1. A visit to the new Wien Museum

© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer

It’s the biggest museum opening of the year: after a multi-year renovation project, the Wien Museum will reopen its doors on December 6. The architecture of the museum is spectacular. Equally as spectacular is the view over Karlsplatz from the balcony level. Nobody has ever been closer to the dome of the Karlskirche (Church of St. Charles). Admission to the permanent exhibition of the Wien Museum, which depicts the history of the city up to the present day, is free of charge. An experience not to be missed!

2. Ice skating on Rathausplatz

© Stadt Wien Markting GmbH/Christian Jobst

The Ice World on Rathausplatz offers ice skating fun for all ages in the heart of the city. There is already an ice skating rink on Rathausplatz as part of the Viennese Christmas Market. Visitors can glide across a 3,000 m² ice rink bathed in atmospheric lighting (until January 7, 2024, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. every day). After a short period of remodeling, the facility will reopen on 19 January 2024 with an even larger ice rink. 8,500 m² of mirror-like ice, romantic snowy trails through the Rathauspark, an accessible viewing terrace and, of course, culinary delights will guarantee unforgettable winter fun in Vienna.

3. Vibrant color to light up the winter darkness

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A lively ambience puts everybody in a good mood on dark winter days. It doesn’t get much more vibrant than the restaurant designed by Denis Košutić in the new House of Strauss. The ambience is flashy, neon palms and rockets light up the ceiling, the seats are colorful, the marble floor glistens in black and white, the bar is designed in the style of the Fifties. The menu features new interpretations of Viennese cuisine. And why not combine it with a visit to the House of Strauss? In the new museum in the Casino Zögernitz, an original venue frequented by Johann Strauss II, everything now revolves around the Waltz King.

4. Pop into a coffee house

© WienTourismus/Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek

If you are visiting Vienna in winter, a visit to a Viennese coffee house is a must. There’s simply nowhere more cozy. In winter in particular, however, there are often lines of people outside coffee houses in the city center. This is why we recommend finding coffee houses located around the city center. There’s Café Goldegg, for example, a really nice local coffee house in the 4th district with dark green plush upholstery, wood paneling, brass chandeliers and, of course, wonderful pastries and desserts.

5. Round off the day in a cocktail bar

© krypt. / Studio Mato

We round off a perfect winter’s day in Vienna in a cocktail bar. Vienna has a wealth of highly-recommended cocktail bars. The Krypt.bar, for example, is an architectural highlight. Located deep underground, the cocktail bar has already won numerous awards for its extraordinary interior design. The bar is naturally also worth a visit for its exciting cocktail creations.