Rosotravel - Austria Tours & Experiences · Hofburg, Vienna
A guided group tour of the Hofburg, the imperial palace the Albertina backs onto: timed entry to the Imperial Apartments and the Sisi Museum, then the courtyards, Heldenplatz and the Burggarten. Book it to pair two Habsburg palaces in one day without crossing town.
First the obvious point: the Hofburg is not the Albertina. The Albertina sits on the Augustinian Bastion and borders the Hofburg, and for about 100 years it was a Habsburg archducal residence, which is why its 20 State Rooms look like palace rooms. The Hofburg is the emperors' own palace, a separate complex with separate tickets. This tour covers the Hofburg only; the Albertina needs its own entry ticket.
The tour runs about 2 hours in one language you pick when booking. A licensed guide takes the group through the Imperial Apartments, where Franz Joseph and Elisabeth lived, and the Sisi Museum, then outside past the Spanish Riding School to Heldenplatz and the Burggarten. Groups go up to 25, with headsets once 18 or more join. The entry tickets have a fixed time, which is how you skip the ticket line.
Before you book: the Sisi Museum rooms are being redesigned and reopen on 19 November 2026, with added rooms. Until then the Hofburg keeps the Imperial Apartments open and the tour leans on them and the courtyards. Also check the rules: no luggage or large bags, umbrellas, strollers, scooters or pets, and no storage on site. Latecomers cannot join and get no refund. The listing says the tour is not suitable for visitors with mobility impairments.
The meeting point depends on the option you book and is on your voucher. Arrive 10 minutes early: late arrivals cannot join.
Timed entry past the ticket queue, then the private rooms, salons and offices of Franz Joseph and Sisi.
The palace part of the tour runs about 105 minutes, with the Sisi Museum rooms once they reopen on 19 November 2026.
A 15-minute photo stop outside the home of the Lipizzaner horses.
The tour ends with half an hour in the Burggarten. The Albertina entrance is just above it on the bastion.
★★★★★The museum visit was enjoyable and engaging thanks to our guide Nicole and her way of telling the story of Franz Joseph and Sisi!
★★★★★We had a wonderful tour of the Hofburg apartments, gardens and we walked and learned about the many palace buildings. The Sisi museum was closed for expansion and renovation- but we knew that at the time we booked the tour. Mario was great as a guide and we highly recommend him and this tour!
★★★★★Above all, it was a small group, and we were able to understand everything Thomas told us. Excellent.
★★★★★We had a great guide in Christian. He took us on a journey into the world of Empress Sisi and Franzl. [...] Even my husband, who was a bit skeptical about this Sisi tour, was really fascinated by Viennese history.
Read next:
No. They are neighbours: the Albertina sits on the bastion at the Hofburg's southern end and was once a Habsburg residence, but it is a separate museum with its own ticket.
They touch. The Burggarten, where this tour ends, lies just below the Albertina's terrace, so you can walk from one to the other in a few minutes.
The Sisi Museum is closed for a redesign and reopens on 19 November 2026. The Imperial Apartments stay open, and the tour runs through them and the courtyards meanwhile.
About 2 hours: some 105 minutes inside the palace, a 15-minute stop at the Spanish Riding School and 30 minutes in the Burggarten.
Ready to book
The Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments next door to the Albertina, with a licensed guide and timed entry.
Albertina Museum Entry TicketThe museum's own ticket: State Rooms, Monet to Chagall and every show on the day, valid for a year with no time slot.★ 4.7 · 2 to 3 hours · from $23
Private Albertina Tour with a GuideA licensed guide for your group alone, with timed entry. Longer options add Albertina Modern or a private car.★ 5.0 · 2 to 5 hours · from $244
Vienna PASS, 1 to 6 DaysOne Albertina entry plus Schönbrunn, the Hofburg, the Belvedere and 85+ sights, with hop-on buses, for 1 to 6 days.★ 4.4 · 1, 2, 3 or 6 days · from $122