Temperatures are rising week after week, but admission prices to Vienna's open-air pools have already been raised. There are also free alternatives to cool off in cool water.

“All in all, there is more than 60 km of free water access in the city of Vienna. In contrast to other federal states, in Vienna we are consistently focusing on opening up areas by the water, as in recent years with the workers' beach, the river bay or new sunbathing areas at the Mühlshakel on the Old Danube. The CopaBeach or the Pirat Bay, which was redesigned last year, are another top offer for relaxing hours in Vienna," says City Councilor Ulli Sima, who is responsible for Vienna's waters.

All of Vienna's bathing waters have excellent water quality, which is measured and constantly checked by the City of Vienna in many places. Generous sunbathing lawns with shady trees, modern wooden jetties, swimming pontoons, toilet facilities, dog zones with water access - this and much more is available to all Viennese free of charge.

The Danube Island: Vienna's largest local recreation area on the water

 The Danube Island and New Danube, which were artificially created to protect the city of Vienna from flooding between 1972 and 1988, offer access to water on 42 km of banks. The 135 km long network of paths is particularly popular with cyclists, runners and inline skaters. 60 floating pontoons in the New Danube are maintained by the City of Vienna. Two of the largest naturist bathing areas in the immediate vicinity of a large city are located in the north and south of the island and on the left flood protection dam.

During the season, the mobile island service of the City of Vienna – Vienna Waters is on the move on the island. It consists of two employees from each specialist department, who monitor compliance with the rules of the game on the island on wheels. The barbecue area masters are also on duty.

Cool hotspot: The Copa Beach

CopaBeach is a popular hotspot on the New Danube. The leisure area at the Reichsbrücke across from the Danube Island covers a total of around 4 hectares with a 500-metre-long bank area to the New Danube and offers holidays for free - with a subway connection. When redesigning the area, priority was given to sunbathing areas where consumption does not have to take place. There are also sandy beaches, green areas, tropical plants and a gastronomic offer that leaves nothing to be desired. In 2020, the new skater park near the Reichsbrücke, planned by the skater community, was added and is extremely popular.

Pirate Bay: Vienna's largest sandy beach by the water

Since the summer of 2021 there has been a new sandy beach on Kaisermühlendamm on the New Danube. Between the Vienna City Beach Club and the wakeboard lift, a 3.500 m2 beach awaits its guests, with sand poured onto 200 m of the shore area. Wooden seating, tree trunks, old stone blocks and two old wooden boats create a cozy "beach feeling". Rubbish bins and mobile toilets provide the necessary infrastructure.

Family bathing beach Neue Donau

Around 250 years ago, the City of Vienna converted a 6-meter-long stretch of beach on the left bank of the Neue Donau near the U10 station Neue Donau into a family bathing beach. The area is protected by small offshore islands and thus offers safe bathing fun for the little ones.

The Old Danube: The lively leisure time paradise with tradition

One of the most popular bathing waters in Vienna is definitely the Old Danube with its 1,6 square kilometer water surface. The underwater plants, the so-called macrophytes, which are mowed intensively by the City of Vienna every year during the season, ensure the good water quality in the Old Danube, a standing body of water. There are attractive water access points, including 11 larger jetty systems on the Lower Old Danube, which are constantly being completely renovated and are equipped with attractive loungers and chairs. Very popular is the bathing area on the promenade of the Lower Old Danube with a gentle pebble beach, sunbathing areas and spacious seating areas as well as the Kagraner Uferplatz at the Kagraner Bridge with a sunbathing lawn, bathing jetty and meadow terraces.

New areas for free use on the Old Danube

While other federal states are blocking and privatizing access to banks and lakes, the city of Vienna has been taking the opposite approach for many years: In addition to the more than 60 km of free water access to natural water bodies, new ones are constantly being added.

This includes the popular workers' beach on the Upper Old Danube, which opened in 2015, with a 23.000 m2 sunbathing lawn, shady trees, a toilet facility and seating. The river bay on the Lower Old Danube is somewhat hidden at the Dampfschiffhaufen. This 6.000 m2 lawn was opened in 2016. It offers shady trees, a small pebble beach and is particularly popular with people who appreciate peace and quiet.

On the left bank of the Upper Old Danube near the Mühlschüttelpark, another 25.000 m2 of green space will be cleared and redesigned in the coming years. Step by step, new sunbathing lawns with free access for everyone are being created on the previously leased plots of land. The first two sub-areas with around 5.000 m2 were already released for visitors to the Alte Donau in summer 2021. The areas have been leveled and greened, trees offer shade, and even some fruit trees such as apricots and cherries are available to visitors.

The Lobau: bathing paradise in the national park

 In the Lobau, the Viennese part of the Donau-Auen National Park, hidden natural bathing spots invite you to bathe. Surrounded by the green of the Donau-Auen, they are the ideal place to enjoy pure wild nature by the water, and that in the vicinity of a city of millions. Most of the natural bathing areas in the Lobau, which are looked after by the forestry and agricultural enterprise of the City of Vienna, are among the most beautiful bathing areas in Vienna. Out of consideration for the sensitive ecosystem in the Donau-Auen National Park, only a few areas in the Upper Lobau are open to swimming: the Panozzalacke is best suited for children to swim. The water is not particularly deep and the spacious sunbathing lawn offers space to relax and let off steam. The Dechantlacke lies idyllically in the middle of the alluvial forest. The body of water with its small island is particularly popular with nudists. The Danube-Oder Canal also offers a good opportunity for swimming, which is particularly appreciated by the Viennese because of its clear water. It consists of four sections, two of which are open to swimming. There are also bathing spots at Mühlwasser and Schillerwasser, both in the run-up to Lobau in Vienna's 22nd district.

Bathing ponds in Vienna-Donaustadt

The Hirschstetten pond and the Suessenbrunn bathing pond are also located in the city on the Danube. The highlight in Seestadt Aspern is the artificial lake with an area of ​​approx. 50.000 m2. It offers two strips of pebble sand on the south bank and a spacious dog zone with water access. Located directly at the subway station, the lake is easily accessible from anywhere.