Here are several tips and recommendations when you want to spend quality winter time in Vienna. Visit the freshly renovated Wien Museum, ice skate on Rathausplatz, chill in a nice coffee shop, and end the day in a cocktail bar. A winter’s day in Vienna couldn’t be any more ideal.
A visit to the new Wien Museum
It’s the biggest museum opening of the year. After a multi-year renovation project, the Wien Museum reopens its doors.
The architecture of the museum is spectacular. Equally spectacular is the view over Karlsplatz from the balcony level. Nobody has ever been closer to the dome of the Karlskirche (Church of St. Charles).
Admission to the permanent exhibition of the Wien Museum, which depicts the history of the city up to the present day, is free of charge. An experience not to be missed!
Ice Skating on Rathausplatz
The Ice World on Rathausplatz offers ice skating fun for all ages in the center of the city. There is already an ice-skating rink on Rathausplatz as part of the Viennese Christmas Market. Visitors can glide across a 3,000-square-meter ice rink bathed in atmospheric lighting.
After a short period of remodeling, the facility will reopen on January 19, 2024, with an even larger ice rink. 8,500 m² of mirror-like ice, romantic snowy trails through the Rathauspark, an accessible viewing terrace, and, of course, culinary delights will guarantee unforgettable winter fun in Vienna.
Head to a coffee house
If you are visiting Vienna in winter, visiting a Viennese coffee house is a must. In winter, however, there are often lines of people outside coffee houses in the city center. Therefore, I recommend finding coffee houses located around the city center.
The Art Nouveau café, Café Goldegg, is located slightly off the beaten track and focuses on contemporary cuisine and coffee specialties. Besides the elegant wood paneling and green booths, the billiard tables here are also an attraction.
On the lively Mariahilfer Strasse, Café Ritter comes across like a step back in time. Red faux leather benches, marble tables, large mirrors, and stucco on the ceilings—a Viennese coffee house scarcely gets more classical than this. Visitors find quiet here, and the hustle and bustle of life remains outside.
Founded in 1880, Cafe Sperl is considered to be a classic synonym for Viennese coffeehouse culture. An interior just like one from the 19th century, pool tables, and a large selection of newspapers will whisk you away into fin-de-siècle Vienna. You simply must try the Sperltorte!
Café Eiles has also been completely dusted off. It is now fresh and airy, yet still a traditional Viennese café. This trick doesn’t always succeed. There’s coffee and cake to enjoy here, and the menu is also worth a look.
Slightly tucked away, just off Mariahilfer Strasse, Café Jelinek is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of shopping for a few moments. Most things here have remained unchanged for decades. The wrought iron wood burner, excellent coffee, free newspapers, and many sweet temptations give Café Jelinek a very special charm.
Café Schwarzenberg has always been one of the most popular places to meet among Vienna’s coffee houses. It is Vienna’s oldest Ringstrasse café, whose charm can be felt in all corners of the place. You can still experience the special flair and enjoy traditional coffee and tea specialties with a wonderful slice of cake.
Round off the day in a cocktail bar
Round off a perfect winter’s day in Vienna at a cocktail bar. Vienna has a wealth of highly recommended cocktail bars. The Krypt.bar, for example, is an architectural highlight. Located deep underground, the cocktail bar has already won numerous awards for its extraordinary interior design. The bar is worth a visit for its exciting cocktail creations.
A new generation of bartenders is revisiting the canon of classic cocktails. The recipes, some of which date back more than 100 years, are celebrating a comeback.
Popular haunt Miranda Bar is among the places to pick up on this trend, serving long-forgotten cocktails, including numerous fizz mixes, in an inviting and contemporary atmosphere. Kleinod is another devotee of all things vintage, a theme that runs through its art deco interiors as well as its cocktails. Both of these bars make a lot of their ingredients themselves.
- Bruder (Windmühlgasse 20, 1060 Vienna)
- Dino’s Apothecary Bar (Salzgries 19, 1010 Wien)
- Tür 7 | Bar (Buchfeldgasse 7, 1080 Vienna)
- Miranda Bar (Esterházygasse 12, 1060 Vienna)
- Kleinod (Singerstraße 7, 1010 Vienna)
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