Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Gay Vienna is one of the great gay capitals of Europe, with a diverse and thriving gay scene enhanced by grand imperial architecture, world-class museums, refined Kaffeehäuser (coffee houses) and culture galore.
A place you could travel to time and time again, each visit to Vienna reveals a new treasure – whether it is a hidden garden, new hotel, old-world gay sauna or cutting-edge cocktail bars.
A city as much in touch with it’s passed as it is looking to the future, we are absolutely obsessed with Vienna and for a good reason!
There are more gay bars, clubs and pop-up gay parties than we could count, and new ones pop up all the time. Then there are all the gay cafes, bookstores, events, balls, and swimming pools. Seriously, don’t let its old-world facade fool you; this city could wear out even the most energetic boy or girl who tries to take it on all at once.
While Vienna has always been a very sexually liberal city, there is now, even more, to celebrate as the Austrian courts recently legalized same-sex marriage from the start of 2019!
This also coincided with Austria holding EuroPride 2019, but needless to say, when you visit Vienna, you can expect to be welcomed everywhere you go – even at the stoplights where cute light same-sex couples walking signs remind us all: Love is Love!
And be sure to keep an eye out for Conchita Wurst, which is often spotted around town…
Sadly, Gay Vienna is often overlooked for the cheaper Eastern Europe capitals of Prague, Warsaw, and Budapest, but there is no other city on Earth like it – and those who opt to skip this magical city are missing out!
Vienna holds close to its past and incorporates it into everyday life, keeping the good and reinventing traditions that no longer are fit for purpose – all the while retaining a deep sense of self.
In Vienna, imperial trappings still linger in the air, people still greet each other with a casual Grüß Gott (May God be with you), and many grand palaces and museum complexes still dot the skyline. Yet hipster cafes and galleries inflict every inch of this city [reaching contagion level in Freihausviertel neighborhood], and there is never, ever, a shortage of things to do here.
Art, fashion, and food are both trendy and backward, with pop-up markets in old hidden courtyards – Nightclubs in abandoned subway stations. It’s a city so full of contradictions, refusing to let itself be boxed into any one category.
At once, Vienna is both thoroughly modern yet ridiculously orthodox – an attractive destination for lesbians and gays from around the globe who are drawn here by a deeply-rooted LGBT lifestyle and a real sense of community and acceptance.
There is a reason why stories abound in Vienna’s past of homosexual emperors and composers, princesses, and even warlords. Gay Vienna is just too fabulous to stay away from. No matter where your interest lie – culture, nightlife, food, wine, luxury hotels, music or shopping – we are certain Gay Vienna will have something for you…
In this article we will cover...
Attractions in Gay Vienna
Obviously, being gay does not define which attraction most of us will want to see in each city, and most queer tourists will simply want to check out the top things to see in Vienna during the day! Vienna is a very safe city, but still, all travelers should take caution with valuables.
Gay people in Vienna do not need to take any extra precautions in terms of public displays of affection in this very progressive city and should have no issues exploring this magical city’s beauty!
It can all get a bit overwhelming, and we totally get that – so if you are not sure where to go, take a peek at our Gay Vienna map at the end or simply head to the “gay mile” district in Vienna – basically the Vienna Gay Village – were within this square mile located in an almost triangle between Naschmarkt, Mariahilferstraße and Kettenbrückengasse you can find more gay bars, clubs, sauna, cafes and stores than in the rest of Austria combined.
Here are just a few of our favorite things to do in Vienna, however, just to get you started!
Top Highlights of Vienna
Sample exotic foods and drinks at the Naschmarkt, a Viennese tradition since the 16th century! Fresh fruit and vegetables from around the world arrive here every day and are joined by exotic herbs, cheese, baked goods, meats, and seafood. You’ll want to tempt them all, and so you should since calories don’t count on sunny days!
There are around 150 stalls with colorful owners and a mouth-watering variety of treats. The gay village of Vienna has also grown up around Naschmarkt, with many gay cafes, bars, cruise clubs and more scattered around.
