The most popular cluster
of bars is around the Bermuda Dreieck (Bermuda
Triangle), the old Jewish Quarter, in the area
around Ruprechtskirche.
Other districts with fewer tourists include the Spittelberg
area, around Amerlinghaus (in the Seventh and Eighth
Districts) and in the Fourth District, adjacent to the Naschmarkt.
A lot of the best places in Vienna will not be obvious to tourists,
as they are strictly marketed at the locals and are not necessarily
in the centre of the town. Quite a few clubs are filled with ‘schicki-micki’
(style-conscious) partygoers and many of these venues operate choosy
door policies, where the beautiful or the correctly dressed waltz
past the queue. Alternatives to the club and bar scene abound –
hip and trendy Viennese still enjoy traditional favourites, such
as Heurigen and the city’s many balls.
Clubs generally stay open until 0200 hrs during the week and 0400
hrs on the weekend, although there is considerable variation. For
late, late nights, there are quite a few bars in the First District
that are open until 0300 hrs, 0400 hrs or even later. The
legal drinking age is 18 years. A beer costs, in general,
between €3 and €4, and up to €5 for a small beer
in the more upmarket bars and clubs.
For information on what kind of sound and crowd to expect on any
given night of the week, pick up the Der
Falter listings paper or check out the online information on
the club scene
Balls
The ball season takes place during Fasching, Vienna’s
winter carnival season from New Year’s Eve until the beginning
of Lent.
Of the 300 or so balls, the most prestigious are the New
Year’s Eve Imperial Ball and the Opera Ball.
The latter is the highlight of the Viennese social calendar and
takes place in the elegant surroundings of the Staatsoper,
Hanuschgasse 3, on the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday. Waltzers
in long gowns and dinner jackets twirl under the chandeliers, recalling
the splendour and romance of a bygone era. New Year’s Eve
is marked not only by the Kaiserball (Imperial
Ball) in the Hofburg,
Innerer Burghof 1, Kaisertor, but also by the conversion of the
city centre into the world’s largest ballroom.
Bars
The American Bar, Kärntnerdurchgang 1, lies
just off Kärntnerstrasse. Designed by the famous Austrian architect,
Adolf Loos, in 1908, it is a small, quiet space that serves as an
excellent getaway from the crowds.
The Spittelberg area (Seventh District) is dotted with bars, including
the perennially popular Amerlingsbeisl, Stiftgasse
8, with its leafy garden, and Blue Box, Richtergasse
8, which hosts a different DJ each night.
The Bermuda Triangle, in the Jewish area around
Schwedenplatz, also contains many attractive bars. Other popular
spots include Café Europa, Zollergasse 8,
and Chelsea, Lerchenfeldergürtel 29–31,
situated under the S-Bahn arches, with regular live concerts and
football by satellite from England.
Casinos
The Casino
Wien, Palais Esterházy, Kärntnerstrasse 41, is the
most central of Vienna’s casinos. Casino Wien opens at 1500
hrs and admission is free. The minimum age for admission
is 18 years and either an identity card or passport must
be shown. Games include roulette, poker and blackjack, as well as
184 slot machines. The dress code is smart.
Clubs
One of the hottest clubs in Vienna is Volksgarten,
Burgring 1 located on the Ringstrasse, which offers raves on Friday
and Saturday from 2200 hrs until late in the morning and draws a
very dressed-up crowd.
Flex,
Augartenbrücke, draws ravers and all sorts of alternative types,
while U4, Schönbrunner Strasse 222, is still going strong,
with a different theme every night of the week. P1,
Rotgasse, is a popular spot for a (very) young international crowd.
Club Roxy, Faulmanngasse 4, Lindbergh, Mahlerstrasse
11, and Atrium, Schwindgasse 4, are also worth
checking out for a change from the techno scene and the music at
these venues tends to be the latest dance hits but nothing too heavy.
Coffee Houses (Kaffeehäuser)
The coffee shops are an essential part of life in the city. For
the price of a coffee one can sit for hours with the papers, some
work, a book, or just watching the world go by. The new ‘szene
houses’ attract a young, trendy crowd. Stein,
Währingerstrasse 6–8), is the king of the new style,
with minimalist decor, Internet facilities, veggie fare and all-day
breakfasts. Café Demel, Kohlmarkt 14, is
the best and most expensive of the old-style cafés –
the pastries are not to be missed.
Heurigen
Originally the Viennese word for the wine of the latest harvest,
the word heuriger now also refers to the place where this wine is
sold. Each heuriger can only sell the wine produced on its own estate
and only for a maximum of 300 days in the year. Although it is possible
to have heurigen in the centre of Vienna, the best locations are
in the small villages in the Tenth to 23rd Districts, such as Grinzing,
Nussdorf, Heiligenstadt, Sievering and Stammersdorf.
Live music
A converted porn cinema, Porgy
& Bess, Riemengasse 11, near the Stubentor U-bahn stop,
is now Vienna’s best jazz club.
Clair
Piano Bar, Naglergasse 23, and Jazzland, Franz-Josefs-Kai 23,
both offer what their names suggest.
Open-air concerts are held on the Donauinsel (Danube Island) in
summer, while larger rock concerts are performed at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion,
Meiereistrasse 2. The main indoor venue for large acts is the Wiener
Stadthalle, Vogelweidplatz 14. |
