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Besides its own beauty the capital of Austria is surrounded by a lot of marvelous places:

Vienna Woods - Vienna’s green oasis offers an amazing experience of nature. Gentle hills with precipitous, rugged canyons, idyllic vineyards, calm woods and mystic meadow landscapes create an impressive environment in the Vienna Woods which will seduce you to dream and get away from it all.
In this paradise, various cultural treasures bring Austrian history to life and delight those thirsting for knowledge as well.
Quickly reachable from Vienna, the winding streets offer motorcycle lovers a veritable El Dorado.

Wachau - One of the most beautiful Austrian river valleys is awaiting your discovery in the form of the Wachau. In the year 2000, the internationally renowned wine-growing area in Lower Austria was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Allow yourself to be enchanted and inspired by the beauty of the landscape surrounding the Danube, as did so many thinkers and artists of the past.
Of course, popular highlights of the Wachau are the abbeys Melk or Goettweig. The graceful landscape is at its most beautiful in May, when hundreds of apricot trees in the fruit and wine gardens along the Danube bloom in magnificent snow white.

Melk Abbey or Stift Melk is an Austrian Benedictine abbey, and one of the world's most famous monastic sites. It is located above the town of  Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the river Danube in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley. “Stift” is the German word for an abbey, and its name comes from the local colloquial rendering of “(zum Herrn) Gott geweiht”—consecrated to God.
The abbey was founded in 1089 when Leopold II, Margrave of Austria gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks from Lambach Abbey. A school was founded in the 12th century, and the monastic library soon became renowned for its extensive manuscript collection. The monastery's scriptorium was also a major site for the production of manuscripts. In the 15th century the abbey became the centre of the Melk Reform movement which reinvigorated the monastic life of Austria and Southern Germany.
Today's impressive Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736 to designs by Jakob Prandtauer. Particularly noteworthy is the abbey church with frescos by Johann Michael Rottmayr and the impressive library with countless medieval manuscripts, including a famed collection of musical manuscripts and frescos by Paul Troger.
Due to its fame and academic stature, Melk managed to escape dissolution under Emperor Joseph II when many other Austrian abbeys were seized and dissolved between 1780 and 1790. The abbey managed to survive other threats to its existence during the Napoleonic Wars, and also in the period following the Nazi Anschluss that took control of Austria in 1938, when the school and a large part of the abbey were confiscated by the state.

Gottweig Abbey or Stift Gottweig is one of the architectural treasures of Lower Austria, since 2000 listed as a UNESCO World-Heritage Site. The mostly-18th century construction looks down across the river Danube at the city of Krems-an-der-Donau from an elevation of some 449 meters above sea level. The Benedictine Order has been in possession of this institution since shortly after its inception in the 11th Century. Attached to the abbey are 26 hectares of vines—the greater part of which are situated in the Kremstal, with a slight spillover into the Wachau—planted mostly to gruner veltliner, complemented by 30% riesling, 6% pinot noir and 4% chardonnay.

Krems an der Donau - At the exit of the Wachau, one of the most beautiful parts of the Danube valley, lies the charming double-town Krems-Stein.
Krems at the river Danube is worth a visit during any season! Dive into the region at the Nibelungen stream: The Wachau valley - UNESCO World Cultural Heritage! There are not many cities in Austria which can offer such a great variety in cultural, historical or culinary offers as the attractive "double town" of Krems-Stein. Located in the eastern-most part of the Wachau valley, the town - more than 1000 years old - impresses its visitors with historical buildings in the old town centre, having been declared "World Heritage" by UNESCO in 2000. Enjoy the different faces of the town when walking through the old town, marked by shops, restaurants and coffee shops. Due to the realization of the "Kremser Kunstmeile" (art mile), Krems has set yet another sign of its cultural importance. An extensive sports offer combined with numerous large events (the annual Wachau-marathon, including more than 10.000 participants), adds to the existing range of possibilities.

Donau-Auen National Park - Situated between the European capitals Vienna and Bratislava, the Park preserves the last remaining major wetlands environment in Central Europe. Here, the Danube is still free flowing and is the lifeline of the National Park. It creates a habitat for numerous animals and plants, some of which are rare species. The learning opportunities here are also plentiful and varied. Accompanied on guided walking tours or on boats, visitors have ample opportunity to get to know the fascinating world of the "Donau-Auen", the Danube wetlands. New perspectives on the Danube wetlands and a wealth of information are available at the schlossORTH National Park Centre in the town Orth on the Danube.

Neusiedlersee - Lake Neusiedl and its surroundings form a unique landscape in the heart of Europe, one that not only is protected by strict nature conservation laws but was also named a World Heritage Site. Typical, rare flora and fauna combined with the interaction of Germanic, Slavic and Finno-Ugric influences allow you to experience a one-of-a-kind landscape and culture.
The “Sea of the Viennese” is not only a top spot for sailors, surfers and aquatic athletes of all kinds, it is just as popular among cyclists and seaside tourists.
Discover (on horseback if you’re so inclined) Pannonian nature and rest at one of the many inns. There is a large selection from which to choose, from down-to-earth taverns to exclusive upper-class establishments.

Eisenstadt  - The town of Eisenstadt is dominated by the palace of the Prices Esterhazy . The magnificent atmosphere of former princes of the palace entices the visitors into going on a fascinatin journey into the world of the Esterhazy family. Esterhazy Palace ranks as the most prominent cultural monument and landmark in the Province of Burgenland. Its origins can be traced back to a 13th-century gothic fortress which passed into the ownership of the Esterhazy family in 1649. Under Prince Esterhazy Paul I the estate was converted into a baroque castle which remained the principal residence and centre of administration of the family for over 300 years. The Esterhazy family historical significance as the hub of social, cultural and political affairs in the former Hungarian Kingdom may be ascribed to its geographical situation, forming a point of intersection between Eastern and Western Europe. A remarkable feature of Esterhazy Palace is that it combines baroque splendour and neo-classical austerity with reminiscences of the Austrian Biedermeier style.
Its musico-historical fame is attributed to the composer Joseph Haydn and the Haydn Hall, whose acoustics are among the finest in the world. Esterhazy Palace has a great deal to offer its visitors in the way of cultural presentations and events. The Haydn Hall forms a focal point of the Joseph Haydn Festival staged annually and provides a truly impressive setting for performances of the composer's works. Numerous concerts, summer academies and other events underscore the musical traditions firmly associated with Esterhazy Palace. The exhibition "Be a guest at the Esterhazy Court" imparts a vivid insight into the life and activities of the princes and their families. The children's cultural package "Fritz Furstlich" gives young guests the opportunity of participating in special guided tours and events.

Mayerling -  A tragic episode in Austrian history occurred at this little village, only a 30-minute drive from Vienna. Crown Prince Rudolph, son of the emperor Franz Josef and his wife Elisabeth, committed suicide here on January 30, 1889, together with his secret lover Marie Alexandrine Freiin von Vetsera. The location was the hunting lodge of the Crown Prince, a noble raised hide near the township of Alland, which was in the possession of the Heiligenkreuz monastery since 1550. Crown Prince Rudolph purchased it in 1886 and converted it into a hunting lodge. Rumours surrounding the mysterious suicide of the Crown Prince and his companion persist even to the present day. Today, visitors to Mayerling not only receive information on the current status of research into the deaths of the two aristocrats, they can also visit the former hunting lodge, which was later turned into a Carmelite convent by emperor Franz Joseph.
Mayerling is reachable from Vienna either by car or numerous bus tour companies which offer trips to Mayerling.