The traditional summer film festival at Rathausplatz in front of Vienna City Hall will take place from 30 June to 2 September 2012.

Rathaus Film Festival 2012 Program

The exact program has not been released yet. You will find more information on this page as soon as it’s available. You can bookmark this page to get back to it later.

Film Start Times

As every year, the films will begin every day in the evening when it gets dark – starting after half past nine in July, the beginning will shift to earlier times (21:00, 20:30) as days will be getting shorter in August and September.

Rathaus Film Festival Entrance

Rathausplatz Film Festival is open air and entrance is free of charge. Reservations and not needed (and not possible). If you want to sit, make sure you come in front of the Rathaus early, especially when there is a better known film or opera.

Rathaus Film Festival Food and Restaurants

As every year, there will be many open-air restaurants and food stands at Rathausplatz during the film festival. They are usually open from 11:00 to 24:00 daily.

Vienna Rathausplatz Directions

Rathausplatz (City Hall Square) is located just off Ringstrasse in the south-western part of Innere Stadt (Inner City, the first district). It is close to many landmarks, including the Imperial Palace Hofburg, the museums at Maria-Theresien-Platz, Volksgarten, or Burgtheater (across the Ringstrasse from Rathausplatz).

The nearest U-Bahn stations are Rathaus (U2), Volkstheater (U2, U3), and Schottentor (U2). There is also very frequent tram service on Ringstrasse.

Rathaus Film Festival Accommodation

The time when the Rathaus Film Festival takes place – July and August – is when Vienna city centre gets most visited by tourists. Many hotels near Rathausplatz and the Inner City will be sold out, sometimes (especially for weekends) long in advance. It is highly recommended to book accommodation early. Search hotels near Vienna Rathausplatz directly or see more information:

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While the new Viennese main train station is being constructed, many long-distance trains have been redirected to the Train Station Wien Meidling instead of the Südbahnhof. If you need to find a hotel in Vienna, consider booking one close to Meidling Station, which offers excellent connections to all parts of Vienna and is less than 15 minutes by metro from the city centre.

The district of Meidling – a peaceful place to stay in Vienna

The 12th district of Meidling is a beautiful and peaceful part of Vienna and if you are looking for an accommodation away from the rush and noise of the city centre, this may be the place to stay.

Hotels in Wien Meidling

Because Meidling is not the place where most tourists typically search hotels, the selection of hotels is limited and sometimes most of them can be full. Booking your hotel in advance is therefore highly recommended. On the other hand, you may find better hotel prices in Meidling compared to the city centre.

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Hotels near Meidling Station and Schönbrunn Palace

Not far from Meidling Train Station is the Schönbrunn Palace, the Austrian Versailles, which Austrian Emperors have chosen as their favourite place to stay and live. If you like jogging, you must try a morning run in the Schönbrunn Gardens (you will meet a lot of Viennese runners on the way). Even if you don’t run, walking around the colourful flowers and fountains is also worth it.

There are several good hotels close to Schönbrunn and well accessible by public transport. If you want comfort and prime location, try Courtyard by Marriott Wien Schönbrunn. Or you can try the newly built (2007) 4 star Italian style hotel halfway between Meidling Station and Schönbrunn Palace (all walking distance), Hotel Casa D’Oro Luciani.

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Hotels between Wien Meidling and the city centre

If you want a kind of compromise, you can find a hotel somewhere along the way from Meidling Station to the city centre. There are many hotels of different quality and price levels near Wiener Stadthalle, Westbahnhof, or Mariahilfer Strasse. Each of these places is quickly accessible by metro from both Meidling and the city centre.

See more information about Wien Westbahnhof hotels.

The view from Spittelau metro station across the Donaukanal. The bridge serves to pedestrians and cyclists. On the left you can see the tracks of the metro line U6 heading from Spittelau to the north parts of Vienna. Hundertwasser heating plant (not visible on this picture) would be to the right. You can see it here: Fernwärme Wien Building in Spittelau.

Getting to Spittelau from Vienna city centre

From Vienna city centre you can easily get to Spittelau by U4, U6, or train. The U-Bahn station’s name is the same: Spittelau.

Shopping City Süd is the biggest shopping centre in Austria and therefore the main shopping site for the Viennese. For basic information and an idea about shops and services see Shopping City Süd in Vösendorf.

Opening hours at Shopping City Süd

Opening hours vary across the shops, but in general everything should be open between 10 am and 6 pm on the weekdays and on Saturdays. The supermarkets are open from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm on working days (9 pm on Thursdays), and from 8 am to 6 pm on Saturdays. Most non-food shops open at 9:30 in the morning. On Sundays the shops at Shopping City Süd are closed, like most shops in Austria.

The SCS Multiplex, the Leisure Zone, and the Food Court are open daily from 10 am till midnight. Of course this information is guidance only; you can check the details and updates on the website of Shopping City Süd.

