This post covers some of the best things you can do in Vienna in April, including free, family-friendly, as well as nighttime events and activities.
See our full list of things to do in Vienna all year.
If you’re looking for information on how to get around the city, how to save money, or how to learn about the history of Vienna, check out our posts on:
1) Visit an Easter Market
In April, you can visit Vienna’s Easter Markets, which typically run from late March to mid-April.
The best market is at Schönbrunn Palace, open from March 16 to April 2, 2024, from 10:00 - 18.00 (6 pm) daily.
There will be over 70 vendors selling handicrafts from all over Austria, free live music, and lots of delicious food to eat.
Kids can have fun at the Easter Bunny workshop making Marzipan bunnies. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt at the Schloss Schönbrunn Children's Museum.
If you do go to the Easter market at Schönbrunn Palace, go inside one of the most regal places in Vienna. Read our post on how to visit Schönbrunn Palace.
2) Take a Sightseeing Tour
Vienna is a very walkable city. If you plan on sightseeing on foot, join a free walking tour and learn about Vienna's history and culture.
As April weather is comfortable, why not see the city from the Danube on a boat tour or cruise?
Another option is to take a hop-on hop-off bus tour that features commentary on the sights you'll see. It is also a great way to travel to and from many popular attractions.
3) Get a Spectacular View of Vienna For Free
You can get a free and stunning view of Vienna’s city center and the mountains beyond at the MQ Libelle.
Located in the MuseumsQuartier (MQ), the rooftop terrace is on top of the Leopold Museum. It can be accessed for free by elevators located outside of the museum.
Read more about MQ Libelle.
If you can't get to the MQ Libelle, you can still get amazing views at the Danube Tower (read immediately below).
4) Danube Tower
For those visiting April prior to the opening of the MQ Libelle Rooftop, you can still get breathtaking views of Vienna and beyond at the Danube Tower observation deck.
Measuring 252 metres in height, the Danube Tower is the tallest structure in Austria and is among the 75 tallest towers in the world.
In addition to the observation deck, there is a nice restaurant to dine at as well as a cafe.
No matter where you sit, you will have an amazing view because the restaurant revolves!
If you are looking for something to do at night, the Danube Tower is a good choice as it stays open until midnight every day of the week.
You can purchase tickets for the Danube Tower here.
If you want to save some money on your ticket, you may want to look into getting a tourist pass. Read about these passes just below.
5) Save Money With a Tourist Pass
If you’re planning to visit a lot of the attractions and landmarks in Vienna, you may find that purchasing a tourist discount attraction pass can save a few euros off general admission prices.
There are currently three different types of passes in Vienna: all-inclusive, set number of attractions, and discount travel passes which we explain in detail in our post about Vienna tourist passes.
Here are a few of the most popular attractions included with these tourist passes:
- Hop on Hop off Bus Tour |
€29 - Danube Tower |
€14,50 - Schönbrunn Palace |
€26,50 - Vienna Ferris Wheel |
€12 - Hofburg Imperial Palace |
€15 - City Cruises Vienna |
€23 - Leopold Museum |
€14 - Kunsthistorisches Museum |
€16 - Schönbrunn Zoo |
€20 - Madame Tussauds |
€24 - Belvedere |
€22 - And more!
For additional information about how to use these services, please read our post about Vienna tourist passes.
6) Celebrate Beethoven’s Birthday
Move over Mozart cause 2024 is all about Ludwig van Beethoven! This year, Beethoven would have celebrated his 254th birthday.
Vienna and Beethoven have a special relationship. From 1792 until his early death in 1827, he lived in Vienna.
In fact, Beethoven spent more time living in Vienna than Mozart did!
This month you can join in the celebrations through Beethoven's museum about him.
Museums: Beethoven Pasqualati House and Beethoven Museum. Both these museums are included in some of Vienna's tourist discount passes.
7) Hear the Vienna Mozart Orchestra
Rollover Beethoven and make way for the one-of-a-kind Vienna Mozart Orchestra! In April 2024, they start their summer season.
