Your ultimate guide to what’s happening on the Donaukanal in 2022

Like a penguin can’t fly, the Badeschiff is a ship that can never set sail. But wipe that frown off your face as that’s good news for us! As one of the first spots to hang out on the Donaukanal, little by little, the Badeschiff has grown to what it is today – a perfect hangout spot containing a restaurant, a pool, a sun deck, a football cage and even a bowling alley.

Its roof area boasts a double deck sun deck. On a sunny day, you’ll struggle to find a chair up here, as it proves to be a very random, and funky setting in the city to lie in your swim suit. Meanwhile, the pool is still a favourite amongst those taking a dip before or during work hours (the quiet hours), while it fills up after 5pm with all kinds of people.

Good to know: a day ticket to the pool will cost you 6.50€

The veteran drinking dock of Vienna’s waterway, the ADRIA Wien, unfortunately had to give up its sandy stretches. Its orginal bar still remains though and is serving up some dishes (from the crowd by Speisen ohne Grenze), and a vast range of drinks (including their popular house creation, the ADRIA Spritzer). With its rugged DIY look of wood and steel rods, it has a wonderful rustic feel to it. The staff are down-to-earth friendly here, and the atmosphere is all about lazy days with drinks in your hand, head in the clouds.

We really like… how they offer free self-service flavoured water at the bar.

The cultural space slash art project slash club, Das Werk has come up with a fantastic addition to its indoor venue.

These days, out the front of the waterside location, you’ll see festive flags strung across its entrance and an awesome terrace. They’re calling it their Kultur Terrasse, and this terrace o’ culture is offering street food, music, street art, cultural happenings and markets (on selected weekends). It’s like one long summer street festival is happening there and we strongly advise you to get in on it.

Nestled in a cove beneath the towering Urania, the umbrellas are up and the round bar is as busy as it is every year. The veteran of the Donaukanal hasn’t changed much, but keep your eye on the Strandbar Hermann website for the diverse event program they typically run throughout the summer season, including stuff like free morning yoga sessions, puppet theater, and plenty of DJ sessions.

They’ve also upped their game in the kitchen in recent years if all that drinking in the sun inspires a hunger.

The familiar face of the Tel Aviv Beach has disappeared and has been replaced by a slicker looking outfit.

Tel Aviv beach bar is now Neni am Wasser, which will actually be an all-year, all-season location.

With the same Neni family crowd behind it, sand and plastic beach chairs have been swapped out for a roof, and some more respectable wooden lounge furniture. Meanwhile, the beach vibes remain.

It has leveled up on the food front. It’s still got the modern take on Israeli cuisine that Neni is known for, with a few grilled meat and fish dishes thrown into the mix. It’s all prepared in an open show kitchen for that little wow-effect.

Hafenkneipe is one of the original bars that setup on the Donaukanal and to this day it’s still a favourite for many. Standing alone a little removed from the crowds of hip beach bars further upstream, you’ll find a bunch of people chilling on Hafenkneipe’s drink crates and deckchairs, while enjoying the gentl3 Donaukanal breeze. You’ll also find a stand attached to the bar grilling and serving up trout on a stick, the mighty Steckerlfisch. Served with tzatziki, a slice of lemon, and all-you-can-eat bread, the fish comes served in the traditional no-fuss way – on a piece of waxy paper.

Plus: you’ll definitely want to get a classic Austrian sweet, a Schwedenbombe (chocolate puff), for desert after your fish – it’s the typical thing to do

Good to know… Hafenkneipe also serve up a good pizza.

What began as a little cart selling food and drink and some beer benches has evolved into an outdoor location, complete with decking and a little kiosk. Central Garden, is back again and it’s offering the same as it does every year – a pleasant spot for a drink with friends in a chilled waterside setting.

Good to know… The Central Garden is also a culture and sport venue, where you can catch all kinds of events happening.

What started as pop up food market has now become a full on eatery/bar that’s open all year round.

The one thing that really shines here (besides the sun on your bare sweaty skin hopefully) is their gin department. 60 sorts to choose from together with six different tonics make for a total of…uummm…well, a whole damn lot of gin tonic combinations. Truly gin-credible! (Please forgive the lame pun)

With their waterfront terrace as well as a kinda rooftop terrace on their containers there’s also more than enough space for sun worshippers to enjoy ther tasty treats on.

You can check out all the hard details on their website.

This latest addition to the canal is a fine little pop up setup and apparently it has plans to become a permanent feature on the waterway.

They reportedly have a restaurant in the works, which will have an adjoining gallery that, like any good drink, has a fresh twist to it. All the art hung on the walls there will have an augmented reality touch to it.

Until the restaurant is born, you should definitely make the most out of the little beach bar in its place. With a selection of both classic and fresh drink creations on offer, you can’t really go wrong here if you’re simply looking for a solid summer location to drink.

Having been on the canal a couple of years now, the Blumenwiese has outgrown their reputation as a newcomer and now ranks among one of the classics along the Donaukanal.

It’s a popular after work drinks location, with a business crowd filling it up after office hours most days. The higher prices means this waterside bar keeps a certain kind of company.

They’ve got an extensive menu that includes burgers, steaks, cocktails and spritzers.

What really sells the Blumenwiese is the comfy couches and immaculate view.

A delicious breakfast in the morning sun at Motto am Fluss has become now a ritual carried out by many at least once a month.

Get a table on their terrace, where you can soak up the morning sun while enjoying a cup of coffee and something from their original breakfast menu. Don’t worry if the terrace is fully booked when you get there – the café also has lots of space inside, and due to it being surrounded in glass windows, you’ll surely get some sun rays peeking through and hitting your face. The café offers lots of yummy dishes and changes their menu from time to time.

Klyo is the restaurant housed in the Urania. Its interior is bright and green (there’s a bunch of plants all over the place), however, the best seat in the house is out on its terrace that hangs over the canal.

Carbohydratephobics (yes, this is a thing) will love it here: there is a strong focus on protein-packed food in their menu (they even clearly state the protein content of the dishes in their menu!).

Most of the menu is occupied by breakfast options (which is served until 10pm), but you can also find something for lunch or dinner in the mix, and various cocktails for a relaxed evening.

The Summerstage is another Donaukanal classic, offering a waterside bar, plus a raft of restaurants setup on its scenic decking.

On a warm evening, this is one of the best spots in the city to feast on good food and lean back in your chair with friends and drinks.

Amongst the lineup of restaurants starring at the Summerstage this year, there’s the Tex-Mex restaurant, Panchos, Pizzeria Riva serving up their Neapolitan-style pizza, the French eatery known as Pastis (serving up burgers alongside quiche and cheese platters) and more!

If you plan on turning up here, be sure to book a table in advance as it can get crowded.

Good to know… The Summerstage will also regularly host musicians to feed your ears while you feed your face.

You may (or may not) remember the big, barren concrete block positioned in the middle of the water, close to the club, Flex.

While the only inhabitants of this little island used to be seagulls and pigeons, some renovations have transformed it into an open public space where humans can hang out too.

It features plenty of large wooden benches that are lined with trees that provide some precious shade on sunny days, meaning you can easily spend a whole afternoon lounging around at this very cool spot.