Looking for something special to do this summer in Vienna? Then this Vienna Wine Hike guide is perfect for you!
Summer in the city can be exhausting — it’s hot, crowded, and walking around for too long isn’t fun at all. Luckily, Vienna offers a great way to escape the busy city center in just a few minutes. There you’ll find yourself in a quiet, green area, with hiking trails, and plenty of nature. At this point, I’m convinced Vienna really has it all. The vineyards are just outside the city center, offering beautiful views.
Let’s find out what the Vienna wine hike is all about!
About the Vienna Wine Hike
„Vienna is the only major city in the world that has significant wine production within its city limits. Wine-growing has a long tradition in Vienna. Today, the city boasts a vibrant wine scene.“ – wien.info
Choose your trail, your starting point and then start hiking. All of these hikes vary in steepness, which makes some easier and others a bit more challenging. Overall, they’re not too complicated.
During your wine hike, enjoy the skyline views of the city and the nature surrounding you. Especially now that the summer season is starting, there are a lot of flowers blooming and vibrant plants growing, which makes the hike even more exciting.
After you’ve achieved your first distance, you’ll probably already come across a local tavern (called Heurigen in Austria). There, you can sit down and enjoy a good glass of wine, juice, or whatever you prefer to drink. You’ll also have the chance to try traditional foods that are typically served on hiking trails and mountaintops – like delicious bread and dips, cheese, and more.
For all the Vegans here, it’s not always easy to find vegan options on these hikes. Check out the locations beforehand and see if they offer any vegan food. I walked the Nussdorfer loop hike and stopped at a Heurigen called Mayer am Nussberg. They actually had so many vegan options, which made me really happy. Vienna is incredibly vegan-friendly, but on hikes like these, it’s still not as common as in the city center.
Once you’re ready to move on, the hike continues. The rest of the hike goes like this: hiking, Heurigen, hiking, Heurigen, hiking, Heurigen.
And that’s basically it, a Vienna wine hike.
Tips before hiking
You don’t need much for a wine hike, but there are a few things worth noting:
- Choose your route.
There are quite a few routes — check the location and pick the one you want. - Reserve a table at the Heurigen.
Once you’ve chosen your trail, I’d recommend planning the stops you want to make. It’s a good idea to book a table at the Heurigen in advance. Sometimes you’ll get one spontaneously, but there are also days where some places are fully booked. If you’re going with a group, definitely reserve a table. If you’re only one or two people, you can probably do the hike without bookings. - What to bring:
- Good and comfortable shoes! They don’t need to be hiking shoes, but at least sneakers should be your choice. I went with my Converse (as usual), and they were perfectly fine.
- Sunscreen. A lot of the trails are fully exposed to the sun, so come prepared.
- Sunhat or anything for your head. Important – I hiked in spring season and still got a sunburn on my head.
- Water bottle. Definitely necessary. You can even refill it at some stations.
Itinerary
There are different routes you can choose from. I found a few itineraries, but not one list that includes all of them. That’s why I tried to give you the best overview here.
It seems like there are 4 official routes.
- Neustift am Walde to Nussdorf, 19th district
- Strebersdorf to Stammersdorf, 21st district
- Ottakring Trail, 16th district
- Maurer Trail, 23rd district
I found them at wien.info and would recommend taking a look at the site. When you scroll down, you’ll find a PDF for each route, showing the exact trail and the matching Heurigen, marked on a map image. Click the link here – wien.info
The next post showed a few more itineraries.
- Kahlenbergerdorf to Kahlenberg
- Nussdorfer Vineyard Tour – this one is a Loop, which I already walked and loved!
- Grinzing to Hermannskogel
- Sievering Vineyard Tour
- Loop through Neustift am Walde
- Pötzleinsdorf to Wilhelminenberg
These are all located in the 19th district, except for the sixth one, which starts in the 18th and ends in the 16th district. I think the best way to get a good insight into these hikes is by looking at the map. If you scroll down, you’ll find even more details about the different trails. komoot.com
*Check out our blog post 15+ Travel Apps every Backpacker has to have! – there you’ll find more information about Komoot and other helpful travel apps.
With so many options, I’d recommend to check out the routes beforehand and plan your own itinerary. Look at the prepared ones, choose the Heurigen you want to visit, and see if the route fits your plans. You can always adjust it a bit – it’s usually pretty easy.
Ways to make your hike even more fun
I’m really excited about this part. I enjoy going on hikes, but I love it even more when I have a specific mission. I brainstormed a bit and came up with a few fun ideas to make the hike even more exciting.
- Fill your vase with flowers: Simple but effective. Prepare a piece of cardboard, paint a vase on it, and poke a few holes for the flowers. Now you’re ready to hike. Whenever you see flowers, or plants, pick them up and add them to your little vase. By the end of the hike, you’ll have your own handmade flower bouquet. (I got this idea from vienna.girlies – more about them in the next part.)
- Colour hunt: Choose a colour before you start – for example, blue. Then focus on spotting everything that’s blue during your hike. Take pictures of each item you find and create a fun photo collage at the end of your hike.
- Sip and sketch: Bring a small notebook, or your travel diary and a pencil. At every Heurigen or scenic stop, take a few minutes to sketch what you see – the view, your glass of wine, a dog, flowers… whatever catches your eye. You don’t have to be good at drawing though. It’s about capturing little memories to look back on later.
- Wine hike bingo: Make a bingo card filled with things to spot during your hike – like a dog in a backpack, a violet flower, a view of the Danube, someone blasting music, or a vineyard cat. Whoever gets bingo first (or the most bingos) wins… maybe a glass of wine?
About vienna.girlies
Since this is how I ended my Summer in Vienna: 5 Free Things You Shouldn’t Miss guide a few weeks ago: “I have to admit – I haven’t had time for a vineyard walk yet, even though it’s been on my list forever! I’m definitely planning to try it out this summer.”
…it didn’t take long until I found out about Vienna Girlies and the wine hike they organised. Every girl who’s currently in Vienna, open to making friends and ready for a wine hike, could join – and that’s exactly what I did.
It was so much fun. I met so many lovely girls from all over the world, which made connecting even more special. Everything was well organised, so we didn’t have to worry about a thing. The girls didn’t only bring snacks and wine for everyone, they also created little vase cartons so we could go on a flower hunt. By the end of the day, we had spent hours together, shared stories, exchanged photos, and made some really nice memories.
Vienna Girlies is all about connecting and bringing people together. They organise one monthly meet-up, which can be anything from a wine hike to vision board making or going on a run together. Beyond that monthly meet up, you can just drop a message in the group chat to see if anyone’s up for a spontaneous trip.
Language-wise, there’s nothing to worry about either. Since everyone spoke different languages, we all connected in English. I don’t use my English too often in Vienna, so this whole experience honestly felt like a little holiday haha.
To find them search vienna.girlies on Instagram or TikTok.
I think you’re fully prepared now to enjoy your own Vienna Wine Hike — have fun hiking!
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be "stardust" – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be “stardust” – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