Conveniently located all in one compact area, Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier houses most of the must-see museums … in the old Hapsburgian Imperial stables of all places. The top finds here are the Art History Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum), the Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum) and the Leopold Museum, with the world’s largest Schiele collection.
Mariahilferstraße
Where the Viennese head for all their shopping needs. Going for what seems like miles and miles, this is Vienna’s High Street with practically every big name you could want, and corresponding crowds on the weeks.
Christmas Markets In Vienna
Everyone knows the best Austrian Christmas Markets are found in Vienna, so shop [or drink] till you drop at some of the best Christmas markets in Europe. From mid-November through to Christmas, Vienna’s most scenic spots are filled with the aroma of baked goods and hot punch getting everyone excited for Christmas. Let’s just hope they get a gay Christmas market like Hannover one day soon!
A true wonder of Europe, the historic old town of Vienna – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – still maintains the feel of the great age of Viennese Classicism, and it’s almost as if no one told the Austrians about the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Check out a world-class opera or ballet at the Vienna State Opera at a fraction of the price. Standing room tickets here go for as little as 3 euros and are relatively easy to get – Just follow this easy guide to getting Vienna Opera standing room tickets on the cheap!
Probably the most famous cafe in all of Vienna, the Sacher Cafe houses in the historic Sacher hotel is famed for the Sacher Torte, invented by the hotel creator and beloved by Emperor Franz Josef.
A delicious iced-chocolate cake with a layer of apricot jam, the Sacher Cafe, with its opulent interior and elegant old-world charm, is undoubtedly the best place to try the Sacher Torte – best enjoyed with a melange coffee.
Probably the most beautiful baroque palace in existence – and gives Versailles a run for its money – there is no excuse for not visiting the Belvedere Palace and Gardens being so close to the city center.
The Belvedere Gardens are free to walk around day and night, offering a jaw-dropping view of the Vienna skyline – but for a complete visit, you need to pony up to see its famed frescoed halls adorned with works by Vienna’s own Klimt and Schiele.
Historic Vienna Coffeehouses
Sip a Wiener Melange and enjoy Apfel Strudel at a Viennese coffee house ” where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill”. It could be argued that nothing is more quintessentially Viennese than the coffee house, which played such an important part in shaping their culture, and it’s now listed as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO.
Pay your respects to the dearly departed in one of Europe’s biggest and most beautiful cemeteries, with over three million souls resting at the Zentralfriedhof. Far from a morbid attraction, it is actually surprisingly peaceful to wander through the maple-lined paths here and admire the different architectural styles spanning different eras.
Enjoy free entry to over 70 of Vienna’s most popular attractions and museums, including the Imperial Palace, Schönbrunn Zoo and the Natural History Museum. Get a free guidebook to help you explore the city and plan your visit, with 5 languages available.
No need to wait in line with Fast Track Entry to a number of Vienna’s top attractions, and you can explore Vienna at your leisure with 4 different day passes to choose from! Perfect for those who want to see and do it all…
Marvel at the Baroque splendor that is the Schönbrunn Palace Gardens. A 1,441-room palace is probably the most important architectural, cultural, and historical monument in Austria. That has a 300-year history deeply intertwined with successive Habsburg monarchs, most significantly Franz Joseph and Maria Theresa.
The whole site, including the Schönbrunn Palace gardens, has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996 and is one place you absolutely cannot miss, come rain or shine.
Gay Things To Do In Vienna
The closest thing to a gay coffeehouse in Vienna you can get is housing in an 18th-century building in the heart of Vienna’s gay district. Go on a weekend morning for maximum effort, or anytime to relax with elegant furnishing, fine details, delicious coffee, and traditional Austrian cafe snacks.
A relative newcomer to the gay cafes in the Vienna scene, this popular lesbian-owned establishment has been quickly picked up by trendy queers who flock here to enjoy coffee, tea and vegan/gluten-free/ lactose-free cakes every afternoon.
An LGBT information and counseling center in Vienna is open with limited hours. Part of their services is an onsite gay library, with books and newspapers, gay Vienna maps, and an archive. There is also the legendary Willendorf Cafe with its outdoor garden, late-night vibes, and gay crowds.
