Vienna's rooftops: the imperial city from above
A capital on the Danube
The capital of Austria and the country's largest city, Vienna is home to around 2 million people. Set on the banks of the Danube, in the heart of Central Europe, it was for centuries the residence of the Habsburgs and the capital of an empire. Today it is one of the seats of the United Nations and the country's leading cultural, political and economic centre. The city is divided into 23 numbered districts, from the 1st, the Innere Stadt, to the neighbourhoods on the left bank of the Danube, and its historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
Its landmarks are famous the world over: St. Stephen's Cathedral and its glazed-tile roof, the Hofburg, the Ringstrasse lined with palaces, opera houses and museums, Schönbrunn Palace, the Belvedere and the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater, not to mention Viennese coffee houses and a musical life that has seen Mozart, Beethoven and the Strauss dynasty pass through.
Why head up high
Vienna is a fairly low-rise city, with few towers to block the view: from a rooftop you can take in, at a single glance, the spire of St. Stephen's, the domes of churches and museums, the green copper roofs of the Ringstrasse and, on the horizon, the line of the Vienna Woods hills and the Kahlenberg. The city's rooftops occupy the top floors of design hotels, department stores, museums and more unusual buildings. Many terraces come alive mainly from April to October, while other venues, glazed or covered, welcome guests all year round.
Where to head up high in Vienna
Facing St. Stephen's Cathedral
The heart of the city boasts the most spectacular views of the cathedral. On the 9th floor of the Hotel Lamée, Lamée Rooftop, covered and heated in winter, seems close enough to touch its spire. At the top of the Steffl department store on Kärntner Straße, Sky combines a café-restaurant, a bar and a Roofgarden planted with trees. On the 10th floor of the Hotel Royal, Ristorante Settimo Cielo serves Italian cuisine facing the cathedral's tiled roof. Just by the Hoher Markt, ORGANICS Sky Garden opens a large, leafy terrace in summer.
On the Ringstrasse and along the Danube Canal
On the Schubertring, the Ritz-Carlton's Atmosphere Rooftop Bar spreads out a flower-filled summer garden from April to October, facing the cathedral and the dome of St. Charles's Church. Across the Danube Canal, on the 18th floor of the Jean Nouvel-designed SO/ Vienna, Das LOFT pairs a fully glazed restaurant and bar beneath a ceiling by Pipilotti Rist. Near the Stadtpark, on the roof of the Hoxton, Cayo Coco plays the Cuban card, with a pool and a terrace.
Around the MuseumsQuartier and Mariahilf
On the museum side, the Zur Libelle bar sets up in the warmer months on the MQ Libelle terrace, on the roof of the Leopold Museum, facing the domes of the great museums. Right next door, the 25hours Hotel's Dachboden cultivates a quirky atmosphere of DJs and house cocktails. In the Mariahilf district, Chez Bernard, at the top of the Hotel MOTTO, blends Parisian elegance with a punk touch; Mariatrink, on the 7th floor of the Jaz in the City, focuses on music; and 360° OCEAN SKY, at the top of a former flak tower turned aquarium, offers a complete panorama of the city, every day of the year.
In the Prater, near the Belvedere and along the Danube
Above the Prater's fairground rides, The Living Kitchen, on the top floor of Zoku Vienna, serves Mediterranean sharing dishes facing the Giant Ferris Wheel. Near the Belvedere, Aurora Rooftop Bar, on the 16th floor of the Hyatt Regency Vienna, goes for a Nordic feel with a fireplace and a large terrace. Opposite the main railway station, MOOONS Rooftop Bar opens a terrace on the 11th floor in summer. Finally, in the Donaupark, the Donauturm's Turm Restaurant turns slowly 170 metres above the ground: there is no terrace here, but an exceptional panorama over the whole city.
Cocktails, food and atmosphere
A range of prices
Prices are shown in euros. In laid-back venues such as The Living Kitchen, Settimo Cielo, 360° OCEAN SKY or Mariatrink, a cocktail often costs €11–15. In most hotel bars and the most popular terraces, expect to pay more like €15–19, and as much as €20–26 at the Ritz-Carlton's Atmosphere. Several venues also serve breakfast or brunch, such as Sky, Das LOFT, Aurora and The Living Kitchen.
A rooftop for every occasion
As a couple, with friends or with family
For a dinner for two, the glazed dining room at Das LOFT, the terrace at Settimo Cielo or the Donauturm's revolving restaurant make a real impression. With friends, the DJ nights at Dachboden, Mariatrink or Aurora keep the evening going, while ORGANICS Sky Garden and Cayo Coco lend themselves to long summer evenings. With family, 360° OCEAN SKY, after a visit to the aquarium, and the Donauturm, with its panoramic terrace, are the easiest to reach.
Getting around easily
The centre is easy to explore on foot, and the metro (U-Bahn), the Ring trams and buses serve the whole city. The Stephansplatz (U1, U3) and Schwedenplatz (U1, U4) stations lead to the rooftops in the centre and to Das LOFT, Stadtpark (U4) to the Ritz-Carlton and the Hoxton, Volkstheater and MuseumsQuartier (U2, U3) to the MuseumsQuartier, Neubaugasse (U3) to Mariahilf, Messe-Prater (U2) to Zoku, Hauptbahnhof (U1) to MOOONS and Alte Donau (U1) to the Donauturm.
Tips for enjoying Vienna's rooftops
Season, booking and dress code
Open-air terraces come alive mainly from May to September, and several only reopen in spring, such as Atmosphere, ORGANICS Sky Garden, MOOONS Rooftop Bar, Zur Libelle and the terrace at Chez Bernard; they often close in bad weather. Glazed or covered venues, such as Das LOFT, Lamée, Sky and Aurora, stay open all year round. Some bars take no reservations at all, such as Dachboden and MOOONS Rooftop Bar; elsewhere, it is best to book for sunset. Finally, smart attire is appreciated in upmarket hotel bars, and access to the Donauturm requires an admission ticket.
Photo : Joseolgon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0