Vienna's Best Rooftop Bars & Cafes
A curated selection of the best rooftop bars in Vienna, according to a local who's tried them all!
Peak summer is upon us in Vienna and there's only one sure-fire way to make the most of this magical, sweaty time of year - head up.
The city is peppered with plenty of glorious rooftop bars and cafe's, you just have to know where to find them to get to the one that suits your style.
A rooftop bar in Wien is a mysterious beast though, because you have to really seek them out - they can be hidden in hotels, in top floors of shopping centres and all sorts of quirky places, including massive tram stops.
But fear not, I've made a handy dandy map for you below and will walk you through the best rooftop bar options you need to make the most of the stunning skyline of Vienna.
Because I'm not into super fancy bars and swanky cocktail places (Sky bar Vienna is stunning, but I do not have the swanky outfits to go there regularly!) this collection is more about places I'd actually take you to if you were in town.
There's one or two fancy-pants places, but overall, when going to a rooftop bar I want to relax, not be worrying about whether my shoes are good enough or my dress too cheap (because duh of course it is, I spend all my money travelling - but my dresses are still cute!)
After much carefully considered 'research' - trialling cocktails and posing flippantly on balconies - these are the places I love heading to for a summer spritzer at sunset with friends.
In fact, let’s be real, even when the weather is grey, I'll take my friends to these dachterrase in Wien, because they are always worth the views.
If you want the kind of rooftop where you don't have to spend a fortune and stick your nose in the air the whole time, here's the best rooftop bars of Wien!
1 Der Dachboden - Hipster rooftop of Vienna
Let's get one of the most popular rooftop bar and coffee spots out the way first.If you haven't been to Dachboden yet, you're missing the most easily accessible rooftop and hipster hangout in the city.
It's a part of the 25 Hours hotel, but open to the public and has a glorious view into the historic city centre, looking across to Museums Quartier and the Hofburg.
In all honestly, it's a go-to bar for when friends visit in winter or summer.Just keep in mind it can get suuuuuuper crowded on certain nights (Thursdays and Saturdays have queues) and you can't reserve in advance, so you have to get your elbows out to capture that perfect picture.
What I love about Dachboden though is the comfy couches, colourful outdoor seating and unashamedly hipster decor - floating fixie bikes, splattered art on the walls and waiters with handlebar moustaches.
God bless it - get there now!
2. Lamee Rooftop - Trendy bright rooftop bar in centre of Vienna
You have to walk through the fancy foyer of Cafe Bar Bloom and the Lamee hotel to find this place, which can be intimidating, but once you head up the elevator and out onto the pastel coloured rooftop you can immediately relax.
There's super-cute stools to perch on in bright colours and a view to rule them all looking directly across to Stephansdom.
They specialise in cocktails and wines here, so your best bet to order is a Kaiserspritzer (White wine, elderflower syrup and soda water) or a Hugo (Mint leaves, prosecco, elderflower sirup, soda water) to match your view.
We also uncovered some adorable tiny snacks on our last visit - mini käsekrainer sausages which can take the edge off if you get peckish.
To be honest this is one of my favourite places to go with some girlfriends and get giggly over a few cocktails as the sun sets.
The bright colours and vista over the city makes it feel like you are in a movie or outtake from Sex and the City - if it were set in Vienna and the lead characters weren't so skinny, rich and...y'know what never mind.
Whoever you come here with, this rooftop bar is fabulous, and definitely my #1 pick if I want to 'wow' friends with the view. In fact you can see that's exactly what we did when the lovely Sabina & Nicola visited Vienna!
3. Atmosphere Rooftop bar - Accessibly fancy rooftop bar Vienna at the Ritz Carlton
This one sounds fancy-pants, but actually once you are upstairs it's not too bad.You obviously pay a bit more for the drinks, but I like to think of it as 'rent on the view' because the Ritz absolutely crushes it in terms of panoramic viewing.
180 Likes, 1 Comments - The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna (@ritzcarltonvienna) on Instagram: "Cheers to the weekend 🥂 What are your plans for this beautiful summer weekend? . . ...."
The whole city is laid out beneath you and the setup of the terrace is designed for cosy couples to snuggle on giant oversize wicker chairs, or groups to perch together on comfy low seated couches.
Being right on the Ringstrasse means they have views clear across to Stephansdom, Karlskirche and clear across the city centre.
This isn't the place you settle in for the night as its way too expensive, but you should definitely time your day to visit just before sunset to make the most of magic hour and watch dusk fall over the city streets from high above.
Officially its only open from mid-April until the end of summer, but if you're here during the Christmas period, they do open it up for an adorable mini Christmas market huts or two and very cosy seating with a view. Worth the hype!
4. Gerngross Shopping Centre - Rooftop bar hidden in Akakiko & Brandauers terrace
Everytime I visit here I'm shocked that more people don't know about these terraces with incredible views, and more importantly, extremely affordable fodd & drinks! Let's keep it our little secret, shall we?