HOSI Wien (Homosexual Initiative)
Austria’s LGBT association center with an onsite gay café Gugg. Wednesday is lesbian evening, and on Thursdays, there is a queer youth café for all under 30 years.
A queer-feminist association, cafe and collectively organized space for projects & events. Women, Inter-, Trans-, Genderfluid and Non-Binary persons are welcome on Thursday and Friday from 7 pm to midnight.
They have set upon the task of criticizing social conditions and creating a space in which women, trans-, inter- and non-binary persons, can exist without discrimination, transgressions, violence, and prejudices to which they are exposed in everyday life. It is a deliberate political decision not to invite cis-men and therefore asks only those who meet their criteria to come.
An LGBT bookshop in Vienna focussed on queer feminist theory and fiction, lesbian novels, children’s books, graphic novels and much more!
One of the world’s largest gay and lesbian bookstores for literature, including English-language books, LGBT magazines, DVDs, toys, accessories and anything else you could possibly want. If they don’t have it, they will happily order it for you!
Austria’s largest sports club for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. They offer sports volleyball, women’s football, football for all, women’s basketball, tennis, and badminton.
Gay Beach in Vienna
Summer in the city? Want to cool off? While since losing a certain war, Austria has been landlocked, the best place to cool off is Schönbrunnerbad, a large Olympic swimming pool that is very gay-popular.
Home to the young and insanely good-looking, it is worth a visit for the man candy alone, and is more than a little cruisy! You could also try the small nudist area at Toter Grund on the Danube Island or Gänsehäufl on the old Danube.
A Vienna-based progressive men’s magazine focussed on ending homophobia. As a Post Gay Magazine, the bridge the gap between homosexuality and heterosexuality and defines the man of the future without stereotypes.
They have interesting articles but also keep an up-to-date event calendar of all the gay parties in Vienna. Online or you can find around Gay Vienna (they are also famous for using the blood of HIV-positive people to print an issue).
An online resource for all the latest queer / bespoke events in Vienna run by the Vienna Tourist Board. Worth checking out for concert information, daily photos, advice, and interviews.
Gay Events In Vienna
The queer-component of the annual Wiener Wiesn-Festival held in September – Think Gay Oktoberfest, except in Vienna, not Munich. Expect plenty of remarkable lederhosen flamboyance and dirndl entertainment specific for LGBT people for one evening only – complete with live music, humorous performances, and hearty gastronomy.
Vienna in Black / Vienna Fetish Week
A whole week at the end of October for fetish lovers with numerous parties, the popular Mr. Puppy Austria competition, Leather Dinner and the epic Black Fetish Night. Rubber, Sports, Leather, Uniforms – whatever your kink, you can be sure to find something here for you.
An annual competition for drag queens with three categories: 1) who can throw a purse the furthest, 2) synchronized ironing 3) running in heels. A highlight of Pride season in Vienna hosted by the fabulous Miss Katrinka Kitschovsky.
Strike a pose, dahling! In the great tradition of Paris is Burning, PLENVM Ninja, together with the House of Ninja and the House of Butter, presents the premiere Voguing events in Vienna.
Taking place three to four times a year; if you are lucky enough to be in Gay Vienna when they have a show, do not miss it! With six categories and three judges, Eat Slay Love is one hell of a show!
“The answer to bad porn isn’t no porn. It’s to try and make better porn!” Blurring the lines between art, cinema, and sexuality, this alternative festival encompasses erotic art exhibitions, some wild parties and film screenings (naturally) about the issues facing the porn scene and artistic porn. It is not going to be for everyone, but if you are open-minded, this event takes place every March.
Held annually in March / April, this avant-garde festival will deliver world-class progressive performance art from burlesque artists, drag artists, dancers, and beyond to an international audience in Vienna.
Through expression, exploration, and discussion, it helps to put forward positive attitudes toward bodies, sex, and gender. As utterly unique as it is intoxicating, this spectacular event is entirely worth planning your trip around!
identities Queer Film Festival
Held annually in June, this LGBT cultural highlight of Vienna (and the second biggest international film event in the city) brings the very best queer movies to the most striking cinemas in Vienna. Of course, being a gay event, there with also be plenty of parties if the films are not so much for you!
