Munich/Vienna 3 days each. What are the best places to visit??

Question

Will be in Munich (Hochstrasse) and Vienna (Ringstrasse) for a week, but due to travel, sightseeing will be five - six days only. What would be the best places to go around these areas? Not looking for pubs or inns. But more into sightseeing beautiful lakes, castles, palaces, museums, parks and whatnot. Pllllleasse help!

Answer 1

I have been to Vienna quite a few times so I can give you some top attraction tips for that city.

Inside the Ringstrasse:

Stadtpark is a must see. This pretty city park contains the Wien river canal, portals, pavilions, and statues of famous composers - like the gilded statue of Johann Strauss II

The Stephansdom Cathedral - this impressive gothic church has beautiful spires and bell tower. The roof is amazing, containing thousands of colourful glazed tiles.

The sprawling Hofburg complex - used to house the royal apartments of the Habsburg family, today it houses museums, art galleries, the Winter Riding School (Lipizzaner stallions), the Austrian National Library, a chapel, a church, landscaped gardens, etc.

The Vienna Opera House, which was the first grand Ringstrass building to be completed.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum or Art History museum and the Natural History Museum directly across from it. Both their main entrances are from the Maria-Theresa Platz park. They both contain vast collections of paintings, sculptures, and other works of art from around the world. The natural history has minerals, gems, animals from around the world, etc. You could easily spend the day there.

Outside the Ringstrasse:

The beautiful and grand Schloss Schoenbrunn or Schonbrunn Palace. You can easily spend an entire day there - take a tour inside the imperial palace, then explore it's landscaped grounds. There is a coach museum, the huge Neptune fountains, walk up the hill to the imposing Gloriette Pavilion, lose yourself in the Maze, visit the oldest baroque Zoo at the Tiergarten, see tropical plants from around the world in the iron glass greenhouse Palm Haus, etc.

The Belvedere Palaces and gardens - once home to Prince Eugene of Savoy a brilliant military commander - but today houses art galleries.

The Prater, originally royal hunting grounds, today it contains an amusement park the Volksprater Funfair, Hauptallee grand avenues lined with chestnut trees, miniature railway, horse races, planetarium, soccer stadium, etc.

Well, I hope this gives you some ideas on what to see in Vienna. It's an absolutely gorgeous baroque city and there is just so many things to do and see there. I can't wait to go back and visit it again.

Cheers,

Petra M, Vancouver

Answer 2

I would go on a sight seeing bus.

After you got an overview of the city, note the sights you liked most and visit them the next day on you own.

It doesn't make a diffrence where you go, with only such small amount of time you'll miss some worth while sights.