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IN PICTURES: What are the best balls this season in Vienna?

January is the peak time of the Viennese ball season, with hundreds of balls taking place in the city - from the most traditional to more popular options.

Published: 5 January 2024 15:46 CET
IN PICTURES: What are the best balls this season in Vienna?
The Kaffeesiederball 2022 ©Andi Bruckner Mariengasse 1 A - 7423 Pinkafeld

The Viennese balls are formal social events where guests dress up and participate in traditional dances such as waltz, swing, cha-cha, salsa, polka and tango. 

Elegant customs, live music and a glamorous atmosphere characterise the balls. They are known for adapting to tradition and etiquette, creating an ambience that takes us back to the 18th century when guilds and professional associations organised social gatherings. Over the years, these gatherings evolved into glamorous balls attended by the nobility and aristocracy – but also ordinary folks looking for a night out.

The Viennese balls typically include specific dress codes, opening fanfares (musical tunes), debutants’ arrivals, and other highlights such as special historical dance performances and small gifts for the guests.

READ ALSO: Akademikerball: What’s the story behind Vienna’s annual glitzy ball for the far right?

Traditional famous balls 

Three of Vienna’s most famous, beautiful and traditional balls are The Coffee Maker Ball, the Ball of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and The State Opera Ball.

The Kaffeesiederball 2022 © Katharina Schiffl

The Coffee Maker Ball takes place in the Viennese Palace Hofburg in early February and is organised by the Viennese Coffee House Owners’ Club. The event welcomes over 6,000 guests to the palace, where various dances take place. The evening includes a massive program with live music and performances. 

One of the highlights is the “ballet of pastries” created by Viennese confectioners, which is, of course, recommended to try along with some coffee. Guests usually receive small gifts related to the Viennese coffee culture, such as a small espresso cup or coffee beans. 

You can obtain your entrance ticket by calling or sending an email. Standard tickets cost €180, and discounted tickets cost around €80 (students).

The Ball of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is another famous traditional ball. It takes place in mid-January in Vienna Musikverein and is considered the highlight of the ball season. It is hosted by one of the most famous orchestras in the world, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Wiener Philharmoniker (@viennaphilharmonic)

The event starts with a fanfare, a short ceremonial tune written by Richard Strauss. It continues with selected musical pieces for the special evening, which offers participation in various dances and performances. 

Tickets for the 2024 event are available at the Vienna Philharmonic Ticket Office (Kärntner Ring 12) and will also be available over the phone and online from the 8th of January. The price for a standard ticket is €195 and for a discounted one (students) €70. 

READ ALSO: What you need to know before attending a Viennese ball

The official state ball of Austria is the Vienna Opera Ball. It is held early in February in the opera house and celebrates the artists of the opera, who perform during the evening. 

Couples as members of the opening committee line up during the opening ceremony at the Vienna State Opera during the annual Opera Ball in Vienna, Austria on February 20, 2020. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

One of the other highlights during the evening is the introduction of 180 debutante couples during the opening ceremony. These are selected young dancers who have completed an application program and a strict classical dance choreography. You can buy your ticket at the official box office or online. 

The Opera Ball offers a wide range of different ticket types. If you want to join the dance floor events and move around in the different ballrooms, a standard ticket is around €385. If you instead prefer to watch everything from a balcony or gallery, there are spectator tickets available for the price of around €60 to €135. 

Couples as members of the opening committee line up during the opening ceremony at the Vienna State Opera during the annual Opera Ball in Vienna, Austria on February 20, 2020. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Some free-standing spots are available in the ballroom if you are there on time for the admission around 8.30 pm. 

Alternative balls

The Flower Ball takes place in Vienna City Hall in mid-January and is famous for being one of the most beautifully decorated balls of the season. The Vienna City Gardens arranges a flower sea of over 100,000 blossoms at the event and invites guests to wear festive clothing. 

Attendees dance during the opening of the 99th Flower Ball at the City Hall in Vienna on January 13, 2023.(Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP)

The ball offers a diverse musical program with traditional waltz music and house, techno and disco tunes. Standard tickets cost around €75 to €130 and are available online. 

The Vienna Rainbow Ball is an LBTQ+ event held on the 27th of January at Parkhotel Schönbrunn. It is a ball that celebrates diversity and inclusion. The event is famous for its happy atmosphere, music, dance, and diverse and colourful crowd. 

READ ALSO: Let’s waltz! Vienna ball season back in full swing

The evening offers different types of music, dance floors and performances. The Rainbow Ball is one of Vienna’s most popular alternative balls, and this year’s guest list is already closed. Tickets for next year’s event will be available on their homepage. The price for a ticket is around €100.

The Vienna Vegan Ball will take place at Hilton Vienna Park by mid-January. The event offers vegan food, snacks, dance floors, and DJs. One of the highlights is a traditional dance performance at midnight when four dancing couples perform quadrille, a historical dance originally from France. 