The queerest way to start the Gay New Year, and this year the theme is ‘Beauty & The Beast’. With chiseled Gogo dancers, jaw-dropping performances, and talented DJs pumping out the house and pop all night…What better way could there be to start your new year off on the wrong foot?
The biggest gay pride in Austria, this week-long party celebrates the role of the LGBT community in making Vienna what it is today, and is entirely worth planning a trip around. Held annually in July, the highlights are the massive street festival, a vibrant rainbow parade, and all the club parties – but there are plenty of other cultural events too!
Today it is mostly about celebrating everything queer and fabulous, but of course, still much needs to be done to achieve total equality, and there is a strong focus on the political roots of Vienna Pride.
For two weeks, communication, conversation and cultural occasions and parties will make Vienna the center of Gay Europe, and we can’t think of any place more deserving. We look forward to experiencing the EuroPride Run, Pride Beach, Pride Day at the zoo; Pride guided tours of museums and a EuroPride pool day at the Schönbrunner Bad – just to name a few!
They also plan a Pride Village on City Hall Square and a Pride Park as meeting places of the EuroPride community. There will also be a fabulous Rainbow Parade on the Ringstrasse on June 15, and around 1 million people are expected to attend EuroPride 2019.
Gay Balls In Vienna
Just take one look at the Viennese Waltzes, and you just know – deep down – they were never really destined for straight people! The Rainbow Ball, held annually in January, magnificently conquered the otherwise heterosexual domain of Viennese Ball season by bringing this high-society tradition to Queer Vienna.
Formal evening attire is strictly enforced at this LGBT ballroom event, and if we learned anything from attending: it is that gay’s just really do everything better! The Rainbow ball is an event for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, intersex people, and their friends!
Held annually in February, this more low-profile LGBT ball in Vienna offers an alternative option and sells out weeks in advance. Less upscale than the Rainbow Ball, often meaning more members of the diverse Austrian LGBT community feel compelled to attend.
A gay ball in Vienna was organized by the fabulous drag queen Miss Candy to upstage the over-the-top elitist Opera Ball in the Vienna State Opera held on the same weekend. Complete with a sparkling drag show, plenty of queer spirits and a pumping dance floor, we know which ball we would prefer to attend!
Taking place annually in Vienna and is the only event of its kind in the world. The aim is to create a cosmopolitan culture of diversity in which we allow each other to be as we are. In a lavish ball night together, the organizers set a signal for the colorfulness of our society, tolerance, accessibility, and mutual respect.
A colorful and barrier-free ball night that does not bar on gender, age, religion, origin, disability or who we love. All the feels, right?
The star-studded AIDS-charity event is easily the most spectacular queer party in Europe, if not the entire world. The Life Ball raises close to a million euros each year for HIV projects, and everyone from the Federal Chancellor to Hollywood stars and famous Olympians flies in to watch the luxe fashion show outside in the City Hall Square before dancing the night away.
Unless you are in the known, you are unlikely to score a ticket for the Life Ball – yes, they are that rare, and we would love to attend – but thankfully, the fashion show is free for everyone!
Gay-Friendly and Gay Hotels in Vienna, Austria
Being a pretty liberal country when it comes to sexuality, almost every hotel, and hostel in Vienna can be considered open and welcome to gay and lesbian travelers. After all, being gay-friendly is simply about providing a non-judgmental and respectful environment in which all people are treated equally.
Elegant design, helpful staff, and excellent value for money never hurt anyone, though! Some hotels in Vienna, however, are actively gay-friendly and have gone above and beyond in recognizing the LGBT community and given their popularity with gay travelers, we would say it has paid off! There are also the hotels we have chosen to include in our gay Vienna guide.
While there are no exclusively gay hotels in Vienna, any hotel in the Nashmarket gay district of Vienna is sure to have more than a few gay guests staying – plus, being a stumble home from all the gay bars is pretty desirable. Otherwise, we recommend finding a hotel that is as central as possible, so as to minimize travel time during the day or to the best gay bars at night.
