There is no shortage of old places in Vienna. Strolling through the city center, you can marvel at beautiful palaces, churches, and cafés. But what are the oldest places in Vienna, the ones that still tell the stories of great composers, thinkers, and philosophers?
While Vienna boasts many famous hotels, in the second district you will find its oldest: Hotel Stefanie, welcoming guests since 1600. Named much later after Crown Princess Stefanie, wife of Crown Prince Rudolf, the hotel recalls a time when travelers arrived not by plane but by carriage and boat along the Danube. For centuries it has offered a refined welcome to those eager to discover the splendour of Vienna. Today, it is also a wonderful spot for a leisurely Sunday brunch.
Vienna’s most famous landmark is, of course, Steffl (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) but another, more modern icon is equally beloved: the Wiener Riesenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel) in the Prater amusement park. Turning since 1897, it has survived two world wars, a fire, and even proposals for its dismantling. Today, it continues to offer sweeping views over the city.
Crossing from Leopoldstadt into the Inner City, in a quiet square near Schwedenplatz, stands Ruprechtskirche, Vienna’s oldest church. Built sometime between 740 and 800 AD, it is dedicated to Saint Rupert, patron saint of salt merchants, and once served the community that controlled one of medieval Europe’s most valuable commodities: salt.
Not far away lies Vienna’s oldest restaurant, the Griechenbeisl. Yes, the name means “Greek tavern.” Established in 1447, it has hosted guests ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Mark Twain and Johnny Cash. Its name recalls the Greek merchants who once traded in the neighbourhood.
From the medieval to the imperial, our walk takes us to Vienna’s most elegant street, the Graben, lined with Baroque façades. Amid the modern luxury brands, you’ll find Frick, the city’s oldest bookstore, supplying books since 1775. Still family-run, it’s a place where stepping inside feels like entering a slower, quieter world.
And of course, no Viennese journey is complete without a coffeehouse. While everyone knows Café Central or Café Sacher, one of the city’s oldest continuously operating cafés is Café Frauenhuber, with roots as a venue dating back to the 1700s. Once a musical salon where Mozart and Beethoven performed, it now offers the perfect spot to enjoy a coffee and a slice of torte.
Vienna changes, but these places remain holding onto their stories until someone walks in and becomes part of the next chapter…
Addresses
- Hotel Stefanie – Taborstraße 12, 1020 Wien
- Wiener Riesenrad – Prater Park, 1020 Wien
- Ruprechtskirche – Ruprechtsplatz 1, 1010 Wien
- Griechenbeisl – Fleischmarkt 11, 1010 Wien
- Frick Bookstore – Graben 27, 1010 Wien
- Café Frauenhuber – Himmelpfortgasse 6, 1010 Wien