Choose from 151 Fun Things to Do in Austria
ShowingFilter 21-40 of 151 listings.
Church of St Michael (Michaelerkirche)
Located opposite the entrance to the Imperial Hofburg Palace, Michaelerkirche was consecrated in 1217. Although fragments of the present incarnation date back to the mid-14th century, most of it was rebuilt in 1792 in fine Baroque style, but it is still topped with its spindly Gothic spire.
Thanks to its position at the very heart of Imperial Vienna, Michaelerkirche became the parish church of the Imperial Family and by default the place of worship favored by Vienna’s aristocracy. It was in this church where Hayden played, and where Mozart’s unfinished Last Requiem was performed on the magnificent Sieber Organ after his death in 1791.
Toady Michaelerkirche is known for both its Baroque ornamentation and its music recitals but is chiefly notorious for the grisly secrets in its crypt. In the early 17th century, the graveyard surrounding the church filled up with tombs and was closed down. From 1631 until 1784, more than 4,000 of the good burghers of Vienna were entombed in the crypt’s catacombs, and thanks to a quirk of climatic conditions down there, many of their mummified bodies and decorative coffins – skillfully carved with wreathes, flowers and death masks – have been perfectly preserved.
The caskets stand in ranks throughout the crypt; several are open to view, revealing parchment-like skin stretched taught across grinning skulls, tufts of wig and glimpses of fancy period waistcoats etched with lace.
Practical Info
Located at Habsburgergasse 12, the church is open Monday through Saturday from 7am to 10pm and on Sunday from 8am to 10pm. Admission is free, while tours of the crypt cost €7 for adults and €3 for children. Take U3 to Herrengasse.
Address: Habsburgergasse 12, Vienna 1010, Austria
From USD 33
Forchtenstein Castle
A landmark castle in the Rosaliengebirge foothills of Burgenland, Forchtenstein has its origins in the Middle Ages although today it has an impressive Baroque façade. Its keep and tower date from the 13th century, when it was a constructed as a defence castle. In 1622 Emperor Ferdinand II awarded Forchtenstein to the powerful aristocratic Esterházy family, and they were responsible for extending it into today’s vast fortress, adding new wings and a chapel as well as decorating the interior with ornate patterns, coats of arms and scenes from mythology, plus colorful frescoes adorning the walls of the courtyard.
Having survived unscathed through the Turkish invasions of the 16th to 18th centuries, the castle became the repository for the precious Esterházy trove of family heirlooms. Three permanent exhibitions are held there, and treasures on display include the largest collection of medieval weapons in Europe, Austria’s biggest horde of ancestral portraits and a curiosity cabinet full of Baroque artifacts ranging from priceless silver furniture to carved ivory, sleighs used by the Esterházy offspring and automata. Other Esterházy properties nearby at Eisenstadt and Lackenbach can also be toured, together with an auditorium constructed in a quarry at St Margarethen.
Practical Info
Melinda-Esterházy-Platz 1, Forchtenstein. Open Mar–Oct daily 10am–6pm. Admission to castle and weapons collection, Treasury and Gallery of Chambers each: adults €9; seniors, students and younger than 18 €7; family €19. Entry is free with the Vienna Pass. Accessed by car via the A2/A3 to Eisenstadt then continue on the S31 to Forchtenstein. Otherwise take the bus from Vienna Südtirolerplatz to Forchtenstein.
Address: Melinda-Esterházy-Platz 1, Forchtenstein, Burgenland, Austria A-7212, Austria
Hours: Open daily Mar–Oct 10am–6pm
Admission: Adults: €9; Seniors, Students and Children: €7; Family: €19
From USD 13
Getreidegasse
Lose yourself in medieval-era Salzburg on a stroll through Getreidegasse. The atmospheric laneway is lined with upmarket boutiques and shops.
Getreidegasse is as historic as it is pretty. Harking back to Roman days, the thoroughfare has always been the city’s high street, connecting Salzburg to Bavaria.
The street is lined with beautiful medieval and Baroque buildings, built by rich merchants over the centuries. It was in one of these buildings that Mozart was born in 1756.
Practical Info
The Getreidegasse runs south of the River Salzach in the Old Town, heading east to Mozartplatz.
The only way to experience it is on foot, as the street is pedestrianized. Glance up while you walk, to admire the wrought-iron craft signs hanging overhead.
