Relaxing & parks – All our local tips

Alphaville is THE place to go when you are interested in movies aside the mainstream. Although they even offer the current blockbusters. The staff has an enormous expertise when it comes to film, film critics, film theory and enjoy sharing their knowledge. They respond nicely to every question one may have- be it administrative stuff like price range or detailed information on movies or a recommendation.

Even non-insiders will be treated nicely which is to be pointed out because Vienna is sometimes known for its -let’s put it that way-not so nice aka grumpy waiters and people in general.

Actually Norman from Alphaville wrote me an Email saying that the Banksy piece of art was not stolen but legally destroyed by the property management. The art theft story sounded way more exciting of course but actually this event points out that there is still a lot of ignorance to be dealt with when it comes to street art.

Another great and maybe comfier place is located in the 8th district – 8 1/2 – they even have a couch where you can be indecisive whether to take an arthouse movie or an independent documentary or maybe an asian slasher movie…

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Alphaville | Art & culture, Relaxing | DVD per night € 3.60
Schleifmühlgasse 5 | Inner districts | +4315851966
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 14:00 – 19:00

Am Himmel can be translated with “at heaven” or “in paradise”, and both is the truth. Up in the hills of Vienna, there is this special spot where recreation from the city life is guaranteed.

For centuries the area Am Himmel is known to be good for wandering tours for Viennese inhabitants. Back in 1784 there were exotic gardens and a little castle, later on also the Sisi-chapel (named after the famous empress Sisi) which attracted lots of visitors.

It was only 1997, that the area was designed as it is now with the restaurant Oktogon for exhausted wanderers who only want to sit down and enjoy the view. As one of the main attraction, you can also find a celtic circle of arbor vitae up there: The circle in general symbolizes life, human nature, the world and everything which is alive. But it not only a general statement, but each of the 40 trees stands for some personalities, some characteristic, some strengths and weaknesses.

Considering your birth date, just take a look and find out more about the tree in this period – and more about yourself. Unfortunately, the descriptions are in German, so be sure to take a translator with you or ask another visitor. And be aware: During wintertime, some of the trees are in glass houses until it´s getting warmer again.

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Am Himmel | Art & culture, Bars, Relaxing, Restaurants (Intern.) | Dishes € 10.00
Himmelstraße/ corner Höhenstraße | Outer districts | +4313288936
Wed – Fri 12:00 – 22:00, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 22:00

A pool on the Danube, what do you want more? A place to catch a sunburn nearby, where tasty food and drinks are almost close at hand, and a bar plus dance floor to never ever leave this location again. That is what you get at the Badeschiff Wien.

The pool is heated and open until 00:00. It is trailed to the ship, which has a sun deck on it, where you can lie on the deck-chair and watch those people who watch you. What you don’t get at the Badeschiff is privacy because of the people passing by who cannot help but stop and stare. On the other hand at which outdoor pool can you avoid the average Peeping Tom ? Around October the pool gets covered with what looks like a big white balloon and it becomes a bar.

In the evening, the party starts in the so-called Laderaum (cargo bay). There they play Indie, Electronic, 90s and more. Entrance is free on the weekends including access to the pool! What I like about this place is that parties can get crazy but still don’t go overboard.

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Badeschiff Wien | Bars, Music, Relaxing, Snacks | Beer € 3.40
Danube canal | Old city/center | +4369915130749
Pool May – Oct 10:00 – 00:00 | Club 22:00 – 04:00

One summer about 8 years ago, it was love at first sight; it felt like meeting someone I have already known all my life. Maybe I felt like that, because the Café Rüdigerhof represents Vienna as it is.

For more than 100 years, the coffeehouse has been situated in one of the famous Jugendstil-buildings of the Wienzeile/ Naschmarkt-area. The golden letters saying “Café Rüdigerhof” invite you to a more glamorous era, and inside it feels like time stood still: The menu still offers traditional Austrian dishes which are prepared in a way like my granny used to cook them.

If you want to be on the safe side, take the “Wiener Schnitzel” but for people who love to take risks I recommend the “glasierte Leber”. If you really want to know what it is, I am sure one of the friendly, relaxed and caring waiters tell you more about it. You get all that for reasonable prizes – especially the lunch menus, which attract a lot of students to Café Rüdigerhof.

