16 things you need to do to make the most out of January in Vienna

It’s time for the annual New Year’s concert where the Vienna Philharmonic brings us uplifting music from Strauss to start our year off right.

There’s no other feeling like it – the cold on your face, a red nose, gliding over the ice, and on occasion falling in a puddle of melted ice.

Get your skates on and visit one of the ice skating rinks around Vienna. We especially recommend checking out the ice skating rink at the Wiener Eislaufverein in the centre of the city or the famous rink at Rathausplatz, Wiener Eistraum. The atmosphere is perfect for winter.

Did you know that you’ll be able to make all those plans of going to the theatre happen this January? Well, you do now! Because there’s no better month than January for dressing up and sitting in an audience, staring at the stage. Check out our cultural events guide for inspiration on what to see, or simply go with the obvious choices — a hauntingly beautiful musical (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) or a fairy-tale opera by Engelbert Humperdinck (Hänsel und Gretel).

You will not believe how many balls are set to take place in our fair city in January! Well, if you’ve been here a while, perhaps it’s not so surprising for you. Anyway, if your evening attire is pressed and ready, we suggest trying to attend at least one ball this season.

Here are the ones that we would recommend trying to get tickets for:

Ok people, if you haven’t done at least half of the things on Vienna Würstelstand’s ultimate winter bucket list before the end of winter, well, we might just have to call Omi Margaret to have a stern word with you, and a spanking. We could imagine she’d say something like this – Stop complaining about the cold weather, and get your ass outside and play in the snow (if there is any)! Check out the only winter bucket list for Vienna you’ll need.

Winter is the ‘reader’s hour’, so we’ve heard. The weather can be pretty grim, and it’s very hard to find motivation to leave the house. It’s the best time to immerse yourself in a great book. Hot chocolate, a warm bed, and fireplaces go really well with a book. So why not take a book and head to one of those cosy cafés where you can sit by a fire and lose yourself in a book?!

Alright, let’s make sure you’re starting the year off right. One power habit we suggest you pick up is to start listening to the Vienna Würstelstand’ podcast every Monday. It’s the kind of advice you’ll find in every productivity-mindfulness-be-your-best-self-while-changing-nothing book. We looked it up!

Seriously though, we really love our podcast about our love-hate relationship with Vienna and Austria. It helps people make the most out of life in this rebel of a country.

Join hosts, Jacob Moss and Gabriel Schaffler, as they explore all the questions you’ve ever had, or never thought to ask, about Austria & Vienna, with insider tips that will enrich your life and stories that will blow your mind.

The grey sky, early nightfall and puddles on the pavement are enough to get anybody down in the long winter’s month of January. Getting back to basics and learning to appreciate the small things again can be a good way of fighting back those winter blues. One way of doing this is by taking up a daily ritual.

 A few Würstelstand suggestions:
+ Wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual and enjoy a coffee/tea/cigarette in silence, either reading the newspaper, staring out your window or writing your thoughts down
+ Walk to work/uni or go for a walk in the lunch break
+ Regular sex
+ Switch off the computer at least an hour before bedtime

After another rollercoaster year (seems like we say that every year, right?), we’re all craving a bit of a reset. And honestly, what screams ‘fresh start’ louder than chilling by a heated pool, with a magazine in one hand and a mocktail in the other? For this, Therme Wien is a solid choice, offering a wealth of pools, peaceful lounges, and tasty food options. But hey, it’s not the only chill spot around. So, go on, prioritise that downtime and dive into relaxation – you’ve earned it!

Yoga is a majestic art that calls on those who practise it to search for peace within themselves, an inner peace not many of us can achieve. But tranquil surroundings help a lot. So, retreat behind palace walls and get your yoga breathing on within the majesty that is the Albertina gallery. Don’t forget to bring your own yoga mat (unless you want to do it on the hard floor, which we wouldn’t recommend).

One of the ballet classics by Tchaikovsky is the Nutcracker. If you ask us, seeing it is always a good idea. Especially at the start of the year, where all the Christmas magic is starting to wear off.

This Friday, get your after work drink on at the legendary location of the Sofiensäle. In a great atmosphere, there will be delicious long drinks being served up to the sounds of a live DJ. This event is perfect to congratulate yourself and friends on surviving yet another day at work. You can even go with your co-workers (or your boss) in case you always wanted to see how much of a party animal they really are.

Sadly, this is not a disco where the DJ is banned from playing anything by Vanilla Ice. But the good news is, it’s a silent disco… on ice! Drown out the screams of everyone you’re knocking over while ice skating, by donning a pair of the provided wireless headphones. You can choose between two difference music channels: House, Electronic, HipHop or Pop, Indie and Rock? – it’s up to you!

The ‘Rundgang’ is back with the Academy of Fine Arts once again throwing open their doors for us all to see what exactly its students have been up to and how the great young artists of tomorrow are taught. Across various locations (which are usually worth a visit any chance you get), works of all disciplines will be on display, and discussed while there is also a full programme of music and other entertainment happening around the city throughout the weekend. Check out the details here.

Winter is a great time to get cultured! What could be better than reading in the sun or cooling off in an air-conditioned museum hall!

To find cool exhibitions and performances that are happening in Vienna right now, check out Arts Section!