Getting to Shopping City Süd by car

Shopping City Süd is located next to the highway crossing Vösendorf in the south-east part of Vienna. The highways which get you to Knoten Vösendorf are A2 (from Graz), S1 (from Schwechat, Bratislava, and Budapest), A21 (Wiener Aussenring Autobahn from Linz or Salzburg), and A23 (the Südosttangente from the north of Vienna).

If you drive on the A2, you can’t overlook it, as you will be driving along the Shopping City Süd for more than 1 km (though if you are coming from Graz, it is best to exit the highway on exit Mödling before you would be driving along the SCS).

If you don’t want to use the highways, you can get to the SCS from Vienna city centre over Triesterstrasse.

The coordinates of Shopping City Süd are 48° 6′ 30.47″ N and 16° 19′ 1.56″ E. There is plenty of parking space at Shopping City Süd (the capacity is about 10,000 cars), but even that gets quite full on the peak hours on Friday or Saturday.

Getting to Shopping City Süd by public transport

Unfortunately there is no metro or S-Bahn at Shopping City Süd, but you can take a bus number 207, 265, 360, 1155, 7941, or Gl to the stop Vösendorf SCS.

When you look at a map of Vienna, you will see that the Inner City (1st district) has roughly a round shape. Right in the centre of this circle there is Stephansplatz, or St. Stephen’s Square. The square bears the same name as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or Stephansdom, which stands here.

Tourists and hotels near Stephansplatz

During high tourist season Stephansplatz and the nearby streets are crowded by tourists who come to admire Stephansdom or to shop in the numerous shops in Graben or Kärntner Strasse, two of Vienna’s best known shopping streets which meet at Stephansplatz. There are also many restaurants and hotels near Stephansplatz. Its location is ideal for exploring the whole city. Many tourist attractions (e.g. the Imperial Palace Hofburg, Vienna State Opera, Albertina, or the Museums Quarter) are within 10 minutes walk from Stephansplatz. Other places in Vienna can be easily reached by metro (called U-Bahn in Vienna), whose two lines (U1 and U3) intersect at Stephansplatz Station.

View of Stephansplatz from Stephansdom Towers

St. Stephen’s Cathedral has two tall towers and both are accessible for visitors. Especially the South tower, one of the tallest church towers in the world, offers a wonderfull view of Vienna. From the South Tower you will see Stephansplatz and the people there far in the depth just like on this picture. Here you can read more about climbing on Stephansdom South Tower.

Haas Haus at Stephansplatz

On the right side of the picture you can see the controversial Haas Haus. While most people didn’t like its modern design at the beginning, it has somehow fitted in over time. When standing at Stephansplatz and looking at Haas Haus in the right angle (not on this picture), you can see a reflection of Stephansdom on its glass facade.

Belvedere Palace, one of the best known landmarks of Vienna, was built at the beginning of 18th century, first as a suburban entertainment villa of Prince Eugene of Savoy. The main architect was Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt, one of the top architects of the Austrian Baroque. The sculptures in the gardens were made by Giovanni Stanetti, who was invited to Vienna by Prince Eugene of Savoy from Venice.

Belvedere Gardens and Palace Today

Today Belvedere Gardens (Belvedere-Garten in German) are open to the public and located in the 3rd Viennese district (Landstrasse). The area also includes the Botanical Gardens of Vienna University (Botanischer Garten der Universität) and the Alpine Garden (Alpen-Garten).

You can also visit a museum inside the Belvedere Palace (Österreichische Galerie Belvedere).

Getting to Belvedere Gardens in Vienna

Belvedere Gardens are quite large and well accessible from multiple sides. The north side of Belvedere Gardens is not far (within walking distance) from Karlsplatz (U-Bahn station) and Schwarzenbergplatz. Good starting points for exploring the Belvedere are also the train stations Wien Rennweg and Wien Südbahnhof (both with excellent S-Bahn coverage).

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Designer Outlet Parndorf near Vienna, Austria

Designer Outlet Parndorf is the largest outlet shopping centre in Central Europe. It has more than 150 shops with over 600 brands and focuses mainly (but not only) on designer fashion. Parndorf outlet is located near Parndorf (a village), about 50 km from Vienna to the east, very close to the border of Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. The best connection between Vienna and Parndorf outlet centre is by car on highway A4 (Ost Autobahn Vienna – Budapest).

Hotels close to Parndorf Outlet Shopping Centre

There is one hotel immediately next to Designer Outlet Parndorf: the 4 star hotel Pannonia Tower, which provides free internet, free parking, and several other amenities (some windows offer great views of the nearby Neusiedler See).

Other hotels are located in the towns and villages around Parndorf outlet – among the nearest are Parndorf and Bruckneudorf. Although there are some bus and train services, own car is very useful in this mostly rural area.

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Hotels near Neusiedler See, close to Parndorf

Just a few kilometres from Parndorf Outlet there is Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl), a popular vacation and weekend break location for people from Vienna. Here you can see more information about the best places and hotels near Neusiedler See.

