Vienna in Summer: Our Secret Top Tips

Vienna in summer is an extraordinary experience! We live in this beautiful city for many years now and simply love it. Therefore we are very happy to share some secret tips with you. Moreover, we are gonna tell you about our favorite activities during the summertime here as well.

The atmosphere in this city is magical and its vibe is marvelous. In addition, the diversity of activities is varied. Furthermore, the possibilities and options in culture, cuisine, art, history, nature, shopping and sports are extensive. Vienna also impresses with its wonderful mix of the old and new architecture. And the city has a decelerating effect as well – the clocks simply tick slower here.

Therefore it’s no wonder, it got the title “the most liveable city in the world” 10 times in a row (!). Vienna in summer is special and opportunities are almost endless.

Our top 5 tips for Vienna in the summer

1. Sunbathing & Swimming

– pure Summer bliss in Vienna

True: Vienna has no sea or beach. However, this fact does not detract from pure summer enjoyment in any way. Sunbathing and chilling are possible in many different locations.

One of our most favorite places is at the old Danube. Because of its closeness to the city center, Viennese people love this area! The contrast between the city skyline and the idyllic natural atmosphere is particularly charming.

(Secret tip: You will find a very special atmosphere there early in the morning for sunrise: bring a picnic basket with breakfast and enjoy the peace and silence!)

The Danube Island is also an amazing spot! Moreover: a recreational paradise. Bathing, boating, cycling, skating, beach volleyball – or treating yourself to a picnic as a rest from exploring (yes you are right, we love picnics): A visit to the Danube Island promises fun, action and relaxation for everyone.

(Secret Tip: By bike, you can find many cozy, small, and really deserted bays with sandy beaches along the Danube Island when you cycle a little further and off the beaten areas. Lie down, cool down with your feet in the water, and watch the clouds passing by. And you won’t miss the sea any more – we promise!)

2. Strolling through the markets

– let’s go with the summer flow in Vienna

An extensive visit to one of the Viennese markets definitely has its own flair! There you will find one in almost every district and can go with the flow when strolling through. Furthermore, you can taste and enjoy the bright selection of fresh, regional fruits and vegetables. Our top three markets are:

• Naschmarkt: This market is huge and you can feel pure holiday feelings there (Secret tip: there is a big flea market every Saturday from 7.00 – 13.00 o’clock as well – you will find simply everything there)
• Brunnenmarkt: We adore the multicultural vibe and the oriental food there a lot
• Karmelitermarkt: Our favorite market in Vienna especially during summer! Here you can have breakfast and relax in one of the market cafes and enjoy the true “Grätzel feeling”

3. Hiking through nature

– experiencing the green beauty of the city

Hike on the Vienna city hiking trails and stop off in between or have a picnic lunch you brought with you. Vienna’s city hiking trails run for over 240 kilometers, mostly through the Vienna Woods on the edge of the city or through Vienna’s local recreation areas. They are all well signed and reachable by public transportation. Service areas, restaurants, and “Heurige” along the way invite you to stay awhile, as do benches and tables at particularly attractive viewpoints or on forest meadows.

Our favorite city hiking trail is #8 Sophienalpe: 11km through the forest and untouched natural idyll!

The athletic amongst you can tackle the more than 120 kilometer-long “Rundumadum” Hiking Trail, which encircles the city in 24 easy to manage stages. Inns and shelters along the way invite you to take a break. Collect confirmation at the five stamping points that you have really walked the “Rundumadum” and be rewarded with a hiking pin!

(For those of you who are wondering if we did this: NO, we didn’t … but would be a good goal to reach at the end of this summer)

4. Exploring hidden corners

– get to know Vienna in a different way

This summer is an opportunity to discover new corners in our beautiful hometown and to enjoy already known places even more. We can highly recommand a simply stroll through the city center, to explore hidden corners and secret spots.

