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GuruWalk Original
Free tour

The Cradle of Vienna - Downtown Walking Tour

Duration: 2h and 15min
Languages: English
Guru: Mario
Quality Verified Registered on July 16, 2022

Hi there! You are reading these lines because you wish to visit and explore Vienna soon :) I LOVE THE WAY YOU THINK!!! My family and friends call me Mario. I've done many jobs in my life until I discovered the perfect one for me: the love of exploring the culture, legends, and stories from the past with people from all over the world while roaming through the charming streets, historical buildings, and world-class museums of the city to which I owe so much. Whether you're staying a week or just one day, there are plenty of reasons to fall in love with this town. You don't believe me? Be my guest, take a tour and get your feet wet! See you soon! Your Mario

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GuruWalk Original

GW Originals free walking tours are chosen by our staff among the best and are unique tours that you will only find on GuruWalk.

  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
  • Accepts electronic payment
    This tour allows payment by electronic means or credit card

Tour description

The Cradle of Vienna is a free walking tour exploring Vienna’s extraordinary past and fascinating present.

Recommended if you like:
traveling back in time and learning more about Vienna and its history, the idea of seeing a city behind-the-scenes, watching documentaries and reading books talking about past and contemporary societal issues, being outdoors and walking in sunshine, rain or snow

TIPP:
Please be aware that "The Cradle of Vienna" is not considered an essential or highlight tour.
If you're looking for the "essential" Vienna tour, I recommend booking with Red and White Tours:
https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/36416-free-tour-vienna-in-small-groups?ref=l7f547ol203yipnyu1bl

For the best "non-essential highlights" tour in Vienna, I highly recommend taking a tour with my colleague, Mirko:
https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/38444-free-walking-tour-through-historical-centar-of-vienna?ref=l7f547ol203yipnyu1bl


On this free downtown walking tour “The Cradle of Vienna", we will walk through the former Roman military camp Vindobna, the first settlement in Vienna, and sail through more than 2,000 years of the city’s history, exploring Vienna in Roman times, Vienna in Middle Ages, Jewish Vienna, Vienna around 1900, Vienna in the Third Reich, and modern Vienna as the world’s most livable city!

The walking starts at the place popularly known as Schwedenplatz (a small park opposite the McDonald’s - Rotenturmstrasse 29). It goes through the city’s oldest party mile while passing next to the oldest synagogue, the oldest church, and the first man cave. We will take short breaks next to the Ankeruhr - music clock, St. Josef fountain, and old City Hall. Next, we will explore the Jewish Square, once the center of Jewish life in the middle ages, and today home to the first holocaust memorial in Austria. Ultimately, we will walk through the two most expensive streets in Vienna to reach our last stop at the very center of the city, the famous St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

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Highlights

What will we visit on this tour?

  • Meeting point:
    Rotenturmstraße 29, 1010 Wien, Austria
    Rotenturmstraße 29, 1010 Wien, Austria
    View on map

    You will find me in a small park across from McDonald's (the address of McDonald's is Rotenturmstraße 29) with a white umbrella. Take the underground to Schwedenplatz station (on the red U1 and green U4 lines). Exit Rotenturmstraße.

  • 1
    Outside visit
    Rabensteig 5
  • 2
    Outside visit
    Ruprechtsplatz
  • 3
    Outside visit
    Judengasse 4-6
  • 4
    Outside visit
    Hoher Markt
  • 5
    Outside visit
    Judenplatz
  • 6
    Outside visit
    Am Hof
  • 7
    Outside visit
    Irisgasse
  • 8
    Outside visit
    Kohlmarkt 7
  • 9
    Outside visit
    Graben
  • 10
    Outside visit
    Stephansplatz 1

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

1386 ratings
4.9
By category
Professionalism
4.98
Fun
4.81
Expression
4.91
Quality
4.95
Route
4.87
Generic
5 stars
1334
4 stars
47
3 stars
5
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Danielle 02 May 2024
Örebro

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Fantastic tour, even more fantastic guide. Mario clearly has a deep love for history which made the tour not only informational, but so very fun. We were captivated and fascinated throughout the 2.5h tour. He even brought some local sweets for all of us to try. We highly recommend taking this tour with Mario. Oh and, he provides earpieces which allowed us to look around and meander a little without the stress of missing any juicy historical tales. 10/10, would recommend.
Maria 01 May 2024
Salisbury

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2024
Highly recommend this tour! Great way to learn more about Austria’s history, ranging from the importance of salt to the memorials in recognition of WW2. Mario is so fun and engaging! We absolutely loved the tour and hope to do his other tours next time we visit.
AURORE 01 May 2024
Nantes

Verified booking
Travelled alone - May 2024
Thanks Mario. The tour was interesting and I learn a lot about Vienna. I recommend this tour. Mario offer us some sweets from Vienna and recommend us good places to enjoy our stay.
Annapurna 01 May 2024
Manchester

Verified booking
Travelled alone - May 2024
Mario was a fantastic guide, knowledgeable and informative.
Antonija 29 Apr 2024
Split

Verified booking
Travelled alone - Apr 2024
Great tour with the best guide ever, thank you for all the informations and this amazing day!
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 5 people is required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Electronic or credit card payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
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