The Belvedere is not a single museum but an ensemble of three venues and a garden. Knowing that in advance means buying the right ticket – and avoiding the most expensive mistake: the wrong address at the wrong time.
This guide answers the questions that actually matter before you pay – price, time slots, queues, the best route through the rooms. It sells you nothing: we are an independent visitor guide, and bookings run through an authorised ticketing partner.
Quick Summary
- Admission from
- €22Upper Belvedere, adults
- Opening hours
- 9 am – 7 pmUpper Belvedere, daily
- Book ahead?
- Yestimed tickets; weekends sell out
- Time needed
- 2–3 hrs1.5 hrs collection + garden
- Garden
- Freeno ticket required
- Under 19
- Freebring ID
Prices and hours per the official website belvedere.at, as of July 2026. Subject to change – please verify there before your visit.
Want to see Klimt? You need a ticket for the Upper Belvedere. Everything else is optional.
Only want the garden? It’s free – no ticket needed.
The Belvedere: three venues, one common mistake
The ensemble spreads across three sites with separate programmes and separate tickets. For 90 per cent of visitors, only one of them matters.
| Venue | What you’ll see | Address | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Belvedere | Permanent collection, Klimt’s “The Kiss”, Marble Hall, medieval and Baroque art | Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27 | €23 |
| Lower Belvedere | Temporary exhibitions, Prince Eugene’s private apartments, Hall of Grotesques, Gold Cabinet | Rennweg 6 | €20 |
| Belvedere 21 | Contemporary art in Karl Schwanzer’s pavilion, sculpture garden | Arsenalstraße 1 | €12 |
| Palace Garden | Baroque garden, cascades, sphinxes, panorama of the old town | between the two palaces | free |
Combination tickets bundle two or three venues: the 2-in-1 ticket costs €32, the 3-in-1 ticket €34. Be honest with yourself – if you’re coming for Klimt, you don’t need a combo.
Why the Upper Belvedere is the default answer
This is where the permanent collection hangs: Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka, Waldmüller, Messerschmidt’s Character Heads – plus Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir. The Marble Hall, where the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955, sits right on the same route.
The Lower Belvedere hosts temporary exhibitions. It’s worth it if the current show interests you – not because it somehow “belongs” to the visit.
Which ticket is right for you?
Three options cover practically every visit. Prices come from our booking partner’s live listings and fluctuate day by day.
Standard Upper Belvedere ticket
For everyone who wants to see Klimt
- Permanent collection incl. “The Kiss”
- Marble Hall and Sala Terrena
- Free choice of time slot
- Instant mobile ticket
- No guide included
Skip-the-line + guided tour
For a first visit to Vienna
- Priority entry via the group entrance
- 2 hours with an art historian
- Palace and garden in context
- Small groups, headsets included
- Temporary exhibitions not included
Combos & packages
For two sights in one day
- Belvedere plus a second attraction
- One booking, two entries
- Cheaper than buying separately
- Often non-refundable
Full breakdown including discounts: Belvedere ticket prices. If your only goal is avoiding the queue, read skip-the-line at the Belvedere.
Timing is everything
The Belvedere has three predictable peaks: late morning, around 2 pm, and weekends. In between, it is surprisingly calm.
- 9 to 10 am – the quietest hour of the day. Head straight to the second floor and the Klimt rooms before the groups arrive.
- 11 am to 3 pm – peak traffic. Expect three rows of people in front of “The Kiss”.
- After 4:30 pm – the second quiet window. Last admission is usually one hour before closing.
- Tuesday to Thursday are the most relaxed days; Saturday and Sunday the busiest.
- Rainy days fill the museum but empty the garden – the reverse of sunny afternoons.
The classic shot – palace, reflecting pool, St. Stephen’s spire in the background – works from the upper garden parterre, backlit in the morning or glowing in the last hour before sunset. At midday the sun sits directly behind the façade.
In depth, with a month-by-month table: opening hours and best time to visit.
The faster way in
The Upper Belvedere has two usable approaches. On busy days the difference is twenty minutes.
