Walking and running in a Winter Wonderland

The imperial parks, Baroque boulevards, and other green gardens also have something to offer in winter, and invite you to go for a walk and a run. The palace park in Schönbrunn is superbly suited for this. After a short uphill stretch to the Gloriette, you'll be rewarded with a fantastic view of wintry Vienna. Cold fingers and toes can be warmed up again in one of the museums in the palace. Or visit Schönbrunn Zoo to learn how polar bears and other animals cope with the cold temperatures.

In the city center, the Volksgarten is a highlight in winter as well. The white Theseus Temple looms majestically over the wintry park – whether it's covered in snow or not. The tall-stem roses that bloom so splendidly in the spring are wrapped up in eco-friendly old coffee bean sacks. Right next door, the narrow lanes of the 1st district invite you to go exploring. St. Stephen's Cathedral is illuminated especially beautifully at dusk. Tired legs can best relax in a cozy coffee house. Fancy a piece of cake?

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Skating like in a fairytale

Vienna has many unique skating rinks to offer, such as the Engelmann artificial ice rink. Its special feature? – It's situated on the roof of an apartment building in the 17th district. Fancy a Viennese winter fairytale? From mid-January, you can glide in front of the magnificent backdrop of City Hall on the romantic paths that wind their way through the fairytale decorations of City Hall Park at the Vienna Ice World. The Viennese have also been taking turns on the ice of the Vienna Ice Skating Club right next to the Wiener Konzerthaus for more than 100 years.

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Curling requires precision

If you fancy a bit of competition then curling is the perfect activity for you. The most unusual location for this sport is undoubtedly the "Paradeis" on the pool boat. People play here on a total of six lanes, and do so on (and not next to) the Danube Canal. Things get hot here in the Fire Village by the Danube Canal – not only when curling, but also at the punch evening afterwards.

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Ice swimming, tobogganing, and cross-country skiing

Talking of the pool boat: If you're particularly insensitive to the cold, you can go ice swimming here in the winter. The 27 meter-long pool with a water temperature of less than 10 degrees is a real test of courage. A special offer is the training (bookable online) with world record holder Josef Köberl.

If you're looking for an activity for the whole family, why not try tobogganing? There are plenty of smaller hills in Vienna's parks – on the Jesuit Meadow in the Prater, for example. The Dollwiese in Hietzing even has a 100 meter-long conveyor belt to ferry all the winter sports fans uphill. Alongside the tobogganers, young skiers also have their first experiences on two boards.

Cross-country skiers have plenty to enjoy in Vienna, too. There are seven cross-country trails in Vienna. The most central of them runs along the Prater main avenue, the longest on Danube Island, and the steepest up through the vineyards to the Cobenzl.