10 Things to Do in Vienna in March
Austria's capital offers a wide range of cultural activities and must-see tours that you can enjoy in March. Discover this city full of history!
When spring is arriving in Vienna, but winter is still here, the Austrian capital welcomes you with pleasant weather to make the most of the different cultural activities, events and fairs.
In March you can participate in a wine tasting; spend a week dedicated exclusively to culinary art; attend the Easter celebrations, music and sports festivals, and visit the most wonderful opera house in the world.
1. Don't miss the Vienna Opera Ball
If there is one event that symbolizes the Viennese tradition, it is undoubtedly the ball held at the Vienna State Opera building. This event, which is already 200 years old, gathers many people with the slogan of dressing up in a show whose last act takes place on Ash Wednesday, putting an end to Carnival and starting Lent.
If you can get a place, as tickets are flying, you can see the Austrian president and many luxury guests dressed in their best costumes, dancing in the main auditorium of the Vienna State Opera, reconverted for the occasion into a dance floor.
Enjoy a classical music concert
If you can't get tickets, don't worry; you can still book tickets for a classical music concert in Vienna that are given throughout different churches and other venues in the city with prices to suit all budgets. Here are the different options:
- Tickets for classical music concert at St. Peter's Church, from $47.
- Tickets for classical music concert at the Church of Santa Ana, from ** $35**.
- Tickets for Vivaldi's Four Seasons concert, from ** $34**.
- Mozart concert tickets, from ** $63**.
- Mozart and Strauss concert tickets, from ** $69**.
2. Visit Vienna's museums
It is true that the weather in Vienna in spring invites to outdoor activities but still, especially at the beginning of March, there are cold days when it is not a bad idea to stay indoors for a few hours.
The cultural offerings of the Austrian capital do not end with classical music concerts or Vienna's palaces. In addition, the city has numerous museums that are a must-see. Here is a list of the most important ones:
- Museum of Art History: it houses the largest collection of classical art works in the country and is located a few meters from the Imperial Palace. Given its importance, there are many guided tours to this museum.
- House of Music: it is not surprising that being Vienna the birthplace of composers such as Mozart and Beethoven there is a museum dedicated exclusively to music and its history. Perfect if you are traveling to Vienna with your family.
- Belvedere Palace: surely you know the great masterpiece of Gustav Klimt, 'The Kiss', well now imagine seeing the original in the museum that houses this beautiful palace that you should not miss in Vienna.
- Albertina Museum: this museum houses a collection of great artistic importance of authors ranging from Monet to Picasso through Dürer and also Klimt. Another must-see.
- Leopold Museum: a museum with a large collection of modern art Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Richard Gerstl or Oskar Kokoschka.
- Museum of Illusions in Vienna: an ideal plan if you visit the city with your family in which you will test your senses and visual perception.
3. Take a trip to Budapest
The month of March is ideal to book a tour to Budapest, the reason: it is not yet high season in the Hungarian capital and you will enjoy its incredible beauty without the burden of so many tourists.
And Budapest, just 2 hours and a half from Vienna, has much to offer. So, if you are in Vienna for several days make a 2x1 and also know this other European capital in one of the organized tours to Budapest.
Thanks to these full day tours that include hotel pick up, transfers, tour guide and free time to enjoy the city at your own pace, you can forget about how to get from Vienna to Budapest. It will be as comfortable as possible and in the evening you will be back at your hotel in Vienna.
4. Participate in a wine tasting
Vienna produces around 20,000 electrolytes of wine annually, which has allowed it to become one of the classic cities to visit its vineyards, and March is an ideal time to do so.
In Vienna there are around 6,000 wine producers and heurigers, which is how Austrian wine shops are known.
Between vineyards, wine cellars and heurigers, you can make the most of your visit in March, when the blossoms start to bloom and the cold weather is behind you. Book a bike tour with wine tasting and make sure you don't make a mistake in your choice of wines.
5. Easter, a time not to be missed
Easter in Vienna is an important date where you can visit different markets and taste handmade products. However, this celebration is a whole experience of sensations that goes beyond the traditional Easter eggs.
