A modern beach area on the New Danube, CopaBeach combines sandy strips with stylish lounge bars, food stalls, and piers for swimming. It’s one of the liveliest beach areas in Vienna, especially in the evenings.
Location: Neue Donau (New Danube), near Reichsbrücke
Getting There: U1 metro to Donauinsel
Best For: Swimming, street food, nightlife
Facilities: Food trucks, bars, sunbeds, showers
Perhaps Vienna’s most famous beach complex, Gänsehäufel is located on an island in the Danube and offers sandy beaches, sports facilities, and pools. It’s hugely popular in summer and feels like a full holiday resort within the city.
Location: Danube Island (Gänsehäufel area)
Getting There: U1 metro to Kaisermühlen, then short bus ride
Best For: Families, sports, spending a full day by the water
Facilities: Sandy and grassy beaches, pools, cafés, playgrounds
A true “urban beach,” Strandbar Herrmann is a trendy riverside spot where sand, deckchairs, and cocktails meet views of the Danube Canal. It’s more about relaxing, socializing, and nightlife than swimming.
Location: Danube Canal, near Urania
Getting There: U4 or U1 to Schwedenplatz, short walk
Best For: Evenings, cocktails, city vibe
Facilities: Bar, sun loungers, DJs, events
One of the city’s classic summer destinations, Strandbad Alte Donau is a large lido with both grassy and sandy areas, piers for swimming, and plenty of shade under trees. Families flock here for its calm waters and child-friendly facilities.
Location: Alte Donau (Old Danube)
Getting There: U1 metro to Alte Donau
Best For: Families, relaxed swimming, picnics
Facilities: Sunbeds, playgrounds, snack bars, changing rooms
Stretching 21 kilometers, Donauinsel offers countless spots to sunbathe, swim, cycle, or picnic. Some areas have sandy banks, while others are grassy or rocky, giving visitors plenty of choice. It’s Vienna’s biggest outdoor playground.
Location: Danube Island
Getting There: U1, U2, or U6 metro to Donauinsel or Neue Donau
Best For: Cycling, swimming, picnics, outdoor festivals
Facilities: Cafés, rental bikes, event spaces
A smaller, family-friendly beach along the Old Danube, Angelibad offers shallow swimming areas, grassy lawns, and fewer crowds compared to larger lidos.
Location: Alte Donau, Donaustadt district
Getting There: U6 metro to Neue Donau
Best For: Families, quieter beach day
Facilities: Playground, snack kiosk, changing cabins
Vienna may not have a coastline, but the Danube provides the next best thing with sandy lidos, grassy banks, and lively riverside bars. From family-friendly classics like Gänsehäufel and Alte Donau to trendy urban spots like Strandbar Herrmann and CopaBeach, the city’s beaches offer plenty of ways to soak up the summer sun.