Vienna has one of the most diverse gay calendar of events to suit all tastes, from culture to fetish!
Vienna is consistently voted as one of the most gay-friendly capitals in Europe!
Gay Vienna offers something for almost every visitor: music, Mozart, mountains, strudel, lakes, cakes, castles and fine museums, both traditional and contemporary.
The capital, the Grand Dame of the country, is big, bold, hip and a work of exquisite art herself. Despite its impeccable cultural history, Vienna is a city that has not rested on its laurels. She regularly reinvents herself and this extends to becoming an extremely welcoming city for the LGBTI traveller. Perennially gay friendly, with parties and weekend festivals, being out and proud is de rigueur. Vienna is one of the most popular gay honeymoon destinations. The Austrian capital is one of the most tolerant and gay friendly cities in anywhere in Europe. LGBTI events are supported by the city council, and weeks before the Rainbow Parade gets under way the capital’s trams are decked out with rainbow flags. Indeed, The Austrian capital has a variety of sights, restaurants and the kind of spectacular and constantly changing nightlife for gays that other major European cities are hard pressed to match.
Vienna also has a fascinating gay history. Various leading historic figures are said to have had same-sex relationships, including Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736), who commissioned the famous Belvedere palace as his summer residence and the impressive Winter Palace in Vienna’s historic city center. Just ten minutes’ walk away from the Winter Palace is the historic Kaiserbründl sauna, a meeting place for gay men as long ago as the nineteenth century – and to this day.
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Naschmarkt is a bustling fresh fruit and vegetable market dating back to the 16th century. Several gay bars and cafes are found close by, including the well-known Café Savoy.
Visitors spend most of their time in the city center, and many of Vienna’s hotels and restaurants are conveniently located in or just outside the 1st District
Vienna Districts
Getting Around Gay Vienna
The best way to see the city is to traverse the Ringstrasse, the street that encircles the oldest part of the city. Streetcars Number 1 and Number 2 run here in opposite directions. The tram system operates on over a hundred miles of track, connecting 1,071 stations across the city, and the U-Bahn subway system has 104 stations on five color-coded lines. majority of gay bars, clubs and gay saunas in Vienna are located around Wienzeile street and the Naschmarkt open-market area which connects the 4th with the 6th district of the city.
City Bike is the bike share program of Vienna, with 120 stations in operation, and 1,500 bikes out on the streets the whole year. Click the English language button on their homepage for directions. Registration is required via the Internet or at a Citybike terminal using a VISA, MasterCard, or JCB credit card. Following that, you can take out one bike per card immediately. The first hour of each ride is free of charge. Wait 15 minutes before taking it out again and get another hour at no cost. Their website explains rental rates for longer times, but return the bike before the 4 hour mark and the total should not exceed 3 euros. Add 4 euros each time you pass any subsequent hour marks. Do not keep for 120 hours or more, and be sure the bike is properly locked when returned (or pay a hefty surcharge).
Weather
Spring starts in late March giving way to summer by June when the weather really warms up. During July and August, days can be very hot and humid with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (95°F).
Generally, summer is very pleasant and average temperatures are around 25/26°C. September signals the start on autumn, although what is known as an ‘Indian Summer’ often means mild temperatures and sunny days.
As autumn progresses, temperatures begin to cool and winds get stronger. In winter, Vienna can be wet, cloudy and cold. Average temperatures are between 3-5°C in January and February.
Over the past few years a young, dynamic and vibrant scene has established itself in the city which can hold up its head with pride in a comparison with the other major European capitals such as London and Berlin.
On the rather tongue-twisting, “Gumpendorferstrasse”, you will find many of the city’s most popular gay bars & cafes.
Vienna has a diverse range of club nights including the colorful “Imperial Madness”.
Vienna’s Circus Party is probably the most famous circuit event in the city taking place during key festivals and holidays.
Village bar is busy every night. Popular with a mix of locals and visitors.
The majority of gay bars can be found on the Rechte and Linke Wienzeile, just a short distance from the old town. The gay scene is part of the fabric of the city and not tucked away somewhere. Laid back cafés sit comfortably alongside hip bars, cool discos, fetish joints and trendy event locations. Much of the gay scene of club, bars and restaurants, is clustered just south-west of the ring road surrounding the historic city center, around Pilgramgasse, Neubaugasse, Museumsquartier and Karlsplatz subway or U-bahn stations.
Naschmarkt is probably the closest thing Vienna has to a gay quarter. Found on the banks of the Wien River, close to the famous Museums Quarter, Naschmarkt is a bustling fresh fruit and vegetable market dating back to the 16th century. Several gay bars and cafes are found close by, including the well-known Café Savoy.
A stone’s throw from Naschmarkt, you’ll find Gumpendorferstraße (Gumpendorf Street), known for its lively restaurants and bars – several of which are popular amongst the city’s gay residents, while the area around Linke Weinzeile, just down the river from Naschmarkt, has historic ties to Vienna’s LGBT community and is still home to several cafes.
Vienna’s gay and lesbian scene is flourishing. Many establishments make it easy to be part of the “scene” all day long.
Visitors to Vienna have the pick of more than 66,000 beds in some 440 hotels and pensions. There is something for everybody, from five-star superior hotel to low-budget accommodations and noble former palaces to brand new hostels.
