10 Things to Do in Vienna in October

Vienna is a romantic city filled with exceptional architecture, a wealth of museums, activities and events. When the gates open for the Viennale, the Wiener Wiesn folklore festival comes into its own, the best of local gastronomy meets the Oktoberfest, and there's a mind-blowing Halloween celebration along the Prater, it's clear that the best month of the year to visit Vienna has arrived.

In October the temperature is usually perfect for enjoying the parks, monuments, gardens and numerous attractions. It's 31 days of festive atmosphere. Whether you're looking for a weekend getaway or a stopover before Innsbruck, there are plenty of things to see and do in Vienna in October.

Better known to the Viennese as ORF (Lange Nacht der Museen), the Night of the Museums is an October classic. Austria's museums and private art galleries open their doors to welcome visitors from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. and it is a unique occasion to visit Vienna's best museums such as:

• The Vienna Museum of Art History.
• The Albertina Museum Vienna.

The regular activities are still going on and the whole city adds special events such as a visit to the charming Liechtenstein Palace, usually closed to the general public. And best of all, you can visit all the museums with one ticket. Yes, for just €15 you get a sort of all-inclusive ticket. By the way, public transport services also join in on this yearly extravaganza, although I'd still recommend booking the Vienna Pass for the rest of the days.

Specifically, Vienna's offer also includes some guided tours such as the Third Man Canal, as well as some free tours with the attentive attention of local guides. Really, it 's all advantages with this initiative, but remember that the massive attendance makes early booking necessary.

Your photos of your visit to Schoenbrunn Palace will tell everyone that you've been to Vienna, but if you're looking for a picture-postcard view of the vibrant reds and yellows, you should take your photos in October.

In the mid 1750s, architects Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Nicola Pacassi designed and built this Baroque palace as the summer residence of the imperial family, the Habsburg dynasty. And on 14 October 1809, the palace marked the end of an era against Napoleon, a historic date for the nation.

Its monumental scale and luxurious design made Schoenbrunn Palace one of the most iconic buildings in imperial Austria. The building has been a World Heritage Site since 1996. Access is easy, from the Vienna Metro, you will find a stop with the same name. If you book a visit to Schonbrunn Palace, you will see:

• The circular Chinese Room, where Maria Theresa held private meetings.
• The Great Gallery, where the imperial banquets were held.
• The Sissi Path, an emblematic place that is often featured on the big screen.
• The Gloriette, with the best views of the exterior of the complex.
• The impeccable gardens with the Tiergarten Schönbrunn, the world's first zoo.
• A fleet of 600 cars is on display in the Imperial Carriage Museum.

On 1 October, the Quintessence Organ Festival organises another first-class musical event in the Franciscan Church in the centre of Vienna. Classics by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Vivaldi, or Beethoven touch the heart of the audience instead of appealing exclusively to the intellect. Each piece is a sublime celebration in which the audience experiences a sensory experience.

Ingenious presentations, choreographic contributions and cleverly humorous arrangements are the ingredients of a new approach to the enjoyment of classical music.

Don't forget that Vienna is the capital of classical music and no matter what time of year you go, you will be able to book:

• Classical concert tickets for St. Anne's Church, from CAD 57.
• Mozart and Strauss concert tickets, from CAD 96.
• Mozart concert tickets, from CAD 87.
• Tickets for Vivaldi's Four Seasons concert, from CAD 52

It's not all museums, galleries and palaces. Gastronomy is one of the must-do activities on every traveller's agenda and what better way to do it than cruising the Danube?

Booking a dinner cruise on the Danube is perhaps one of the main attractions that Vienna has and is rarely mentioned, but I recommend that you let yourself be seduced by the Danube in all its royal and romantic splendour, especially if your getaway is in good company.

As the temperature warms up, sail along the romantically lit banks and enjoy the excellent on-board restaurant service on any of the available cruises.

Although Vienna is considered one of the cradles of classical music, the great musical culture of its inhabitants is not limited to classical music. A good example, in which you can participate, is the city's Contemporary Music Festival.

This festival takes place every year from late October to early November. Although there are several venues, the main one is in the Konzerthaus, one of Vienna's most beautiful concert halls.

The programme, which usually has more than 50 performances, includes all genres of music, so you're bound to find something you like.

