A Spooky Vienna Tour – Alternative Vienna Experiences

In my latest trips, I am looking more and more to some alternative experiences and tours. I want to go more in-depth than just visit the classic tourist sites. I loved the Legends and Mysteries tour in Prague, so I decided to find something like that in Vienna too. The best option was the Spooky Vienna Tour. 

Prime Tours

Looking for the most interesting Vienna tours, I came across Prime Tours. I liked the variety of tours offered and their story. They were the first to organize a Free Walking Tour in Vienna which is extremely popular right now. In addition, they focus on off-the-beaten-path experiences, which is my favorite way to explore a city.

Spooky Stories and Vienna

Most old cities have some dark history or some sort of local legends and creepy stories about their past. Vienna was the background of many bloody events, some of them quite famous.

But it’s not all about ghost stories. The Spooky Vienna tour will show you another face of Vienna. Most tourists never find out about it, but it explains some of the city’s history.

For instance, why does St. Stephen Cathedral have two completely different towers? I won’t tell you that, but it’s one of the stories worth hearing on this tour.

Step by Step Review of The Spooky Vienna Tour

Meeting Point

The meeting point is at Albertinaplatz, close to the Hofburg, next to the Memorial against war and fascism. You can get there using the metro (U-Bahn) lines U1, U2 or U4 to Karlsplatz/Oper station.

Our Guide, Stephan

Stephan is not only a well-prepared guide but also a good actor. He didn’t just tell some stories, he made us laugh with his creepy tales. He played every role, from ghost to the devil laughing.

The Spooky Tour in Vienna

The tour starts in central Vienna, a few steps away from Albertina Museum. Very close to the square, a building that doesn’t seem special has a really spooky story. If you read some creepy stories, you might have heard about Elisabeth Bathory. She made it to the Guinness World Records book as the most prolific female murderer. You can find out the whole story from Stephan.

I counted 9 stops, each with a different story. Spiritism, funerary rituals, mummies, decades of solitude, witch hunts, the tour has it all. I don’t think I should tell you the stories though, Stephan does a better job at that.

However, I’m gonna go into my favorite story, about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The story says a messenger with a mask came to Mozart’s apartment in Vienna to commission a music piece. The work was conditioned by secrecy. Mozart started to think the mysterious guest had come from the world beyond. He imagined he was writing the music for his own funeral. Mozart became mad, working day and night to finish his requiem.

As faith wanted, he didn’t live to finish the piece. He died in December 1791, aged only 35. Rumors appeared that he was poisoned, but recent studies show that he died because of kidney failure.

Still, the question remains: would he have died so soon if he hadn’t believed so strongly he was to die soon and exhausted himself in the effort to finish the piece?

Still, the question remains: would he have died so soon if he hadn’t believed so strongly he was to die soon and exhausted himself in the effort to finish the piece?

Ironically, the unfinished requiem was indeed played for the first time at Mozart’s funeral, as he had imagined.

Useful info

The tour takes two hours, and it ends at St. Stephen Cathedral. Bring comfortable shoes as there is some walking involved, and dress appropriately. The tour costs 22.99€, but you can book here with a 10% discount!

Final thoughts

I loved the Spooky Vienna Tour – it was one of the highlights of our recent Vienna trip. Tours like this one bring you closer to a city’s heart and soul. You learn things and discover places you would never find in a guidebook. Mixing history and legends into a unique blend will make the experience and the trip unforgettable. 

One more thing: until now, it seems that women appreciate these spooky tours featuring ghosts and mysteries more than men 🙂

Booking options

Book here with a 10% discount on the official Prime Tours booking system. The same tour is 29€ if you want to book through GetYourGuide.

Disclosure

I was offered this tour by Prime Tours. However, all opinions stated above are my own. Some of the above may be affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend companies, activities, or products that I use myself. Thank you for your support in keeping my blog live!