Viennese nightlife offers something for everyone. You can dance into the morning hours, hear a concert, attend an opera or festival, go to the theater, gamble, or simply sit and talk over a drink at a local tavern. The best source of information about the cultural scene is Wien Monatsprogramm, which is distributed free at tourist information offices and at many hotel reception desks. On Thursdays, Die Presse, the Viennese daily, publishes the major cultural events for the coming week. It’s in German but might still be helpful to you.
The Viennese are not known for discounting their cultural presentations. However, Wien Monatsprogramm lists outlets where you can purchase tickets in advance, cutting down the surcharge imposed by travel agencies, usually by about 22%. If you’re not a student and don’t want to go bankrupt to see a performance at the Staatsoper or the Burgtheater, you can purchase standing-room tickets at a cost of about 5€ ($8). Students under 27 with valid IDs are eligible for many discounts. The Burgtheater, Akademietheater, and Staatsoper sell student tickets for just 10€ ($16) the night of the performance. Theaters routinely grant students about 20% off the regular ticket price.
Vienna is the home of four major symphony orchestras, including the world-acclaimed Vienna Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic. In addition to the ÖRF Symphony Orchestra and the Niederöster-reichische Tonkünstler, there are dozens of others, ranging from smaller orchestras to chamber orchestras.
Music is at the heart of Vienna’s cultural life. This has been true for centuries, and the city continues to lure composers, librettists, musicians, and music lovers. You can find places to enjoy everything from chamber music and pop to waltzes and jazz. You’ll find small discos and large concert halls, as well as musical theaters. If you tire of aural entertainment, you’ll find no shortage of theater, from classical to avant-garde. We describe just a few of the better-known spots for cultural recreation; if you’re in Vienna long enough, you’ll find many other delights on your own.
Vienna’s blossoming bar scene centers on the Bermuda Triangle, an area roughly bordered by Judengasse, Seitenstättengasse Rabensteig, and Franz-Josefs-Kai. You’ll find everything from intimate watering holes to large bars with live music, a sample of which we review. The closest U-Bahn stop is Schwedenplatz.
Beurigen, or wine taverns, on the outskirts of Vienna have long been celebrated in operetta, film, and song. Grinzing is the most-visited district; other heurigen neighborhoods include Sievering, Neustift, and Heiligenstadt.
Grinzing lies at the edge of the Vienna Woods, a short distance northwest of the center. Much of Grinzing looks the way it did when Beethoven lived nearby. It’s a district of crooked old streets and houses, with thick walls surrounding inner courtyards where grape arbors shelter wine drinkers. The sound of zithers and accordions lasts long into the summer night.
The Third Man Lives — At Burg Kino, the theater marquee still features English-language presentations of The Third Man, with the names of the stars, Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles, in lights. When it was first released, the postwar Viennese were horrified at the depiction of their city as a “rat-infested rubble heap.” Over decades, they have come to love the film, which this cinema shows twice a week. Many young Viennese, as well as visitors from abroad, flock to screenings (in English) on Friday at 10:45pm, Sunday at 3:30pm, and Tuesday 4:15pm. Tickets cost 6€ to 8€ ($9.60-$13). U-Bahn: Karlsplatz.
