Vienna in bloom! With the arrival of blooming flowers, mild temperatures and longer daylight hours, the city bursts into life. The season, which spans from March to June, brings a refreshing and vibrant atmosphere when Vienna's parks and gardens come alive with colorful blossoms and lush greenery. Outdoor cafes set up their tables and the city's cultural calendar starts buzzing with events, concerts and festivals.
One of the highlights of spring in Vienna is the Easter celebrations. Easter markets spring up across the city in March & April, offering a mix of traditional crafts, Easter decorations and delicious treats.
These are our favorite To-Dos during this beautiful season:
Stroll through the blossoming parks and gardens
Setagayapark | @chaulafanita
Blossoms symbolize spring and new beginnings. In Vienna, spring bloomers also stand for friendship between different cultures. As winter recedes, Vienna's green spaces and numerous parks transform into enchanting landscapes that blossom in beautiful pink, white and yellow colors from mid March. Here are a few gardens and parks where you can admire and photograph some beautifully blossoming trees:
Visiting Setagayapark in the nineteenth district is like visiting Japan. This hidden gem is the perfect place to admire the sea of white and pink during cherry blossom season in April. For years the district Döbling has maintained a friendship and cultural agreement with the Setagaya district in Tokyo. This gave rise to the idea of the garden, which now houses a true Japanese paradise in the middle of Vienna, covering an area of 4,700 square meters.
Another piece of Japan can be found at the Danube Island. The idyllic cherry tree groves were a gift from Japan presented to Austria to mark its millennial anniversary in 1996.
Stadtpark is also full of lush cherry blossoms, ornamental shrubs and flowers arranged in formal beds. The highlight is the gilded statue of Johann Strauss surrounded by colorful tulips. In front of the parks and gardens office in Stadtpark you'll probaply find the most famous magnolia trees.
Another popular and beautiful photo motif are the cherry blossoms and magnolia trees at Sigmund Freud Park with the majestic Votive Church in the background.
Located in the heart of the city, Burggarten and Volksgarten are one of Vienna's most beloved parks, especially in spring, when the parks come to life with tulips and blooming trees.
Taking a walk through Vienna’s Prater park is also an absolute must in spring, when the 2.500 chestnut trees that line the four-and-a-half-kilometer-long Prater Hauptallee are into full bloom from April.
At Mexikoplatz you can admire the romantic scenery of the Franz-von-Assisi Church which is surrounded by hundreds of cherry blossoms.
If you want to stroll through an alley of breathtaking pink trees, the best place to visit is Schlachthausgasse/Hainburger Weg. These flowers usually bloom in the first week of April and last for about two weeks.
Visit Vienna's Easter Markets
Old Viennese Easter Market at Freyung
Easter markets are a popular celebration of spring here in Vienna. They take place annually in the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday in March and April. Such markets typically offer products and decorations related to Easter. These include traditional Easter items such as painted Easter eggs, Easter bunny figurines, Easter candles and other seasonal craft products. There you'll also find a lot of traditional food like "Kaiserschmarrn" or "Osterpinze" and family-friendly activities. These markes are an absolute spring highlight and a must during this time of the year! The markets are held in several locations across the city:
Easter Market at Schönbrunn
Old Viennese Easter Market
Easter Market Am Hof
If you want to learn more about them and their opening hours read our article "Easter in Vienna".
Visit one of Vienna's Open Air Events
Steiermarktfrühling at Rathausplatz
Besides the Easter Markets, Vienna also offers a lot of other Open Air Events! Throughout the season, various squares, parks, and iconic venues transform into dynamic stages for outdoor performances, concerts, and festivals to celebrate spring. These are our favorite FREE To-Dos:
(for more events & their dates follow us on Instgram to see our weekly and monthly previews)
Experience Styria at Steiermarkfrühling in the beginning of April. The focus is on the diversity and unmistakable charm of Styria. Over four days, the town hall square is transformed into a lively backdrop where almost 100 Styrian producers, craftsmen, restaurateurs and artists offer an insight into regional customs. In addition to the gastronomic offerings, there is a varied entertainment program with live music, traditional dances and culinary demonstrations.
