Name: Discover Austria's Capital without Breaking the Bank!
Uploaded: 2025-10-16T09:41:47.000Z
Duration: 8 min 51 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

With its imperial splendor, stunning architecture.

With baroque palaces and gothic masterpieces, world class museums and plenty of parks, the Austrian capital is one of Europe's best places to visit.

Did you know that in 2025 Vienna was ranked the second most livable city in the world?

Unfortunately, it's also one of the most expensive.

I'll tell you about free attractions, show you how to get around without breaking the bank and taste typical cheap Viennese food.

I'll also tell you how to visit the famous opera house for less than €20.

My adventure begins here at St. Stephen's Cathedral.

It's the landmark of Vienna and attracts millions of visitors.

Construction of the cathedral began in the 12th century and at 136 meters high, it's the tallest church here in Austria.

I really want to know what it looks like inside.

So let's go check out how much the tickets are.

However, there is a modest area inside you can access for free.

And from here you have a pretty good view of the interior of the cathedral.

Vienna is home to over 2 million people and many of the sights are spread over the city.

You'll notice lots of people taking those horse drawn carriages known locally as fiaca.

They have a long tradition and they are really expensive.

€60 for 20 minutes and more than €100 for a longer tour.

Let me show you you how to get around for less.

Vienna is known for its well connected public transportation network.

Tram lines 1 and 2 essentially circle the city center and you can treat the route like a mini tour.

A single ticket costs €2 40 and a 24 hour ticket is just €8.

The tram also takes me to our next destination, Vienna City Hall.

The Rathaus houses the office of the Mayor of Vienna.

And it's also one of the most impressive buildings in town.

The best part about it, you can go on a guided tour free of charge.

It's a neo gothic gem with an impressive festival hall.

It's so big that 1500 couples could dance the Viennese walls in it at the time.

And the Akadenhof is one of the largest inner courtyards in Europe.

Unfortunately, most restaurants in Vienna's city center are pretty expensive.

A Viennese Wielschnitzel for example, can cost up to €30.

Instead, I recommend visiting an Austrian classic, a sausage stand.

You'll find many different kinds of sausages here.

The Kelsekrainer is a pork sausage containing 10 to 20% cheese.

And if you're into sausages, it's a definite.

If you are vegetarian, you can still enjoy fries or potato dumplings.

Sausage stands here are a real institution in Vienna and are often open until late at night.

In 2024, the Viennese sausage stand culture made it onto UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

for me, the best part of a trip is when you get to talk to local people and get a feeling for their way of life.

Wilfert is a retiree who hails from Vienna.

In his free time, he guides tourists through his city, but he doesn't take them to the hotspots.

Norbert is a member of Vienna Greeters, an association that aims to offer visitors a local view of the city.

On this tour, for example, we learn about Vienna's housing policy.

Norbert's tour lasts up to four hours and includes tips for restaurants and cafes.

Now it's time for a bit of imperial splendor.

Schoenbrunn palace was once the summer residence of the Habsburg family.

But if you want to see how the emperors and empresses once lived, you'll have to pay €34.

If that's too heavy on the wallet, you can still enjoy the large garden with its many fountains and statues for free.

For another great view over the city, climb up to Gloriette.

The landmark was originally built as a temple of fame that was a symbol of imperial power.

Wouldn't you love to be Emperor for one day?

A night in a hotel in Vienna can easily cost up to €150.

Fancy staying in a luxury hotel close to all the main sites?

Now, I know what you're thinking, but let me surprise you.

The Grand Ferdinand is a luxury hotel that promises Viennese elegance.

What makes it special is that in addition to expensive rooms and suites, you can also book a bed in the dormitory here.

It costs €50 per night and has chandeliers and mahogany beds.

Not only is it a great place to sleep, it has a lot to offer during the day.

The best part is you can use the pool and a roof terrace, just like the guests who paid for the expensive rooms.

If you want to end the day with music, head to the Vienna State Opera, one of the most important opera houses in the world.

Puccini, Wagner and Mozart, they are all here.

The large orchestra pit can accommodate up to 110 musicians, more than most opera houses.

The opera is on its summer break, so we can't go inside.

But if you're here between September and June, you can get one of the standing room tickets that are being sold from 10am on the day of the performance.

you get to see world class musicians and singers for less than €20.

I saw so much of Vienna today, and many most of it for The Palace Gardens, St.

I even learned about the Viennese way of life from a local.

And which other cities would you like us to explore on a budget for you?