Are you embarking on a bike trip to Austria and does your cycle touring experience include, among other stages, the Austrian capital? Here are some tips on what to do outdoors in Vienna, to enjoy the summer in one of the most fascinating cities in Europe.

Indeed, because the long Habsburg rule and the continuous relations with different peoples have left Vienna with deep historical and cultural traits that are reflected in elegant buildings, luxurious residences, churches, museums, and castles. But the Austrian capital is not just a monumental city, it is also the most livable and greenest city in the world.

For this reason, in Vienna, outdoor activities are of equal importance, quality, and quantity as all other cultural proposals within historic places and museums.

6 tips on outdoor activities to do in Vienna

1. Breathe deeply in the center of Vienna

It may seem incredible, but Vienna boasts more than 1000 parks and green spaces. Everywhere, in every neighborhood in the center or slightly on the outskirts there are flower beds, gardens, rose gardens, boundless meadows and tree-lined avenues that often also frame scenic ponds.

In Vienna, you can really breathe deeply at all times. Green areas are perfect not just for those seeking relaxation and contact with nature, but also for those who love long walks, jogging, or biking. The most famous and scenic parks are those of Schönbrunn, Belvedere, and Stadtpark, but it is the lesser-known ones that reserve the best surprises.

Some are particularly suggestive like the Blumengärten Hirschstetten and the Kurpark Oberlaa, with countless themed gardens that make you feel like you're traveling the world. The Volksgarten is enchanting in spring when thousands of rose bushes are in bloom. And then there are those that reproduce a Japanese garden like the Setagayapark, or those built on Ottoman trenches or even on a cemetery.

2. Hiking in the Wienerwald and the Donau-Auen

Vienna is surrounded by the mountains and gentle slopes of the famous Vienna Woods where picturesque small villages arise to be explored at a leisurely pace, such as Nussdorf, Grinzing, Salmannsdorf, and Sievering. Here the landscape is dominated by vineyards and woods through which numerous well-marked trails have been created that offer unforgettable experiences to hiking lovers.

You don't need to cover too many kilometers to admire breathtaking views or find yourself in green expanses where you can stop for a picnic. To explore them you can choose various levels of difficulty, adapting them to your needs. Some of the most popular spots among hikers are Cobenzl, Am Himmel, Kahlenberg, and Leopoldsberg mountains. The vast former imperial hunting estate of Lainzer Tiergarten where nature is still unspoiled is also a popular destination.

And what if I told you that south of Vienna there is also a National Park with a river landscape unique in Europe? At Donau-Auen, you can indulge in many outdoor activities: in addition to classic hikes, the trails are perfect for birdwatching lovers.

3. Vienna and outdoor sports activities

Vienna loves sports and promotes and facilitates them everywhere, even outdoors.

In recent years it has developed a bicycle path network as long as 1,660 km. In public parks, squares, or along the banks of the Danube, there are numerous equipment and areas designated to specific sports activities.

At Donauinsel and Alte Donau the paths are also set up for people who love roller skating and there are beach volleyball courts, a surf school, a water ski lift, and the possibility to rent boats, canoes, or sup.

Throughout the city, there are both recreational and Olympic swimming pools and adventure parks. Almost all public parks have skateboard tracks, climbing walls, basketball courts, and fitness equipment.

4. Vienna's amusement parks

Among the various activities proposed by Vienna for leisure time, a bit of pure fun and adrenaline cannot be missing. The historic Prater has about 250 attractions ranging from classic rides to those suitable only for the bravest.

Less known is the Böhmischer Prater, a smaller park suitable for families with a somewhat nostalgic atmosphere.

Both are nestled among meadows and woods: a complete offer for those who want to spend an entire day outdoors.

5. Alternative outdoor tour of Vienna: the murals

Lovers of art but not of that enclosed between four walls? Vienna is increasingly becoming an open-air museum not only for those who love the sumptuous architecture of the past but also for those who appreciate a touch of modernity. Thanks to the numerous annual events, every neighborhood in Vienna hosts important works of street art that harmoniously coexist with all other architectural styles of the past.

They often are located in less touristy areas, but that doesn't mean they should be ignored, quite the contrary! One of the most beautiful and rich areas of street art is along the U4 subway railway (towards Gürtel from the Kettenbrückengasse stop) or around Mariahilfer Straße.

For those who want a guaranteed find, the Donaukanal near Schwedenplatz is studded with artistic creations on both banks.

Hunting for murals is one of the most enjoyable activities to do outdoors for those who are looking for something unusual in Vienna and it is made possible by the endless bike and pedestrian paths that wind along all the streets of the center, even the most marginal ones.

6. Travel the Ringstrasse or the banks of the Danube

Another area that can be pleasantly explored on foot or by bike is the Ringstrasse, defined as "the most beautiful boulevard in the world". It is a 5 km horseshoe-shaped route that passes in front of the most beautiful and representative buildings of the 800's historic architecture desired by Franz Joseph I.

Indeed, the Ringstrasse overlooks: The Stock Exchange Palace, the Votive Church, the Rossauer Barracks, the University, the Parliament, the City hall (Rathaus), the museums of Natural History (Naturhistorisches Museum), History of Art (Kunsthistorisches Museum), the Hofburg and the National Theater of Opera (Burgtheater).

There is no need to confine yourself only to museums to admire the beauty of Vienna and to discover its most intimate corners.

Vienna is the perfect starting or ending point for a holiday along the Danube cycle path, but also for a bike trip between the European capitals. The itinerary possibilities are really numerous, on Cyclando you find almost twenty, all comparable, customizable, and bookable online. Click and ride!