There are hundreds of other good hotel option in Vienna if you don’t find what you are looking for, but we are confident you’ll find something here for you. Whether you want a fun and social hostel, a cheap place to crash after a night of partying or a chic designer option to sip cocktails and surround yourself with fabulous people – Gay Vienna is something for everyone!
Luxury Hotels in Vienna
Das Triest Hotel ☆☆☆☆☆
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A reserved sense of nostalgia strikes a balance between past and present at Das Triest, where Austrian architect Peter Lorenz and British interior designer Sir Terence Conran joined forces to craft imperial elegance with sober, modernist lines.
The chic, individually designed rooms offer Apple iMac computers as well as city or garden views, many of which enjoy private terraces or direct access to a garden courtyard.
There is also a sleek cocktail bar, fitness room, sauna and solarium, helping to explain why so many gay travelers choose to stay at Das Triest Hotel. The perfect combination of history and modern design awaits, and all just steps from the gay bars and cafes in Vienna.
A small boutique hotel in Vienna’s city center, offering stunning design, impeccable service and true livability matched with designer comforts. You will love the bright, elegant rooms, with wood floors and marble bathrooms – and so much space, but there is also an upscale restaurant, in-house bakery, luxe bar and shaded terrace if you want to meet up with others outside of your room.
A hotel to make you happy, with designer details that improve your life.
One of the world’s great luxury hotels, this hotel should need no introduction, being as famous as it is stately and grand. Of course, it is not for everyone, but the art nouveau-style rooms with chandeliers and ornate furnishings offer a stay you will never, ever forget.
Even if you don’t get the chance to stay, try to enjoy a meal at one of the 2 opulent Viennese restaurants – including the cafe home to the original Sacher-Torte cake. Guests also enjoy access to the full-service spa and a fitness center. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, offering old-world Viennese glamour!
The tallest skyscraper in the country and a fantastically sleek, metal construction, the Meliá Vienna is ultra-modern with sophisticated rooms, a rooftop lounge, an indoor pool, and a spa. Located next to the Vienna United Nations, yet only 3 stops from the heart of Gay Vienna, many gay travelers who prefer modernist style to old-world charm opt to stay here.
Mid-range Hotels in Vienna
25hours Hotel beim MuseumsQuartier ☆☆☆☆
A colorful, contemporary hotel that plays with the dreams and sensations associated with the world of the circus. We are obsessed with the 25hours Hotel chain (which we have also experienced in Zurich and Dusseldorf) because they are not merely ‘off the shelf’ cookie-cutter hotels but specifically tailored to each location.
Feel like a rock star the moment you walk into the camera-flashing lobby; the 25-hour Hotel beim MuseumsQuartier has it all. Cool staff, hip Italian restaurant, a seasonal Airstream food truck, a fashionable rooftop bar, an epic location – plus rental bikes, a sauna, and a fitness center. Everybody is welcome at this über-cool hotel, and many fashionable queers in the know can be found here.
Small Luxury Hotel Altstadt Vienna ☆☆☆☆
An alluring boutique hotel jam-packed with modern art, Altstadt Vienna is housed in a 19th-century townhouse in a quiet part of Vienna, just a fifteen-minute walk from the city center. Expect wonderfully stylish rooms, inviting lounges with open fireplaces and a truly welcoming atmosphere.
A modern Austrian masterpiece close to everything in the Vienna gay scene, start the day with a glass of Prosecco, enjoy an aperitif in the evening at their trendy or just basic in the overall sensuality and style on offer here. We are just gagging!
Prepare to swoon over their vibrant interior design, signature pentalounge and deliciously priced rooms that are sure to leave you asking where this new hotel chain has been all your life.
Young, hip and perfectly positioned to enjoy the best of Vienna’s gay nightlife, Pentahotel also offers exotic cocktails at its trendy bar, live DJs most weekends, soundproof, stylish rooms designed by Italian architect Matteo Thun and a sauna/fitness room (as if you will get around to using it right!)
