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VIENNA

11 life hacks to help you feel like a local in Vienna

Famously one of the most liveable cities in the world - Vienna casts its charm over millions of visitors every year. But what are some great hacks for getting the most from  this beautiful Austrian city without breaking the bank?

You can have a great night out at the Danube canal in Vienna without breaking the bank. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)
You can have a great night out at the Danube canal in Vienna without breaking the bank. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Save money on food

During the pandemic we’ve all been ordering more takeaway food. One way to cut down on your spend is the ‘Too Good To Go’ app.

This app hooks you up with restaurants, bakeries and delicatessens, who can send you dishes which didn’t get ordered during the day at a large discount.

You’ll also help cut down on food waste!

Save on travel

One thing you don’t have to worry about in Vienna is spending a lot of money on public transport.

With the yearly Wiener Linien Jahreskarte, transport all over the city costs just €1 per day. 

If you are just visiting the city with friends, and plan to use transport for a few days, it may be worth investing in the 8-day network card (8-Tage-Klimakarte) which costs €40.80. This is a card with eight strips, once a strip is stamped, it is valid until 1am the following day. You can also share this card with other people. Otherwise, a 24 hour ticket costs €8, a 48-hour ticket costs €14.10, and a 72-hour ticket costs the same as a weekly travel pass, €17.10.

READ MORE: 365 Ticket: Everything you need to know about Vienna’s cheap annual metro pass

Admire street art on the Danube canal in Vienna. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Street art

Enjoy a free walking tour of Vienna’s street art, using this map to guide you, or wander along the Danube Canal, stopping for a cocktail or a snack at one of the lively bars along the way.

If you are on a really tight budget, just bring a bottle of wine and some cups and enjoy a picnic on the banks of the river. You can even go for a swim on a boat along the canal at the Badeschiff Wien

British actress Tilda Swinton with Hans Hurch, at Austria’s international “Viennale” film festival (Photo by DIETER NAGL / AFP)

Cinemas

Film-crazy Vienna is filled with beautiful atmospheric kinos (cinemas), many of which show English language films (as well as other films in their original language too).

One great time to binge on cinema is during the city’s annual Viennale film festival in October which gives a chance to see new releases before they hit most cinemas.

You might also spot a celebrity – Tilda Swinton and Michael Caine have both made guest appearances at previous festivals, and directors are often available after screenings for question and answer sessions.

Open air cinemas

Every summer, Vienna operates a range of open air cinemas in the city’s parks and open spaces. The Kino Am Dach at the rooftop of Vienna’s main library has a programme until mid September.

Enjoy the sights of Vienna by bike. (Photo by ALEXANDER KLEIN / AFP)

Get on your bike

There are great cycle paths around the Ring road of Vienna and along the river Danube to the cute cobbled streets and wine inns of Nussdorf and Grinzing. 

If your bike needs a service, the Green Party in Vienna organises popup bike repairs all over the city.

Go to the Grüne Radrettung Facebook page to find out more. It’s also possible to hire a bike in Vienna for just one euro an hour from the city’s bike rental service.  Another option for keeping fit is to head to many of the city’s outdoor green gyms, you can find a list here

Swim on the cheap – or even for free

When the weather gets hot, the banks of the Neue Donau and Alte Donau (New Danube and Old Danube) throng with bathers, picnickers, sunbathers, cyclists and joggers. It is possible to go SUPing, hire boats and kayaking on both rivers, or even go wake-boarding on the Neue Donau. The water quality is good and the grassy beaches are great for relaxing. 

If rivers are a little too wild, swimming in Vienna’s many public pools is very cheap. Marvel at the glass roof of Vienna’s oldest swimming pool Jörgerbad or enjoy views across the city from Krapfenwaldbad, set in the Vienna Woods. Swimming is free for infants (children aged under seven), while children aged between seven and 14 pay just one euro for a swim. Even adults pay only three euros for a dip. In 2021 the summer season will last until September 19th.

Spend the summer living at the swimming pool 

A little known fact is that in Vienna during the summer months it is possible to rent a cabin in the city’s Stadionbad, for around 400 – 1,800 euros a season and stay overnight, allowing visitors to wake up and go for a swim before breakfast.

There is a long waiting list, but it could be a good way to find a cheap let for the summer.

A visit to the Albertina Modern art museum is included in the Bundes Museencard (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Save money on museums

There is a chance to visit many federal museums in Austria with the Bundes Museencard, which costs €59.

This includes a single visit to the Albertina, Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Belvedere, Vienna’s Imperial Treasury, the Welt Museum, MAK or Museum of Applied Arts, the Mumok modern art museum, the Theatre museum, the Austrian National Library and family favourites the Technisches Museum and the Natural History museum. In addition, many museums have free entry on the first Sunday of the month, and most have free entry for children aged under 18.

Later in the year, the Long night of the museums  on October 2nd gives a chance to visit 130 museums in Vienna for 15 euros.  

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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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