There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Vienna each year.
The main ones are listed below.
Carnival season in Vienna runs from Epiphany until Ash Wednesday. Celebrated with a mix of centuries-old popular traditions and religious festivals, this time of year is highly anticipated by all Viennese. Street parties, costume and masked balls, parades and dances are held throughout the city to banish the winter blues.
May 1: Labour Day (national holiday) Late September–early October: Vienna Design Week (local event)Austria's largest design festival, Vienna Design Week aims to showcase the latest creations – objects, furniture or industrial products – of leading and emerging designers and also features works commissioned especially for the show. Exhibitions, workshops, talks and guided tours are among the 150 events programmed over the 10-day period, many of them taking place at the Brotfabrik Wien, a 19th-century building that was once Europe's largest bread factory.
October 26: National Day (national holiday)Commemorates the passage of the law on Austria's “permanent neutrality” on this day in 1955. Highlights include official ceremonies, military parades, concerts and fireworks.
Mid-November–late December: Christmas Markets (local event)During this six-week period, Vienna perpetuates a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, its Christmas markets. The most authentic market, held on Rathausplatz, is also one of the oldest in Europe. Truly festive and magical, its delights include local handicrafts, Christmas decorations, seasonal gifts and a range of mouth-watering treats, from roasted chestnuts, candied fruits and cotton candy to mulled wine. Inside the city hall, there is an entire area devoted to activities for children and a number of visiting international choirs sing carols on the weekends.
December 6: Saint Nicholas Day (celebrated nationwide)In Austria, the feast of Saint Nicholas is almost as important as Christmas. And for good reason, because this is the day when children receive their presents! In processions and visits to homes, businesses or schools at this time of the year, Saint Nicholas often appears accompanied by a devil called Krampus, who reminds children to be good. The feast of Saint Nicholas also marks the beginning of the end-of-year holiday season.
December 25: Christmas (national holiday) December 31: Hofburg Silvesterball (local event)On New Year's Eve, one of Europe's most prestigious and elegant dance balls takes place in the imperial state rooms of the Hofburg Palace on Heldenplatz in the centre of Vienna, which was the winter residence of the imperial family until 1918. The former Kaiserball has recently undergone a makeover, dispensing with Habsburg folklore in favour of Viennese classics and jazz and followed by a gala dinner, although formal evening wear is still expected.
| Month | Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Average Rains (MM) | Best Time to Travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -2/28 | 3/37 | 37/1.5 | Not the best period to go |
| February | -1/30 | 5/41 | 39/1.5 | Not the best period to go |
| March | 2/36 | 10/50 | 46/1.8 | Not the best period to go |
| April | 6/43 | 15/59 | 52/2.0 | Not the best period to go |
| May | 10/50 | 20/68 | 62/2.4 | Good period to go
|
| June | 13/55 | 23/73 | 70/2.8 | Good period to go
|
| July | 15/59 | 26/79 | 68/2.7 | Good period to go
|
| August | 12/54 | 25/77 | 58/2.3 | Not the best period to go |
| September | 12/54 | 20/68 | 53/2.1 | Not the best period to go |
| October | 7/45 | 14/57 | 40/1.6 | Not the best period to go |
| November | 2/36 | 7/45 | 50/2.0 | Not the best period to go |
| December | 0/32 | 4/39 | 44/1.7 | Not the best period to go |
Vienna's Schwechat International Airport is located about 18 kilometres (11 miles) south-east of the city centre.
Getting around Vienna is very easy. The city's public transport network has a total length of more than 900 kilometres (559 miles)! With its five U-Bahn underground lines, 29 tram lines and 145 bus routes, you can quickly reach any destination within the metropolitan area.
Vienna's U-Bahn system is a convenient and reliable way to get around the city. Its five colour-coded lines (U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6) serve 105 stations. A single ticket costs EUR 2.20 for adults and EUR 1.20 for children and is valid for all U-Bahn lines, trams and buses, with transfers included. The Vienna Weekly Ticket costs EUR 16.20 and offers unlimited travel throughout the city.
Vienna's bus routes offer extensive coverage of the city, including the narrow streets of the 1st district, served by the City Buses, specifically designed for this purpose. Night buses (whose numbers are preceded by the letter “N”) operate every night of the week from 12:30 a.m. and then at 30-minute intervals until 5 a.m. A single ticket costs EUR 2.20.
Vienna's tram network is one of the largest in the world, with 28 routes and a total length of over 172 kilometres (107 miles). In addition to traditional models, with wooden seats and retro interiors, wheelchair-friendly and modern low-riding trams also circulate on the network, indicated by the ULF (Ultra Low Floor) sign. A single ticket costs EUR 2.20.
Taxis are a convenient option for getting around the Austrian capital and fares are reasonable. The initial charge is EUR 2.50 during the day (EUR 2.60 at night) and the total fare is then based on the distance travelled and the time elapsed.
Upon your arrival in Vienna, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organize your stay.
WienTourismus (Vienna Tourist Board)Offers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).
Apart from its main tourist information office at Albertinaplatz, WienTourismus operates two other Tourist Info centres, offering information and recommendations for visiting Vienna and its surrounding area:
The official website operated by the Austrian National Tourist Office provides a wealth of information on Vienna.
The currency used in Austria is the euro (€).
R$ 1 = € 0,23
€ 1 = R$ 4,35
The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.
See your doctor before you travel.
VaccinationsThere are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Austria.
For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:
Tap water is safe to drink in Vienna.
For a stay of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area, as well as those from the countries of the European Union not included in the area, need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay in Austria.
As a general rule, all other travellers are subject to visa requirements, although citizens of the following countries may enter Austria for a short stay of up to 90 days without a visa: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
For further information, visit the Austrian government’s website for migration information: http://www.migration.gv.at/en/
Here are a few basic German phrases that will make your stay in Vienna a little easier:
Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon: Guten Morgen (morning) / Guten Tag (during the day)
Good evening: Guten Abend
Goodbye: Auf Wiedersehen
Yes: Ja
No: Nein
No, thank you: Nein, Danke
Thank you very much: Vielen Dank
Please: Bitte
I don't understand: Ich verstehe nicht
Could you repeat ?: Können Sie bitte wiederholen?
What time is it ?: Wie spät ist es?
Sorry: Entschuldigung
Excuse me:
Airport: der Flughafen
Train station: der Bahnhof
Taxi: das Taxi
Hotel: das Hotel
Hospital: das Krankenhaus
Bank: die Bank
Telephone: das Telefon
I'm (…): Ich bin (…)
I'm looking for (…): Ich suche (…)
How much is (…)?: Wie viel kostet es?
Do you have (…)?: Haben Sie (…)?
Where can I find (…)?: Wo kann ich (…) finden?
Where can I buy (…)?: Wo kann ich (…) kaufen?
I'd like (…): Ich hätte gerne (…)
And what about tipping?
Tipping is expected in Austria, especially for waiting staff in bars and restaurants, for taxis and at gas stations. It is customary to leave a tip amounting to between 5 and 10 percent of the bill, depending on how satisfied you are with the service.
