An enchanted winter town

Vienna proves that you can enjoy nature in the winter in a big city, too. Spending the cold season in the city doesn't mean that you cannot pursue outdoor leisure activities. Vienna offers several opportunities for ice-skating, curling (alpine style), tobogganing, cross-country skiing and even downhill skiing.

Those who love gliding across the ice will also love the 2008 Ice Dream with its 4,400 square-metre icescape at Rathausplatz in the city centre. From 26 January to 9 March the location in front of Vienna's City Hall once again turns into a winter wonderland that attracts thousands of guests each year. Winding through the romantic park in a figure-of-eight shape, the 400-metre "dream path" links two large ice rinks. In the afternoon the rinks are reserved for children and beginners at skating, while the "Radio Wien Disco" entertains guests with hits and oldies in the evenings. There are also additional lanes for fans of alpine-style curling ("Eisstockschießen").

Vienna Ice-Skating Association

Another open-air rink in the heart of the city is that of the Wiener Eislaufverein (Vienna Ice-Skating Association) that even boasts 6,000 square metres of pure ice. Located between Hotel Intercontinental and Konzerthaus, it offers plenty of space for recreational skaters as well as sporty types who want to perfect their spins and try some pirouettes. Or you can skate above the roofs of Vienna: Engelmann's artificial ice rink in the 17th district was the world's first open-air skating rink and still enjoys great popularity today thanks to its unique location.

Tobogganing in the city

If you prefer fun in the snow Vienna offers a variety of opportunities as well. Many toboggan runs are open in Vienna's parks when there is sufficient snow in the city. And Jesuitenwiese in Prater is a hot tip for cold days: an artificial snow machine guarantees snow on the 40-metre slope when temperatures drop below -2°C.

Trails and slopes

If the snow cover in Vienna exceeds 20 centimetres cross-country ski trails are available in the city as well. The trails, eight in total, are suited both for beginners and experienced skiers.
Downhill skiers in Vienna can even bask in the knowledge that they are strapping on their skis at a site of major international winter sports events: the last highlight at Hohe-Wand-Wiese was the parallel slalom on 6 January 1986 as part of the Ski World Cup. Unlike Dollwiese, Vienna's second downhill skiing site, Hohe-Wand-Wiese has floodlights as well as an artificial snow system. Temperature permitting skiers can expect snow there from December to March.

According to latest reports the president of the Austrian Ski Association, Peter Schröcksnadel, plans a ski arena in the Vienna Woods. A ski-jump and a slope for World Cup slalom races are to be set up near the town of Kaltenleutgeben. There are even rumours about an entire skiing region.

Tipp

A special exhibition on the legendary Vienna Ice Revue can be seen at the district museum of Meidling in Vienna until 2 March. "Die Wiener Eisrevue. Einst Botschafterin Österreichs - heute Legende" presents photos, posters, press articles, costumes and other objects related to the successful ice-skating show from Vienna. If you don't feel like skating out in the cold you can learn more about Austria's past ice-skating glory. Admission is free. Info: www.bezirksmuseum.at/meidling

Information

Vienna Ice Dream 2008 1., Rathausplatz 26 January to 9 March, daily 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. For information and reservation of curling lanes go to www.eistraum.com Wiener Eislaufverein 3., Lothringerstraße 22 www.wev.or.at Eiskunstlaufbahn Engelmann 17., Syringgasse 6-8 www.engelmann.co.at For more information on winter sports in Vienna go to www.wien.gv.at/nachrichten/wintersport.html