Where to stay in Vienna – Neighborhoods to avoid and the best to visit

For your next stay in the capital of Austria, you are wondering where to stay in Vienna, are there any neighborhoods to avoid or are the best neighborhoods in Vienna?

In fact, nowadays, faced with the insecurity of large European cities, before choosing your accommodation, it is better to find out about the neighborhoods. This is how you avoid unpleasant surprises and guarantee yourself a successful stay.

And even if Vienna is not a dangerous city, it is better to choose your accommodation among the best tourist areas perfectly suited to your desires and your budget.

To help you, here is a guide with a map of the districts of Vienna and my advice for choosing the best district according to your type of stay (tourist trip, student internship, business trip, etc.).

Is Vienna dangerous?

Vienna is not a dangerous city, quite the contrary! In 2024, Vienna will be one of the safest cities in Europe, as will Seville, Prague ou Lisbon. It is much less dangerous than many European capitals like London, Paris, Rome ou Athens.

This is what the last one indicates Numbeo ranking on the crime of European cities. Indeed, Vienna is positioned among the least criminal cities. With a very low crime rate of 26,33, is located in the safest cities of Europe.

European cities crime map
European cities crime map on Numbeo.com

This very low level of crime is also confirmed globally on the site Crimegrade.org. On this ranking, Vienna has an A rating, which means it has a crime rate well below the US city average.

Moreover, some French media believe that Vienna is the nicest city in the world (see on géo.fr, on franceinfo.fr or lexpress.fr).

Is Vienna Safe for Tourists?

YES visitors are safe to visit Vienna. Even though, as in all tourist towns, there can be pickpockets, tourists are in no danger in Vienna.

See my circuit for visit Vienna on foot !


Map of Vienna districts

To find the best neighborhoods and neighborhoods to avoid in Vienna that we are going to talk about, here is the Google Map:

https://goo.gl/maps/QQAzstpeZMC5gK1GA


Dangerous neighborhoods in Vienna?

In the center of Vienna, there are no security problems and therefore no dangerous neighborhoods. This is what I noticed when I did my research on specialized sites, government recommendations, statistics but also on traveler and expatriate blogs and forums.

Neighborhoods to avoid in Vienna

The neighborhoods to avoid in Vienna for a tourist stay are the neighborhoods far from the center, too far from tourist sites or poorly served by public transport.

Furthermore, without being dangerous neighborhoods, I must mention among the areas to avoid, especially at night, the two red light districts of Vienna. They are located in Stuwerviertel and part of Gürtel.


Best areas to stay in Vienna

Vienna is divided into 23 districts (Bezirke) of which you will find the complete list and their precise location on Wikipedia. The Viennese designate them either by name or by number as for the arrondissements in Paris. These 23 districts are located in a spiral from the center.

The central districts are where the most famous tourist sites are located. These are the districts numbered 1 to 9 which are located around the 1st district of Vienna: the Inner city.

The central district of Vienna Inner city border:

Among the 23 districts that make up the city of Vienna, it is only these downtown districts that are the most interesting for choosing accommodation. Discover below the most touristic and favorite areas of visitors.


Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna's most beautiful neighborhoods
Hofburg Imperial Palace

Where to stay in Vienna to visit the city?

Tourists who come to Vienna want to stay as close as possible to the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, Hotel Sacher, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Habsburg Palaces, the Church Saint-Charles-Borromée, the magnificent Vienna Opera House or the great museums.

The 2 most popular districts of Vienna for tourists are Inner city the 1st district and New Build the 7th district (Museumsquartier). Here is their location and characteristics below.

Most beautiful district of Vienna
Most beautiful area to stay in Vienna

Inner city

In the heart of the old town of Vienna, Innere Stadt is the 1st district but above all the most touristic district of the Austrian capital.

Not only the most beautiful monuments can be found in this district but also the best restaurants and the most beautiful palaces and luxury hotels.

Here is a link for a guided tour of Vienna which will allow you to discover the most beautiful places!

Here is one of the best located hotels for exploring Vienna on foot: Hotel König von Ungarn.

In my opinion, this is the best hotel for a first stay in Vienna. In addition there is a metro station 300 meters from the hotel!


Neubau / Museumsquarter

The Museums Quartier is located in the 7th district of Vienna: It is one of the largest cultural districts in the world. With its many renowned museums around the world, its art galleries and its bars and restaurants, New Build is a very nice place to stay in Vienna.

Here's a very hotel which has an ideal location for visiting Vienna : the hotel HENRI Hotel Wien Siebterbezirk.

Indeed, it is located just 10 minutes walk from the Ringstrasse, is right next to the museum district, the shopping street Mariahilfer Strasse and the Neubaugasse underground station. 


Which district to stay in Vienna on a budget?

Mariahilf is the district of the 6th district of Vienna where hotels and Airbnb are less expensive than in the 2 districts mentioned above. the Mariahilf district is located between Neubau and Wieden and right next to the MuseumsQuartier. The location of this district is therefore attractive for tourists.

It is also a popular area for shopping. Indeed, there is the famous Mariahilferstrasse which is a long shopping street with many fashion boutiques and major ready-to-wear stores.

Here is a very good hotel that I recommend in this area to all tourists who travel with little money. Its value for money is unbeatable and its geographical location ideal for a tourist stay. Indeed, the hotel is located near the West station with all the possibilities of public transport (metros, trams, buses, taxis).


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