In 1869, two architects unveiled Vienna’s State Opera House—and the public backlash was so devastating that one took his own life before the building was even finished. Beneath a Capuchin church, over 100 Habsburg rulers lie in an imperial crypt, where a haunting ‘Three Knocks’ ritual was performed as recently as 2011.

This self-guided audio tour takes you through such stories in 12 stops across Vienna’s historic first district, from the grand Ringstrasse to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Hear stories about Empress Sisi’s secret chocolate obsession and how Ottoman coffee beans left behind after a siege gave birth to Vienna’s legendary café culture. This tour is the perfect orientation for those who are first time visitors to Vienna and want to view the main attractions and discover stories they would otherwise miss

You can start this tour at anytime and pause whenever you want. Listen to stories at the café over a Sachertorte, or walk the full 4km route in about 2 hours.