But it is not only students whom you meet at the coffee shop, it is everyone – from old ladies to artists; from knitters to couples in love and even some of the high-society of Vienna. In summertime, the crowd is mostly in the beautiful shadowy garden; in wintertime the cosy rooms provide a refuge from the stressful world outside. So, choose a coffee or tea – and enjoy Vienna as it is.

And please: Even if you really want to indulge yourself with a coffee and some desert, do not forgot to take a close look at the building from the outside – especially on the side. The house with lots of blue and golden decors is just one of a kind.

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Café Rüdigerhof | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Restaurants (Viennese) | Main € 5.50
Hamburgerstraße 20 | Inner districts | +4315863138
09:00 – 02:00 daily

The born and raised Viennese (actually pretty rare) owner and called to be cook and art host Christiane Weiss-Rohan fulfilled her dream in 2004 – to combine leisure time with business.

Her restaurant has got more of a Viennese living room accessible for everybody – single guests are as welcome as regular guests – than of a typical eatery. A melting pot of cultures, diverse individuals, artists, Viennese celebrities -a place where you can feel at home right away.

The cherry on the cake is the restaurants own library is stashed in a dark wood shelf- which accentuates to the living room flair. A chat with the owner or the other guests will extend your horizon.

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Catedral | Relaxing, Restaurants (International ) | Day dish € 5.90
Schleifmühlgasse 6-8 | Inner districts | +436763114843
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 00:00, 17:00 – 00:00

Living room ambiente at a video rental store…it is located right off the busy shopping street- a calm habour for movie-lovers (maily oldschool and arthouse).

Every 1st Sunday/month – “Patschenkino” (translates to slipper cinema) meaning that you can behave like at home, you can smoke, drink, feel free to chill, be yourself and enjoy THE art of movie making. They have a great selection of  Arthouse, classics, insider tips, movies for children, rare stuff and tv-series – and TATATATATA – the usual suspects: BLOCKBUSTERS.

And even the “gourmets” get there money’s worth – Illy coffee (Italian), Lasko beer from Slovenia, Austrian wine, healty juices, Frucade (a BOBO drink, I used to drink it as a kind, the relaunched the brand), Fritz Cola (same) and various snacks. You can either have them for take away or enjoy your snacks and drinks there.

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Cinethek OZ | Art & culture, Cinemas, Relaxing | Per DVD per night € 3.60
Lindengasse 53 | Inner districts
Mon – Fri 14:00 – 23:00, Sat 12:00- 12:00, Sun 12:00 – 19:30

The Donaupark is a really nice and big park which has more to offer than just trees. A lot of roses are planted there which let the air smell beautifully even in the autumn when most of them are withered.

Of course, there is a big play ground where I used to chase the peacock when I was a little rugrat. There is a tiny zoo, a tiny skater park, some kind of tennis courts, huge chess figures and a mini railway, which can be used by adults as well.

If you want to discover your inner child you may do it here. But you can stay old and just watch the artists at the Donaupark stage who may entertain you with music (Jazz and local) or with a cabaret (mostly in German with Austrian dialect).

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Donaupark | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing
Arbeiterstrandbadstraße 122 | Across the Danube
24 hours daily

When friends of mine invited me to “Hütte am Weg” I would never have expected what I found: Not the rather simple, shabby hut, its name implies, but a rather romantic, stylish place with down to earth food and affordable prices.

Arriving at the Kahlenberg (check the Kahlenberg article) with the huge parking space, you have to know where to go next: A little arrow gives you the direction. Follow the small path to an old looking hut. The first impression might be deceptive. Take a closer look and you´ll see the beautiful garden or smell the freshly grilled trout.

The inside of the hut is even more surprising: It is stylish, modern mixed with traditional parts. There are candles on each table, flower arrangements, a box of citrus fruits in front of the fireplace – everything is well put together. The waitresses wear tasteful “uniforms”, some Austrian Dirndl with a modern touch. With all that you might expect exquisite prices on the menu, but – sorry – another mistake: The dishes such as Sauerkraut, dumplings, sausages, (mashed) potatoes and meat are quite cheap. The variety on the menu, which changes every few weeks, is not the best, but it is enough and really good.

What used to be an old hut providing rest during a tiresome excursion is now, after the re-opening in autumn 2008, really a wonderfully romantic and stylish place – highly recommended not only after a hiking tour.