Address: Getreidegasse, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Hours: Open daily
Admission: Free
From USD 22
Danube Bike Path (Donauradweg)
Running for more than 300 kilometers, the Danube Bike Path is a scenic path that follows the Danube River from Passau, Germany to Vienna, Austria. The road is both smoothly paved and wide, making it popular with cyclists of all ages and skill levels. In fact, it has been called the most popular place for leisure cycling in Europe. In total the bike path passes through nine countries.
With the Danube River flowing on one side and the scenery changing around you on the other, the landscape varies throughout the journey. Mountains, forests, castles, vineyards, and small European villages are common sights. This route passes through the historic Wachau Valley as well as the Austrian town of Linz. Most of the land is sparsely populated and the roads are calm and traffic-free, making this a relaxing way to enjoy the beautiful nature of this region.
Practical Info
The Danube Bike Path is well marked by signs throughout. It begins in the German town of Passau, close to the Austrian border. It continues through Austria to Vienna, a distance of about 230 miles. Most do the trip in six to seven days, averaging around 40 miles per day.
Address: Austria
From USD 41
Desert Experience House
The Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna is widely regarded as one of the best in the world and is certainly the oldest and the most beautiful. Established in 1752 by the Habsburg Imperial Family, the zoo has a circular layout that spirals outwards from an elegant Baroque pavilion and a reputation for successful conservation and breeding of some of the world’s most endangered species, including Siberian tigers, rhinos and giant pandas. In 1904, a glass-and-steel hothouse was built in Art Nouveau style to protect the vast collection of rare tropical plants owned by Emperor Franz Joseph I; over a century later this hothouse has been renovated and transformed into a show-home for cacti and other water-retaining succulents from arid regions across the world. Desert animals and birds such as lizards and humming birds roam free and there are several enclosures containing snakes and bizarre desert mole rats, which resemble a cross between a tiny walrus and a hairless rabbit. Equally eccentric is the Welwitschia tree from the Namibian desert, which has long, droopy fronds and grows in an untidy heap along the ground; it can live for up to 1,500 years.
Practical Info
Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse. Admission adults €4, children under 19 €2.50, aged under 6 free. Opening times are as follows: Jan–Apr, Oct–Dec daily 9am–5pm; May–Sept 9am–6pm. Metro U4 to Hietzing.
Address: Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse, Vienna, Austria
Hours: Jan–Apr, Oct–Dec daily 9am–5pm; May–Sept 9am–6pm
Admission: Adults €4, children under 19 €2.50, aged under 6 free
From USD 68
Federal Pathologic-Anatomical Museum
Located in the first psychiatric hospital ever to be built in Austria, Vienna’s Federal Pathologic-Anatomical Museum is a creepy old tower that formerly housed the mentally ill and the criminally insane. The ‘Narrenturm’ (‘mad tower’) was built under Emperor Joseph II in 1784, next to the site of the old Vienna General Hospital, which is part of the University of Vienna’s campus today. The Narrenturm still has the same cells, barred doors, and chains that once restrained the unfortunates living there. After the psychiatric hospital closed in 1866, the tower was used as doctors’ and nurses' quarters, and for university clinics and workshops. The Federal Pathologic-Anatomical Museum has been stationed in the Narrenturm (which is now owned by the University of Vienna) since 1971. The museum has an unusual collection including wax molds of different body parts, organs, and diseases; created for medical students to study from in the prephotography era. This offbeat museum presents a fascinating, and slightly disturbing, side of Vienna’s scientific history.
Practical Info
Guided tours in German are available every hour, on the hour, and allow access to an additional floor of the museum that the general entrance fee does not. The last tour leaves at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and at noon on Saturday. Tours cost 6 € (plus the museum’s admission fee). To get to the Narrenturm on public transit, you can take the U6 to Alser Strasse or the U2 to Schottentor. Enter the University of Vienna’s campus from VanSwieten Gasse to access the museum.
Address: Spitalgasse 2, Vienna 1090, Austria
Hours: Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Closed on public holidays.
Admission: 2 €
From USD 68
Graz Clock Tower (Uhrturm)
One of the most notable landmarks in Graz and a must for any visitor, the Graz Clock Tower may be best known for its confusing clock faces, featuring long hands for the hours and short hands for the minutes. Dating back to medieval times, the tower stands 28 meters high and has a clock face on each side, each about five meters in diameter. The 18th century clockworks still operate, but are now electronic. In addition to the famous clock, the tower is also home to three bells, the oldest of which dates back to 1385 and still rings on the hour. Another bell from around 1450 was used during executions and later to remind people of the city curfew.
