With only one day, the smart move is staying in the compact Old Town rather than trying to also reach Schönbrunn on the city's edge — you'll see far more, far more comfortably, by keeping your radius small.
Morning: St. Stephen's Cathedral & the Hofburg
Start at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna's centrepiece, then walk the short distance to the Hofburg — pick either the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments, or simply walk through the free inner courtyards if you want to save time for elsewhere.
Midday: Kärntner Straße to the Opera
Walk down Kärntner Straße, Vienna's main pedestrian shopping street, to the State Opera — join a guided tour if the timing works, or simply admire the building and grab lunch nearby.
Afternoon: Belvedere or the museum quarter
Choose one: the Belvedere for Klimt's The Kiss and its garden views, or the Kunsthistorisches Museum if Old Masters paintings are more your thing. Both are excellent — pick based on your own interests rather than trying to squeeze in both.
Evening: dinner and a walk
Finish with dinner in one of the streets around the Naschmarkt or back in the Old Town, then an evening stroll past the illuminated Rathaus (City Hall) and Parliament along the Ringstrasse — both are dramatically lit after dark and much quieter than during the day.
Local tip
Don't try to add Schönbrunn to a one-day visit — it deserves at least half a day on its own, and squeezing it in usually means rushing everything else too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is one day enough for Vienna?
It's enough to see the Old Town's core highlights properly, though you'll need to pick and choose — trying to cover everything, including Schönbrunn, in one day means rushing.
What should I skip if I only have one day in Vienna?
Schönbrunn Palace — it's on the outskirts and deserves its own half day, so it's the first thing to cut from a single-day visit.