Museum
1. The Albertina Museum in Vienna is located in a beautiful 18th-century baroque palace, originally built for the Habsburgs, with an impressive façade adorned with ornate stucco work and sculptures.
2. Inside, the grand staircase leads to 19 elegant galleries that showcase some of the museum’s most impressive works.
3. There is also an auditorium, café, library and two well-kept gardens onsite – the Albertina Garden and the Neuer Burg Garden.
4. The museum houses more than 1 million works of art, including prints and drawings by some of Europe’s most renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Renoir and Klimt.
5. Additionally, Albertina provides engaging interactive programs for visitors such as guided tours, lectures and workshops plus activities for children.
6. Outside, the Albertina Museum features a life-sized statue of Archduke Albrecht VII and an impressive Baroque fountain.
7.The Augustiner Church on same block hosted numerous Habsburg imperial weddings, including that of Marie Louise and Napoleon Bonaparte.
I’m standing at the corner of the Vienna Opera with the Albertina Museum behind me in the video. There you can see the museum with the statue and fountain at the entrance.
The Sacher Cafe – known for the famous dessert Sacher-Torte is in this area as well. It’s open for the public and now sits in an old Vienna hotel, the 5 star Hotel Sacher Wein.
Take a look at this Pastry and Dessert Food tour of Vienna
Click here to learn more about Hotel Sacher Wein if you want to stay in this area.
Hofburg Palace
Just ahead is the Hofburg Imperial Palace district.
The highlights include:
• Hofburg Palace
• Spanish Riding School
• Heldenplatz
• Volksgarten
•Burggarten
•Josefsplatz
• Michaelerplatz
• Austrian National Library
• Sisi Museum
• Imperial apartments and treasury
• Hofburg chapel with Vienna Boys Choir
• Imperial Silver collection
See my separate 360 VR video and blog here about Hofburg Palace District.
If you want hidden gems and a guide to tell you more details then take this walking tour. It has 5 ⭐ and 514 reviews.
Vienna City Center Walking Tour
Stock-im-Eisen Platz
Palais Equitable
• The humongous mansion was built for an American insurance company in 1891.
• It replaced five Medieval buildings on the small square known as Staff In Iron Square (Stock-im-Eisen Platz).
• The square was once a Roman cemetery
• It was named after a historic nailing tree encased in glass on the corner of the Palais Equitable.
Haas Haus in Vienna
• Built in 1990, the Haas Haus is an iconic example of Postmodernist architecture.
• The building features a partly mirrored facade and decorative elements such as lopsided cubes of marble attached to the facade and a protruding structure resembling a diving board.
• Inside, there are office spaces, cafes, shops, a restaurant, and an upmarket DO & CO Hotel.
• Visitors can take a ride to the top of the building to check out the coffee house and enjoy the view of St. Stephen’s Cathedral with a cup of coffee in hand.
In my video tour I have a few scenes here on the square where you can see these 2 sites and the St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
If you have a big group with you and you like learning a lot of details and also hidden gems only a local tour guide would know, then take this private group rate 2.5 hour walking tour that has 5 ⭐
Private Group Walking Tour of Vienna
St. Stephens Cathedral in Vienna Old Town
•St Stephens Cathedral was built in 1147 and is one of the oldest and largest churches in Europe. It is full of exquisite Gothic details like pointed arches, lancet windows, two towers, a triple portal, and many other decorations.
•Enjoy a cultural performance – The cathedral offers regular concerts that feature traditional classical music from Austria like masses, choirs, oratorios and symphonies from composers such as Mozart, Haydn, Schubert and Beethoven.
•Explore the Catacombs – Don’t miss out on exploring the catacombs beneath St Stephens Cathedral which contain tombs dating back hundreds of years.
•Old Steve (Alter Steffl) – A 466ft mega-sized South tower dominating the city from every angle. 363 steps to the viewing area (not the very top) for great views of Vienna.
•North Tower (Nordturm) – The stumpy North Tower has an elevator for people who want views but can’t climb.
•Giant’s Door (Riesentor) – Discovered while excavating for the North Tower in 1443, they found a mastodon thighbone and placed above the church’s front door, and thus its nickname.
•Step into the cathedral and you’ll be enchanted by its grandeur. You’ll see carvings, stained glass windows, frescoes and candles lighting up the space. Along the nave, gaze upon statues and two golden-embellished altars.