You can easily book a ticket on their homepage. The price for a ticket is around €30 to €80. 

Different university faculties also tend to have their ball open to the public. Two examples are the Ball of the Viennese University of Economics and Business and The Ball of the Vienna University of Technology. Those balls are typically combining tradition with a modern flair. 

The music typically involves everything from classical waltz to jazz and Latin American rhythms. The Ball of the Vienna University of Technology still has tickets available online. The price for a ticket ranges from €50 to €140. 



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RENTING

‘Betriebskosten’: What are the extra costs renters must pay in Austria?

Renting an apartment in Austria means you’ll have to budget not only for the rent, but other somewhat hidden monthly costs and expenses.

Published: 30 April 2024 11:29 CEST
'Betriebskosten': What are the extra costs renters must pay in Austria?

Understanding operating costs or the specific expenses landlords or property agencies charge renters, is crucial for staying on top of your monthly payments when renting a place in Austria. These extra costs, known in German as Betriebskosten, are strictly regulated by Austria’s Tenancy Act. 

Here are the operating expensses that are chargeable to tenants, according to the MieterHilfe Public Association:

  • Water/wastewater and costs of leak testing, plus excess consumption due to burst pipes, but does not include disproportionate additional consumption for commercial operations;
  • Rubbish removal (and also clearing out floors and cellars);
  • Clearing out abandoned property;
  • Pest control, with costs such as extermination and periodic inspection or removal of pigeon droppings. Installation of pigeon screens is not included;
  • Sweeping fees (chimney sweep);
  • Electricity for lighting and communal facilities, such as the stairwell, but also replacement of light bulbs, fuses or switches;
  • Insurance premiums for fire, liability and water damage;
  • Insurance premiums for glass breakage and storm damage provided that more than half of the tenants have agreed to this being passed on;
  • Management fee (there is a set administration fee per square metre of usable space and building construction year)
  • House cleaning, including wages and social payments if there is a caretaker, plus materials; 
  • Public charges, unless there is a prohibition on passing them on – offsetting of property taxes is permitted;
  • Ongoing operating costs for communal facilities (lift, heating, playground, green areas, common rooms, etc.).

However, costs such as maintenance and repair work can never be charged under operating expenses.

The same goes for any ‘disproportionate additional costs or consumption due to commercial operations ‘, which refers to costs that are significantly higher than what would be considered normal for residential use or costs that are incurred due to the operation of a business within the rented property. 

READ ALSO: Tenant or landlord – Who pays which costs in Austria?

Vienna’s association for tenants MieterHilfe has a calculator that uses average values to show whether the Betriebskosten you pay are comparatively low, medium or high. The association notes, however, that even low values could be considered unauthorised billing in some cases. In contrast, high values could be correct – the calculator only shows if you are paying too much compared to other properties in the city.

You can check the values HERE. You will need to know either the total usable area of the building or the usable area of the flat and the operating cost share—this information is usually shown in a payment statement you receive from property management. 

What if I believe I am being unfairly charged?

If you think you are paying too much, but the charges are legal – such as for water electricity etc, then you would need to raise this issue with property management. They could take measures to save on operating costs, such as replacing old light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones or setting lights to a timer instead of a traditional light switch, for example.

There are many possible reasons for high or low values, according to the City of Vienna. For example, you may pay comparatively low for water one year because of a small number of residents, while the following year, there are leaking sanitary facilities and a burst water pipe that raises costs.

Buildings with many communal areas and green spaces often tend to have higher operating costs, especially for water, electricity, and housekeeping. 

However, things are different if you think you are being unduly charged—that is, there are charges in the operating costs that do not belong there, such as unapproved construction repair.

READ ALSO: Renting in Austria – The key things foreign residents need to know

If you are unsure of the costs, there is a significant deviation from average prices for no particular reason, or you believe that you are being charged for something not legally admissible as an operating cost, you could have a free check carried out by MieterHilfe or a tenant protection organisation. 

If there is a suspicion of unauthorised billing that cannot be dispelled between tenants and the property management company, this will be clarified at the arbitration board. The arbitration board is an independent body that mediates disputes between tenants and landlords. It is a point of contact before the courts in case of difficulties or legal disputes, and its decision is legally binding.

Property management companies and landlords must settle the operating costs for the previous year by 30 June at the latest and disclose them to tenants. This deadline is set to ensure that tenants have sufficient time to review their cost statements and raise any concerns before the new rental year begins. All expenses must be itemised in the statement, providing transparency and allowing tenants to see exactly what they are being charged for.

They are obliged to provide tenants with a detailed summary of the statement and the invoice documents. If the operating costs per square metre exceed €2, a more detailed review is recommended, according to the City of Vienna.

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