Five winter highlights

Here’s what not to miss if you’re looking for the perfect winter day in Vienna. Visit the Museum of Change with its impressive light installation, discover Klimt’s ceiling paintings at the Burgtheater, take to the ice at Rathausplatz, savor coffee and cake in a Viennese coffeehouse and end the day with Viennese cuisine. A winter’s day in Vienna doesn’t get any better than this.

1. Marvel at modern media art

Museum of Change, courtyard with installations

A free multisensory art project is now on display at the former main post office in Vienna's city center. Austrian media artist Sha has transformed the inner courtyards of the Baroque building into a large-scale art project for the Museum of Change. Projectors, fog machines, and loudspeakers create an overall experience that is best enjoyed after dark.

2. View Klimt's ceiling paintings up close

The ceiling painting depicts Gustav Klimt’s Thespian Chariot

The Burgtheater in Vienna is currently celebrating its 250th anniversary as Austria's national theater. As part of the anniversary and accompanying renovation work, the Burgtheater is allowing visitors to view the famous ceiling paintings up close via scaffolding and guided tours. The impressive ceiling paintings in the staircases were created by Gustav Klimt together with his brother Ernst and the painter Franz Matsch. Don't miss this unique opportunity! More information about the tours. Until June 2026.

3. Ice skating at the Rathausplatz

The Vienna Ice Dream at Rathausplatz offers ice skating fun for young and old in the heart of the city. An ice rink is already open at the Rathausplatz during the Viennese Christmas Market. Surrounded by atmospheric lighting, you can glide across a 3,000 m² rink (until January 6, 2026, open daily from 10 am to 10 pm). After a brief break, the season continues on January 22, 2026 with an even larger rink. 10,000 m² of mirror-smooth ice, romantic ice trails through the Rathauspark, a skateable viewing terrace, and of course food and drink make for unforgettable icy fun in Vienna.

4. Warm up in a coffeehouse

After ice skating, head to a coffeehouse to warm up. There is nowhere cozier in Vienna than a Viennese coffeehouse. Right across from Rathausplatz, directly on the Ringstrasse, you'll find Café Landtmann. Whether it's apple strudel, Landtmann's Guglhupf, or the famous tortes, they're a treat with a classic Viennese Melange. If the hustle and bustle in the city center gets to be too much during the run-up to Christmas, you can opt for the coffeehouses around the city center. You'll always find a seat there.

5. Round off the day with Viennese cuisine

Winter is the perfect time to savor Viennese cuisine. Viennese cuisine is pure comfort food on cold winter days and is best enjoyed at a typical Viennese bistro or tavern. One standout is Reznicek. It’s a contemporary Wirtshaus (tavern) serving modern Viennese cuisine. Its cordon bleu is famous citywide.

Museum of Change

Opening times

Opening in October 2025.

Accessible free of charge, daily from 0-24h.

Burgtheater

Guided tours

Mo,Thu, Fri: 4 p.m.; Sun&Public Holidays: 11 a.m.

Guided tours in English on selected days: information at tickets.burgtheater.at

Guided tour in German with written explanations in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese.

(subject to change)

Accessibility

Side entrance

(Double swinging doors 170 cm wide)

Ramp 300 cm wide

Car parks Main entrance

3 Parking spaces for people with disabilities

in the Burgtheater parking lot – Volksgarten side

Elevator available

Door 160 cm wide

Further information

Seeing eye dogs allowed

12 Wheelchair spaces available (in the auditorium, access with the elevator)

Wheelchair accessible restroom available.

Special offers for people with disabilities

At each performance, the Burgtheater provides places in the stalls with acoustic amplification by means of induction for visitors who wear a hearing aid. The acoustic signal is also amplified for all visitors. This can be received in the theater during the performance on radio frequency 99.2 MHz using a radio receiver, mobile telephone or MP3 player with radio reception. Please bring your own headset.

Comments

Special tours for visitors with disabilities and special needs on prior notification.
Prior notification is necessary for visitors with wheelchairs for admission tickets and tours. Tel. +43 1 514 44-4545, tickets@burgtheater.at

The spoken texts of selected performances can be read along with the app (German, English and other languages)