Up on the top floor of Gerngross shopping centre, smack on Mariahilferstrasse you can escape the crowds by stepping from the elevators and onto a ridiculously sunny and glorious terrace.
It's big enough to stretch across the areas of both Akakiko sushi restaurant and the Austrian Brandauers restaurant.With views down Mariahilferstrasse and Kirchengasse you can see up close to the architecture of the Church of Mariahilf just across from the centre.
The location also means you can get sun late in to the day, so it's perfect after a day of shopping the high street to unwind above everyone and see the sun set slowly.
This Vienna rooftop bar is more for meals and families than a night out with the girls, but the terrace is brilliant if you want to get away from the high street stores and hustle of busy Mariahilfer strasse.
5. Das Oben - the hidden gem rooftop bar Vienna
This is one that often gets overlooked as it's 'hidden' above the library of Vienna at the busy intersection of Urban Loritzplatz.
This isn't the place I'd take visiting friends to if they only have a day or two in the city if I'm honest, but for locals, it's a great alternative spot for a different rooftop-like view over the city.
You can run up the stairs like Rocky Balboa if you are super motivated, and because they get sunshine most of the day, it's really great for those in between season weather days when its cold but you want to be outdoors.
They do a decent brunch menu and occasionally have events and movie nights on their rooftop that give you a better view down the gürtel of the city.
This is a rare gem - the Vienna dachterrase that you can actually enjoy without having to purchase a thing, just by sitting on the stairway up there!
6.Wirr am Brunnenmarkt - a rooftop overlooking a bustinling maarket
Wirr am Brunnenmarkt is definitely more casual than most of the other bars mentioned, nestled in the heart of the 16th district in Yppenplatz.
The 'rooftop' here is very simple, and elevates you just above the market crowds of Brunnenmarkt with a view down the crowded streets. I prefer this rooftop for a casual morning brunch and sunny day spritzers.
It's a different kind of rooftop view over the city, but gets you much closer to everyday life of Vienna.
The slight elevation means you can people watch as market stall holders call out for buyers, locals get their weekly shop and kids outrun their parents in the main square of Brunnenmarkt.
Wirr can always be relied upon for good brunch, decent coffee and chilled vibes whichever time of day you visit!
As rooftops go, this is one of the best in Vienna.
7. Das Loft - The MAJOR rooftop bar at Sofitel hotel.
Ho boy...this is the big mama of rooftop bars and views in Vienna.Das Loft restaurant is bloody gorgeous with prime location on the Donaukanal, atop the Sofitel hotel, looking down onto Schwedenplatz and Kahlenberg hill in the distance.
It has a full 360-degree panorama over all of Vienna, and if you can nab yourself a perch around sunset it is absolutely breathtaking.
You will feel a million bucks in this place and the floor to ceiling windows make it seem like you are Queen of the world looking out over tiny lemmings.
The roof of the bar has been designed and decorated by famed multimedia artist Pipilotti Rist, splashing it in bright colours and changing images, in contrast to the stately architecture outside the window.
Das Loft is definitely a top date-night option. But please, only go for the cocktail bar, save your €€€ on the restaurant.
Stefan and I went there for an anniversary meal one year and were terribly disappointed, particularly considering the super high prices for Vienna! The cocktail bar is wonderful and you can still enjoy the views for much more affordable prices
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Yes, it's a touch fancy, but kind of perfect for a date night if you want to see the city sparkling.Or, if you want to see it all in bright beautiful detail, you can always go for the brunch buffet on a Sunday, which is of course what I would reccommend as a self-confessed brunch addict.
Night or day, Das Loft is gorgeous - just keep in mind there's no outdoor seating area so if you want the wind in your hair then you'll have to look elsewhere.
9. Aurora Rooftop Bar
The latest swanky rooftop bar ViennaAnother one on a hotel rooftop - for whatever reason, hotels seem to luuurrrve hiding their bars up on Viennese rooftops. And why not?
This newbie, Aurora, just opened up and overlooks a different part of Vienna, across Hauptbahnhof and Belvedere Palace.The design of the bar is inspired by 'Nordic' elements, so everything is beautifully minimalist, clean white lines, and all the cocktails on the menu have names like 'Call of the Vikings!' and 'Devil on a Horseback'.
The drinks prices are in line with the 5 star vibe of the Hyatt hotel, so you will be looking at €14-€17 for a cocktail, which is eye watering prices in Vienna!
Having stood on balconies celebrating New Years Eve in an apartment near the area the Aurora is in, I can promise you the view will be stunning, just beware on windy days the wind screams through this area of Vienna. So, save this for peak summer sessions I say!
That's my pick of Vienna's best rooftop bars and cafes, next time you're here, let's go for a drink, shall we?