In the middle of April Austria's largest cycling event offers a varied program. At the Bike Festival at Rathausplatz, around 150 exhibitors present their products and services to cycling enthusiasts and those who want to become one.
At the End of April the Spring Festival takes place at Lainzer Tiergarten. A maypole will be set up there (Maibaum aufstellen), you can enjoy musical performances and regional delicacies and children can take part in handicrafts workshops with natural materials, wood sawing and much more.
On May 1st you can celebrate spring at the traditional Maifest at Prater. There will be a great children's program and from 2 pm various artists perform on the show stage at the Kaiserwiese. On this day you'll also get a discount for the Prater attractions!
On May 1st at "Tag der Arbeit" ( Austria's Labor Day) the city's squares, such as Rathausplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz, also come alive with the "Maikundgebung" various open-air gatherings, street performances, raves and more!
At the beginning of May, the Vienna Stadtpark will be turned into a place of epicurean delights: The "Genuss-Festival" is a showcase for select culinary specialties from across Austria.
At Stefflkirtag arts and crafts, plenty of traditional food and drink as well as church services, top-class church music and concerts are on the program! For 12 days in May, there is a colorful hustle and bustle with 58 stalls in the center of Vienna, on Stephansplatz. The net proceeds are donated to St. Stephen's Cathedral.
The Summer Night Concert is one of the great highlights of the Philharmoniker's year. In the beginning of June, this classical open-air concert takes place annually in Schönbrunn Palace Park.
In the middle of June 'waldviertelpur' takes place at Rathausplatz. The event sees itself as a cultural and culinary bridge between the Waldviertel in Lower Austria and Vienna. 100 exhibitors with culinary delights and handicrafts and numerous music acts enable visitors to discover the Waldviertel in an authentic and multifaceted way.
Discover Naschmarkt
Naschmarkt
One of the most popular farmer markets in Vienna is Naschmarkt. This market is open year-round but it’s best visited in late spring when you can wander around in the open air at your leisure. Stretching over 1.5 kilometers, the Naschmarkt is a sensory delight with an array of stalls selling colorful fruits, vegetables, cheeses, spices, and much more. It's not just a place to shop for groceries, it's also a culinary hub where visitors can sample international cuisines, enjoy freshly prepared dishes, and savor Viennese delicacies. In addition to the stalls, there are a number of restaurants, where you can enjoy the international cuisine outside! If you want to learn more about this famous market and its rich history and want to try some samples, head over to our Naschmarkt Tour.
Go for a hike at Kahlenberg
Kahlenberg | ©Vienna PASS / Bernhard Luck
One of Vienna's city hiking paths (number 1) is the hiking to Kahlenberg. It's an uphill walk through vineyards and wooded hills rewarded by a marvellous view of Vienna and the Danube - surrounded by lossoming trees!
The starting point and the end of the hike is the last stop of tram line D (Nußdorf). From there the path is 11 kilometres long and the hiking time is approximately 3 and a half to 4 hours. On the way you'll pass Cafés, Restaurants and Heuriger in Wildgrubgasse, Kahlenberger Straße and Nußdorf where you can try Viennese wines and delicacies. You’ll really start to love this trail when you begin to catch the mesmerizing views over the city. Whether you're seeking a serene escape from the city or a chance to embrace Vienna's beauty from a different perspective, the city hike at Kahlenberg is a great activity for a warm spring day!
Explore the amusement park Prater
Praterturm Swing | @natalie_wien
The Viennese know that spring has arrived when people come to the famous Prater Park, attracted by the greenery and blossoms of the chestnut trees. As soon as it gets warm, the many attractions open again and people flock to the grounds. Besides the iconic Giant Ferris Wheel you can discover turbulent roller coasters, spooky ghost trains, restaurants and snack stands. And don't forget the Maifest, which takes place on May 1st and offers discounts!