Hotels in Vienna with good access to Parndorf Outlet

Of course the widest choices of accommodation are available in Vienna, which is only about half an hour by car from Parndorf Outlet Centre. There is also a shuttle bus between Vienna and Parndorf Outlet (in Vienna it departs from the bus stop in front of Vienna State Opera at Opernring, Karlsplatz U-Bahn Station).

Here you can see more information and tips regarding good hotel locations in Vienna city centre.

Hotels near Vienna Schwechat Airport

On the way between Parndorf Outlet and Vienna there are a few hotels near Vienna International Airport in Schwechat.

Vienna and Parndorf Outlet hotel booking

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The summer has passed quickly and though you were planning that this year you will make it to Vienna for a couple of days, the time seems to have run out. And believe me, Vienna is incredible in summer. Imagine walking in the perfectly organized parks in Schönbrunn or Belvedere Palace, watching the flowers, sculptures, and fountains. Or what about relaxing on the Donauinsel or crazy rides in the Prater? Or the Rathaus Film Festival… Unfortunately, the fact that Vienna is (was) so wonderful in summer seems to be of little use in September.

Should I wait or should I go…

If you have not found the time to visit the Austrian capital during the summer months, you may now wonder if it makes any sense to go to Vienna in the autumn. Or should you wait until the Christmas markets begin and the city centre gets the renowned charming atmosphere?

What to do in Vienna in the autumn

The parks are still a good choice in the early autumn. In this part of the year you will see completely different, but also very beautiful sceneries there, as the leaves on the trees get a whole scale of different colours. In case you won’t be lucky and will encounter mostly rain during your visit to Vienna, don’t worry – there are many indoor attractions in the city, for example the numerous museums or the Stephansdom, to name just the most popular ones.

The weather in Vienna in the autumn

The weather is most likely the biggest concern when considering a visit to Vienna in the autumn. Regarding temperatures, Vienna has quite mild climate and in the autumn (until October at least) it still feels relatively pleasant to walk around in the afternoon. On some days Vienna can suffer from strong wind though. Rain is also quite common. Nevertheless, to many people walking in the city centre may actually feel better in the autumn compared to the hot summer days. Overall, if you can tolerate the occasional rain or wind, don’t be afraid of Viennese weather in the autumn (besides, the museums are still there).

In sum, Vienna is good to visit any time of the year and the autumn is no exception.

Do you want to meet an elephant in the heart of the Austrian capital? You can. OK, it is not a real one, but at least he lets you take a picture with him or climb on his back. You can find this elephant statue in front of the entrance to the Museum of Natural History (Naturhistorisches Museum) in Maria-Theresien-Platz in Vienna city centre. In fact the elephant stands just few steps from the statue of Maria Theresia herself.

Vienna Museum of Natural History

Older close and more distant relatives of this elephant wait for you inside the museum. Four billion years of history of life on Earth are hidden behind the walls of Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna. The collections in Geology and Paleontology are among the most valuable ones. In the Dinosaur-Hall you can see a skeleton of the giant dinosaur Diplodocus or a head of the well-known predator Tyrannosaurus Rex.

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Michelbeuern – Allgemeines Krankenhaus U6 Station

Michelbeuern-AKH is a station on Vienna metro line U6 between Alser Strasse and Währinger Strasse – Volksoper stations. AKH stands from Allgemeines Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien (General Hospital of the City of Vienna). The U-Bahn station and the hospital are located on Währinger Gürtel in the north-western part of Vienna city centre. Other big streets near Michelbeuern-AKH Station include Kreuzgasse, Martinstrasse, and Spitalgasse. In Spitalgasse, adjacent to Allgemeines Krankenhaus, there is Vienna Medical University (Medizinische Universität Wien).

Hotels close to Michelbeuern U6 Station in Vienna

Most hotels near Michelbeuern Station are concentrated in the southern part of Währinger Gürtel, in or near Jägerstrasse and Alser Strasse – actually closer to the next U6 station, Alser Strasse, but within 5-10 minutes walk from Michelbeuern. Another location with several good 3 and 4 star hotels is Währinger Strasse and Alsergrund district on the other side of Allgemeines Krankenhaus.

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Other hotel locations near Michelbeuern-AKH

Michelbeuern-AKH is not far from Innere Stadt, the first district of Vienna and the main tourist and hotel area. It is 5 stops by tram from Michelbeuern Station to Schottentor on the north-western border of the Inner City. Schottentor is a lively and popular tourist area, close to many landmarks (e.g. Rathaus, Votivkirche, Vienna University, Hofburg) and many hotels.

Popular hotel areas in this part of Innere Stadt are Schottenring (a section of Ringstrasse from Schottentor to the north-east) and the small strees around Herrengasse Station and Hofburg inside the Inner City. These are prime hotel locations, 4 and 5 star hotels prevail in this area and room rates can be a bit higher than around Michelbeuern or Währinger Strasse.

Here you can see an overview of other hotel locations in Vienna Inner City.

Vienna Michelbeuern AKH hotel booking

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