A fabulous choice for a gay hotel in Vienna, located right in the triangle between the gay scene at Naschmarkt and Mariahilfer Strasse. An artsy, modern design hotel with an old-world exterior complimented by spacious rooms, picturesque views and a contemporary restaurant and bar.
Very gay-friendly and a partner hotel for many of Vienna’s top gay events, and if you don’t feel like going out – there is a posh champagne bar and a lounge with live DJs just downstairs.
Budget Hotels In Vienna
Calling all Fun Hunters! The Select-Service hotel Moxy Vienna Airport takes the conventional hotel concept and turns it on its head, giving you the freedom to make your visit exactly what you want it to be. Literally steps away from Vienna International Airport, this is a great choice for business travelers or those with only a short stop-over in Vienna.
Grab a seat at the communal table in the Living Room, the open-plan hotel lobby, and strike up a conversation with your fellow travelers. Take a break from the action in sleek rooms with free Wi-Fi. Moxy is a boutique hotel concept reimagined for Millenials, and we have previously loved stays with them in Osaka, Phoenix, New Orleans, and Frankfurt.
Each location is unique, but here you will find expansive rooms, LED TVs perfect for binging gay romance movies, plush beds lit from underneath, and relaxing rainfall showers. Plus, a happening late-night bar!
A budget hotel with a gay sauna in the basement offers affordable rates and breakfast included in the rate. Don’t expect a designer fit-out, but the gay scene of Vienna is only a short walk away, and the staff is extremely friendly. While there is no exclusively gay hotel in Vienna, Hotel-Pension Wild comes close to those wanting a bit of cruisy action not far from their room.
Drei Kronen Hotel Wien City ☆☆☆
An old-style Vienna hotel with clean rooms, and low prices and is close to all the gay bars. One of the cheapest rooms in town, while also getting a taste of Viennese design and service. In the morning, a rich Viennese breakfast buffet is also served.
Hotel Fürst Metternich ☆☆☆
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In an Art Nouveau building dating from 1896, Hotel Fürst Metternich is located in a quiet side street just steps away from the Mariahilfer Straße, Vienna’s main shopping street, and the Vienna gay district. Traditional style and comfy beds make this an enjoyable place to come back to after a long day – or night – of exploring many of Gay Vienna’s delights
An international hotel specializing in budget rooms at the best price. This location is closest to the gay scene and perfect for LGBT travelers who want simple rooms with no surprises.
wombat’s CITY Hostels Vienna ☆☆
In a great location overlooking Vienna’s biggest market, and right in the heart of the gay scene – many of our readers traveling on a budget love to stay here. This modern, secure and clean hostel is also a short walk from the Hofburg, Secessionhaus and the Vienna State Opera, making it ideal for those looking to soak up some culture while in Gay Vienna.
Wombats hostel also has friendly, helpful staff, a popular and lively bar serving cheap beer and a chance to meet cute backpackers!
Gay Nightlife in Vienna
Where not even sure where to start, as the gay nightlife in Vienna is amongst the best in the world. If you are as overwhelmed as we are, the only thing you need to know is Wienzeile street, and the famous gay Naschmarkt area is the hub of LGBT nightlife in Vienna…But by no means the only place to spend the night with your global queer family.
Gay club parties in Vienna are all the range with different locations across the city every evening, but we have only listed the most popular and fabulous, as there are almost too many to count!
Use our Gay Vienna Map at the end if you’re lost, but there is plenty of bars, cocktail lounges, bearded glitter queens and bear dens littered across Vienna to satisfy even the most discerning of gay travelers. Oh, and speaking of discerning…Do you know that rude Viennese stereotype? Just as accurate in bars and clubs.
It’s one big meat market out there, so don’t take it personally. Much like gay guys in Las Vegas and Tel Aviv, people here are direct and to the point.
Gay Bars In Vienna
A new stylish and modern gay bar in Vienna offering its visitors a pleasant ambiance, delicious cocktails, good music and selected special promotions. 100% straight friendly, this is a gay bar but a place where everyone can come together and enjoy their evening.