Once used to watch for fires in the surrounding area, the tower today offers visitors 360 degree views of Graz and its environs. Visitors should also look for the three painted coats of arms on the walls of the tower and the walled-in stone armchairs that were added in the 16th century.
Practical Info
The Graz Clock Tower, also called the Uhrturm, is located in the Schlossberg in the center of Graz. To get there, take the Schlossbergbahn funicular or walk 260 steps up the hill. To get to the foot of the hill, take tram 4 or 5 to the Schlossbergplatz/Murinsel stop.
Address: Schlossberg, Graz, Austria
Hours: 24/7
From USD 14
Hallstatt
Set between Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt) and the snowy summits of the Dachstein Mountains, Hallstatt has long been attracting visitors—including prominent public figures such as Emperor Franz Josef—with its Alpine good looks. The UNESCO World Heritage–listed town is known for its picturesque churches, chalets, and Charnel House, which is packed with painted skulls.
The Basics
The Austrian town of Hallstatt is a very popular half-day or full-day tour destination for visitors based in Salzburg. Hallstatt tours typically include round-trip transportation from Salzburg by coach or private vehicle. Many tours give participants the chance to take a boat ride out on the lake, visit to the 7,000-year-old Hallstatt Salt Mines, and ride the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car up to the free 5 Fingers viewing platform.
Full-day trips may include stops at other locales in west-central Austria, such as Schloss Fuschl castle, St. Gilgen, and Russbach. You can also visit Hallstatt as part of day tours from Vienna, which often stop at attractions such as Ort Castle in Gmunden along the way.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Hallstatt is a must for scenery seekers.
- For more information, visit the Hallstatt tourist office, which is situated on the lakefront Seestrasse.
- Wear comfortable footwear; hilly Hallstatt is best explored on foot.
- Most Hallstatt attractions are not accessible to wheelchair users.
How to Get There
Hallstatt is situated within Austria’s Salzkammergut (Lake District), about a 75-minute drive from Salzburg. Take the train from Salzburg to Attnang-Puchheim, then switch to the local train to Hallstatt. From the Hallstatt train station, take a ferry into town, which is across the lake.
When to Get There
The best time to experience Hallstatt is between May and late October. Many of Hallstatt’s main attractions—such as the boat rides and salt mines—are closed in winter. Check the various attractions’ websites for opening dates and times.
Lake Activities
This part of the Austrian Alps is known for its scenic lakes, and Hallstätter See is no exception. Take a ferry ride out on the water to admire the towering peaks that surround it, or venture out on paddleboats or kayaks instead. If you’d rather stay on dry land, take a stroll along the lakefront, where you might encounter swans swimming near the shore.
Address: Hallstatt, Austria
From USD 67
Danube Tower (Donauturm)
Vienna’s Danube Tower, also known as Donauturm, is the tallest structure in Austria at more than 250 meters high. Opened in 1964, it stands on the north bank of the Danube River in Vienna’s Donaustadt district and was built in preparation for the Viennese International Horticulture Show the same year. One of the 75 tallest buildings in the world, the tower features an observation deck at 150 meters high, a rotating café at 160 meters up and a rotating restaurant at 170 meters up. The restaurant offers Austrian cuisine and wine and the café serves homemade pastries. The observation deck is an open-air platform, while the restaurant and café are behind glass panes. During bad weather or high winds, visitors may still visit the tower, but may only be able to access the inside sections.
Two high speed elevators whisk 14 passengers each up to the observation deck in just 35 seconds. Once on top, visitors enjoy magnificent views around the old city, Danube Park and the Vienna Woods. For the thrill-seekers, there is also a bungee jumping platform, used only in the summer months.
Insider Tip: On Saturdays and Sundays, take in the specialty brunch package from 11am-2pm for 34.50€ for the buffet.
Practical Info
The Danube Tower can be reached by taking the underground line 1 to Kaisermuhlen VIC or Alte Donau. It is also a stop on the blue line of the city’s hop-on, hop-off tour. Entry to the tower is free with the Vienna Pass or Niederosterreich-CARD.
Address: Donauturmstraße 4, Vienna, Austria
Hours: Daily 10:00am to midnight
Admission: 7.90€
From USD 45
Graz Art Museum (Kunsthaus Graz)
Notable for its blob-like architecture, the Graz Art Museum was built as part of the city’s 2003 celebrations as the European Capital of Culture. The museum was constructed as part of the 19th century Iron House building, one of the first cast iron buildings in Europe. The famous exterior is comprised of nearly 1300 iridescent blue acrylic panels with almost a thousand 40-watt lightbulbs, creating a massive screen in the middle of the city. Known to some locals as the Friendly Alien, the museum covers 27,000 square feet and specializes in contemporary art, design, new media, film and photography. It regularly hosts events and exhibitions that highlight worldwide trends in art.