If you choose these dates to visit Schönbrunn Palace you will find the most outstanding market, but not only because it offers top quality and traditional products, but because visitors can immerse themselves in a world decorated in a baroque style and full of activities, even for the little ones.
Here you can find music and outdoor shows, as well as products for sale ranging from Easter eggs, to ceramics, wood carved items, glass art, and much more. Of course, it is very visited so I recommend you book a visit to Schonbrunn Palace.
6. Stroll through the Vinyl & Music Festival
The vinyl and music festival that takes place on the first weekend of every March is an event that is becoming more and more popular year after year. The slogan is clear: enjoy playing vinyl records. In addition, attendees can buy vinyl, sound systems to play them at home, or attend live DJ concerts.
There is a wide range of exhibitors presenting the different steps in the manufacturing process of musical products up to their consumption. An advanced course on the music industry, but if you want to delve into the history and culture of this art, be sure to book tickets for the Vienna House of Music.
And as everything is related, the festival takes place in the garden of the Ottakringer Brauerei, the great Viennese brewery, where many food trucks complete a perfect plan for a weekend.
Practical information
- Location: Ottakringer Platz, 1.
- Price: only what you spend on vinyl or food.
7. Enjoy Austrian gastronomy
The culinary industry is not something you should lose sight of when visiting Vienna. And to draw the attention of those passing through, there is an exclusive restaurant week, where great discounts are offered on exquisite menus. The prices are really something to take advantage of.
The list of participating restaurants exceeds 100 of the city's top places to eat. Whether you choose to have breakfast, lunch, dinner or just take your food back to the hotel while you relax a bit, you can do it all at an affordable price during March.
Besides being a different experience, touring the restaurants in Vienna will allow you to get to know the great variety of dishes that this wonderful city has to offer. And if you want to delve deeper into the sweetest gastronomy, be sure to book tickets for the Bo-Yo Chocolate Museum workshop, where you will taste different varieties of high quality chocolate.
8. Dive into Osterklang, the Easter Festival
This festival is already a classic and has a loyal following that eagerly awaits the arrival of March to enjoy the wide range of music on offer in the Osterklang program.
Due to the great reception that increases year after year, the traditional stages of the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus have been joined by the new hall complex created in what were once the imperial stables.
Ballet performances or music concerts ranging from Bach to jazz, the offer is endless. You can be sure to find a concert to your liking. And if not, you can always book tickets for a classical music concert.
9. Don't miss out on winter sports before the cold weather sets in
Although March marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, it is still possible to enjoy various cold season sports. If you wish, you can still skate on the magnificent 5,400 square meter ice rink that is set up every year next to the town hall building. The ski resort is also open and, thanks to its powerful lighting, is a great attraction to take advantage of its slopes during the night.
There are trails specially prepared for cross-country skiing, always with the Danube as a companion route, or you can go sledding with the little ones down the slopes of Prater.
As you can see, the weather allows to extend the winter season and practice snow sports to the most fans. So, if you are a sports fan and the cold doesn't bother you, don't forget to bring your equipment! I leave you more information in this link.
10. Come to the Art and Antiques Fair
During the last weeks of March, between the 19th and the 27th, the WIKAM International Art and Antiques Fair opens its doors, a fair that has history, art, and a great turnout from beginning to end.
Aimed primarily at art lovers, this huge show, which has been around for four decades, presents antiques and art in all its expression. You can enjoy not only historical art, but also contemporary and avant-garde art.
After so many years of experience, this platform brings together the most outstanding collectors and works of all periods and styles. Where? At the Ferstel Palace- we recommend that you book your tickets in advance!
The weather in Vienna in March
And speaking of March, you should know a few important things before you go... During this month, the Austrian capital experiences an average temperature of around 11 degrees Celsius, which increases as the days go by. So it is ideal for enjoying all the things to see and do in Vienna.
It is also very dry, with little rainfall, which makes it very conducive to enjoying life in nature again, unlike the winter cold.
The days are getting longer, as the sun rises around 6 am and sets after 6 pm, allowing you to enjoy long days outdoors. Comfortable clothing is always recommended, as the temperature can rise throughout the day, only to drop again when the sun goes down.