City trip Vienna: 3 varied cycle tours between Hofburg Palace and Central Cemetery
Alex Hüfner
· 08.08.2025
This trip to Vienna is more than just a sightseeing trip for me. After ten years, it's a return to the city where I commuted for work for several years. As always, I'm not alone, Alex and two bikes are with me. We reach Vienna by train at midday. The main station welcomes us with bright light, a clear structure and a sense of space. It's been a long, long time. Back then, I mostly travelled through the city by tram or bus. Cycling was not an option. The infrastructure simply wasn't there. But right from the first few metres, I can feel that something has changed.
Between the railway station and our hotel is a well-developed network of cycle paths with a safe guidance system and a smooth route. It almost feels like travelling through Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Vienna has caught up, it's rolling. The weather is mild and the sun is shining generously. A quick check-in at the hotel, then we are immediately drawn to the Danube Canal. A continuous cycle path runs along the waterfront, accompanied by urban art, joggers, cafés and bars. After the long train journey, this first ride is like a prelude that whets the appetite for more. Later, over a cool drink on the riverbank, we watch the light of the setting sun reflected in the water. Vienna seems relaxed, open, ready to be discovered.
Between past and present
The second day begins with a small Viennese breakfast, a brown beer with milk and a curd cheese strudel, a touch of nostalgia. At Maria-Theresien-Platz we meet Basti from Rebel Tours Vienna, who takes us on a journey through Vienna by bike. Together we cycle along the Ringstrasse, past the Parliament, City Hall, Hofburg Palace and Opera House. Basti provides us with insights and anecdotes, tells us about imperial vanities, historical upheavals and political symbols. I recognise a lot of things, but this time from a different perspective. Close, mobile, free. We meet Natalie and her friend having a picnic in the castle garden. They have also come here by bike. As locals, they confirm what we already sense.
Alex asks Natalie how she feels about the cycling infrastructure in her home city. "Vienna has become extremely bike-friendly. Much more space has been given to bikes. Not everything is perfect yet, but the path is right and the awareness is there," she explains. After saying goodbye to Basti, the two of us set off. First to Belvedere Palace, where we wander through the extensive gardens and later through the impressive collections in the museum. Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" never fails to mesmerise me. Absolute silence in the room, almost reverent. Time stands still for a moment. My stomach starts to growl. But there is a solution.
We drive straight from Belvedere Palace to the intergenerational café "Vollpension" in the 5th district. The atmosphere is warm and informal, young people take over the service, senior citizens bake cakes according to old recipes, tell their life stories and give us their time as guests. We opt for Grandpa Bertl's fresh Buchteln with plum jam and vanilla sauce. Memories come flooding back. A day to arrive and say goodbye.
We start very early on the third day. Our first destination: the Hundertwasser House. It's still quiet here in the morning, hardly any tourists in the small alleyway. The playful architecture, the colourfulness, the rejection of straight lines - everything seems lively, organic, like an alternative to everyday life. Friedensreich Hundertwasser's vision of individuality and closeness to nature can be felt in every façade. Our tour today, which we have filled well with stops, takes us on to the Prater, one of Vienna's largest green spaces. The Giant Ferris Wheel towers above the treetops, calm, almost majestic. Between the splendour of bygone times and the lightness of pleasure, a unique Viennese atmosphere unfolds here, neither loud nor garish, but simply honest.
After a taste of nature with lush greenery, I head back to the centre to the Museum Quarter. A very special place for me. Urban, creative, reserved, lively. Between the exhibitions, courtyards and bars, you can experience the city in a special way. Once one of my favourite places. I often just sat down in the courtyard, read and thought. Today I enjoy the here and now. It's now lunchtime and it's not far from here to the traditional Café Westend, right on Mariahilfer Strasse. Brass, marble, large mirrors - classic Viennese coffee house culture. We order a short brown beer, an elderberry soda and apple strudel. The waiter carries everything with stoic elegance - that too is Vienna. We have our sights set on a very special destination for the afternoon. We drive eight kilometres out to Simmering. We visit the Vienna Central Cemetery. It's more than just a resting place, it's a park full of history, nature and personalities. We stand in front of the graves of Beethoven, Brahms, the Strauss family and Falco. A walk through the centuries, calming and impressive at the same time.
Looking back - and looking forward
The time in Vienna has just flown by. We're already back on the train and reviewing the three days. Not a single moment when we felt unsafe in traffic. The cycle paths criss-cross the city. No sudden end. They are well signposted and well connected. Vienna has understood that mobility is more than just driving a car. The city has created space for movement, for encounters. We experienced history, enjoyed culture, met people, let ourselves drift and never had the feeling of being restricted. Our bikes were the key to places, memories and unforgettable moments. To conclude this trip, we can only quote a sentence from Emperor Franz Joseph I that sums it up: "It was very nice, we enjoyed it very much. The next visit to Vienna will certainly not be ten years away.
