Hike like a Viennese

Not all hiking is the same. And especially not in Vienna. Here, there are no peaks, glaciers or chamois waiting for me. Nevertheless, or maybe even because of that, I love Vienna’s hiking trails. They’re inviting, beautiful and super easy to reach – just like the city itself. Let’s go city hiking.

It’s late summer in Vienna, finally the weekend, a sunny Saturday morning – which means sleeping in and still having time for some leisure activity. What exactly, we haven’t decided yet. I’m meeting my friend Teresa near Schottenring. As is tradition in Vienna, we start by grabbing a coffee and discussing what we might do: it should be easygoing – we want to relax. And it should be outdoors – after all, autumn is just around the corner. Oh, and it needs to be reachable by public transportation, please. We run through all the options: museums, markets, shopping, and the like don’t appeal to us today. Until suddenly it hits us! When we see the number 31 streetcar go by, we look at each other and say in unison: “Let’s go hiking!” A lot of people are probably thinking: wait, hiking? Don’t you need special gear for that? And what does the streetcar have to do with it? Besides, it’s already midday. There’s not really enough time for a hike, is there? – Oh yes, in Vienna you definitely can fit one in.

The journey is the destination

How lucky that a hiking trip in Vienna doesn’t require any fancy gear or lots of preparation. Still, it doesn’t hurt to choose a suitable route in advance, and comfortable shoes are certainly a good idea. As for us, sneakers in hand, we are ready to go. We’ve already picked our hiking route. The number 31 streetcar, which inspired this whole idea, takes us directly from Schottenring to the 21st district, to Stammersdorf and to City Hiking Trail 5. The ride takes 38 minutes.

There are twelve official city hiking trails in and around Vienna, each about ten kilometers long on average. There are 14 routes to choose from in total. And each one has its own special charm. They lead through urban yet surprisingly natural terrain, through the Vienna Woods, through vineyards and up the Hausberge mountains. It should be said that for most Viennese, exercise is a nice side effect – but not the main reason to go for a hike. At least, that’s certainly the case for the two of us! We want to enjoy the journey. A little walking, a bit of a chat and a stop at a Heuriger – that’s the good life. So, out of pure pragmatism, we chose City Hiking Trail 5. And we’re already here – the announcement on the streetcar says: “Stammersdorf. We’ve reached our destination. Please alight here. Goodbye.”

The calm before the Sturm

It can happen so quickly: straight from the city out into the countryside. In Stammersdorf, the village character is very tangible. Yet it still belongs to Vienna, more precisely to the district of Floridsdorf. The signs for the city hiking trail help us stay on the right path and lead us through the village lanes into the vineyards. Stammersdorfer Kellergasse and Krottenhofgasse are the oldest wine cellar lanes in Vienna and still a real insider tip – even many Viennese residents don’t know about the local heuriger taverns or the city hiking trail here. There’s plenty to see in the surrounding area. Hiking enthusiasts should definitely plan for more than the suggested three to four hours. Today, the wonderful weather is drawing everyone outside, so we cross paths with families with children, groups of older people out Nordic walking, and plenty of young people too. We stroll along the route at a moderate pace and enjoy the sweeping views over the entire city from the hilly landscape.

Again and again, Vienna’s skyline emerges through the vineyards: UNO City, DC Tower, and Danube Tower, but also the Gasometer towers and the Spittelau waste incineration plant, artistically designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, all come into view. When we pass by the Gasthaus Magdalenenhof, we spot the stamp station out front. Here, you can get official proof – in black and white – that you’ve completed the city hiking trail from beginning to end. The stamp card can easily be printed at home. Completely analog, but still pretty cool. We’ve decided to get ourselves a stamp card for our next hike, too.

Our stomachs are rumbling – we’re looking forward to a break and a bite to eat. In September and October, there’s one delicacy we absolutely can’t miss: Sturm! It’s a lightly fermented alcoholic drink made from red or white grapes – basically, the stage before it becomes wine. Add a hearty Brettljause (a traditional met and cheese platter), and our hiking day in Vienna is complete.

Drinking Sturm is as much a part of autumn hikes through the vineyards as soda is to a G’spritzter (wine spritzer). Still, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Never clink glasses!
Say “Mahlzeit” instead of “Prost.”
Don’t drink too much at once.

Just before dusk, we start making our way back. We still have another hour or two of walking ahead, and it’s pure nature all around us – the bats are slowly waking up and already swooping past our heads. We were actually hoping to see ground squirrels, but you need a lot of luck to spot these shy relatives of marmots. Besides, they start their winter hibernation in autumn. Time flew by, and before we knew it, we were back at the stop to catch the number 31 streetcar, ready to head back to the city center. Across the Danube with the Bim and then homeward bound. In Vienna, everything really is possible.