Readers Choice
In the first district, designer Terence Conran’s hotel is reminiscent of a high-end Nordic ski lodge (all blond wood and recessed lighting). Molton Brown toiletries and thoughtful touches such as complimentary wine and cozy reading nooks give the rooms a homey vibe. Check Rates
Great Prices & Quality
Ruby Hotels reiterate their commitment to lean luxury paired with strong design and affordable prices with Ruby Lissi. Check Rates
Smart Luxury!
The smart luxury Hotel Daniel Vienna has taken up residence in a former 1960s office building just around the corner from the Hauptbahnhof station. Check Rates!
The best way to discover Vienna is by walking. The city reveals treasures around every corner. The Ringstrasse, for example, is the street that leads to all things cultural and historic, with grand architecture from the Baroque to Art Deco to modernist ’70s houses of glass, magnificent Vienna State Opera House and a row of hip, old-school cafés.
Take in the architecture of the Ringstrasse and you will experience the best the city has to offer!
Vienna is truly a gay-friendly capital. Look around and you will see why!
Explore the history of the Hapsburgs in the stunning Schönbrunn Palace!
The Naschmarkt, as well as being home to the gay scene is also worth a visit for the beautiful market!
The city’s arts and culture scene comprises countless theaters, museums and opera houses – with the Burgtheater and Vienna State Opera warranting particular mention owing to their top international standing. Meanwhile the MuseumsQuartier complex has a distinctly young and hip vibe. Its numerous bars and exhibitions are a magnet for gays and lesbians, particularly during the summer months. And in Löwenherz, Vienna can also boast a book store which is exclusively given over to gay and lesbian literature.
Then there’s the mind-boggling scale of the museums on offer. You’ll find museums dedicated schnapps, textiles, undertaking, the graphic arts and even torture, among many. For music aficionados there’s the unmissable museum of Kunsthistoriches, Leopold, the Liechtenstein Palace and, for equine magnificence, the Lipizzaner Museum.
Make sure to see the Kunst Historisches Museum, the stately fine arts museum with its unmatched collection of pieces by Breughel, Titian, Rembrandt, and Rubens. Among the best historical structures is the Schönbrunn Palace, where you can explore the history of the Habsburg rulers.
Art and culture have long traditions in Vienna, including theatre, opera, classical music and fine arts. The Burgtheater, the Akademietheater, Volkstheater Wien, and the Theater in der Josefstadt are nobtable examples. Many smaller theaters are less mainstream, with modern experimental productions and cabaret.
The works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss can be heard at various venues around town including the Palais Liechtenstein. Mozart became a celebrated composer here, with a wide circle of friends, giving concerts at the houses of the Viennese nobility. His last surviving residence (1784 to 1787) Mozarthaus Vienna, is open to the public at Domgasse 5. This grand apartment was home during his happiest years, when he wrote his most popular opera, The Marriage of Figaro.
The Vienna Boys Choir sings during Sunday Mass at Hofburgkapelle, the Hofburg Chapel, at the Imperial Palace, from mid-September to the end of June; also now and then at MuTh, Vienna‘s new music and theater venue, and the Konzerthaus Mozartsaal.
A simple stroll along any of the streets in the first district will introduce you to the wonders of the city. From world class opera houses to stunning rococo palaces, Vienna will leave you breathless. Fortunately you can take a break at one of the city’s many fine eateries! Viennese cuisine has brought us some of the most famous dishes in the world! From charming coffee houses to avant-garde restaurants, the city is a culinary delight!
Enjoy the original Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher Vienna!
Fall in love with the Traffic Light inspired goodies at Ampelparchen-Rocks!
Vintage levis and an eclectic sneaker collection make E35 a must for fashionistas!
Motto Vienna delivers classic Viennese dishes with a twist!
A true bon vivant will know that Viennese Cuisine is the only cuisine in the world to be named after a city. Viennese chefs draw on influences from various countries to conjure up exciting dishes that never fail to capture the imagination.
Sample the culinary delight of tafelspitz, slow boiled beef served with horseradish and chive sauce. Also on the menu,of course, is Vienna Schnitzel. You think you’ve had ViennaSchnitzel before? Not until you’ve had it in Vienna!
The Viennese love fusions of old and new so start your food adventure at Zum Schwarzen Kameel (The Black Camel), agreat place to sample the city’s signature tiny sandwiches.
Gasthauses—or taverns—have long been known for staples such as Kalbsbutterschnitzel (veal schnitzel) and Wiener Würstchen (sausages). Among the best is the first district’s Gasthaus Pöschl. In summer, tables spill out onto the Franziskanerplatz.
Tucked into a corner of the first district, Zum Finsteren Stern specializes in updated regional classics such as tender chicken breast with parsnip-beet hash. Book a table in the cobblestoned courtyard outside the front doors.
Vienna’s longest shopping street, Mariahilfer Strasse is located right next door to the MuseumsQuartier, with hundreds of stores selling fashion jewelry and accessories.
Smaller original shops can be found lining the side streets concentrated around Neubaugasse and the romantic cobbled streets of Spittelberg, Where cult fashion boutique Tiberius has a well-established retail presence. But anyone looking for a more luxury experience should head for Kärntner Strasse, Graben, Kohlmarkt and the Goldenes Quartier in the city center