3 tour suggestions for Vienna
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Tour 1: Vienna compact, round trip approx. 13 km
The tour starts in the cultural and much-visited Museumsquartier. From here, the route takes you to the imperial Hofburg, past the Volksgarten to the Hofreitschule and the historic Michaelerplatz. As soon as you have crossed the square, you ride past the magnificent State Opera House and continue along the impressive Ringstrasse to the urban banks of the Danube Canal, where the famous Hundertwasserhaus is located. The crowning glory is the marvellous view of the baroque Belvedere Palace, from where you return to the MuseumsQuartier.
Tour 2: City, country, pleasure circular tour, approx. 19 km
The second tour runs along the Danube Canal, initially very urban, with street art and lots of nice places to stop for refreshments. The rest of the route leads through the Danube Island recreational area. The way back via the Prater with its landmark, the Giant Ferris Wheel, and other nostalgic and modern rides is another nice change of pace.
Tour 3: To the central cemetery, circular tour, approx. 20 km
The tour first leads back through the Prater into the Simmering district to Vienna's Central Cemetery. Austria's largest cemetery, covering more than two square kilometres, is home to the graves of honour of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss, Johannes Brahms, Falco and Udo Jürgens, among others. Return through the 3rd district back to the starting point.
Information and travel tips for Vienna
Arrival
The direct connection between Berlin and Vienna takes around 8 hours by train.
Best time to travel
The ideal months are May to June and September, when the weather is mild and the city can be experienced in all its splendour. Midsummer can be very hot.
Worth seeing
- St Stephen's Cathedral - Vienna's Gothic landmark in the heart of the city. The south tower offers an impressive view over the rooftops of Austria's capital.
- Belvedere Palace - Magnificent baroque residence with spacious palace park and famous Klimt collection. Easy to reach by bike.
- Ring road - Monumental boulevard with magnificent buildings such as the State Opera, Parliament and City Hall, ideal for an architecturally interesting cycle tour.
- Hundertwasser House - Colourful, playful house by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. A popular photo motif with an ecological message.
- Museum Quarter - One of the largest cultural complexes in Europe with modern art, an urban scene and cosy courtyards to linger in.
- Vienna Central Cemetery - One of the largest cemeteries in Europe. The final resting place of famous personalities and a place of surprising peace and nature.
Bike hire
Vienna Mobile Bike - www.wienerlinien.at/wien-mobil/rad
A bike sharing service from Wiener Linien with over 3,000 rental bikes at around 240 stations in all 23 districts of the city. Flexible booking via app and available from just €0.35/30 minutes.
Pedal Power - Bösendorferstraße 5, 1010 Vienna; pedalpower.at
Provider of bike and Segway tours and bike hire (including e-bikes)
Overnight stay
Max Brown Hotel 5th District, Margaretenstraße 92, 1050 Vienna
Stylish boutique hotel with urban design and relaxed atmosphere in the trendy Margareten district
Info and travel guide
www.wien.info - Official tourism portal with events, tips and accommodation
www.falter.at - Viennese city magazine with cultural calendar and scene information
www.radtouren.at - Austria-wide cycle portal with tour suggestions
Tip: Guided tours on foot or by bike with Rebel Tours Vienna - a tour company run by siblings Gabi and Basti, who delight visitors with their friendly Brazilian-Austrian joie de vivre and charming Viennese humour. rebeltoursvienna.com
Food and drink
Cafe full boardSchleifmühlgasse 16, 1040 Vienna
A lovingly furnished intergenerational café where grandmas and grandpas serve delicious cakes and exude Viennese charm.
Cafe Westend, Mariahilfer Str. 128, 1070 Vienna
Traditional Viennese coffee house with a nostalgic flair, ideal for a break after a stroll along Mariahilfer Strasse.
To the old barrelZiegelofengasse 37, 1050 Vienna
Quaint inn with a cosy inner courtyard, known for its hearty Viennese cuisine and historic atmosphere.
Organiser of cycle tours around the city
- Cycle route tours - Multi-day tours from/to Vienna, radweg-reisen.com
- Vienna Explorer - Guided cycle tours through Vienna and the surrounding area (Danube, Klosterneuburg etc.), viennaexplorer.com
- Donau Touristik - Tours along the Danube cycle path, from Vienna to Budapest or Passau, donaureisen.at