I took video out in the plaza (Stephanplatz) and also entered the Cathedral to see the grand interior. This is the central tour area of Vienna’s Old Town.
If you want to listen to a concert inside this amazing cathedral, then here’s the ticket. Make sure you check the concert style since it varies by day.
Concert at Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Graben
• The Graben in Vienna, Austria is a beautiful street lined with elegant shops and cafes.
• The Graben is one of the oldest streets in the city. It was constructed in the 1600’s and has kept its charm and elegance over the centuries.
• Originally a moat surrounding the city walls, it was later transformed into a street lined with grandiose buildings and impressive monuments.
• Experience one of Vienna’s many cultural events like jazz concerts, art fairs, or Christmas markets.
In my 360 video, you can witness the spectacular architecture and vibrant shopping that line this bustling street. Make sure to look around in all directions to see all the amazing buildings.
Plague Monument (Pestsäule)
• The Pestsäule in Vienna is an imposing monument, standing 15 meters tall in the city’s Inner City district
• It was erected to commemorate those who died during the plague of 1679, which decimated Vienna’s population
• The inscription on the Pestsäule reads: “Here honor and memory to God’s faithful servants who left their lives in the pestilence of 1679”
• Intended as a reminder of tragedy that occurred and symbol of hope for future generations
Look up at the statue in the picture below as well as my 360 video. This imposing structure stands in contrast to the beauty of the other buildings around it, yet somehow still feels like it belongs.
Check out this Segway tour of Vienna without exhausting yourself with walking all day.
Saint Peter’s Church (Peterkirche)
• St Peter’s Church in Vienna is one of the oldest churches in Austria, built in the 12th century and found in the city center.
• It has an impressive baroque architecture, featuring a high dome, two tall turrets and a magnificent altar covered with statues.
• The church has many priceless works of art from masters such as Rubens and Madrazo, as well as many historical artifacts related to Austrian history.
It’s remarkable that building sits in such a tiny square, as you will see in my video. And you can see me with my Insta360 X3 filming that scene in the photo below.
Kohlmarkt
•The Kohlmarkt in Vienna is one of the oldest shopping streets in Europe, having been established over 500 years ago.
•Be sure to stop by Demel Konditorei – a traditional sweet shop and café that has been operating since 1786!
From where we were standing in my video you can see Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Rolex, with many other top international luxury brands along the street.
Anchor clock
•The Anchor Clock (Ankeruhr) is a decorative mechanical clock
• 12 historical figures rotate including Charlemagne, Marcus Aurelius, and Maria Theresa
• Allegory of passing of time with life on left and death on right
You can see in my video that people were already starting to gather for the hour change.
Michael’s Square (Michaelerplatz)
• Michaelerplatz in Vienna is the grand entrance to the Hofburg Palace complex and a grand square with its own unique history.
• The plaza dates back to 1722 when it was first planned by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.
• The square is named after St. Michael, who stands atop a pillar in the middle of the plaza looking down over all of Vienna.
• Michaelerplatz is surrounded by several important buildings such as the Imperial Castle, the Austrian National Library, the Academy of Fine Arts and more.
• In the middle of the plaza you can see the remains of what used to be a large Roman legion outpost
I’m standing on the far side of the plaza in my video.
You can see more of this plaza at this link of my blog and video of Hofburg Palace.
If you are willing to go further from the center of Vienna, Schonbrunn Palace is a must see location and I’ve got a full blog and 360 video here.
Tour Vienna Old Town
Click here for my article on if this is your first time visiting Vienna, for a more comprehensive overview of the city and well as 360 videos and pictures.
I listed a few tours above as I went through the trip, however here are a few more that earned some good ratings in case the above weren’t quite what you were looking for.
If you dont mind riding a bike in the city then here is a tour for you. You can cover a lot of ground over the city in 3 hours on this popular tour.
Here is a more expensive option but it provides a 7 hour private tour by Mercedes minivan so you can cover a lot of ground, and see things you wouldn’t normally see on a regular city tour such as the Vienna woods.
Also a cheaper 3 and 5 hour tour.
Vienna City Highlights Private Tour
360 VR Travel Tour Video
Here is my article on why 360 VR virtual videos are a great way to see things before you actually go yourself.
Remember to sit in swivel chair so you can look all around if you are using mobile or tablet.
And always make sure video quality is set to maximum.
I filmed this using my Insta360 X3 and this is my article on Insta360 X3 here.
