12 Lunch Experiences in Austria to Build a Day Around

1.City Cruise with Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 3,982 reviews · 1h 15m · from $38Our pick

Cruise Vienna’s Danube Canal in a loop from Schwedenplatz aboard the MS Wien, MS Blue Danube, or MS Vindobona. Large screens explain landmarks such as the Urania Observatory and Zaha Hadid House. Add a fresh two-course lunch or house-made Wiener Schnitzel for a more satisfying outing.

“Amazing trip. Very informative We had lunch on board and it was delicious. Our waitress was very attentive... this is defo a must do trip when you visit Vienna.. next time I go I want to take the cruise down to Bratislava..”

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2.Austrian Apple Strudel Cooking Class including Lunch in Salzburg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 929 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $72Top rated

At Edelweiss Cooking School in Salzburg, chef instructors such as Leonardo and Johan guide you through apple strudel and Salzburger Nockerl, or a Salzburg pretzel. You will stretch pastry, share goulash or lentil stew, and eat your fresh desserts in a small group of three to five.

“This class is the best thing you can do if you are thinking of visiting the city. We were a family of 3 generations and from 15-65 everyone absolutely loved it. Make sure you come hungry because everything you will eat is going to be the best thing you've had. Half the family are not big beef eaters and yet every single one of us basically licked the bowl clean when the goulash was served. (There is also a vegetarian option as well which 2 people who were sitting at the table had and they also ate the whole thing so it must have been just as good!) Even if…”

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3.Authentic Vienna Food Tour inc. lunch, street food, 3 drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 749 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $171

Spend five hours eating across Vienna with an English-speaking local guide. Taste pastries, chocolate, lunch, street food, wine or beer, and Viennese coffee while visiting Naschmarkt, Favoriten, Brunnenmarkt, and Neubau. Small groups have up to 12 people, with private pickup available on private tours.

“If you want a true food experience this is a must tour. You will stops at spots that you would walk buy if you did not know they existed.”

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4.Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 643 reviews · 1 day · from $33Best value

Meet at Hard Rock Cafe Vienna on Rotenturmstrasse for priority seating and a set meal. Choose the two-course Acoustic Menu or three-course Electric Menu, then browse Vienna-only merchandise and Hard Rock Couture. Expect friendly service, generous portions, and a possible short wait at busy times.

“Everything was great! Lovely place to eat! The staff is very kind!”

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5.Sightseeing Boat Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 535 reviews · from $69

Cruise from Schwedenplatz aboard the air-conditioned MS Blue Danube, with a seasonal two-course lunch and views of Vienna’s modern and historic canal-side buildings. GPS screens and free maps explain the sights in German and English, but the route is mainly along the Danube Canal.

“The service was wonderful on this river cruise and made up for the bland food, would recommend as it’s good value”

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6.Schönbrunn Palace Entry Ticket with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 299 reviews · from $70

Begin at Joseph II Restaurant near Schönbrunn’s main entrance with a two-course lunch of pork Wiener Schnitzel and apple strudel, or a vegetarian alternative. Then use an English or German audio guide to see the palace’s State Apartments, reception rooms, and Maria Theresa’s chambers.

“We weren’t allowed in on time and had to wait around for twenty minutes with a confused group of people who didn’t know what was happening. Once we were let in we were allowed to separate and walk around the amazing palace at our own pace. The restaurant at the beginning of the day was a good touch !”

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7.Cookies and Apple Strudel Cooking Class Including Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 156 reviews · 1h 30m · from $70

Join an English-language class at Edelweiss Cooking School near Salzburg’s old town. With guidance from instructors such as Agnes, Alina, or Ishmael, you’ll stretch strudel dough, shape vanilla kipferl, eat goulash soup, and taste what you bake.

“The class is nice. I’m not a dessert guy but the Apple strudel here just blew me away. I highly recommend this class to all kinds of travelers. You can definitely find joy and have a nice lunch here.”

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8.Budapest to Vienna Private Costumizable Day Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 61 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $440

Travel from Budapest to Vienna in a private car or minivan with a guide such as Attila, Susan, or Thomas. See Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg, Ringstrasse, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and Graben, with Wiener schnitzel lunch and time for shopping.

“Our day trip to Vienna was amazing and Tomas our tour guide and Edith our private driver were awesome 🤩 Thank you Tomas and Edith 🙏”

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9.Bratislava Small-Group Day Trip from Vienna with Walk & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 60 reviews · 9 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Travel independently by Slovak Lines bus from Vienna to Bratislava, then meet a local guide for a one-hour Old Town walk and a two-course lunch. Guides such as Daria, Erika, Milan, Zuzana, and Sebastian have led this tour. You get several free hours afterward, but transportation and food require careful planning.

“It was a fun day out in Bratislava. Only an hour by bus from Vienna, it’s a charming city with a very relaxed vibe. It’s definitely worth checking out if you want a break from the hustle and bustle of Vienna. My only suggestion would be that the tour be shortened by an hour in the winter months, due it being quite cold and dark when its time to leave at 6.30pm.”

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10.Schönbrunn Palace Vienna Ticket with 2-course lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 24 reviews · from $81

Pair a self-guided Schönbrunn Palace visit with a two-course Viennese lunch at Joseph II restaurant across from the palace. You’ll explore private chambers, reception rooms, State Apartments, and Maria Theresa’s rooms with an audio guide. Vegetarian meals are available on request, but drinks cost extra.

“Finding the restaurant was difficult . We wasted too much time finding the location . As a result the meal was rushed It was quite nice though . The tour was rather busy”

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11.Canyoning and Rafting Experience with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 18 reviews · 8 hours · from $223

Spend eight active hours near Golling with a state-certified guide, first canyoning in the Almbach gorge, then rafting the Salzach River. Expect jumps, slides, swims, rapids, a waterfall stop, Austrian lunch, provided gear, and showers afterward. Bring water shoes, a towel, and dry clothes.

“Einfach nur geil! Die Wartezeit nach dem Canyoning und Rafting könnte kürzer sein. Ansonsten ein tolles Erlebnis!”

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12.Imster Gorge Rafting Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $120

You’ll spend six hours rafting 30 km of the Inn River through Tyrol’s Imster Gorge with a certified English or German-speaking guide. Expect famous rapids, Alpine scenery, a campfire lunch of Tiroler Kasspatzln, drinks, and transport to the river. Bring swimwear and a towel.

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