Image by WUK Vienna (by: Diana Pereira)

The WUK is an alternative space for culture and workshops, one of the biggest in Europe in the leftish/arty style. There you’ll find a cafe, restaurant, art rooms, concerts, workshops, even bike repairs, and more than anything a meeting point for everyone!

This space is in a former locomotive factory from the 19th century. It has a strong character and it is quite a unique place. Depending on the activities and on the weather, these can be organized in or outdoors, giving use to the wonderful courtyard. The outdoor space is fantastic. In the summer you can drink your coffee outside on the terrace or even have a full meal. Moreover there is wireless internet in the courtyard. The artistic atmosphere is very present with graffiti and paintings on some walls.

The list of events and activities organized there is quite extensive so the best way to be up to date is to check their website!

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WUK | Art & culture, Bars, Music
Währinger Straße 59 | Inner districts
08:00 – 02:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Vienna

Image by Sabrina Grohsebner

Last week I got introduced to the work of avant-garde musician John Cage, not being aware of the fact that there’s really potential for me to become an experimental music’s addict. How I happened to make this experience? I’ll tell you.

Just recently I got to meet somebody that is studying classic piano, so being asked if there was any concert or other possibility to listen to his music he kindly invited my friends and me to join one of his ‘Klassenabende’. And so should you.

The principle is simple: Groups of music students get to present their artistic and creative progress in public, on a regular basis. As, mostly, there are not too many people watching these shows, you’re welcome to enjoy their appearance in one of those many beautiful chambers of Vienna’s Music University.

Besides from Piano, Clarinet, Viola and Organ Klassenabende there’s a great variety of acoustic matinees, vocals soirees and music brunches (calorie- and greaseless, of course) being communicated over their website. And as Music University is situated right next to Belvedere you’re likely to have a great view from the show room as well.

Classic or contemporary music and Viennese architecture, a perfect combination. And the best thing about it: It doesn’t cost anything.

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MDW | Art & culture, Music | Free
Rennweg 8 (Entry) | Inner districts | +43171155
Check website for showtimes

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Image by Nora Droege

Nomen est Omen. So, as the name (Donau = Danube) suggests, be prepared to have the feeling of diving into a world of lights, music and sombre colors when entering the place.

This is a great place to start your evening at. Maybe you’re just done enjoying contemporary art in Museumsquartier (check Museumsquartier article) or need a chill out after an exciting shopping expedition on Mariahilferstraße, so much the better coming here as it’s right next to a couple of urban hot spots!

Donau shows itself as a wicked combination of a place where you can have a beer or two, get to know the newest tunes and still are able to have a conversation, as the music’s volume is not beyond the convenient. There’s also quite stylish snack bar and some really comfortable original cinema armchairs giving the place a certain old school Viennese character.

And – I love this interior’s element – don’t miss catching a glimpse of the ceiling and the remarkable art installation giving you the feeling of actually floating lazily along the blue river…

Plus; if you already feel like gaining an impression of what your evening might be like or if you just want to see whether you like the music or not, there is also an online radio station you should check out!

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Das Donau | Bars, Music, Snacks | Beer € 3.00
Karl Schweighofer Gasse 10 | Inner districts | +4315238105
Open from 18:00 daily

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Image by Sabrina Grohsebner

I just stumbled upon this place, not being aware of the possibility to find yet another cool shop in this area. Vienna taught me a lesson again, I should have known better.

If you ever are on the search for a record, a long-forgotten LP, a colourful gramophone or if you’re just in the mood for rummaging around in – as the name says- Old and New music treasures you should definitely pay this place a visit.

I have to admit, when I entered the shop I was quite overwhelmed by the loads of colours, discs and quirky stuff standing and hanging around all over the place. Or to say it with the words of my friend: “I’m not sure whether I should call this place dusty or cool”. There is a lot to explore actually! Besides evergreens, classic music and current hits, you’ll enjoy getting to know some special contains such as Viennese Lieder, Cabaret, Old Austrian student songs and a lot more..

And once you think you’re overseeing the place slowly one of the friendly shop owners may guide you to one of the two fully record-packed rooms that are hidden in the back of the shop…so make sure you’re not loosing track of time while exploring!

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Alt und Neu | Art & culture, Music | LP’s from € 4
Windmühlgasse 10 | Inner districts | +4315862133
Mon – Fri 13:00 – 18:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 12:00

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Image by Linda Nepicks

A spot of the superlatives: 60.000 m² (!) for art, architecture, design, dance, theatre, fashion, restaurants, café’s and space for relaxation. It’s a world in a world and if you are into art, it’s not difficult to spend a whole day in this impressive area.

A combination of old buildings (once the royal stables from the 18th century) and gorgeous modern architecture – like the MUMOK museum – sheltering a huge square.

In summer time you can enjoy the colored “Enzos”, huge kind of plastic sofas for hanging around. They former Enzis used to change their color every year, the result of an annual Internet-Voting. Many events take place here, like the famous Wiener Festwochen. It’s getting cold: so check out “Winter im MQ” and be surprised!

My favourite spots in this area are definitely the MUMOK, here you find great exhibitions of modern art, the book store Walther König and the “Kantine” in Quartier 21. And maybe you wanna check out the store “Musiktank” – the first On Demand Music Store for any kind of Austrian music.

By the way, if you are younger than 19 or a student under 27 there is free entrance for example in MUMOK. There are combination tickets if you want to visit more than one museum. The website is worth checking out, they provide all information – in seven languages! You see, it’s not a hidden spot, but one place a lot of Viennese love to go to, just like the tourists.

