5 best activities to escape the city for a day

Hiking on Rax

One thing that’s always fun in the summer is to go on a hike. Austria is of course well known for its amazing mountains throughout the country but it can be slightly hard to get there, take some time and might also be a bit too hard for beginners.

If you’re looking for a nice hike close to Vienna, the perfect place to go is Rax. It’s a nice decent hike, not too difficult but also not too easy. There are so many different ways to get to the peak and you can choose based on how hard you want to to be. From easy ascent to literal climbing, there are possible hikes for anyone on Rax.

On top you can get nice food in one of the small restaurants and treat yourself after your hike. If you’re too tired to go down, you can also take the cablecar on your way down. Definitely a nice trip to escape Vienna for a day.

Neusiedlersee

You’ve probably heard locals making fun of Neusiedlersee. Viennese people call it “Vienna’s bathtub” and you can probably imagine why. It’s like an hour by car to get there, the water is warm and you’ll definitely feel at home with all the other Viennese people around.

But jokes aside, they have nice and cheap public baths around the lake, so if you want to enjoy a mini vacation, this is just perfect for you. Take a swim, read a book or just enjoy the sun while lying in the grass. It’s nothing fancy, but if you’re looking for a fun day trip to escape the heat, Neusiedlersee is definitely a good option.

If you want to spice it up a bit, you can stop at some of the fancier restaurants in the area, and enjoy the sunset with good food or a nice drink. We’re sure you’ll love it.

Weinwandern on Kahlenberg

Another idea if you are into hiking, just a bit closer to Vienna (and easier to get to by public transport). If you’ve been living in Vienna for a while, you probably know Kahlenberg and also knows that the view from the top is amazing.

However, what’s a bit less well known is the vineyard hike that you can enjoy on Kahlenberg. The way it works is pretty simple: along the way down from the top are loads of vineyards with “Heuriger” to stop at. They offer amazing wine and some of the food as well. So you can stop every know and then, try a glass of wine and enjoy the view from the different spots. It’s a lot of fun and definitely a great way to enjoy typical Austrian wine with an amazing view of Vienna.

Martinstherme

If you’re into swimming but want something slightly fancier than Neusiedlersee, then Martinstherme might be just right for you. It’s also in Burgenland and roughly 1:30h by car from Vienna. It’s a thermal bath, but they also have an artificial outdoors lake, many different pools, amazing food and a great spa area.

So no matter whether you want to jump into the refreshing pond, enjoy bathtub vibes or sweat a lot in the sauna, there is something for everyone. If you don’t want to stay over night, they also have day packages and you can combine your stay with good food, and either arrive early for the amazing breakfast buffet or leave later to also enjoy the set dinner. No matter your choice, you will enjoy your day for sure.

Archery on Kahlenberg

Another fun activity is archery. They have a really cool location on top of Kahlenberg, so it’s also easy to get there by public transport. You get your training there and can borrow bow and arrow as well. It’s not too cheap (like 30€ for the day), but they offer loads of different courses through the woods. It’s just so much fun to hike through the woods and practice aiming and shooting.

Although you’re not far from Vienna, you feel like you’re completely surrounded by nature and sometimes you can even get a glimpse of Vienna from above. So the view is definitely a bonus as well.