Austria's Quirkiest City Tours
Sightseeing does not have to be all about following the guidebook in Austria's cities. Those looking for something a little bit different are sure to find out on one of these less conventional tours...
Vienna
Explore Vienna's Central Cemetery
Opened in 1874, Vienna's Central Cemetery is home to more than 3 million graves and is now Europe's largest graveyard. The cemetery has a large number of celebrity graves, including musicians such as Beethoven, Schubert, Johann Strauss, and Falco, painters, architects, and sculptors as well as Austria's past presidents and Vienna's mayors. You will find sectors for a wide variety of religious affiliations here, including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic, and Buddhist parts of the cemetery.
- Duration: 1.5 – 2 h
- Book a guided group tour here
- Take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the cemetery
The Third Man Sewer Tour
Set in post-war Vienna, The Third Man is a classic of noir cinema, telling the story of an American investigating the suspicious death of his childhood friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Of course, nothing is quite as it seems, and thrilling pursuits through Vienna's sewer system ensue. With this tour, you can explore Vienna's sewers as shown in the film for yourself.
- English-language tours daily at 3 p.m.
- Tickets:
€ 10 per adult
€ 8 per student
€ 5 per child (12-18)
Unknown Underground Vienna
Hidden from the eyes of locals and visitors alike, Vienna boasts a labyrinth of underground passageways, historic cellars, and burial crypts.
Although many were badly damaged or destroyed in the last war or in the course of post-war re-developments, Vienna still offers plenty of surprises below its surface. The Unknown Underground Vienna tour includes a visit of the authentically preserved crypts of St. Michael's and the excavations on Michaelerplatz square.
- Tour can be booked individually for a group
- Max 20 people per group
- Additional entrance fees
- Photography and filming is not allowed in the crypt
"Coffee and Cake" Tour
Since 2011, the Viennese coffee house culture has been part of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. There is hardly a better way to relax than by enjoying a cup of “Melange” (a traditional coffee) and a slice of “Guglhupf” (Austrian cake) while reading the newspaper at a café. During the coffee and cake walk, you will be introduced to the oldest coffee house in Vienna that is still open today, you'll find out why a pastry shop is named after an opera, and you'll learn how the famous Sacher Torte was created. You will also learn about the so-called “coffee house poets” and get the opportunity to have coffee and cake at Demel, a pastry shop that used to cater to the royal court, and/or to visit the Demel museum.
- Duration: 1.5 – 2 h
The Dark Side of Vienna
Join the dark side! Whilst Vienna is usually portrayed as a romantic, charming city, there are quite a few mysterious, eerie tales hidden in its history. On this fascinating tour, you'll discover a forgotten cemetery on Minoritenplatz, and other lesser-known stories of the city’s past, designed for the curious traveller. Among the locations you will visit are Heldenplatz, Hofburg Palace, Josefsplatz, Michaelerplatz, and many more.
- The tour is not designed for children below the age of 13
- Duration: approx. 2 h
- Tickets: € 25 per adult
Dragon, Griffin, Unicorn: Magical Creatures in Vienna
Dragons, griffins, and other magical creatures have been part of Austrian folklore for a long time.
Learn about the stories behind these tales and find out where you can find these creatures in Vienna today, and if there are any scientific facts behind these fabels.
- Tour can be booked individually for a group
Salzburg
The Sound of Music Bicycle Tour
Taking you to over 20 filming locations, "Fräulein Maria's Bicycle Tours" will let you discover Salzburg as shown in The Sound of Music, on your bicycle. Visit the old town of Salzburg, St. Peter’s cemetery, Nonnberg Abbey, the Trapp Family residence “Frohnburg Palace”, Hellbrunn Palace, and Mirabell Gardens, among others
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- Distance: approx. 13 km / 8 mi
- Tickets:
€ 40 per adult
€ 25 per young adult (13-17 years)
€ 20 per child under 12 years
Salzburg Beer Walk (Self-Guided)
Sometimes dubbed "Austria's capital of beer", the city of Salzburg boasts no less than eleven breweries. The town is dotted with a large number of restaurants, beer gardens, and trendy bars, each a perfect spot to sample another locally brewed beer. Follow this beer trail through Salzburg's inner city to learn more about why Salzburg became such a beer hotspot and to visit some of the town's most famous pubs.
- Duration: 2 h (3 h if you want to see Stiegl Brewery which is a bit outside the city centre)
- Distance: 4.5 km / 2.8 mi (7.5 km / 4.7 mi with Stiegl Brewery)
- Self-guided
Night Watchmen Tour
For hundreds of years, the "night watchman" kept watch while Salzburg's residents were sleeping. Today, you can follow him on his former round through the backstreets of the city as your guide - dressed as a night watchman from the olden times - tells you interesting, amusing, and scary stories.
- Duration: Approx. 1.5 h
- Price: € 174 per group plus € 4 per person/drink
- English-language tour only available for groups
Graz
Graz at Twilight Walking Tour
Old lanterns in narrow alleys, illuminated facades, flashing light signals from the city's ultramodern museum of contemporary art (dubbed "the friendly alien"), the radiance of a man-made island in the middle of the river Mur: Take a tour through the magical evening atmosphere of Graz.
- Meeting point: Graz Tourist Information, Herrengasse 16, 8010 Graz
- Duration: 1.5 h
- Tickets:
€ 15 per adult
€ 12 per student / pensioner
€ 7.00 per child (6-15)
Linz
Explore the Underground Limoni Tunnels
For centuries, the sandy hills around the city of Linz have hidden an elaborate network of underground wine and beer cellars. Expanded and used as air-raid shelters in World War II, these little-known tunnels can now be explored.
- Duration: 1.5 h
- Warm clothing and sturdy shoes are recommended
- Tickets:
€ 19 per adult
Innsbruck
VR Tour: Time Travel to Innsbruck
Have you ever heard of VR time travel? Explore old Innsbruck with the help of VR glasses and immerse yourself in the world of the 19th century, whilst your knowledgable guide provides historical and cultural background info.
- Duration: 110 min
- Tickets:
€ 28 per person
Children up to 6 years free
Group tours upon request - Please bring your smartphone and check beforehand if it has a gyroscope