Excursions to the outskirts of Vienna

4 wonderful excursions that weren't on your list

Your short break in Vienna is great, but you need a quick vacation from the city. Here are our 4 tips for slowing down in Vienna.

1. Stammersdorf
2. Lainzer Tiergarten
3. Hermannskogel
4. Am Himmel

1. Stammersdorf

Stammersdorf is located on the “other side” of the Danube in the 21st district of Floridsdorf. Take the number 228 bus from Floridsdorf station (U6 and S-Bahn) to Vienna's most beautiful wine village. Even though it has been incorporated since 1938, it has retained its village charm.

According to wienerwein.at there are 14 wine taverns in Stammersdorf - we say: “Respect” and don't try them all in one day. The area is perfect for hiking. Hiking apps such as Komoot or Outdooractive will give you good suggestions. Our tip: Head to Langenzersdorf at the foot of the Bisamberg in the middle of the Viennese Weinviertel.

An interesting fact: the 6,000-year-old “Venus vom Bisamberg” was found here on the Bisamberg in 1955.

Photo: Tegrafik, Pixabay

2. Lainzer Tiergarten

The Lainzer Tiergarten is a former imperial hunting ground and, above all, it is large. Its extensive wall is more than 20 km long. It is part of the Vienna Woods, partly still with its original flora and fauna.

Here you can not only roam through nature, observe many wild animals, but also discover culture. The Hermesvilla, Empress Sisi's “castle of dreams”, is home to various exhibitions.

2 things that a wall around a park entails are important here: opening hours and at which gate you want to enter the park.

From Hütteldorf station (S-Bahn and U4) it is only a few minutes to the Nikolaitor, which is a little further away from the Hermesvilla. Here you would be closer to the Lainzer Tor. You can reach it via Hietzing station (U4) and the 56B bus.

You can find all the details on the Lainzer Tiergarten website.

Photo: Andreas N., Pixabay

3. Hermannskogel

Vienna's highest elevation is the Hermannskogel at 544 meters. It is part of Vienna's 19th district of Döbling, the Vienna Woods, and the Kahlengebirge, named after its neighbor, the Kahlenberg.

Who doesn't want to climb Vienna's highest peak? Take the city hiking trail 2, a pleasant circular route of around 10 km with several places to stop for refreshments. The hike starts in Sievering, at the terminus of bus line 39A. It is best to get off the streetcar line D at Gunoldstraße, which comes directly from the center of Vienna. Once in Sievering, walk along Agnesgasse to Salmannsdorfer Höhe. The view from the Habsburgwarte on the Hermannskogel is wonderful and far-reaching. On a clear day, you can see the Schneeberg in the so-called Vienna Alps in Lower Austria.

Have fun hiking!

Photo: Henry Fokuhl, Pixabay

4. Am Himmel

More than 25 years ago, a popular excursion destination was also built in Vienna's 19th district of Döbling “Am Himmel”: The “Tree of Life Circle” as a sustainable natural monument.

The area is also part of the Vienna Woods, but that is no longer a surprise.

In addition to the Tree of Life Circle, the area also includes Café Oktogon, the Sisi Chapel, the natural children's playground, and the Am Himmel vineyard.

40 trees of life stand in 2 circles and represent the course of a year. Visitors can go in search of their tree of life. Similar to the signs of the zodiac, each tree represents a birth circle. As soon as you stand in front of your tree, it will tell you a story, we promise.

To visit the Tree of Life Circle, we recommend you take streetcar line D from the city center to Nußdorf, get on bus 38A, and ride to the Cobenzl parking lot, then walk another 10 minutes and you will arrive at your Tree of Life.

We think that sounds like a great, unusual excursion.

Photo: Philipp Stelzel, Unsplash