Practical Info
The Graz Art Museum, also known as the Kunsthaus Graz, sits on the west bank of the River Mur in the city’s historical center on the corner of the Südtirolerplatz and the Lendkai. Get there by taking tram 1, 3, 5, 6 or 7 to Sudtiroler Plaz/Kunsthaus. Guided tours in English are conducted on Sundays at 2pm, but an audioguide and an iPad app are also available. The museum café stays open late, to 11pm weeknights and 1am on the weekends.
Address: Lendkai 1, Graz 8020, Austria
Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-5pm
Admission: Included in the 24-hour or 48-hour Universalmuseum Joanneum pass
From USD 11
Georg Trakl Memorial (Traklhouse)
The revered German-language poet Georg Trakl was born in Salzburg in 1887 and spent much of his short life building up a body of literary work that has remained with us long after he died in a military hospital in Krakow at the tender age of 27. He spent his formative years in the city and much of his work shines light on the Salzburg of the early 20th century, although he flitted restlessly around Austria, traveling frequently to Vienna and Innsbruck. Heavily influenced by the works and lifestyles of French symbolist poets like Baudelaire and Rimbaud, Trakl was soon heavily involved with drugs and also suffered from depression; it is suspected he may have committed suicide but this is not known for sure.
Nevertheless his poetry attracted much praise attention and his reputation lives on. Many years after his death in 1914, his birthplace on Salzburg’s Waagplatz was converted to a museum in his memory in 1973. The story of his short life is told through extracts from his diaries, his poetry, photos and a movie based on his formative years.
Practical Info
Located at Waagplatz 1a, the site is open Monday through Friday with guided tours at 2pm (reservations required). Admission costs adults €4 and students €2, while those under 14 enter for free. Take buses 20 or 25 to Mozartsteg.
Address: Waagplatz 1a, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Adults: €4
From USD 29
Eggenberg Palace (Schloss Eggenberg)
Eggenberg Palace is one of the most important Baroque palaces in Austria and a must-see for visitors to Graz. Once home to the most powerful dynasty in the Austrian state of Styria, the palace dates back to at least the 15th century. Renovations in the 18th century added Rococo style ornamentation, as well as three East Asian cabinets, while the 19th century saw the formal Baroque garden transformed into a romantic English style garden. The palace features 365 exterior windows, representing the number of days in a year, with 24 windows on the second floor, representing the number of hours in a day. Inside, more than 600 paintings in the state rooms depict the history of the world with scenes from Roman and Greek mythology, the Old Testament and various European legends. Paintings in the Planetary Room depict the elements, planets and signs of the zodiac.
In addition to the state rooms, visitors can explore the Alte Galerie, a collection of European art from the medieval to early modern periods, the Coin Cabinet and the Archaeology Museum.
Practical Info
Eggenberg Palace is located on the western edge of Graz. Get there by taking tram 1toward Eggenberg/UKH or tram 7 toward Wetzelsdorf to the Schloss Eggenberg/Eggenberg Palace stop and walk about 600 meters. Guided tours of the state rooms take 50 minutes and are available in English at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. The palace shop sells books, souvenirs and gardening products.
Address: Eggenberger Allee 90, Graz, Austria
Hours: Varies by season
Admission: 11.50 euro
From USD 15
Freyung Square
Starting life in the Middle Ages as a civic garbage tip, Freyung Square has morphed down the centuries into one of Vienna’s prettiest public piazzas. It’s a triangular cobbled space dominated by the Austriabrunnen (Austria Fountain), which was gifted to Vienna in the 1840s by sculptor Ludwig Schwanthaler. The cobbles are bordered by the medieval monastery of Schottenkirche and – thanks to its location not far from the Hofburg Imperial Palace – a smattering of elegant Baroque palaces built by royal courtiers, including the ornately decorated yellow-and-white stucco façade of Palace Daun-Kinsky, which dates from 1717. The Ferstel Palace was built in 1860 and is home to Vienna’s famous Café Central as well as the upmarket, arcaded Freyung Passage shopping mall; nearby the Bank Austria Kuntsforum holds frequent cutting-edge contemporary-art exhibitions.
