St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna

St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Stephansdom, stands at the centre of Vienna’s old town, and its tall Gothic south tower has been the city’s landmark for centuries. The steep roof is covered in coloured glazed tiles laid in a zigzag pattern, with the double-headed eagle picked out on one side.

Step inside for the carved stone pulpit and the high altar, or climb the south tower’s spiral staircase for views across the rooftops. A lift in the north tower is an easier option for senior travellers.

The cathedral is the natural starting point for a walk along Graben and Kärntner Strasse, Vienna’s main shopping streets, with a stop at one of the classic coffee houses nearby. Look up from the square to see the coloured tile patterns on the roof, which are at their brightest in sunshine.