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IN PICTURES: The best places to see snow in and around Vienna

If you are looking for snow in Austria, Vienna is definitely not the first place you should go, but when it snows, the capital can look absolutely beautiful. Here's where to go to get the best views.

Published: 24 January 2023 17:31 CET
Updated: 17 January 2024 09:50 CET
IN PICTURES: The best places to see snow in and around Vienna
The Schoenbrunn Palace is seen during snowfall in Vienna on January 23, 2023. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP)

Vienna is a surprising city when it comes to weather and snow.

You can spend a week in the city in December amid sub-zero temperatures but not see any snow at all  – something that often surprises foreigners from warmer countries who associate Austria with mountains and skiing.

But then when snow comes the sight of Vienna under a white blanket is a sight to behold – even if the locals (not us) don’t seem to appreciate it.

A tram drives by a snowy Vienna (Photo by Saikat Bhuiyan on Unsplash)

Austrians themselves love to hate the Viennese snow, joking that it is actually just “mud”. The truth is, it really doesn’t snow that often in the Austrian capital (the Hohe Warte measurement centre in Vienna recorded ten snow days in 2022, compared to 52 in Klagenfurt, 27 in Salzburg and 26 in Innsbruck). 

READ ALSO: Austria set for more snow as winter weather continues

It also doesn’t snow that much: the winter of 2021/22 saw only 31 centimetres of fresh snow, something that could fall in a day in a ski resort in the Austrian Alps. 

However, when there is enough new snow to turn (parts of) the city white, certain areas are certainly better to explore than others.

Classic touristic spots

If you want to see the Stephansdom or the Vienna Opera covered in snow, it would have to be a tremendous snowstorm, subzero temperatures and even better if the snow was still falling. This is because the city centre is heavily urbanised and the asphalt and streets are treated so that snow melts faster. 

The number of people walking by makes it harder to see that picture-perfect white snow. 

READ ALSO: Why Vienna is a haven for wild animals – and where you can find them

However, some classic tourist attractions are greener and, therefore, can become whiter more easily.

For example, the palaces and parks of Vienna look beautiful when it snows. Schönbrunn, with its hundreds of square meters of gardens (plus a fantastic panoramic view up from the Gloriette), is always a popular spot when the snow falls, just as Belvedere, Stadtpark, the park in front of Rathaus and Prater.

Best places to play around

If your dream is to slide down a snow hill or build a snowman, Vienna’s many parks are the best places to go. Some beautiful examples in or around the city centre include Augarten, Prater, Schwarzenbergpark, Türkenschanzpark and Stadtpark. 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by GRÄTZLeben Hietzing (@graetzleben)

By the outskirts, places like Roter Berg (you can check the video above) are very popular with kids, but even your small neighbourhood park might have great sledging spots, so don’t be shy to ask your neighbours. 

READ ALSO: Six things to expect when you move to the Austrian mountains

Spots in the outskirts of Vienna

Other popular spots are in the Viennese surroundings or just a short drive away from the capital. 

For example, the official trails of the City of Vienna lead you to several nature spots with panoramic views and guaranteed beautiful snow.

The Stadtwanderweg 8 is one of the best, with an observation deck and awesome spots to slide down from. The Stadtwanderweg 4 and 4a lead you up to Gallitzinberg, almost an Alpine peak (ok, not so much, but still beautiful).

READ ALSO: The best spots to recharge on the weekend in Vienna

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sonia Marska (@prosiacek)

Pictured is the view from Kahlenberg.

The mountains surrounding the city are also very popular, including Anninger, where you can walk through snowy forest paths and roads, and the very popular Schneeberg. Or, accessible via the city transport, the Kahlenberg.

Finally, a short trip leads you to spots such as Semmering (where the Viennese go for a quick ski trip) and the Rax, which you can go up via cable car. 

Above, pictures posted on Twitter of a trip to Semmering on a snowy day.

READ ALSO: Discover Austria: Five beautiful hikes and destinations south of Vienna

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WHAT'S ON IN VIENNA

Donauinselfest 2024: What to know about Austria’s biggest open-air festival

On Friday June 21st, Austria's largest open-air festival starts in Vienna. Here's what you need to know about the free event and how to get there.