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Hütte am Weg | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Restaurants (Austrian) | Main from € 5.00
Am Kahlenberg 47 | Outer districts | +4313203075
Mon & Wed – Sat 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 10 :00 -19:00

It is a long and windy road to get to the top. The best way is to take the bus or go by car, but there are some crazy people actually going all the way up by bike! Either way, it is worth it. The view you have over Vienna is amazing!

If you go all the way to the top you may as well take a walk to the nearby hill, the Leopoldsberg. And at the foot of the Kahlenberg, there is a nice little town, the Kahlenbergdorf. There, surrounded by vineyards, you can rest in one of the Heurige, a local restaurants, and enjoy a glass of wine.

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Kahlenberg | Relaxing
Kahlenberg (Reachable by the bus 38A) | Outer districts
24 hours daily

As soon as the first sun rays come out, there is one spot where people already sit in the sun, enjoying their café latte or their Aperol spritz – and this is Kunsthallencafé located on Karlsplatz.

It immediately gives you a holiday feeling when sitting either on the big terrace of the restaurant overlooking the Naschmarkt (see the Naschmarkt article) on one side or the Karlschurch at the other side. And when summertime is really here, there is also the chance – if you are fast – to grab one of the chairs in the grass and get the impression of chilling out on the beach.

Kunsthallencafé is the little sister of “Motto” (check the Motto article), it is the summer location of Bernd Schlacher, who is the owner of not only Motto and Kunsthallencafé but of another spot, “Halle” in Museumsquartier as well.

The system is basically the same in all three of them: Providing good atmosphere with chill out (and sometimes live) music, Asian-Austrian-Mediterranean kitchen for prices which are affordable but not too favorable, tempting the young, urban, stylish people to go there and have a good time. Well, and this is what you can expect from Kunsthallencafé for sure!

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Kunsthallencafé | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Relaxing, Snacks, Restaurants (International)
Treitlstraße 2 (Karlsplatz) | Inner districts | +4315870073
10:00 – 02:00 daily | DJ-Line Summer Wed – Sun, Winter Sat – Sun from 14:00

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There is no better meeting point in Vienna than MuseumsQuartier (for “insiders”: Muqua): Either you go to one of the many museums or you have breakfast at one of the various restaurants. Either you buy good and quite unique presents or just get some new ideas at the shop. Whatever you want to do, you can find it on this 60.000 m2 area.

As one of the ten biggest cultural spots in the world, MuseumsQuartier offers a huge variety of different art museums like Leopold Museum and MUMOK (Museum of modern art), modern exhibition halls such as Kunsthalle Wien or festivals like Wiener Festwochen or ImPulsTanz Festival. Moreover, you can also find the Tanzquartier (the location for modern dance, both training and shows), the Architekturzentrum (center for architecture), a museum for children (ZOOM), some smaller galleries and production studios. It is just all in one.

But even though Vienna is known for its cultural taste, locals more or less use MuseumsQuartier for another reason: To hang out and enjoy each other’s company. Whenever you walk through the area you always see a lot of mostly young people sitting around, having some drinks, reading and simply having a good time.

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MuseumsQuartier | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing, Snacks, Theaters
Museumsplatz 1/5 | Inner districts | +4315235881
Museums generally 10:00 – 18:00 daily

I have been living in Vienna for more than 13 years now, and I am still happy like a child if I locate interesting spots: One of these findings is the “Pure living bakery”. When I accompanied a friend home from a walk in Schönbrunn, we literally stumbled over this tiny cafeteria – and knew: We have to come back!

“Pure living bakery” is unique here in Vienna, it could rather be found in California: Rumours say that the owner, a former stewardess, collected not only recipes and ideas for the delicious cakes, muffins and waffles on her trips but also every little detail of the interior. Soaps, “furniture buttons”, candles, mirrors, mugs, gift wrap paper – it is amazing how much fits in the quite small shop-restaurant. And the good news is: You can buy almost everything you see to decorate your own kitchen or bathroom.

Apart from the cosy atmosphere, the kitchy interior you definitely have to mention the drinks and food: My friend found THE best coffee ever (according to her of course) here and I have to admit, that I am in love with cinnamon roll or the New York Cheese Cake. Moreover, Pure living bakery offers bagels breakfast till 15:00 and on weekends, American Pancakes with maple sirup, strawberry juice and whipped cream. I could go on like this forever and I definitely have to come back – especially in April, when they re-open their beautiful garden…

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Pure living bakery | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping
Altgasse 12 | Inner districts
Mon – Fri 09:30 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 13:00 – 18:00

The Sargfabrik is Vienna’s biggest self-governing community and cultural building. There are flats, a kindergarten, a concert hall, meeting rooms and a bath house (sauna, swimming pool, wellness area).