Freyung Square is also the venue for two of Vienna’s most popular and traditional seasonal markets; the weeks before Christmas herald an advent market dating back to 1772. At Easter the stalls appear again for two weeks, selling delicate hand-painted Easter eggs by the thousands as well as Easter palm fronds; there’s also a puppet theater and craft workshops for kids.
Practical Info
Innere Stadt. Open 24/7. Metro U2 to Schottentor.
Address: Vienna, Austria
From USD 64
Goldenes Dachl
Innsbruck’s iconic Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) is found on Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse, the main square in Innsbruck’s charming Gothic and Baroque Altstadt (Old Town). The three-story, gold-topped balcony is tacked on the Neuhof (New Court), which was built by Archduke Friedrich IV in the early 15th century as a residence fit for kings.
The Golden Roof was constructed in 1500 at the behest of Habsburg Emperor Maximilian I in celebration of his second dynastic marriage, this time to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan. The roof glitters with 2,657 sparkling gilded copper tiles, apparently placed there to confound rumors that the Imperial Family was running out of money.
Intricate carved wooden reliefs and frescoes painted on to the balcony show the emperor’s many coats of arms, and his likeness alongside that of both his wives. The structure also provided Maximilian I with an appropriately regal spot from which to observe tournaments and festivals in the square beneath. At Christmas, carolers appear on the balcony to serenade the crowds at the Yuletide Market in the square.
Inside the Neuhof, the six-room multimedia Maximilianeum showcases the life and times of Maximilian I, highlighting the political and economic power struggles endemic in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Practical Information
The Goldenes Dachl is accessible on foot in Innsbruck’s pedestrianized area, just a few minutes’ walk from the main parking garages. The museum is open from December through October, and closed on Mondays between October and April. Multi-language audio guides are available in the museum. There is an admission fee for the museum but it’s free for Innsbruck Card holders; this pass allows free entry into most major Innsbruck museums and Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
Address: Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 15, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
Hours: Open daily from 10am - 5pm; closed during November
Admission: The roof can be photographed 24/7, but entrance to the museum is €4 (USD$5.25)
From USD 11
Graz Old Town (Altstadt)
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999, the Graz Old Town is one of the best preserved districts in all of central Europe. In the heart of Graz, the Old Town features a mix of old and new, ranging from the medieval building facades surrounding the Hauptplaz (Main Square) to the modern architecture of the Kunsthaus Graz, which reflects the Old Town in its unique façade. The area includes more than a thousand buildings featuring a variety of architectural styles, including Gothic, Renaissance and Medieval. Visitors will enjoy getting lost among the narrow alleys and cobblestone streets lined with restaurants, cafes and one of a kind boutiques. Any tour of the Old Town is sure to include highlights such as the Hauptplaz and Kunsthaus, as well as the Rathaus (Town Hall), the Landhaus and the hill overlooking the town known as the Schlossberg. The latter is the site of the ruined Dom, a Gothic cathedral that is home to the oldest painting of the city.
Practical Info
The Old Town is best explored by foot or on a bicycle. To get there, take any tram line running along Herrengasse between the main square and Jakominiplatz, the main transport hub in the south of the Old Town.
Address: Hauptplaz 1, Graz, Austria
Hours: Daily
From USD 11
Essl Museum
This peerless art museum is in Klosterneuburg, near the 12th-century Augustinian monastery of the same name in Lower Austria. Housed in a futuristic gallery designed by innovative architect Heinz Tesar and built in 1999, the Essl holds one of the most important private collections of contemporary art in Europe. The lovechild of Agnes and Karlheinz Essl, it has more than 7,000 pieces of artwork, ranging from paintings to sculpture, video, wacky installations and photography, all beautifully arrayed in spacious, light-flooded glass galleries that reflect light back from the River Danube floating past outside. Pieces are rotated on a regular basis, with the museum curating up to ten exhibitions a year and drawing on its repository of great names such as Gerhard Richter, Frank Stella and Georg Baselitz. Despite 40 works being sold off in late 2014 to prop up Karlheinz Essl’s family chain of hardware shops, the collection not been diminished and continues to showcase the very best of post-war European art.
Practical Info
An der Donau-Au 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg. Open Tue, Thur–Sun 10am–6pm, Wed 10am–9pm. Admission is adults €7, aged under 19 free. A free shuttle bus leaves Albertinaplatz from Tue–Sun at 10am, 12 noon, 2pm & 4pm for the Essl Museum, which is 20 minutes outside the city center.
