Coming from Canada, we are particularly hungry for architecture and visual arts, and attractions tend to close early. What we picked so far is Summer Opera (opernsommer.at), The Danube Tower, and just walking around the Innere Stadt. Perhaps, you could recommend some areas with beautiful evening illumination, fountains or light installations (such as Hochstrahlbrunnen, MAK and Museum of Change)? Smaller art spaces which stay open later? Neighborhoods with interesting public art to walk by in the evening?
Posted by
NZ
52 posts
The Hundertwasser 'village' which features apartments, shops and a museum by the architect. Trams go very near- its only a short distance from the centre of Vienna.
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Thank you, Jennie. Will definitely check it out.
Posted by
Northwest Arkansas
1039 posts
The Rathausplatz Film Festival.
Posted by
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
25449 posts
Emily? What happened to Emily? This is the sort of thing she is brilliant at.
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Our trip is in 4 months, so hopefully Emily will suggest something intersting by then :-) I love this forum, thank you all for useful info.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
6462 posts
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is open late on Thursday nights.
I went to the Schuebel Auer Heuriger one evening. It is easy to get to by tram D.
https://www.schuebel-auer.at/
Emily had a great post on areas to explore here:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/quaint-streets-in-vienna-to-explore
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Thank you, Laura. This is exactly what I was looking for.
Posted by
Chicagoland
1883 posts
Find a Heuriger. A rustic wine tavern with food, music and laughter. We went to one years ago and had a great time. Here's a post from a couple years ago. See Emily's suggestions.
Posted by
Washington DC
30169 posts
Here are some places open late, according to notes I put together for a summer 2024 trip; you should verify. This list is in roughly geographical order.
- Michaelkirche (St Michael's): Open till 10 PM daily.
- Hofburg Burggarten: Open till 10 PM daily.
- Volksgarten: Open around the clock daily.
- Kunsthalle Wien Karlsplatz (art): Open till 9 PM (and free 5 - 9 PM) on Thurs. Open till 7 PM Tue-Wed and Fri-Sun. Closed on Mon.
- Haus der Musik: Open till 10 PM daily.
- Heidi Horten Collection (art): Open till 9 PM on Thurs, till 7 PM other days except closed on Tues.
- National Library (Hofburg): Open till 9 PM on Thurs.
- House of Austrian History: Open till 9 PM on Thurs.
- Albertina Museum (art): Open till 9 PM on Wed and Fri.
- Natural History Museum: Open till 8 PM on Wed.
- Dom Museum: Open till 8 PM on Thurs.
- Jesuitenkirche: Open till 9 PM daily.
- Museum of Applied Art (MAK): Open till 9 PM on Tues. Reduce entry fee after 6 PM that day.
- Prater (amusement park): Open around the clock daily. Ferris wheel runs till 11:45 PM.
- Belvedere 21 (contemporary art, cinema and music): Open till 9 PM on Thurs.
- Kunsthalle Museumsplatz (art): Open till 9 PM (and free 5 - 9 PM) on Thurs. Open till 7 PM Tue-Wed and Fri-Sun. Closed on Mon.
- Foto Arsenal Wien: Open till 7 PM Tues-Sun.
- WestLicht Center for Photography: Open till 7 PM Tues-Sun.
- Schonbrunn Park: Open till 9 PM daily. Buildings and some outdoor areas close earlier.
I am a huge fan of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) architecture, with which Vienna is richly blessed. As long as the light holds out, there will be many lovely exteriors to see all over the city.
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Thank you so much for this detailed list. We are also fans of Art Nouveau, and wherever we go, I make a map of interesting buildings, facades, street installations, fountains, and also museums with days and hours. Upon receiving new recommendations, I put them on this map for a foretaste. Once actually there, we can just leisurely stroll through ‘high-concentration’ areas, and afterwards, I share this map with friends.
Posted by
2710 posts
We are also fans of Art Nouveau, ...
In Vienna these are the most remarkable Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) buildings, IMHO:
https://www.wienmuseum.at/otto_wagner_kirche_am_steinhof_en
https://www.luegerkirche-wien.at/mainhome.html
https://secession.at/en/
https://www.wienmuseum.at/otto_wagner_pavillon_karlsplatz_en
https://www.wienmuseum.at/otto_wagner_hofpavillon_hietzing_en
From my own experience I can recommend Stefan Riedl, a very entertaining guide who does special Jugendstil tours on request, showing other gems than the well known mentioned above. Contact him and specify your wishes. Don't be worried that his homepage is in German.
https://www.wien-entdecker.at/
Posted by
OP
14 posts
Thank you for the link. I see his homepage in English.
