A Wander through the Woods of Vienna: Exploring the WeinerWald
Vienna is by no means bustling compared to other European capitals, but even after a morning wandering from one historic café to the next in the Austrian capital it can be tempting to head out for an afternoon of immersion in the outdoors.
Though the city is full of parks, the best ‘back to nature’ experience in town is without doubt a trip to the Vienna Woods. It may not be true wilderness, but a wander through the hills of the WienerWald and the vineyards that surround them make an excellent day trip.
There are several entrances to the Vienna Woods accessible by public transport from Vienna’s City Center. Most of these are also connected to one another by infrequent public busses that run through the Woods. These are some of the best starting points for first time visitors, with information on what you can find when you get there. Use these as starting points to plan your day, and wander from here to see what else you can find in these Vienna Woods.
Grinzing
The easiest access point to the Vienna Woods is also probably the most common destination for visitors. The community of Grinzing is famous for its popular heuriger wine-taverns that sit just on the edge of the woods. These local favorites serve wine from their own vineyards to groups seated at long communal tables, and are so inviting that often a trip to the Vienna Woods can be derailed by walking in to a a heuriger and staying all day. This area can be nice to wander around, but if anywhere in the Vienna Woods can feel crowded this is it.
To reach Grinzing, tram 38 leaves from the Wien Mitte U3/U4 station and terminates in the heart of the village.
Nussdorf
Nussdorf sees fewer visitors that Grinzing, but for hikers this is a far better starting point for exploring the Vienna Woods. This small community offers its own heuriger, but also features the beginning of an 11 kilometer loop known as City Hiking Path 1 that wanders through the woods for several hours before returning to the village. Wine and dinner at the heuriger taste even better here after a day spent walking in the forest!
Get here by taking the U3 to the Volkstheater stop and switching to the D tram, which ends in Nussdorf.
Klosterneuberg
Located just outside the municipal boundaries of Vienna, the village of Klosterneuberg is home to both the Essl Modern Art Museum and an Augustinian Monastery dating back to the 1100’s. Beyond this modern/historic dichotomy, the area is also home to the popular Gugging Art/Brut museum that prides itself on a large collection of ‘Outsider Art’. Access to the Vienna Woods is easy from Klosterneuberg, but with these three cultural atractions in such close proximity you may find yourself enjoying the village too much to leave.
The S40 train from Spittelau U4/U6 station goes to Klosterneuburg. Alternatively, if you plan to visit the Essl museum a free shuttle leaves from in front of the Albertina Museum four times per day. See the Essl website for details.
Exploring to the Vienna Woods
Busses run throughout the Vienna Woods connecting the numerous small communities that dot the area. Walkers can wader through quite easily as well, but these very first foothills of the Alps make a day of walking a touch more tiring that one might expect. Consider renting a bicycle in Vienna to ride through the woods for a day. The city is extremely friendly towards cyclists, so you could very easily pick up a bike at your hotel in Vienna and ride it straight through town and into the forests. With the numerous heuriger and restaurants located throughout the WienerWald, you don’t even have to pack your own wine!
About the Author
Stephen Lioy Though Stephen Lioy is not based in Vienna (much to his chagrin], his work as a photographer and travel blogger have taken him to the Imperial City numerous times. Follow his websites or social media channels for more information on all his favorite destinations!
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