- Arrive through the garden, not the streetMost visitors enter from Prinz-Eugen-Straße, where the coaches stop. If you walk up through the garden from the Lower Belvedere side, you arrive at the garden front – usually far less crowded.
- Take your time slot seriouslyOnline tickets are timed. Arrive ten minutes early; earlier means waiting outside, later can mean losing your slot.
- Prepare your mobile ticketSave the QR code offline and turn up the screen brightness. Mobile coverage in the courtyard is patchy.
- Cloakroom firstLarge backpacks and umbrellas must be checked. Do it immediately and you won’t queue twice.
How to save on admission
- Under 19: free admission. All venues, year-round – bring photo ID.
- Students under 26 and seniors 65+ pay €19 instead of €23 at the Upper Belvedere.
- Disability card holders pay €8; companions enter free.
- The Gold Pass (€49) pays off from your third visit within a year – worth it for returning visitors.
- Vienna Pass and Bundesmuseen Card include admission; holders skip the time-slot system entirely.
- The garden is always free – cascades, sphinxes and panorama included.
Discounts per belvedere.at. City-pass benefits depend on the respective provider’s terms.
How to get to Belvedere Palace
The grounds sit in the 3rd district, about 25 minutes on foot southeast of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Public transport beats driving – parking nearby is metered short-stay.
| Transport | Stop | Which entrance |
|---|---|---|
| Tram D | “Schloss Belvedere” | Upper Belvedere, 2-minute walk |
| Trams 18, O · S-Bahn | “Quartier Belvedere” | Upper Belvedere, 5-minute walk |
| Tram 71 | “Unteres Belvedere” check current routing | Lower Belvedere, Rennweg |
| U1 underground | “Südtiroler Platz–Hauptbahnhof” | approx. 15-minute walk |
| On foot from the main station | – | approx. 12 minutes |
Driving anyway? Discounted garage parking exists near Schwarzenbergplatz, but access is tight and the fee exceeds a day ticket for public transport.
All guides at a glance
Upper Belvedere
Floor by floor through the main building, with a recommended route.
Read the walkthrough
Klimt & “The Kiss”
Where the painting hangs, why it’s golden, and how to see it without the crowd.
To the Klimt guide
Paintings & Collection
800 years of art: Schiele, Waldmüller, Monet, Messerschmidt.
Explore the collection
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book Belvedere tickets in advance?
Not for the garden – it’s freely accessible. For the museums, yes: admission uses timed tickets, and on weekends and holidays the morning slots often sell out one to two days ahead. Booking online also skips the ticket-desk queue.
How much does Belvedere Palace admission cost?
The Upper Belvedere costs €23 for adults, the Lower Belvedere €20, Belvedere 21 €12. Combination tickets cost €32 (two venues) or €34 (three venues). Under-19s enter free. As of July 2026, per belvedere.at.
Where is Klimt’s “The Kiss” displayed?
In the Upper Belvedere, on the second upper floor among the Vienna 1900 rooms. The painting never leaves the building and is on view year-round – no separate ticket needed.
How long does a Belvedere visit take?
1.5 hours is enough for the Upper Belvedere if you move purposefully. With the garden and photo stops, 2.5 to 3 hours is realistic. Add the Lower Belvedere and you’re looking at half a day.
Is the Belvedere garden free?
Yes. The Baroque garden between the two palaces is free to enter, as are the cascades and the terrace overlooking central Vienna. Only the museum buildings charge admission.
Can I take photos inside the Belvedere?
Photography without flash or tripod is generally allowed in the permanent collection, but often prohibited in temporary exhibitions. Check the signs at each room’s entrance – rules can differ per show.
Which Belvedere should I visit if I only have time for one?
The Upper Belvedere. It houses the permanent collection with Klimt, Schiele and the Character Heads, and the Marble Hall is on the route anyway.
Is the Belvedere wheelchair accessible?
The main floors of the Upper Belvedere are reachable by lift, and wheelchairs are available on loan. The garden has gravel paths and slopes. Details and current restrictions are on the official website.