This post covers some of the best things you can do in Vienna in May including free, family-friendly, as well as nighttime events and activities, all updated for 2024.
See our full list of things to do in Vienna all year.
TOP 11 EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO IN MAY IN VIENNA
Below are our favorite 11 events and activities to do this May.
Don’t forget to take a look at our other popular Vienna posts:
1) Attend a Concert
Vienna is a city that loves music. Great artists and bands are playing year-round, and this May the city hosts several concerts by big-name artists on tour.
Find all the May concerts in the city here.
- Ziggy Alberts | May 2nd
- International Anime Music Festival | May 6th
- Tayc | May 17th
Find more concerts in Vienna here.
2) Catch a Sporting Match
This May is going to be an interesting month to catch a game.
Find all the sporting events in the city here.
3) Prater Theme Park
If you're looking for a fun-filled day out to enjoy the springtime weather, Prater Theme Park is a great option. It's completely free to enter!
There are over 250 attractions you can enjoy, including a giant Ferris wheel.
Individual rides and attractions are ticketed.
If you want to get a few tickets ahead of time, consider picking up the Prater Package with admission to 5 rides for around €20.
4) See the Spanish Riding School Lipizzan Horses
From March through very early June, you might be able to catch a performance at the Spanish Riding School!
During May, performances are on Saturdays and Sundays.
Tours are a great way for any equestrian traveling with you to get close to the tack room where all the identical saddles and bridles are stored. You'll even get to walk through the stables!
Keep in mind that tours are included with some tourist passes.
5) See More with a City Pass
If you're planning on taking more than one tour, or perhaps seeing several attractions, you could save money with a tourist pass.
These passes bundle admission tickets in order to give you some great savings - sometimes up to 50%.
There are all-inclusive passes that are perfect for travelers constantly on the go. You can also find passes that include a set number of attractions for travelers who like to move a bit slower.
Either way, there are a lot of popular sites and tours offered on various tourist passes, including:
- Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour
- Schönbrunn Palace Tour
- Hofburg Imperial Palace
- Madame Tussauds
- Vienna Ferris Wheel
Our Vienna tourist pass comparison post can help you decide which card is right for you.
6) Relax in a Park
Vienna has beautiful parks and gardens, and in May you can see the spring buds coming to life. Donaupark (Danube Park), shown in the video below, is one of the prettiest parks in the city.
The Danube Tower is located in the park, so you can combine a trip to the observation deck with a picnic in the park!
It's an excellent choice if traveling with kids, as there are activities they will enjoy like like a skate park and even a miniature train that goes around the perimeter of the park.
See the Donaupark website for hours, locations, and other activities.
7) Take a Sightseeing Tour
There's so much to see and do in Vienna - from the fascinating history to the breathtaking architecture. If you don't know where to start, a sightseeing tour will make sure you don't miss any of the important sites!
Since May features some sunny weather, pay-what-you-like tours are a popular and affordable way to learn about Vienna.
Of course, if you're looking for tours with a specific focus, you can find historical walks, such as Hitler’s Vienna, or tours of Schönbrunn Palace.
Hop-on-hop-off bus tours are a great option for covering more ground in less time. They're great for spending time only at the attractions you're most interested in!
8) Balkan Streetfood Festival 2024
This May will bring the first Balkan Streetfood Festival to Vienna. From barbecue to fresh-baked breads and pastries, you’ll get to sample the best Balkan dishes you can find in Vienna.
Some of the dish highlights include moussaka, burek, baklava, sarma, raznjici, meze, and gyros.
There will be plenty of vegetarian options!
- Dates: 2024 dates TBD
- Find more information here.
9) Vienna Wine Fest 2024
Vienna is surrounded by vineyards and is home to multiple wineries. So, the Vienna Wine Fest is the perfect way to celebrate it!
There will be plenty of wineries offering samples.
- Date: 2024 TBD
- Hours: 17:00 (5:00 pm) - 21:00 (9:00 pm)
- Price: from €21
- Find more information here.
TIP: If the Wine Fest doesn't fit in your schedule, there are other wine tastings in Vienna!
10) Attend a Classical Concert
Classical concerts are happening all over the city. Vienna is sometimes called the capital of classical music, thanks to the composers who called this city home.
Mozart and Beethoven both spent significant time in Vienna, though they weren't born here. However, Strauss and Shubert were born and raised here.
Thanks to this history, there is always a performance paying tribute to these classical music giants:
11) See the Schönbrunn Zoo
If you're traveling with the kids and looking for a fun day out, why not see the world's oldest zoo? The Schönbrunn Zoo is a beautiful park with Baroque buildings, in addition to all of the amazing animals.
Animal exhibits include giant cats, elephants, reptiles, and giant pandas. The pandas are an exciting sight - they're some of the only zoo-housed pandas in the world.
You can find tickets here, or look into using a tourist pass to get a discount.
