Prater & Donaustadt

The Vienna Ferris Wheel (1897) is one of the city's most famous landmarks — and one of the oldest operating Ferris wheels in the world. The enclosed wooden cabins (no open gondolas!) rotate leisurely at a height of 64.75 meters, offering a nostalgic panoramic view over Vienna. Since the film "The Third Man" (1949) — in which Orson Welles delivers his famous cuckoo clock speech in a cabin — the Ferris wheel has been part of film history.

Practical Information

• Ride: One rotation takes about 20 minutes. Admission: €15 (adults). Combo tickets with Madame Tussauds or the Prater Museum available.
• Best time: In the evening when it's dark — Vienna lights up beneath you. Or in the morning (few visitors, clear view).

Wurstelprater

The Wurstelprater (Viennese simply say "Prater") is the amusement park around the Ferris wheel: roller coasters, ghost trains, bumper cars, shooting galleries, and sausage stands. Not Disneyland — more of a nostalgic fairground with charm. Admission to the grounds is free — you only pay for the individual rides. Perfect for families and a relaxed evening.

The Green Prater is Vienna's largest park — 6 km² of floodplain forest, meadows, and the famous Main Avenue: a 4.4 km long, straight chestnut avenue, inviting for strolling, jogging, and cycling since the 18th century. Emperor Joseph II opened the former imperial hunting ground to everyone in 1766 — since then, the Prater has been Vienna's most democratic place.

Activities in the Green Prater

• Jogging & Cycling: The Main Avenue is Vienna's most popular running track — flat, shady, 4.4 km round trip. Bicycles can be rented via WienMobil Rad (bike rental system).
• City Hiking Trail 9: A hiking trail through the Prater — 10 km along the Danube, through floodplain forests and over meadows. Surprisingly wild for a metropolis.
• Schweizerhaus: The legendary beer garden in the Prater — Stelze (pork knuckle, crispy, huge) and a mug of Budweiser Budvar on tap. A Viennese institution since 1920. Open: March–October.
• Lusthaus: The historic hunting lodge at the end of the Main Avenue — now a restaurant with a garden. Vienna's most romantic spot for a lunch in the green.

Danube Island

The Danube Island is a 21 km long artificial island between the Danube and the New Danube — created during the construction of flood protection in the 1970s. Today, it is Vienna's city beach and leisure paradise: swimming in the New Danube (bathing quality!), barbecuing, cycling, inline skating, and in summer the Donauinselfest (end of June) — Europe's largest open-air festival with 3 million visitors and free entry.

• Beach: The Copa Cagrana (north shore) and the south shore have sandy areas, bars, and restaurants right by the water. Admission: free.
• Water sports: Stand-up paddling, kayaking, and water skiing on the New Danube.
• Access: Subway U1, station "Donauinsel" — 10 minutes from Stephansplatz.

Old Danube

The Old Danube is a natural oxbow lake — a tranquil lake in the middle of the city, perfect for boating, swimming, and chilling. Pedal boat rental, sailing clubs, beach baths (Gänsehäufel — Vienna's largest beach bath, €5 entry), and restaurants on the shore. Quieter and more "local" than the Danube Island — this is where Viennese spend their summer weekends.

Danube Tower

The Danube Tower (252 m) in the Danube Park offers from its observation deck (150 m) the widest view over Vienna — on clear days up to the Carpathians. Admission: €16. In the revolving restaurant, you can dine while the platform rotates once around its axis in 40 minutes.