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VIENNA

How Austria celebrated dining out after a six-month lockdown

With Covid-19 certificates in hand, Austrians on Wednesday could once again file into restaurants and cafes after more than six months of restrictions.

How Austria celebrated dining out after a six-month lockdown
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz partially obscured by some delicious beer. Photo: JOE KLAMAR / AFP

To grab a seat, patrons needed to have a document proving that they’ve been vaccinated, tested negative or recently recovered from Covid-19.

Along with eateries, the Alpine EU member also opened hotels, sports, leisure and cultural venues including the renowned Vienna State Opera.

IN PICTURES: Austria celebrates in beer gardens after six-month lockdown ends

“It feels strange after so many months,” said 46-year-old Christoph Neubauer, an insurance broker enjoying a coffee with a colleague in the historic Cafe Central in downtown Vienna.

“But I really look forward to tonight, because I have a reservation for a restaurant, and I expect it to be busy,” he told AFP.

Many restaurants reported being fully booked, especially as new regulations limit the number of people per table to four indoors, with a mandatory minimum distance of two metres (6.6 feet) between groups.

EXPLAINED: What are Austria’s new coronavirus measures?

“Economically speaking, there’s no point in opening with this limited capacity, but we really wanted to light a beacon of hope by opening,” said Andrea Winkler, who runs Cafe Mozart and the Australian pub Crossfield’s.

“It’s really to give us and our staffers something to do — it’s really against our nature to do nothing all day long,” Winkler said.

Right across the street, underneath the Albertina, one of Vienna’s most popular art museums, Josef Bitzinger, whose family has run Augustinerkeller restaurant since the 1950s, said though many patrons were excited about the reopening, overall the atmosphere was still subdued.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger, Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler and the secretary for culture Andrea Mayer have lunch in the garden of Schweizerhouse (Swiss house) restaurant at Prater amusement park in Vienna, Austria. Photo: Joe Klamar/AFP
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger, Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler and the secretary for culture Andrea Mayer have lunch in the garden of Schweizerhouse (Swiss house) restaurant at Prater amusement park in Vienna, Austria. Photo: Joe Klamar/AFP

“I was expecting a big hoorah, but it doesn’t look like it — not yet,” he said, adding the masses of tourists who usually descend upon downtown Vienna were still missing, while some Austrians also remained hesitant to go out.

“But I think this will improve day by day now, and by June or July, hopefully it’ll all be good again,” he told AFP. But the new rules may also be putting off some people.

“It’s complicated. I wanted to get a coffee, but I’m still waiting for my test results,” Brigitte Gruber told AFP at Naschmarkt, an outdoor market in downtown Vienna.

She added the new rules “obliged people to do things that they don’t want to do, such as getting vaccinated”.

A third of Austria’s nine million people have been vaccinated so far. The country has recorded some 10,500 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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VIENNA

Eight unmissable events in Vienna in April 2024

April in Vienna is a busy month filled with exciting events to explore. Here, we list some happenings that you should not miss out on.

Eight unmissable events in Vienna in April 2024

April is almost here and offers a wide range of interesting events to explore in Vienna. You can enjoy anything from the Vienna City Marathon or a dance ball to different exhibitions and music festivals.

Run or watch others run Vienna City Marathon

On April 21st, this year’s Vienna City Marathon will take place. If you have not signed up for it yet, you can still put your name on the waiting list and maybe get a chance to participate in the run. If not, the event is a day of celebration in the city that you can enjoy anyway.

The Vienna City Marathon is a lively event taking place all over the city. People from Austria and all over the world gather to watch the runners pass by, and at various locations in the city, you can enjoy live music or food and drinks from different stands set up for the occasion.

The run is for everyone, from elite runners to beginners who just want to reach the goal and do not care about time. The start is at the Reichsbrücke, which crosses the Danube River, and the finish line is on Ringstrasse, between the Burgtheater and Rathausplatz. The full route is on the website. 

Sign up for the waiting lists here.

The entry fee for the marathon is €145, and for the half marathon, it is €115.

Thousands of runners cross the Reichsbrucke bridge over the Danube river during the Vienna City Marathon. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Enjoy Argus Bike Festival

On April 13th-14th, at Rathausplatz, Austria’s biggest cycling event takes place.

