Viennese winter dreams

Happy New Year!

The start of the legendary Viennese winter with all its charming possibilities: In January and February, the federal capital offers 450 balls with a total of more than 2,000 hours of ball fun. In addition, the cafés invite you to a coffee house concert, the pastry shops and restaurants to the delights of Viennese cuisine and, to top it all off, there are exhibitions, festivals and ice-skating experiences. The Viennese winter dream as it is written in the book.


The first few weeks of the year are dominated by three-quarter time in Vienna.
This begins with the turn of the year, which is celebrated here with the New Year's Eve trail through the old town. Champagne and snacks are served at stalls and colossal live acts are performed on stages. And there is waltzing in the Old Town squares - for example on the central Stephansplatz, when the Pummerin, the great bell in St. Stephen's Cathedral, rings in the New Year at the stroke of midnight.


The waltz dream continues at the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert.
The concert in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, which is always completely sold out, is broadcast all over the world. Andris Nelsons conducts in 2020. The 450 balls of the ball season in January and February offer a veritable waltz Eldorado. The elegant Hofburg New Year's Eve Ball kicks things off, with the famous Opera Ball (February 20) being the highlight. The Philharmonic Ball, the Kaffeesiederball and the Johann Strauss Ball are further highlights of the ball season. Those who prefer a less classical style can celebrate in trendy clubs such as Flex, Grelle Forelle, Pratersauna or Volksgarten Disco.


If fall is "the" Heurigen season in Vienna, late winter is the ideal time for a coffee house.
Not only do these oases of comfort provide a cozy end to many a shopping tour through the shopping streets. Connoisseurs have long since discovered the café as an attractive breakfast spot - or appreciate the combination of delicious pastries and lively music in the concert café. Incidentally, the selection of delicious pastries in the city's patisseries is even more sumptuous. After all, the rich range of pastries is just as much a part of Viennese cuisine as its landmarks schnitzel and Kaiserschmarren.


After dessert, it's off to the museum:
The two great old masters Caravaggio and Bernini are the focus of an exhibition at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna (until 19 January). The Leopold Museum is devoting two exhibitions to German Expressionism (until April) and the expressive work of Richard Gerstl (until January 20). Kunst Haus Wien reviews street photography from seven decades (until mid-February). The MAK - Museum of Applied Arts provides a fitting stage for the "all-designer of Viennese Modernism" Otto Prutscher. While Gunther von Hagen gives us fascinating insights into his "Body Worlds" (until February). With Cindy Sherman, the Bank Austria Kunstforum is focusing on a very special photography exhibition dedicated to the themes of identity and transformation within contemporary art (end of January). The modern theme continues with Herbert Brandl and the exhibition "Exposed to Painting" at Belvedere 21 (end of January). The Albertina is focusing on Wilhelm Leibl in the new year and is showing the representative of German Realism in a comprehensive exhibition. And while we're on the subject of cafés: The Lower Belvedere is presenting "Into the Night. The Avant-Garde in the Night Café", a brilliant exhibition. On display is art from the 1880s to the 1960s (mid-February). The annual regent Ludwig van Beethoven accompanies us at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna and the National Library with exhibitions that exude their very own flavor.


Sport is also part of the Viennese winter program,
because the cold season (November to March) offers the perfect opportunity for ice skating or curling. The Eistraum (January to the beginning of March) transforms Rathausplatz into a 9,000 m² ice rink on two levels, where you can skate to popular music hits or take a leisurely stroll along the winding ice paths in the adjacent park.

www.wien.info
Image credit: @ WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud/Couture Vivienne Westwood Vienna
Caption: Vienna Opera Ball