Just a few paces from Vienna's old city, trendy restaurants and bars along the Danube Canal provide that Riviera feeling with sandy beaches, music, cool cocktails and delicious food. Strandbar Herrmann at the Urania beckons with deckchairs, hammocks, lots of sand, and brunch at the weekend. On the roof terrace of the Klyo restaurant in Urania, cocktails come with a great view of the activities on the Danube Canal.

On the Badeschiff (pool boat) a few steps further along, an outdoor pool and refreshing drinks on the top deck are an attraction on hot summer days. The Motto am Fluss at the mooring point of the Twin City Liner is another hot-spot, with every seat on the terrace hotly sought-after in summer.

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On the opposite side of the Danube Canal, it's all about the sun, a sandy beach and relaxing in loungers. The offer is diverse: there's a classic beach club called Blumenwiese with restaurant and bar. A little further on, the taste! Kitchen serves guests with Mediterranean classics and a wide selection of different cocktails all under the motto Aperitivo. In the taste! Garden, exciting food concepts are constantly changing.

A trendy crowd comes together at Neni am Wasser for Israeli cuisine, cocktails and DJs. There's lots of fish, vegetables, and action with fire. Right next door is an Art Nouveau jewel: The garden of the Otto Wagner Schützenhaus is the perfect place enjoy the evening sun and international fish dishes in the restaurant Otto will Meer. Both restaurants are open all year round.

Muse is a bar and art gallery in one. Art and cocktails is the motto of this summer hotspot. If you're feeling peckish, there are tapas dishes to share. The gallery is specialised in augmented reality and free to enter. Upstream at the U4 subway station Rossauer Lände is the Summer Stage. The idyllic terrace right by the water is the ideal place to enjoy a glass of wine on mild summer's evenings.

Relax in the MuseumsQuartier: hanging out in the pubs in the open air, chilling out on the trendy loungers, playing boules and minigolf – that's modern Viennese cosiness.

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Summer retreat in the park

Right around the corner, the Volksgarten Pavillon is a tip for hot summer nights. The pavilion and its terraces form a green oasis with its own stream in the center of the city and were designed in the 1950s by the renowned architect Oswald Haerdtl. In the evenings, a wide range of DJ crews play at the turntables, with a different musical focus on each day of the week.

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The Campus of the University of Vienna in the Altes AKH is also a beautiful park dotted with inviting bars and restaurants. A special tip is the Salettl, which thrills in summer with sandy beach, sparkling cocktails, and a whole bunch of burgers and salads.

This year, the Freiluft Summer in the Augarten in the Augarten creates a unique symbiosis of art and culinary delights. At the Atelierhaus, a group exhibition featuring twelve artists will be showcased under the heading “Augartensommer” , continuing outdoors as a sculpture park in Augarten and inviting visitors to enjoy inspiring encounters with art in a public space. Various food vendors will ensure a vibrant and diverse range of edible treats.

And not to forget Danube Island: Copa Beach pulls in the crowds here with sand beaches, deckchairs, parasols, palms, and a pool area. Culinary catering, cool drinks and Ibiza sounds to match the sunset are provided by many beach bars. Stand-up paddling is also really popular here.