If you have yet to visit the pond on Karlsplatz, it definitely deserves to be far up on your Viennese bucket list. The oval pond was built in the 1970s and seems to fit in just perfectly with the adjacent urban jungle. Its border is made out of concrete, slightly elevated off the ground, with a few steps on either side leading up to the edge and into the water, respectively.

I’ll be honest, the pond itself is not extraordinarily spectacular, but there is absolute beauty and a magical feeling on the surrounding square. Karlsplatz is always busy, vibrant and full of life. You will experience it quite differently depending on the season you are visiting.

In October leaves are changing their colors and falling off the trees, slowly dancing their way into the pond. People are sitting at the pond trying to catch the last warm sunrays, the atmosphere being morbid in fear of the cold season to arrive. When the cold starts to kick in, a Christmas market is established alongside the pond. Now, the water in the pond is gone, instead it’s filled up with bales of hay for kids (or adults) to play with. With a Punsch or Glühwein in hands, trudging through the snow, this time is also quite magical (though there will be more tourists than usually).