Enjoy a melange in a real Viennese coffee house, find new green spaces and oases of wellbeing in the middle of the city, sip drinks on the Danube Canal, take a tram ride, enjoy Europe’s oldest amusement park, the “Prater”, connect old legends and myths with the associated statues and places, have breakfast in a sidewalk garden and simply walk, walk, walk and enjoy …

5. Try out all these amazing restaurants

– that’s how summer in Vienna tastes

We love good food and therefore also the extensive range of Viennese gastronomy. In addition to traditional Austrian cuisine (who can resist a dumpling or Kaiserschmarren?), The international cuisine, breakfast options, and also the vegetarian and vegan options have become very comprehensive and appealing. We hope that this offer will continue to exist and see it as our responsibility to support the restaurant scene with our visits.

Here are some of our favourites:

• Mamamon: Mamamons small family run kitchen offers traditional thai food in a very special atmosphere. Simply delicious!
• Amerling Beisl: Traditional Viennese food combined with international cuisine. At Amerling Beisl you can enjoy it in the idyllic atmophere of a green garden in the courtyard.
• Mochi – Sushi & Grill Restaurant: Mochi combines traditional Japanese cuisine with European and international influences. It’s our most favorite Sushi Restaurant in Vienna!
• Weinschenke: If you like a delicious burger – Weinschenke is the right address!
• Cafe Kandl: Extraordinary breakfast or an amazing dinner? At Cafe Kandl you get both!
• Hidden Kitchen: Healthy and fresh food on the point you will find at Hidden Kitchen.
• Pizza Mari: Authentic and tasty Italian food. Pizza Mari has the yummiest pizza in town!

This is just a small selection of our favourites, but be assured: the options are almost endless.

Guess you already recognized we really adore our hometown a lot and we promise: you won’t regret visiting or exploring new facets if you have been- or also live here.

But how did it come we chose this city to settle down?

Vienna – our homebase

Fabian was born in Munich and came to Vienna to study and has stayed until today – simply because it is so beautiful here (and of course also because of Jojo). I (Jojo) have Tyrolean roots, but grew up in Vienna and, although I have traveled a lot, I always returned. Moreover, I can say from the bottom of my heart: Vienna in summer is a pure delight!

Vienna is the city of my heart – I just love it.

The old town, the history, the green oases and recreation areas, and the danube. I return with gratitude to my home base from every trip. Furthermore I would call myself a real Viennese girl. True to the motto:

„Wien, Wien, nur du allein sollst stets die Stadt meiner Träume sein! Dort, wo ich glücklich und selig bin, ist Wien, ist Wien, mein Wien! Mein Herz und mein Sinn schwärmt stets nur für Wien, für Wien, wie es weint, wie es lacht! Da kenn ich mich aus, ja, da bin i halt z\’haus, bei Tag und noch mehr bei der Nacht.“ (Rudolf Sieczyński)

We hope to experience Vienna in summer for many more upcoming years and invite you to give this special city the chance to convince yourself of it as well!

And to be honest: for our climate, it’s even more important to explore our beautiful surroundings instead of traveling far away! Cause climate change is real! We wrote a Blog Post about our actions in our daily life to live more sustainable – check it out!

Vienna in summer – a magazine article

If you wanna read more about our Vienna adventures we are happy to recommend a read into “Zuhause Magazin” (only available on german). There we talk about how the Corona Crisis changed our travel plans and strengthened our gratitude to live in Vienna! And you will find more secret tips about what to do in Vienna in summer as well! Check it out!

“ZuHause im Gemeindebau” Ausgabe 03/2020, Herausgeber & Medieninhaber: AWG-Verlag GmbH, Fotos: Robin Weigelt, Druck: Ferdinand Berger & Söhne Ges.m.b.H.

Further readings:

• City Oases ins Summer – Vienna Now.
• 50 Things to do in Vienna this Summer
• Vienna top Things To Do in the Summertime
• 17 reasons why Vienna is an awesome Summer City

Photo Credits of all pictures in this post: Robin Weigelt