Published: 17 June 2024 12:05 CEST
Donauinselfest 2024: What to know about Austria's biggest open-air festival

The Austrian Donauinselfest is known as the largest free open-air music festival in Europe. It happens yearly on Vienna’s Danube island and attracts around three million visitors over three days, from Friday the 21st until Sunday the 23rd.

The festival has been happening yearly since 1983 on the 21.1-kilometre river island. According to the official website, this year, it has several different areas and 14 stages. Visitors can expect more than 700 hours of the program.

The large festival stage offers a mix of music: The line-up includes Austropop legend Wolfgang Ambros & No. 1 vom Wienerwald, Christina Stürmer, Ronan Keating, Provinz, Juju, Alice Merton and Wanda. 

On the rock stage this year, visitors can listen to acts such as Skindred, Madsen, Voodoo Jürgens, Der Nino aus Wien & die AusWienBand, PÄM, Emil Bulls, Itchy and Kontrust.

Dance and party at the OBI / kronehit electronic music stage to acts such as Twocolors, Tita Lau and Lumix. Other stages include the Schlager & Austrohits, which features classic Austrian music and culture.

READ ALSO: How you can watch Euro 2024 matches in Austria

Sports and dance programme

A varied sports and dance program spans all three days and offers exercise sessions for all generations. Yoga, 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, dance workshops, other sporting activities, and hands-on stations await you!

“The Donauinselfest is more than just a music festival. It is a place where people from all districts of Vienna and far beyond come together. They want to celebrate and have fun together, participate in sporting activities, learn about various topics and use different services directly on-site. This colourful mix of art and culture, as well as fun, action, sports, design and consulting services, will be offered all day long on the festival grounds this year,” said Matthias Friedrich, project manager of the event.

READ ALSO: 10 things you should do in Austria this June

How do I get there?

The best way to reach the festival is by public transportation. From the Handelskai (U6), Neue Donau (U6) and Donauinsel (U1) metro stations, it takes just a few minutes to get directly to the festival grounds.

Wiener Linien shortens the intervals between subway trains to three minutes in the evening to make it easier for visitors to leave. The best way to get there by bus or streetcar is to take lines 25, 26, 31, and 29A—the intervals are shortened here on Friday and Saturday nights.

You can also get to the festival site by WienMobil bike. Three temporary stations will be set up for this purpose, where bikes can be rented and returned around the clock. The stations are at Floridsdorfer Brücke, at the Handelskai main entrance and Reichsbrücke. The exact locations can be found in the nextbike app.

READ ALSO: 10 exciting events in Vienna this June

What am I allowed to take? 

Bags and rucksacks up to A3 size are permitted – anything larger is not. If you have a container with you that is larger than A3 format, the security service deployed is entitled to deny you access to the festival grounds. Any large and bulky objects, including folding chairs, are also not allowed (there are several benches and tables on site)

Umbrellas are not allowed for safety reasons – this also applies to toddlers, so please bring a rain poncho if you have one. In case of rain, rain ponchos will also be distributed on-site by the festival organisers and numerous sponsors while stocks last.

Animals are not allowed at the festival – except for guide and assistance dogs. 

You’re also not allowed to bring cans and glass bottles, alcoholic drinks or any drugs. You can bring non-alcoholic drinks in PET water bottles or drinking bottles with a size of up to 0.5 litres. If you need to carry larger quantities of liquid for medical reasons, please contact the responsible security service on site. There are also numerous free water dispensers throughout the festival site. People cannot bring meals, only small snacks such as protein bars or fruits. 

READ ALSO: How the New Danube protects Vienna from catastrophic floods

Of course, weapons of any kind or objects that could be used as weapons. Drones, pyrotechnic articles and laser pointers are also banned.

Finally, the festival also forbids entrance with any “propaganda” or “advertising” material, including “simply political or religious or racist, xenophobic, national socialist, sexist, etc”. 

What else do I need to know?

The festival is free, but anything you consume there, such as food and beverages, is paid for. You can pay with cash or a card. The festival has numerous water dispensers free of charge, so it’s worth it to take a water bottle to refill (up to 0.5 litres is allowed).

Toilet facilities are in place throughout the festival site. A visit to a toilet in a fixed facility or a toilet container costs 0.50 cents – use of the porta-potties is free. If you plan to stay longer at the Danube Island Festival, you can buy an #allyoucanheisl band at a fixed facility or a toilet container (EUR 2.50 for one day, EUR 5.00 for all three festival days).

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