Vienna Unwrapped Inspiration and Planning For Independent Travellers who are visiting Vienna
Which are the best things to do in Vienna in May 2024 to break up your sightseeing? Because it’s prime season, May has rare opportunities for music and outdoor lovers in store. If you need additional tips for classical music events, check my tips in Vienna concerts.
1. Taste The Genussfestival Food Fair
For three days, Vienna’s Stadtpark will turn into Austria’s biggest food fair. The more than 190 stalls are a good opportunity to eat your way through Austrian food, from my beloved Austrian sourdough bread to Viennese potato gulash, cheese Knöpfle from Vorarlberg, and sweet poppy seed gnocchi from Waldviertel.
Apart from that, you can watch a chef create themed tasters of Austrian regional dishes. At the ‘origins tent’, Austrian farmers and bakers show their work traditions.
Dates:
Location: Stadtpark, Parkring 1010 Vienna
2. Join The Festival Of Joy
Each year, the brilliant Wiener Symphoniker celebrate the triumph of the Allied Forces over the Nazi Regime with the free open air concert Fest der Freude (Festival of Joy). In 2024, it will be 79 years since the end of World War II. Not only does the vibrant atmosphere of 10,000 people on Heldenplatz take away your breath, but the amazing music and sound system supported by dramatic light installations. Mostly, you can expect 19th and 20th century classics such as Mahler, Ravel and Korngold. Though what really moves the audience is Beethoven’s Ode To Joy (Ode an die Freude) from his famous 9th Symphony.
Date: 8th May 2024, from 7.30 pm
Location: Heldenplatz square, in front of Neue Burg (Hofburg)
3. Mother’s Day With the Vienna Boys Choir
On Austrian Mother’s Day, some Viennese mums will get treated to a special concert with the Vienna Boys Choir.
During a matinée at the prestigious Golden Hall of Vienna’s Musikverein, the world’s most famous boys choir will perform diverse works: from 19th century classics by Schubert, Giuseppe Verdi and Johann Strauss, to film music by Ennio Morricone, Irving Berlin and Willie Nelson. In addition, the rising girl choir stars Wiener Chormädchen will complement the experience.
Date: 12th May 2024;
Location: Musikverein, Musikvereinsplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Tickets: enquire about tickets +43 (0)1 505 81 90
4. Participate In 29th Tour De Vin
Things to do in Vienna May 2024. On the first weekend this month, wine lovers from across Austria may flock to various wine growing areas close to the Danube. For the 28th time, 40 top local vintners will open their wine cellar doors and fresh wine bottles to share their treasures and wine growing knowledge. Simply get a ‘Tour-de-Vin button’ for EUR 30 at any participating winery, which entitles you to wine tastings across all wineries.
Date: 3rd to 5th May 2024
Location: 77 vintners in Traisental, Kremstal, Kamptal, Wagram, Baden bei Wien and Carnuntum, see details on website
Admission: EUR 30
Transport: To get there from Vienna and tour the vintners, either rent a car, or hire a private car and driver. For a comprehensive trip itinerary including other local highlights and tips for accommodation please get in touch with me, referencing the Tour de Vin.
5. Dance At The Concordia Ball
Things to do in Vienna May 2024. Thanks to the pandemic and ongoing uncertainties Concordia Ball will take another break this year. From the spring of 2023 Vienna’s ball regulars will be able to jump back into their ball gowns and black ties for a spring night of waltz and cha-cha-cha in Vienna’s City Hall. Find out more in Best Vienna Balls.
Dates: 24th May 2024
Location: Wiener Rathaus
Tickets: get tickets
6. Attend Musikverein Concerts
You may know the Musikverein’s Golden Hall from the Vienna New Year’s Concert that is broadcast worldwide each year. May might get you the opportunity to experience top quality concerts there, along with other local music fans. For example, when the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra interpret Prokofiev’s piano concerto no 3, or the Vienna Boys Choir stages their anniversary concert.
Dates: various in May 2024 (Musikverein);
Location: Wiener Musikverein; Musikvereinsplatz 1, 1010 Vienna;
Tickets: get tickets for Musikverein;
7. Take An Easy E-Bike Tour
Each weekend, Viennese flock to their ‘house mountains’ Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg. They are packed with lush vineyards, woods, panorama views, historic buildings and a good dozen of wineries. Equally popular is the Danube Island.
I’m not a great biker but joined a similar tour in the summer of 2018. Since then I have become an e-bike fan. This easy e-bike tour is the best outdoor fun in the Vienna Woods and Danube Island . Read more.
8. Cook With Viennese Foodies
We may share the same experience here but I think off-path activities and encounters with ‘natives’ always feel special: Perhaps because they add authenticity to a holiday.
In my home city, you can connect with a group of Viennese foodies by cooking and dining with them at their own homes. (That’s actually me on the left in the photo, with two of the hobby cooks.) Find out more in Vienna cooking classes with private dining.
9. Head For A Day To Salzburg
While you will enjoy the city of Salzburg whatever the season there are activities in the surroundings that are only open in the warmer months.
Just take the lake district, Salzkammergut, for example. Boat rides on its most famous lakes like Hallstaetter See, Wolfgangsee or Attersee are mostly possible between mid April and October.
Likewise, a visit to the Giant Ice Caves at Werfen is only doable between May and October. Find out more about day trips from Vienna to Salzburg in Vienna Tours to Salzburg.
10. Visit The Danube Valley
The Danube Valley of Wachau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a boat ride from Spitz to Dürnstein was one of the first trips I took my husband on to show him the best of my home country. This well conceptualised tour covers all that we had seen.
The highlight is definitely the extended boat ride from Spitz to Melk, and the fantastic baroque abbey of Melk which towers over the Danube. Many villages and towns like Krems date back to the Middle Ages (1305), boasting houses with coats of arms and metre-thick walls, big city gates and watchtowers.
Access details of the Danube Valley Day Trip.
11. More Things to do in Vienna May: Bratislava By Boat
Many readers ask me about my thoughts on a boatride on the Vienna Danube… and I always come up with Bratislava. The stretch of the Danube between these two cities is picturesque and green. I travelled from Central Vienna in just over an hour by high speed catamaran and had the whole day to see a gem of a European capital. You can find the full story and travel details in my review of our mini Danube cruise.
Check things to do during other months:
Things to do in Vienna, April
Things to do in Vienna, June
go to Vienna Attractions – Guide to Hotspots and Insider Tips
find out about Best Boat Trips On the Danube And In Vienna
go to Visit Vienna – 20 Free Vacation Tools and Travel Tips
how other travellers have used Vienna Unwrapped’s Vienna Travel Planning services
visit Vienna Tourism Calendar
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