5 autumn highlights

1. Celebrate the Albertina anniversary

© Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía © Succession Picasso / Bildrecht, Wien 2026

Fall is museum season: Vienna’s leading art museum, the Albertina, is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding this year with a whole series of great exhibitions. Two once-in-a-century artists, Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon, who are both known for their figurative painting, are the focus of the major fall exhibition (September 18, 2026 – January 31, 2027). In the exhibition “Her Story”, works by women from the Albertina collection that have so far received too little attention will be displayed in a dialogue that spans multiple eras, starting on October 30. Exciting times!

2. Explore a Viennese Grätzel (neighborhood)

© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer

The neighborhood around the Old General Hospital (Altes AKH) is steeped in medical history. The former hospital is now a lively campus owned by the University of Vienna. Across a total of ten courtyards, you’ll find hidden green oases and plenty of places to eat and drink that are well worth a visit. Home to the Narrenturm, this area also houses the world’s largest collection of pathological anatomy specimens. The neighborhood around the Altes AKH has even more to see, from the Votive Church to the Shoah Names Wall Memorial. This memorial commemorates Jewish men, women and children from Austria who were murdered during the Nazi era. You’ll find even more tips in the Grätzel portrait.

3. Head to a Heuriger in Vienna’s vineyards

© WienTourismus / Peter Rigaud

Fall is our editorial team’s favorite season. Cooler temperatures, but still pleasant enough for doing something outdoors. For example, taking a walk through Vienna’s vineyards (some people also call it hiking). The leaves glow in the most beautiful colors, and the autumn sun bathes everything in a golden light. And when you add a small glass of Viennese wine at a Heuriger or in a Buschenschank to the equation, life can hardly get any better. Here are the best Heuriger venues in Vienna.

4. Enjoy Viennese cuisine

© Restaurant Vestibül / Fotograf Gerhard Wasserbauer

The Vestibül restaurant at the Burgtheater is a Viennese institution that has reinvented itself this year to mark its 25th anniversary with a new concept called “Schank & Tafel”. The Tafel in the Marble Hall is the heart of the restaurant, offering Viennese cuisine at top-toque level in a spectacular setting. Old favorites meet new interpretations here – from Grammelknödel, stuffed cabbage rolls and Viennese fried meat to the signature dish, a Szeged-style lobster and cabbage stew. If you prefer something more casual, just stop by without a reservation and enjoy little Viennese dishes and house wine in the front section of the restaurant, the Schank (bar). Visitors to the Burgtheater, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, can even enjoy a special theater menu and an exclusive entrance from the restaurant straight into the Burgtheater – just as the Emperor once did.

5. Round off the day in a cocktail bar

© Eat Butter First

It’s best to round off a perfect autumn day in a cozy cocktail bar. There are many recommended bars in Vienna. At the moment, we particularly recommend “Le Fou”. This opulent bar in the heart of the city center is officially one of the most beautiful venues in the world. “Le Fou” is one of 16 venues worldwide to have received the “Prix Versailles 2026” international design and architecture award. Crystal chandeliers, silk wallpaper and velvet furniture define the décor. The atmosphere is inspired by legendary Paris bars, and so are the cocktails. In a bar with Parisian flair, champagne is just as essential as French wines. Bar food, in the form of tartare pralines, comes from neighboring Tatarie Marie.