Here you can explore the latest bike trends, test different bikes, and enjoy bike shows with brave bikers performing all sorts of tricks in the air.

Some of the two-day program highlights include the bike flea market, where you can find bargains, the kids’ bike world, where children can explore biking, e-bike testing possibilities, and many different shows where stunt cyclists perform.

You can enter the festival for free and read more about the program here

 
 
 
 
 
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READ MORE: Train travel in Austria: The best day trips from Vienna

Check out the climate festival Klima Biennale Wien

This year’s climate festival takes place from April 5th until July 14th at various locations all over Vienna. The festival explores how art, design, architecture, and science can contribute to creating a sustainable and liveable future while also considering the impacts of climate change.

The festival pushes for significant changes to make our planet better for living. It highlights the idea of working together, sharing ideas, and raising awareness as the main tools for more sustainable co-living.

The three-month-long festival offers a wide range of performances, exhibitions, talks, concerts, and workshops.

If you want to participate, you can buy a festival pass at various locations, for which you pay as much as you like. You can, for example, buy it at the Museum Hundertwasser.

 
 
 
 
 
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Dance to support cancer research

The Dancer Against Cancer Ball is an annual cancer charity event in Vienna. This year, it will take place on April 13th at 7:30 p.m. in the Palace Hofburg. The event aims to raise funds for cancer research and support those affected by the disease.

Here, you can support a good cause while enjoying dancing and watching professionals present a variety of styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, and ballroom.

The event is organised by various dance schools, companies, and charity organisations and is famous for bringing together the local dance community and supporters of cancer research and awareness.

A standard ticket costs €115, and for students, it is €70. You can buy them online.

READ ALSO: 4 beautiful lakes you can easily reach from Vienna by public transport

Explore the Salam Music and Arts Festival

For more than two decades, this festival has been a lively celebration of music, art, and film from Middle Eastern cultures. This year, the event takes place from April 12th to April 21st at various locations in Vienna, such as Flex and Sargfabrik.

Here, you can explore different cultures and art forms presented by innovative artists. You can choose from a wide range of performances, such as concerts, films, dialogues, and exhibitions.

The festival is a platform for both international and local artists who want to connect with and engage people through their art. It sees itself as a bridge in a diverse society, creating a common identity through art and culture.

You can buy a ticket to the different performances here.

 
 
 
 
 
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Check out the rock festival Echoes of Erebos

On April 27th, the rock festival Echoes of Erebos will take place for the second time at METAStadt in Donaustadt.

If you enjoy rock music, ranging from stoner and doom to psych and everything in between, this is the place to be. Seven bands from Austria, such as Motorpsycho, Bismuth, 24/7 Diva Heaven, and Bikini Beach, will be the entertainment of the day.

The festival also offers a cosy beer garden where guests can enjoy food and drinks, and there will be an after-party after the bands finish playing.

A standard ticket costs €66 and can be bought online.

Visit the parliament and learn about it

You can visit the Austrian parliament and enjoy a guided tour for free. During the tour, you will explore the inside of the parliament and learn interesting facts about its architecture, history, and renovation. 

You will see and learn more about the historic chamber, the Federal Council chamber, and the newly designed National Council chamber.

The guided tour takes 55 minutes and is available on the following dates:

Monday to Friday: 11:45 am, 1:45 pm, 3:45 pm.

Saturday: 11:45 am, 3:45 pm.

Reserve your tour here.

An inner view shows the Austrian Parliament in Vienna.(Photo by VLADIMIR SIMICEK / AFP)

Visit the exhibition Climate.Knowledge.Action!

You can learn more about climate change through a new permanent and detailed exhibition at the Technical Museum Vienna.

The exhibition presents the causes and connections of the climate crisis. It brings up important new ideas and innovations in areas such as agriculture, energy supply, mobility, urban planning, and land use.

You can experience the exhibition through different senses, with things to see, experts to talk to, detailed information to explore, and big interactive screens to play with.

A standard ticket costs €16 and can be bought here.

READ NEXT: Everything that changes in Austria in April 2024

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