The ultimate 'Before Sunrise' guide to Vienna

As you come into Vienna, you’ll want to look around, maybe grab a map and get a sense of where you’re going and the general geography of the city and from there, you’ll want to make your way to our first stop on the list. And if you were curious, the station Jesse and Céline get off the train together at is Westbahnhof station.

“This is a nice bridge” remarks Céline upon arriving at Zollamtssteg as our two main characters begin their Viennese adventure of meandering about the city. They both recognise the initial awkwardness of the situation as they acknowledge that they barely know each other. They meet two Austrian men who invite them to their play and cut right through the awkwardness. The bridge itself is rather unique and beautiful, built in 1900 by architect Otto Wagner, it stretches over the Wien river and the U-Bahn line 4 subway. The bridge is an 8 minute walk from Schwedenplatz metro stop.

Next on our list is the iconic record store where Jesse and Céline have an incredibly romantic moment standing in the small listening room at the back of the shop while Kath Bloom’s “Come Here” plays. It’s a dreamy sequence that fully pulls viewers in through the incredible chemistry of our main characters and allows us to immerse ourselves even further in the story.

A visit to the Teuchtler Schallplattenhandlung u Antiquariat record store is a must on any self-respecting Before Sunrise Vienna itinerary. The shop sells old and new records and even some super cute tote bags. Take the time to look through the many rows of old vinyls and let yourself be transported back  to the Summer of 1994. 

The store is a convenient 10 minute walk from Kettenbrückengasse stop on the U-Bahn line 4. Records usually retail for anywhere between 10 and 25 Euros. On weekdays, the store is open from 1pm to 6pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to 6pm. The shop is closed on Sundays. 

This is a great spot to stay in as it’s a nice area in excellent walking distance from some of the city’s main attractions. The Holiday Inn City Vienna is a great option for visitors looking to stay somewhere central while being mindful of a budget.

On their trek through Vienna, our two protagonists walk through one of the capital’s most iconic squares, Maria-Theresien-Platz, which joins the MuseumsQuartier and the Ringstraße. The square is home to both the Museum of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum) and the Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum). 

In the centre of the plaza, you’ll see a grand memorial erected in honour of one of Austria’s major historical figures, Empress Maria Theresia, who ruled over the Habsburg empire for forty years. Beyond being an extraordinary cultural hub, Maria-Theresien-Platz also offers some lovely green spaces you can wander through to take in the beauty and sheer scope of the surrounding buildings and statues. 

This small cemetery near the Simmering district of Vienna is a spot Jesse and Céline visit in Before Sunrise, notably stopping by the grave of a certain “little Elisabeth” and taking a moment to reflect about life and its viciously fleeting quality. Céline even says this place left more of an impression on her as a teenager than any of the museums she visited at the time. Named “cemetery of the Nameless” because most of the people buried there are unidentified bodies that washed up from the Danube river. The first unidentified person was buried here in 1840 and since 1940, the victims of the Danube currents are buried in Vienna’s central cemetery. In total, 104 drowning victims are buried in the cemetery, 43 of which are identified, while the rest are laid to rest with a cross which reads “unbekannt”, meaning “unknown”. 

The cemetery is not the easiest to reach, but well worth the trek.From the city centre, you need to get the U-Bahn line 3 towards Simmering and get off at Enkplatz station. From there, hop on bus 76A and get off at Alberner Hafen. Once you’re off the bus, look around for a sign leading the way to the cemetery, it’s about a 6 minute walk from the bus stop. 

Our two protagonists continue their walk through the city and have an incredibly romantic moment in the ferris wheel at the Prater Amusement Park. Bathed in the soft lighting of a summer evening, right before the sky turns dark, Jesse and Céline share their first kiss as they stand in one of the iconic red boxes of the Prater’s ferris wheel and reach the very top, overlooking the entire city. 

The park is open 365 days a year but be sure to check their website in advance to be mindful of opening times, as these change depending on whether you plan on visiting in the Summer season, or in the Winter season. 

These quiet streets are perfect for getting lost in the Before Sunrise atmosphere. Jesse and Céline end up walking through the historic streets of Vienna late at night, and into the wee hours of the morning. They get to experience the very best of what the city has to offer by being exposed to it at a time when it feels like they’re the only two people in it. It’s truly magical, and this walk is perfect for getting a better sense of historic Vienna and basking in all its glorious architecture. 

Our two protagonists sit here late in the evening to grab a drink and reflect on their time together in the city so far. It is a wonderful little spot and fairly unknown to tourists. Located on Franziskanerplatz, this small café stands directly in front of a beautiful Franciscan church, offering guests a chance to grab coffee or a drink with a view! The spot is cosy and simply perfect to sit and relax after meandering about the streets of Vienna for a while. It is open daily from 10am until 2am.

Another excellent Café on our list, this one undeniably tied to Before Sunrise’s legacy. This is the spot where Jesse and Céline have that infamous fake telephone conversation where Céline confesses to her friend that she met a guy on a train to Vienna and now she’s exploring the city with him. Meanwhile, Jesse pretends to be her friend and listens to her talk about the past 24 or so hours they’ve spent together, reflecting on their adventure and realising how much it meant to both of them.

Café Sperl is not only an iconic Before Sunrise location, but also one of our favourite food spots in Vienna. The food, the drinks, the atmosphere, the people playing pool or reading the papers, everything is perfect, with an almost out-of-time like quality. And if you’re looking for a sweet treat, you must try their apfelstrudel. The coffeehouse is open daily from 7am to 10pm, except on Sundays, when it is open from 10am to 8pm.

One of Vienna’s most emblematic landmarks, you cannot skip a visit to the Albertina museum while you are in Vienna. Although it is usually very busy, in Before Sunrise, Jesse and Céline manage to find the spot empty and end up looking out onto the city at nighttime, romantically lit up by street lights, before eventually lying down together on the steps leading up to the statue of Archduke Albrecht, just as the day breaks, reflecting on their time spent together. 

The Albertina Museum is a pillar of Western culture, home to an impressive collection of art from across the globe. On top of that, they also organise many temporary exhibitions that are well worth seeing if you’re in town and have time. The museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm, and from 10am to 9pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Tickets are about 18,90 EUROS and we recommend you book them in advance on their designated webpage.