The apartment I rented with the only idea to have a separate bedroom for our teen daughter accidentally turned out to be within 5 to 10 minutes walk from Secession, Otto Wagner Pavillon Karlsplatz and Linke Wienzeile Buildings. Beginner’s luck :-)
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4217 posts
As wmt1 mentioned above , the Steinhof Church ( Kirche am Steinhof ) is absolutely spectacular and should be at the top of your list .If you visit MAK , one of the galleries displays the original full sized cartoon of Klimt's dining room frieze for the Palais Stoclet in Brussels ( with his hand written instructions for the tile work ) and next to it , the massive 1906 gesso panel by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh , of Maeterlinck's " Seven Princesses " This short video will give you an introduction to her brilliance https://youtu.be/p1jEHBj00Vk?si=vsFf3c3SbGKZ-26M Finally this video essay by Joesph Koerner of Harvard is a wonderful view of Vienna and its tortured history and culture https://youtu.be/AFZBOTgL_Hk?si=ZqJir1WbL73azenr
Posted by
Washington DC
30169 posts
Some additional Art Nouveau buildings, etc., from my trip notes. Perhaps some will be convenient to other stops you plan to make. Most of these are exterior visits only:
District I
- Fleischmarkt 1, 3, 7 and 14
- Ankeruhr (Anker Clock), Anker Insurance Building, Hoher Markt 10-11: Fabulous Art Nouveau clock with parading figures 1200 daily.
- Tuchlauben: Shopping street with Art Nouveau architecture.
- Hohe Brucke, Wipplingerstrasse 23: Art Nouveau bridge.
- Zum Weissen Engel Apotheke, Bognergasse 11: Art Nouveau facade with angel mosaics. Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1200.
- Palais Ferstel, Strauchgasse 4: Italian Renaissance-style arcade (1860) with one Art Nouveau entry way.
- Ankerhaus, Graben 10: Art Nouveau building by Otto Wagner.
- Artaria Haus, Kohlmarkt 9: Art Nouveau building.
- Stadtpark, Parkring 1: Nice park with Art Nouveau Wien River Promenade by Otto Wagner along canal (probably W side).
- Zacherlhaus, Brandstatte 6/Wildpretmarkt 2-4/Bauernmarket 2: Plecnik-designed building with Art Nouveau decorative elements
- Österreichische Postsparkasse (Austrian Post Savings Bank), Georg-Coch-Platz 2: Otto Wagner-designed building. Open Mon-Wed and Fri 1000-1800, Thu 1000-2000?
District II
- Schutzenhaus, Obere Donaustrasse 26: Otto Wagner building.
- Kirche zum Heiligen Franz von Assisi (St. Francis of Assisi Church), Mexikoplatz 12: Elisabethkapelle (on left next to choir) is Art Nouveau with gold, Secession-style mosaics. Open mornings only?
District III
- Kunst Haus Wien (Museum Hundertwasser), Untere Weissgerberstrasse 13: Redesigned by Hundertwasser; now a museum. Daily 10 AM to 6 PM?
- Hundertwasserhaus, Kegelgasse 37-39: Private housing; cannot enter. Avoid café, terrible tourist trap.
- Hundertwasser Village, Kegelgasse 36-38: Tire factory redeveloped for retail with design input from Hunderwasser. Daily 10 AM to 6 PM? Free entry.
- Palais Hoyos, Rennweg 3: Art Nouveau palace (now embassy) designed by Otto Wagner.
- Stadtpark S-Bahn pavilion: Designed by Wagner.
District IV
- Palais Rothschild, Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 26: Neo-Baroque building with Art Nouveau doorway. Now embassy.
- Café Goldegg, Argentinierstrasse 49: Art Nouveau café.
- Muhlgasse 26 and 28: Houses with Art Nouveau doors.
District V
- Pilgramgasse S-Bahn Pavillon: Otto Wagner-designed Art Nouveau pavilion at Pilgramgasse end of station platform.
- Café Rüdigerhof (5th), Hamburgerstrasse 20: Art Nouveau building
- Art Nouveau facades at far SW end of Naschmarkt, Rechte Weinziele.
District VI
- Fillgraderstiege, Fillgradergasse 8: Art Nouveau staircase connecting Fillgradergasse and Theobaldgasse.
- Majolikahaus (Majolica House), Linke Wienzeile 40: Otto Wagner building with very colorful tile façade. Two surrounding buildings at #38 and #42 also by Wagner.
- Arik-Brauer-Haus, Gumpendorfer Strasse 134/136: Early 1990s apartment building with Art Nouveau appearance. Much painted tile on façade.
District IX
- Spittelau waste incineration plant, Spittelauer Lände 45: Façade redesigned by Hundertwasser.
- Strudlhofstiege: Art Nouveau staircase between Strudlhofstiege and Liechtensteinstrasse.
District XI
- Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234: Some Art Nouveau architecture.
- Friedhofskirche Zum Heiligen Karl Borromäus (Church at Central Cemetery): Called “Art Nouveau”, but really looks more beautiful and distinctive than purely Art Nouveau.
District XIV
- Ernst Fuchs Museum (Otto Wagner Villa I), Hüttelbergstraße 26: Art Nouveau summer home of Otto Wagner restored and modified by Fuchs as venue for displaying Fuchs’ painting, sculpture and furniture. Tue-Sun 1000-1600?
To be continued...
Posted by
Washington DC
30169 posts
Continuing...
District XIX
- Karmelitenkonvent, Silbergasse 35: Constructed 1900; interior lovely and at least influenced by Art Nouveau. Unclear whether it can be visited.
District XXI
- Kirche zum Heiligen Leopold (St. Leopold’s Church), Kinzerplatz 19: Hilltop church with Art Nouveau interior by Otto Wagner. Open only for mass.
District XXII
Nussdorfer Wehr: Art Nouveau Weir and accoutrements designed by Otto Wagner.