



For something more cultured, try the Vienna short film festival, Vienna Shorts, which has been going for two decades and provides a great platform for up-and-coming filmmakers. Biergardens are set up all over the city in May, and with the sun shining and temperatures rising, you’ll find much merriment taking place. Low season is a great time to visit Vienna's various cultural attractions, like the Museum of Art History © Tupungato / Shutterstock MayĪustrians love a beer and Vienna’s Bier Festival is a mainstay of the city’s events calendar. Key events: Carnival, Opera Ball, Valentine’s Day, International Orchid Show March This annual ball at the Vienna State Opera opera house, which usually falls in mid-February and has been taking place for over 200 years, is a part of the city’s Carnival season, with various other parades and events taking place in the city. If that meal goes well why not take your other half to the Opera Ball – one of the grandest dates of the year in Vienna. You’ll need to book restaurants well ahead of time if you want to dine with a special someone on February 14 (Valentine’s Day) because a lot of locals and visitors have the same idea. Love is in the air in February, and Vienna is perfect for a romantic break. Key events: New Year’s Markets, Vienna Ice Dream February The city’s Christmas markets continue too, rebranded as “New Year’s Markets”, offering the same intriguing trinket stands and enticing food stalls, but without the over-the-top Christmas decorations. Try ice skating on the temporary double-level(!) rink which remains standing following the festive season outside the City Hall on Rathausplatz – you can even try your hand at curling here. This is a time to enjoy the brisk breezes and fresh mornings of Vienna. See one of Vienna's most prestigious events at the Vienna State Opera opera house in February © Sean Gallup / Getty Images JanuaryĪ new year and a new start, with few tourists. In the evening, a packed calendar of events, from film festivals to outdoor concerts, stir into life, and it feels like the whole city is out and about.Ī second, shorter high season comes in December, when Christmas markets take over the city and festive holidaymakers spill in, on the hunt for (semi) unique gifts and the best gluhwein stands. If you can put up with the crowds though, this really is a lovely time to be in the city, with the parks, vineyards, lakes and outdoor pools all perfect for a sunny afternoon. You’ll likely love summer in Vienna, seemingly everyone does – at times it can feel like the world has descended en masse on those warm days in high season. Whether you want to see live music, sip a pint in a summer biergarten or just avoid the crowds, here’s our guide to the best time to visit Vienna. Fortunately, however, some city must-dos, like whiling away an afternoon in one of town’s famed coffee houses, where everyone from Freud to Marx got their caffeine fill, can be enjoyed whatever the season. An impressive array of annual events adds even more variety. Winter brings jubilant Christmas markets and summer offers up delightful warm weather that entices locals to spend afternoons lounging in the city’s green spaces.

Austria’s cultured and charismatic capital Vienna is anything but one dimensional the city changes with the seasons.