Address: An der Donau-Au 1, Klosterneuburg, Austria
Admission: Adults €7
From USD 139
Festival Hall (Festpielhaus)
Building started in 1956 on Salzburg’s Large Festival Hall, which was designed by Austrian architect and stage designer Clemens Holzmeister specifically to host the annual Salzburg Festival. The grand green-and white theater is neo-baroque in style and the main auditorium can seat an audience of 2,170; it opened to great fanfare in 1960 with a performance of Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier conducted by Herbert von Karajan and is renowned for its acoustics; the circular stage has a width of 100 meters (328 feet) and is one of the largest in the world. The interior decor is a monument to 1960s design, with marble statues by sculptor Wander Bertoni, as well as installations by Anton von Webern and notorious Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka.
As well as hosting the Salzburg Festival, the venue has a full repertoire of year-round performances and also holds concerts during the city’s Easter and Whitsun Festivals as well as carol services at Christmas. It stands next door to another of Salzburg’s great musical venues, the Haus für Mozart (House for Mozart), which was completed in 1925 and was also designed by Clemens Holzmeister.
Practical Info
Located at Hofstallgasse 1, guided tours are available. The Salzburg Festival 2015 runs between July 18 and August 13. Many buses stop outside the hall.
Address: Hofstallgasse 1, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Varies
From USD 173
Graz Schlossberg
The Graz Schlossberg is a public park on a hill in the center of the city of Graz that has been home to fortifications as far back as the 10th century. A fortress stood on the hill from the middle of the 16th century to the 19th century, with only the clock tower and bell tower spared by an invading Napoleon. The remains of the castle became a public park in 1839 including the two towers, a cistern and a couple bastions from the destroyed castle.
A great walking tour of the Schlossberg starts at the bottom of the hill at Schlossbergplatz, from where visitors can take the 19th century Schlossbergbahn funicular or the newer Schlossberg lift to reach the top of the hill. Once at the top, check out the bell tower, climb to the top of the clock tower for scenic views of the Old Town and relax at one of the several cafes. If you’re lucky, you may even be able to catch a concert in what was once the cellar of one of the old bastions. Head back down to the Schlossbergplatz via one of several footpaths or staircases and then check out the extensive system of tunnels underneath the Schlossberg that was created during World War II.
Practical Info
The Schlossberg is in the center of Graz and easily accessible from the Schlossbergplatz in the Old Town. Visitors can either follow one of several paths or staircases to the top or take the Schlossbergbahn funicular or the Schlossberg lift.
Address: Schlossberg, Graz, Austria
From USD 14
Danube River at Vienna
Until the late 19th century the Danube River, or Donau Kanal, was unregulated and formed a 5-mile (8 km) wide wetland which regularly flooded nearby villages around Vienna. In 1870 the river was dammed and a new river channel formed for shipping. The mighty river continued to flood periodically and after 1972 a new flood-control project was started. This resulted in the creation of the Danube Island and Danube Canal or Little Danube, which runs past the old town. Both are now popular as picnic areas. In June, the annual Danube Island Festival attracts over 3 million visitors.
In summer, the Viennese flock to the Old Danube to swim, sail, row, paddleboat and even surf! Okay, so that's in a wave pool but there are still three surf and sail schools, plus beaches including a nudist area. Something for everyone.
Practical Info
There are various boat tours you can take along the Danube, into the Danube Valley, up to Bratislava in Slovakia or downstream to Budapest in Hungary. Metro line U1 goes to the river, stops: Alte Donau (Old Danube) or Danube Island.
Address: Vienna, Austria
From USD 22
Donaupark
Donaupark, or Danube Park, is huge - 2,600,000 square feet (800,000 square metres). Located on the north bank of the impressive Danube River, it even has beaches for the summer months. There is a stage with live entertainment, a mini train to ride, a giant chess board, tennis courts, a skater park, bike paths and a small zoo!
Until 1945 it was a military firing range, then it was used for landfill. Finally it became a park, originally for the Vienna International Flower Show of 1964. At this time, Vienna's tallest structure, the Danube Tower, was also built in the park. It's 826 ft (252 m) high and has a revolving restaurant and viewing platforms. In 1983, Pope John Paul II celebrated a mass at the base of the tower. And of course, people bungee jump from the tower.
Practical Info
Catch the U1 metro to the Alte Donau stop. The park is only 2.5 miles (4 km) from the city centre and easy to reach by road also.
Address: Arbeiterstrandbadstraße 122, Vienna 1220, Austria
Admission: Free
From USD 32