podtour
From the Cathedral to the Imperial Palace
From Mozart's house to the gates of the Hofburg, get to know Vienna through the stories on its streets.
From Judenplatz to Café Central: audio walk in Vienna
Four squares a few steps apart where Vienna decided its fate: the house confiscated from conspirators, the medieval Jewish quarter and its destruction in 1421, the memorial of books that can't be opened, the palace of the first dukes, the day in 1806 when a thousand-year empire came to an end, the revolution of 1848, the square of sanctuary and the café of revolutionaries.
What this walk is about
You start in front of the Old Town Hall, a house the city won because its owners conspired against the Habsburgs. A couple of steps away is Judenplatz: this was the heart of the medieval Jewish community, with its school and its synagogue, until it was destroyed in 1420 and 1421, and a neighbouring house celebrated the fact in Latin. A concrete library whose books can't be opened now remembers 65,000 Austrian Jews who were murdered. In Am Hof, the largest square in the old centre, you hear five scenes: the palace of the first dukes, the column an emperor promised to the Virgin against the Swedes, a mayor torn apart, the terrace from which, so the story goes, the end of the Holy Roman Empire was announced, and what was really proclaimed there, and the lamp post of 1848. You pass beneath the "heathen who shoots", reach the square where nobody could be arrested, and finish at the café where a Russian exile read the world's newspapers.
- Start
- A House Confiscated from a Conspirator
- Finish
- Café Central: Twenty-Two Languages and Mr Trotsky
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about history and Jewish memory.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
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Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
A House Confiscated from a Conspirator
- 2
The School Courtyard
- 3
1420–1421 and the House That Celebrated It
- 4
A Library That Cannot Be Opened
- 5
The Dukes' Court and a Promised Column
- 6
A Promise Fulfilled Twice
- 7
Mayor Holzer
- 8
6 August 1806 — Or Was It?
- 9
October 1848: Minister Latour
- 10
The Pagan Who Fires a Gun
- 11
Freyung: Sanctuary and Hanswurst
- 12
Café Central: Twenty-Two Languages and Mr Trotsky
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Vienna, before you go
The big squares can make you feel you ought to hurry. Vienna rewards looking at façades and allowing a proper pause; combine its compact old centre with transport when changing areas.
More walks nearby
Legends of Old Vienna
A basilisk in a well, a tree trunk full of nails and a Christ with toothache. Vienna keeps its legends in plain sight.
The Habsburgs: Vienna and Spain
Spain left its mark on the Habsburg palace through marriages, names and exiles. Follow those connections through Vienna's courtyards and squares.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.