An encounter with vampires in a dark corner of a club, a visit to the scary Museum of Torture(Foltermuseum) or perhaps for those with sharp humour, a trip into a coffin at the Museum of Hearses (Bestattungsmuseum) are just some of the activities you can do on this terrifying night.

If you want something more, you can also join a marathon in your ghostly costume, celebrate Queerloween or experience the magic of Halloween in glamour at The Contouring. You'll need between €5 and €20 to access these personalised experiences, but if you're looking for a family-friendly venue without missing out on the spooky atmosphere, find the entertainment veterans at the Prater.

Halloween at the Prater

The Prater is a large public park characterised by the Würstelprater (amusement park) and flanked by arching chestnut trees. A place where Halloween is celebrated in style. The complex has been open to the public since 1895 and still retains some of its iconic attractions. Among realistic costumes, artists, acrobats and musicians appear and the whole family can enjoy musical theatre, the Black Mamba, the Tornado and the Magic Rotor, among many other attractions. Admission is free and you pay between €1 and €5 per attraction.

The Wiener Wiesn-Fest attracts more than one million visitors every year at the legendary Kaiser Wiese in the Prater. For many, it is **Austria'**s biggest folk festival- and for good reason! In addition to the local beer, lively music and regional cuisine, there is something else that definitely makes the difference: around 700 hours of live music are offered over three weeks.

The Wiener Wiesn-Fest is also a great experience because it is held in three splendid tents. Spectators can enjoy it in person or via social media, and it now offers a hybrid experience. In addition to the popular shows, such as the 20-piece Jäger Marching Band or the evening parade with flags and torches through the Prater, musicians from Austria and Bavaria also perform online.

Practical information

• Where: Prater/Riesenrad.
• Price: depends on the number of days you want to attend.
• When and opening times: early October. Open from Monday to Saturday from 11.30am to midnight, and closes at 8pm on Sundays.

Nowadays its facilities are open to tourists and it serves as the working place of the Austrian federal president. On this tour you'll visit its rooms and even the famous Sissi Museum, which focuses on the life of Empress Elisabeth, nicknamed 'Sissi', her childhood, her tragic death and her impact on fashion.

The Hofburg Palace has a rich history spanning almost 800 years and its 2,600 rooms have served as the residence of emperors, kings and even presidents. Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical architecture present colourful rooms fused with Renaissance architecture.

This is the largest palace in Vienna and houses interesting exhibits such as the Ephesus Museum, the Austrian National Library, the Albertina Museum, the Austrian Film Museum and the Vienna Papyrus Museum. In October, with the arrival of the national celebrations, parades and events around the palace are recurrent.

Visit the land of Sigmund Freud on the National Day of the Republic of Austria! The Heldenplatz square in front of the Hofburg Imperial Palace hosts a military parade. This holiday created at the beginning of the 20th century commemorates Austria's first day of independence and political neutrality, 26 October 1955.

It is a day of rest when the streets are decorated with national flags, coloured lights and fireworks. The patriotic holiday is also an opportunity to get to know Austria better.

In addition, you can take the opportunity to enter the office of the Austrian State President in the Hofburg Palace and visit the palace museums free of charge.

Are you looking for an unusual gift, a new piece of jewellery, an innovative lamp or a handmade chair? The Blickfang Design Fair is the ideal place to buy that souvenir that everyone will be talking about. You can just enjoy the extravagance of proposals that are as sustainable as they are inspiring, or you can satisfy your curiosity for the latest trends in art.

The products and articles on display are as varied and colourful as the 175,000 m² museum building. Since 2013, Blickfang has been held in the MAK's Joseph Kranz Gasse wing, a unique design venue.

The permanent exhibitions delight in equal measure. So consider this visit to Blickfang a double dose of inspiration and guilty pleasure, then tour the MAK museum itself. Book your tickets.

Practical information

• Where: Weiskirchnerstraße, 3.
• Price: about €12. Tickets can only be purchased online.
• When: from around 20 October onwards.

You may have the idea that the weather in Vienna in autumn can be too cold. In reality, temperatures have not yet dropped too much, so October is considered one of the best months to enjoy all the things to see and do in Vienna.

Although it's always a good idea to check the forecast shortly before you travel, highs are generally around 15 degrees Celsius, while lows average around 9 degrees Celsius.