By Mallory Evans
Medill Reports

VIENNA — In the bustling heart of Vienna, the streets outside of St. Stephen’s Cathedral are filled with locals and tourists alike. At a glance, the abundance of families with children of all ages suggests the city is a popular destination for family travel. 

However, in Salzburg, another historic Austrian city, families stay nearly double the length of time they do in Vienna. 

Throughout 2025, Vienna recorded a lower average length of stay at accommodations for children – lodgings and hotels with child-friendly amenities – than in Salzburg. According to a 2025 Statistics Austria dataset titled “Arrivals and nights spent in Austria – by type of accommodation,” Salzburg recorded nearly two additional nights spent in the city per month for families traveling with children, compared with Vienna.  

Although data shows families on average stay longer in Salzburg, Viennese residents and hotel managers alike describe their homeland as an exceptionally inviting city. 

Vienna experienced more than 20 million overnight stays in 2025, a new record for the city, according to Susanna Burger, content manager for music, stage shows and families at the Vienna Tourist Board. She said the increase in tourism didn’t come as a big surprise, and that each year since the COVID-19 pandemic, Vienna has seen a steady increase in visitation.

“We don’t want to be a cheap city; we have what we offer in very high quality, and all of our marketing activities show this: that we are a premium destination,” Burger said.

Burger authors the “For Families” page on the Vienna Info website, which outlines seasonal highlights, kids guides and travel advice for families visiting the city. She also said the Austrian age limit for adulthood is typically 18 years old.

“When it comes to museums as well as music, these (are) very popular for families with children,” Burger said.

Some of the most popular outings in Vienna for families with children are to the Haus des Meeres aquarium, Prater Amusement Park, Schӧnbrunn Zoo, the Sisi Museum and Christmas markets, Burger said.

“Children sometimes need a little bit of air and sports and movement, and that’s easier in warmer months,” Burger said. “It’s very nice to come in spring, summer and autumn because of the weather for more outdoor activities.”

2025 was the first time more than 1 million American guest arrivals to Austria were recorded in a single year, according to Sigrid Pichler, manager of media relations at Austria Tourist Office, who called it a “strong year-end performance.”

It reinforced “the United States as Austria’s most important overseas market and one of its fastest growing,” she said.

Below is an interactive line graph depicting the average length of stay at accommodations for children in Austria, Salzburg and Vienna during January to December 2025. Despite Austria’s steady growth for overnight stays each year, Vienna sees an average stay total of 2.3 nights. Even though Salzburg does experience fluctuation, the city documented a higher average stay total than Vienna for all of 2025.

(Graphic by Mallory Evans/MEDILL) 

The discrepancy between Salzburg and Vienna’s average stay total at accommodations for children was strongest in April 2025. Salzburg documented an average stay total of 6.2 nights, whereas Vienna recorded an average stay total of 2.4 nights.

At Vienna’s Hotel Am Stephansplatz, food and beverage manager Natalie Graf and receptionist Diana Vaida said the two-month period between mid-January and mid-March is more relaxed for Vienna hotels.

“Tourism has changed a lot after the COVID-19 pandemic, as there are increasingly less reservations,” Graf said. 

Hotel Am Stephansplatz doesn’t have many rooms designed for families, Vaida said, as there are only six classic suites and three cathedral suites – only nine rooms that allow space for families with children, including connecting rooms and a common living space. 

“Vienna is a more cultural city, not very focused on children or families … but we should expand on this,” Vaida said. 

Alternatively, a bellhop at Hotel Sacher Wien named Dhauioor Sakhar mentioned the “endless” opportunities for family activities in Vienna. He said many families with children stay at Hotel Sacher Wien – the most famous hotel in the city, according to Sakhar. 

“Several generations of the same families stay at this hotel,” Sakhar said. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salzburg is popular among families traveling with children, according to Andrea Minnich, the sales and marketing manager for Tourismus Salzburg. She said while the city is traditionally known for culture and classical music, it offers a surprising range of experiences to appeal to all ages. 

“Salzburg successfully combines culture, history, music and nature within a compact and accessible urban environment,” Minnich said. “For families, this means they can experience world-class heritage while still enjoying outdoor adventure and playful activities.” 

In 2025, Salzburg performed at a “very strong level, broadly in line with or slightly above pre-pandemic benchmark years,” according to Minnich. Growth was particularly visible in May and September, confirming the city’s success in positioning itself as a year-round destination. 

However, May and September in Salzburg recorded an average stay total of 3.3 and 3.2 nights respectively at accommodations for children. Minnich said families most commonly visit during summer holidays (July–August), spring breaks (for Easter in April) and Advent season (December). 

“Summer is popular because children are on school holidays, and the weather allows for outdoor activities and excursions to lakes and mountains,” Minnich said. “January (outside Mozart Week) and November (before Advent) tend to see fewer family travelers, as these months are less aligned with school holiday calendars.”

Pictured below is a map of Austria displaying the country’s average length of stay at accommodations for children during the 2025 calendar year, as well as in Salzburg and Vienna. While Austria recorded an average length of stay of 3.15 nights, Salzburg documented 4.33 nights and Vienna reported 2.3 nights – further indicating the former’s more family-friendly appeal.

Families with children generally stay two to three nights in Salzburg when visiting the city itself, according to Minnich. However, if travelers combine Salzburg with the surrounding region – such as the Salzkammergut (lake district) or Alpine areas – the stay often extends to four to five nights or longer. 

“Salzburg is frequently part of a larger Austria or Central Europe itinerary, especially for international visitors, with the average stay of Salzburg (ranging from) one to eight nights,” Minnich said.

The city offers a wide range of attractions that appeal to children and adults alike, including Hohensalzburg Fortress, Tiergarten Hellbrunn (Salzburg Zoo), Haus der Natur (House of Nature), Toy Museum, Salzburg Marionette Theatre, Mozart museums and the salt mines in Hallein.

Minnich said the growing trend of “bleisure” travel – business and leisure trips – supports more balanced occupancy patterns throughout the year.  

“Business travel usually results in shorter stays – often one to two nights,” Minnich said. “However, business travelers (may) extend their stay over a weekend and bring family members along, particularly during major congresses or events.” 

Alternatively, Burger said it’s rare for families with children to travel to Vienna for business meetings. Pichler echoed how most family travel to Vienna doesn’t occur in a business travel setting, unless family vacations are planned right before or after the business parts of trips. 

As to why Vienna consistently had a lower average length of stay at hotels with accommodations for children than in Salzburg in 2025, Burger said this may be due to Vienna’s position as a “layover city.” 

“The reason might be that Vienna is sometimes combined with travel to Prague, Paris and Germany, which may make the stay in Vienna a little less,” Burger said. She also said that some visitors suggested the rise in hotel expenses could be a reason why there are shorter stays at accommodations for children in Vienna. 

Pichler said Vienna does a great job with activities and attractions for children of all ages, and although cities can sometimes be difficult for children not to be bored, Vienna is not one of them. 

“Vienna is a year-round destination overall, but most families traveling with children are bound to school holidays, so winter breaks and summers tend to be a lot busier as far as family travel goes,” Pichler said. 

While Vienna received less business at establishments with accommodations for children in 2025, its rich history, culture, art and distinct hotel scene cater to travelers of all ages and interests. Length of stay is solely an indicator – not a direct measure – of family-friendliness. 

Despite the strong family-centered image and record tourism in Austria’s capital, official accommodation data shows families with children consistently stayed longer in Salzburg in 2025.  Regardless of length of stay, both cities offer experiences for all ages. 

 

Mallory Evans is a magazine specialization graduate student at Medill.