This orchestra is made up of 30 musicians who perform the works of Mozart exclusively. Get tickets here.
Vienna isn't only about classical music. This April you can hear the blues at the annual Vienna Blues Spring Festival (see below).
If you are looking for other genres of music, check here for April concerts in Vienna.
8) Attend the Go to the Styrian Spring Festival
The annual Styrian Spring Festival takes place in Mar - Apr 2024, and it is free to attend.
Styria is the 2nd largest province in Austria, known for its forests, mountains, and… pumpkin seed oil.
It's also known for its wine and its apples, and mouth-watering regional food.
Sellers from Styria bring their delicious foods for you to try. They also bring their unique culture to Vienna.
If you want to see men in lederhosen (knee‑length leather breeches) play the accordion, this festival is for you.
The festival takes place at the Rathausplatz (the square in front of Vienna City Hall).
9) Check Out the Brand New Albertina Modern Museum
Three years in the making at a cost of 50 million euros, the Albertina Modern is home to over 60,000 contemporary works by 5,000 artists.
The museum is housed inside the iconic Künstlerverein building which dates back to 1865.
Vienna has a number of excellent museums to visit. Find out more from our post on things to do in Vienna.
10) See Great Street Art
In the past few decades, street art has been elevated to the level of the fine arts. Instead of going to a museum, walk around the city and see some amazing works of art on building walls.
Be sure to visit the Street Art Passage which features lots of artwork, as do walls near the Danube Canal.
This guide to Viennese street art lists locations to see the best work.
You can also take guided street art tours of Vienna where you will be taken to the best spots in the city.
11) Take the Kids to a Family-Friendly Museum
If you are traveling with children, one of these family-friendly museums may be a better choice than the Albertina Modern.
Young children will like the Kaiser Kinder located at Schönbrunn Palace.
People of all ages will have fun at the Museum of Illusions where you'll experience some seriously mind-bending optical illusions.
Another family-friendly museum is Madame Tussauds, known worldwide for its lifelike wax figures. You can take selfies with some notable Viennese folk like Sigmund Freud and Mozart.
12) Go to the Vienna Blues Festival
If you prefer blues to classical music, you are in luck in April. The annual Vienna Blues Festival takes place from March 20 to May 31, 2024.
There are blues performances almost every night, mostly at the famed Der Reigen, a venue that dates back to the jazz scene of the 1950s.
Der Reigen is very close to an attraction you may be planning on seeing, the Schönbrunn Palace. Combine a day visit to the palace with a blues concert at night!
Tickets for each concert are between €18 to €35 with many at the lower end of the price range. See the Vienna Blues Festival website for the schedule and to buy tickets.
If you are looking for other genres of music, check here for April concerts in Vienna.
13) Attend a Free Giant Organ Concert
On Easter Sunday, April 9 at 15:30 (3:30 pm), the restored Giant Organ in St. Stephen's Cathedral will be played for the first time in 25 years at a free concert.
The organ, consisting of more than 12,000 pipes, underwent restoration and has not been played in public for 25 years.
St. Stephen's is one of Vienna's most exquisite landmarks and is absolutely worth a visit when you are here. Find out more about St. Stephen's Cathedral tours.
14) Walk through the Historic City Center
It is one of the most stunning city monuments in all of Europe and is the historic heart of Vienna.
Rich art collections amassed by wealthy kings, as well as countless cathedrals, buildings, monuments, and parks, add to Vienna's imperial flare.
The majority of Vienna's top attractions, including St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna State Opera, Hofburg, Albertina, and many others, are situated in the city's historic center.
The finest way to see Vienna's city center is on foot.
15) Visit Schönbrunn Zoo
Having been founded in 1752, it is the oldest zoo still in operation in the world.
There are 700 different species from all over the world that can be seen by visitors, some of which are critically endangered, including giraffes, orangutans, Siberian tigers, koalas, and African elephants.
The lively meerkats, which roll around and burrow in the sand, are a favorite among visitors.
Schönbrunn is also one of the few handfuls of zoos in the world which is entrusted with a pair of pandas by the People’s Republic of China.
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