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Museumsquartier | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Shopping, Theaters
Museumsplatz 1-5 | Inner districts | +4315235881
Daily

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Image by Julia Heiligenbrunner

This is a very popular event amongst locals. More than 350 spotlights and live DJs make sure one really gets the open air disco feeling. During the week DJs are satisfying music wishes from five o’clock on and on weekends they even start at 2pm.

Honestly? To me that kind of activity is only breathtaking because I am going to land on my chest as soon as I step on the ice. I’m very much into sports but this one is just not made for me. Okay, I’ve got to admit the view itself truly is breathtaking.

As ice skating in front of Vienna’s city hall is oh so very special, my friends finally succeeded in convincing me to put on some slides – for the first time in 12 safe-from-harm-years. I’m suspicious of their motive, could be they only did so knowing it’s going to be a hilarious show for them. So if you witness a young woman lying face-down on the ice – that’s probably glorious me! You will only get to see that terrific happening in the area where beginners can skate for free. I guess I’ll be easy to spot among the kids who are no older than eight winters…

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Wiener Eistraum | Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events | Starts from € 4.50
Rathauspark | Inner districts | +4314090040
09:00 – 17:00 daily

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Image by Julia Heiligenbrunner

This really is an awesome place for lunch! Recently I had decided not to eat out all along but Tongues made me change my mind.

Interesting concept: kitchen located right behind the turntables, vinyl records decorating the wall on the right, where you can look through discs you might want to buy after lunch. On the left there are plenty of organic vegetables, herbs, teas, … in case you’re not as short of time as I am & actually cooking in your own kitchen.

Only in the morning that the spontaneous team there chooses the menu for the day. You can then check it on their homepage or on FB, though most customers know what to expect: absolutely delicious & varied food. So many simply grab the daily delights for take-away which could be because the place to sit and enjoy your meal is very limited.

In case you feel like reading a book while having some coffee afterwards, walk down the street to Phil (check out the Phil article!) which is just around the corner.

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Tongues | Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping, Restaurants (Healthy) | Main dish € 3.10
Theobaldgasse 16 | Inner districts | +4312369291
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 21:00, Sat 11:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Vienna

Image by Julia Heiligenbrunner

When I used to live in the 8th district the U.S.W. was my favorite pub. “u.s.w.” is the German shortcut for “and so forth” while “Beisl” is Austrian slang for pub. The bar is only a 200m walk from the university campus (check out the Altes AKH article). Usually I happened to be there on Sundays when there was free Chili Con Carne served with any drink as well as on Thursdays – table soccer’s for free.

Nowadays they serve differing meals every Sunday till 01:30 in the morning, still free! The food is generally typical Austrian one, like Nockerl or Spätzle – no, both can’t be translated because it only exists here (and right after the border). Okay I’ll try: it’s a little bit similar to gnocchi but the dough’s made of eggs and flour. We love to eat them fried with eggs (again) or cheese.

I very much like the mix of music played at the U.S.W. – mostly Alternative, Indie and Rock.

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U.S.W. Beisl | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Austrian) | Pint from € 2.30
Laudongasse 10 | Inner districts | +4369917151384
Sun – Thu 18:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 18:00 – 04:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Vienna

Image by Wolfgang Zeiner

The Sargfabrik is Vienna’s biggest self-governing community and cultural building. There are flats, a kindergarten, a concert hall, a café-bar-restaurant, meeting rooms and a “bath house” (sauna, swimming pool, wellness area-open in winter, check the Sargfabrik-bathhouse article).

The café-bar-restaurant has recently re-opened with a new chef and offers culinary delights. The lunch menu for €7,90 including dessert and coffee seems to be a good reason for visiting the place! (open Mon-Sat: 10:00 – 22:00) There is a big choice of vegetarian food! On Monday and Tuesday evenings they have live music in the restaurant, donations to the artists are expected and table reservations recommended. Check the program on Restaurant/Acoustic Salon on their website.

Other concerts and cultural event, usually focusing on alternative and world music are listed here.

It is definitely worth a visit if you are interested in architecture and also in the project itself. That its name means “coffin factory” is not just a curiosity, it really used to be one!

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Sargfabrik | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events
Goldschlagstraße 169/2 | Outer districts | +43198898121
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Vienna

Image by Kieran Lynam

“By the way, the chair you are sitting on is for sale, oh and yes, the book, which you just grabbed from the bookshelf as well. Of course we sell the record you are listening to.” That’s the Phil, a colorful café-bar-bookshop-recordstore-interior shop-flea market and if you find something you can’t buy, then you are probably on the toilet, well actually I’m not even sure about that.

Actually the owner recently told us: “We don’t sell the toilet (except for the lamp maybe), we don’t sell the coffee machine because she’s from the 60s and something special, we don’t sell the clothes we’re wearing, and we don’t sell the artists (singers, writers, painters) when one of our from-time-to-time events takes place.”

Students, young families, artists and many more appreciate the easygoingness in the Phil. The furniture is mostly from the 70′s and as mentioned before, they can be bought. There is a large corner with books, Dvd’s, records and posters which you can browse and sniff through while having a drink, and if you like it, you bring it home.

The place is non-smoking and food looks and tastes healthy. Bring your laptop to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi and make sure to reserve a table if you plan to come in a larger group. It tends to get crowded in the evenings.

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Phil | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping, Snacks
Gumpendorferstrasse 10 – 12 | Inner districts | +4315810489
Mon 17:00 – 01:00, Tue – Sun 09:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Vienna