You don’t have to check the weather report; you can sense, smell and taste it as soon as you leave the house. Summer has come and like every season the city is well prepared for it. So unless you prefer to go in summer-hiatus, it is time to grab your sunglasses and linen shirts and explore what Vienna has to offer in this wonderful season.

Bars and Restaurants

First order: take your colleagues and grab an after-work drink in one of the cities many open-air bars and restaurants, which pop-up everywhere. Especially the Donaukanal turns into an Oasis of afterwork-leisure. How about digging your feet into the sand, while enjoying a Cocktail at Hermann’s Strandbar? And afterwards (Slow-)Tacos or do you prefer Thai Food and a game of boccia at Adria Wien? Following with DJs and Drinks at the legendary Flex Café or at Tel Aviv Beach just vis á vis. You can finalize your tour de Donaukanal just at U4 Station Rossauer Lände 5 minutes upstream at the Summerstage, where you can find Bars and Restaurants of every flavor. If you do not mind the lack of water, for your summer experience Sand in the City has the biggest beach club in Vienna, with sports activities and bars for you and Karlsplatz is just around the corner. Another hotspot in summery Vienna is the Museums Quartier (“MQ”). It is not just a popular location for museums and art exhibitions, but also home to regular open air events or simply a place to chill-out and enjoy the city’s flair.

Events & Festivals

Whilst every season has its advantages, calendars are never as full as they are in the summertime. There is always something happening and most of the time it is for free. The most traditional is probably the Vienna Festival (“Wiener Festwochen“). Within the 5 weeks between the May 14th and June 21st the city celebrates its rich culture with this unique art festival, which includes classic to modern concerts, vernissages in various art galleries, performance art and all sorts of events.

The Wir.sind.Wien.Festival (engl. “we are Vienna” ) is a collaboration of Vienna’s districts and its artists. From the 1st to the 23rd of June each of Viennas 23 districts will host a popular artist, starting with the up and coming Wanda on the 1st of June in the 1st district.

Vienna’s biggest is the Danube Island Festival (“Donauinselfest”) from the 26th until 28th of June. With its 11 stages it is host to a large variety of artists for every taste and up to 3 million visitors. It is the biggest Open Air in Europe and it is completely free of charge and an annual highlight.

The Impulstanz Festival from July 16th through to August 16th is a unique series of (modern) dance performances and parties and popular spot in Vienna’s summery nightlife.
These are just the biggest and most famous festivals but there are numerous smaller events throughout the city, which are no less worth a visit.