After taking a ride on one of the many attractions you can visit one of Prater's restaurants like the famous Schweizerhaus which opens on March 15th. Besides the classic Viennese culinary specialties, such as Goulash and Wiener Schnitzel, the trademark dish of the restaurant is Schweinsstelzen - and you have to try it! Basically, a Stelze is an huge pork knuckle, which is first boiled with caraway seeds to produce tender salty meat before then being roasted to create the most amazing crispy crackling.
Right next to the amusement park area, you'll find the "Green Prater", the spacious forest and meadow area which was once an imperial hunting ground and was opened by Emperor Joseph II to the public. It's a paradise for walkers, runners, bicyclists and riders. Just walk along the romantic tree alley when the 2.500 chestnut trees are into full bloom from April.
Enjoy Coffee in one of Vienna's Schanigärten
Spittelberg, Horváth Weinstüberl
As soon as the sun shines and the temperatures rise, people take a seat in one of Vienna's Schanigärten (sidewalk cafés) to enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine outdoors. The typically Viennese sidewalk cafés are set up on the first warm sunny days in spring (or even late winter) but officially the season starts on March 1st. When the weather's cool, the waiters bring warm blankets. Here are some of our favorite ones:
The most beautiful sidewalk cafés can be found in public squares. On the picturesque St.-Ulrichs-Platz guests can sit under shady trees with a view to a baroque church surrounded by old houses. Right in the middle of it you can find the sidewalk cafés of the trendy restaurants Ulrich, Erich and the cozy Burggasse 24. Another idyllic square is Piaristenplatz where you come across the italian restaurant Il Sestante.
The revitalized Biedermeier district Spittelberg also has countless restaurants, cafés and bars with idyllic gardens - often slightly hidden in romantic courtyards. The young crowd like to go to the Amerling-Beisl. The idyllic Biedermeier garden in the inner courtyard is especially worth seeing. The pretty Tian Bistro serves great vegetarian cuisine.
The city-end of Praterstrasse has developed into one of the most beautiful sidewalk café areas in Vienna. On the wide sidewalks, which are lined with shady trees, you will find several inviting places to linger. There you can explore the Georgian cuisine of Café Ansari or enjoy Japanese food at Mochi. At Ramasuri, guests sit on colorful chairs outdoors between pink blooming plants with a view of the Nestroy memorial.
Segafredo am Graben or Chattanooga are located directly on one of the main/central shopping streets in Vienna. At sidewalk cafés seeing and being seen plays a big role. They are the perfect places to observe passers-by.
If you are looking for beautiful outdoor dining locations, we have something for you here: "Beautiful Outdoor Dining Spots".
Celebrate Easter on Easter Sunday
Easter Market at Schönbrunn
Frohe Ostern! (Happy Easter!) This is how to celebrate Easter like an Austrian.
In Austria, Easter is full of rich symbolism, customs and traditions. There are many rituals associated with Easter, for example painting easter eggs, the easter bonfire or the "Osterjause" (the Festive Easter Meal). On Easter Sunday, children are delighted to find hidden Easter nests full of chocolate and other little treats in their gardens that are hid by the Easter Bunny (Osterhase).
If you're in Vienna on Easter Sunday, these are some things you can do on that day:
Have an Easter brunch
Hide and seek easter eggs in one of Vienna's parks
Paint caramics at "Made by You"
Go Easter Shopping at an Easter Market
Have an Easter Picnic in one of Vienna's parks
Take an Electric Oldtimer Tour through Vienna
Electric Oldtimer Tour
Spring is also an ideal time for exploring the city! Our recommendation for a spring excursion: Discover it in style and comfort with an electric vintage car tour. Your private driver will take you on a tour of Vienna's iconic landmarks while sharing fascinating and lesser-known stories about the city. Relax in a comfortable, weatherproof, and emission-free vehicle and enjoy the unique sights of Vienna without any distracting engine noise.
Whether you're a first-time visitor or a local, the classic car tour offers a fresh perspective on Austria's cultural capital. You can book the tour here.
To-Dos in Spring
12 mins reading time
Mar 7, 2024
Kathrin Schwarz
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