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City Guide - Vienna - Nightlife | ||
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Nightlife The most popular cluster of bars is around the Bermuda Dreieck (Bermuda Triangle), the old Jewish Quarter in the area around Ruprechtskirche. Other districts with fewer tourists include the Spittelberg area around Amerlinghaus in the seventh and eighth districts, and in the fourth district adjacent to the Naschmarkt. A lot of the best places in Vienna won't be obvious to tourists as they are marketed strictly at the locals and aren't necessarily in the centre of town. Quite a few clubs are filled with 'schicki-micki' (style-conscious) party-goers, and many of the clubs operate choosy door policies where the beautiful or the correctly dressed waltz past the queue. For information on what kind of sound and crowd to expect on a certain night of the week, pick up the Falter listings paper (website: www.falter.at) or check out one of the websites dedicated to the club scene (www.club.at or www.rave.at). Clubs generally stay open until 0200 during the week and 0400 on the weekend, but there is considerable variation. For late, late nights, there are quite a few bars in the first district that are open until 0300, 0400 or even later. Alternatives to the club and bar scene abound, and hip and trendy Viennese still enjoy traditional favourites like Heurigen and the city's many balls. Balls: The ball season takes place during Fasching, the winter carnival season from New Year's Eve until the beginning of Lent. Of the 300 or so balls, the most prestigious are the Imperial Ball on New Year's Eve and the Opera Ball. The highlight of the Viennese social calendar is the Opera Ball (tel: (01) 5144 42606), which takes place in late February/early March in the elegant surroundings of the Staatsoper. Waltzers in long gowns and dinner jackets twirl under chandeliers recalling a bygone era. New Year's Eve is marked not only by the Kaiserball (Imperial Ball) in the Hofburg (tel: (01) 5873 66623; fax: (01) 58755 71249), but also by the conversion of the city centre into the world's largest ballroom. Bars: The American Bar, Dorotheergasse 14, designed by the famous Austrian architect Adolf Loos, lies just off Kärntner Strasse. It is a small, quiet space that makes a good getaway from the crowds. The Spittelberg area (seventh district) is dotted with bars, including the perennially popular Amerlingsbeisl (Stiftgasse 8), with its leafy garden, and Blue Box, Richtergasse 8, which has a different DJ each night. Other popular spots include Café Europa, Zollergasse 8 and Chelsea, Lerchenfeldergürtel 29-31 (under the S-Bahn archeS). Casinos: The Casino Wien, Kärntner Strasse 41 (tel: (01) 512 4836), is the most central of Vienna's casinos. The casino opens at 1500 and admission is free. The minimum age for admission is 18 years and dress is smart. Either and identity card or passport must be shown to gain admission. Chief games are roulette, blackjack and poker. There are also 184 slot machines. Clubs: One of the hottest clubs in Vienna is Volksgarten, Burgring 1on the Ringstrasse, which offers raves on Friday and Saturday from 2200 until late in the morning and draws a very dressed-up crowd. Flex at Augartenbrücke, draws ravers and all sorts of alternative types. U4, Schönbrunner Strasse 222, is still going strong, with a different style happening every night of the week. P1, Rotgasse 9 is a popular spot for a (very) young international crowd. Roxy, Faulmanngasse 4, Lindbergh, Mahlerstrasse 11, and Atrium, Schwindgasse 4, are also worth checking out for a change from the techno scene, as the music tends to be the latest dance hits and nothing too heavy. Coffee Houses (Kaffeehäuser): The coffee shops are an essential part of Viennese life. For the price of a coffee (usually about öS35) one can sit all day with the papers, one's work, or just watching the world go by. The new szene houses attract a young, trendy crowd. Stein, Kolingasse 1, is the king of the new style, with minimalist décor, on-line facilities, veggie fare and all-day breakfasts. Heurige: Originally the Viennese word for the wine of the latest harvest, the word heuriger now also refers to the place where it is sold. Each heuriger can only sell the wine produced on its own estate - and only for a maximum of 300 days for year. Although it is possible to have a heuriger in the centre of the city, the great locations are in the small villages in the 10th - 23rd districts, like Grinzing, Nussdorf, Heiligenstadt, Sievering and Stammersdorf. Live music: Clair Piano Bar, Naglergasse 23, and Jazzland, Franz-Josefs-Kai 23, both offer what their names suggest. Open-air concerts are held on the Donauinsel in summer, and larger rock concerts are also performed at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. The main indoor venue for large acts is the Wiener Stadthalle. |