They have nice cultural events and nice concerts, usually focusing on alternative and world music. Here is the program!

It is definitly worth a visit if you are interested in the arcitecture and also in the project itself. That it’s name means “coffin factory” is not just a curiosity, it realy used to be one!

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Sargfabrik | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events
Goldschlagstraße 169/2 | Outer districts | +430198898121
Mon – Tue 12:00 – 17:00, Wed – Fri 12:00 – 23:00

The Sargfabrik is Vienna’s biggest self-governing community and cultural building. You’ll find flats, a kindergarten, a café/bar, a concert hall, meeting rooms and our beloved bath house! They do have nice cultural events, nice concerts and also the bar we can recommend, but this article we want to dedicate to the bath house as it is so special!

Usually one has to pay a yearly membership to enter the bath house, but they also open their doors a few times per month to the public: the public bath day!

In the bath house you will find the place to relax and to incorporate body and soul. They have a Swimming pool, a sauna, a tepidarium, a whirlpool and bathtubs. Bring a bottle of wine and relax with your partner in a bathtub, read a book or enjoy a massage. Chill out music and candles create the perfect atmosphere. You are free to decide whether you want to wear a bathing suit or not (90% decide not to). For those who come spontaneously towels are available for rent.

Please check their website for the exact dates, usually it is open on every first Friday and on the 2nd, 3rd and last Wednesday of the month and there are also special dates only for women or only for man.

If you visit the bath house the first time you can ask for a free entrance on their website.

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Sargfabrik-bathhouse | Relaxing | Entrance € 10.90
Goldschlagstr. 169 | Outer districts | +43198898111
See the website

A hooker saloon in former times, Tanzcafé Jenseits with worn-out red Brocade and Plush everywhere, cosy booths, dimmed light, golden lusters, cannot deny its past. And it does not want to hide it.

Jenseits means “Afterlife” or “on the other side”: Entering the Tanzcafé really is transferring you to another side – of Vienna, as it was but also as it is nowadays. First, you will be shocked by the air filled with cigarette smoke and all the people in the relatively small club. But within some minutes, you are going to be infected by the relaxed atmosphere and talk to one of the other guests having the time of your life.

It is not surprising that Tanzcafé Jenseits is known as one of those spots you can go to whenever you want: If you feel like going out after midnight, like joining a party till the sun rises and meeting lots of different people – you are going to find it there for sure. For further information about the DJ line-up and special events look at their website, which is not updated regularly but at least gives you a broad overview of the place.

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Tanzcafé Jenseits | Bars, Music, Relaxing
Nelkengasse 3 | Inner districts | +4315871233
Mon – Sat 21:00 – 04:00

Only fair traded and organic products are offered in Weltcafé, which is an important part of the student and alternative scene in Vienna. Located in the university district, it was the first coffee-shop mostly offering products from developing countries with focus on coffee, chocolate and tea in 2005.

But Weltcafé is not only a spot for getting extraordinary good coffee compositions or all kind of tea varieties, it is also known for international kitchen and exotic dishes for a fair price. Every day you get lunch menus including soup and main plate for €5,80 – and if you stay longer, you can enjoy the daily cocktail happy hour from 20:00 till 23:00, which is definitely worth a try as well. Moreover, there is a Sunday brunch starting at 10:00 and offering international breakfast from all over the world.

The relaxed and “living-room”-atmosphere of the place provides a good spot for music events, exhibitions, readings, discussions and much more. As part of the fair-trade scene Weltcafé´s intention is clear: They want to inform and teach people about fair trade, about developing countries, about political issues – it is about being aware. But it is also about entertaining, feeling good and having a great time!

In 2010, Weltcafé features one country every month – with special food, a movie evening, some discussions and exhibitions. In March it is all about Mosambik (e.g. a talk about development and tourism on the 24th of March) – and it´s worth the journey, you bet!

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Weltcafé | Art & culture, Bars, Relaxing, Restaurants (Intern.) | Snacks from € 1.70
Schwarzspanierstraße 15 | Inner districts | +4314053741
09:00 – 02:00 daily (Jul – Aug 09:00 – 22:00)