Santo Spirito
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A charming wine bar favorited by many gay Viennese for its camp flair and Baroque/classical music performed by local artists live.
Schik Bar
A posh gay bar with a mixed crowd. Everybody is welcome in this friendly and open-minded space – especially bears!
A trendy gay bar in terms of both design and clients, perfect for chilled cocktails and meeting new friends. Keep an eye out for the tall, blond slice of heaven behind the bar… Ok, there are quite a few so you can rest assured you will not be short on eye candy.
A funky barge hosts fine dining and cocktails during the day – along with an open-air swimming pool, and transforms into an LGBT popular dance club at night. So utterly hipster and Vienna we almost can’t handle!
Unashamedly a hustler bar where you can pick up rent boys in Vienna – though none of them are actually from Vienna, or seem to really have any interest in being there. Scams are common, so be careful, but the cheap drinks and highly erotic naked shower shows leave little to the imagination.
Palmenhaus
Not ‘gay’ but very gay-popular, this other-worldly coffeehouse/bar is housed in a former Emperor’s glasshouse and is quite the sight to behold. What better way to spend a cold winter’s night than amidst a rainforest, in the middle of a central European city?
Step inside and become a modern urban outdoor cafe adventurer while trekking through the shrubbery to your table in the Art Noveau steel and glass structure, where the people-watching is as superb as the cocktails.
The atmosphere is one-of-a-kind here at any time – you can gaze at the garden, or the huge, exotic plants inside the steel and glass front, and feel like an Emperor yourself surrounded by beautiful people.
A popular LGBT cafe in Vienna with warm hospitality and a location in the middle of the beautiful 7th district. Offering fresh, regional and seasonal food and drinks with selected wines, a large beer selection and specialty Viennese coffee, the Augenblick is a nice place to stay a night out – either inside or enjoying their open-air terrace seating.
A cosmopolitan gay bar that brings the timeless class of Vienna to its often tack-less gay scene. Fine wine, cocktails, and fashionable decor make this one of the finest spots to start any night out in Gay Vienna.
A popular LGBT hangout in Vienna with coffee, drinks, and food. Always a fun time with plenty of rainbow flags, a cute art corner and different events listed on their website.
A cosmopolitan nightclub & restaurant, with a globally inspired menu, delicious cocktails & international DJs later at night. All-gendered mixed bar with new-age bohemian vibes.
A small but welcoming gay bar in the middle of Vienna with a daily happy hour from 3-8 pm! More of a place to go during the day, with things closing up by 10 pm, but it is very busy on weekends and a nice place to feel out the Vienna gay scene.
An unfaltering gay bar with fashionable decor and attractive bartenders, for music from the 1970s to current chart hits. The two small rooms mean you often find yourself rubbing shoulders, or other body parts, with guests here.
For seven years, the Red Carpet has been an integral part of the LGBT Viennese scene, the starting point for all those who are fed up with uniformity.
Charming cocktail lounge, youth center, party empire, pleasure bar – Red Carpet is one of the largest queer-mixed locations in Vienna, offering fab vibes on weekdays and weekends and plenty of space for everyone, young and old, male, female, black, white. The popular Red Floor basement party on the weekend offers a fun queer dance floor in addition to the bar upstairs open during the weekdays.
Gay Nightclubs In Vienna
Wiener Freiheit
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A disco club/meeting place for gay, lesbian and transgender people in Vienna. The association was founded in 1988 and stands up for the rights of sexual minorities, supports gay and lesbian studies, and organizes funky events in their gay Vienna discotheque. On Friday, it is disco, Latin, hip-hop, and Saturday is a house, current charts, and gay anthem classics.
Every Friday, Saturday and all nights before public holidays, you can dance, drink, canoodle and enjoy yourself here, in one of the most famous Vienna gay nightclubs. With 3 bars, a dance floor, dark rooms, and sexy staff – It’s no wonder Why Not has been the go-to place for party people since 1980.
Gay Parties In Vienna
A crazy gay party in Vienna for everyone; gay, straight, trans, drag queen, Jewish hipster or unicorn. These once mostly parties are not to be missed for a wild night of Eurotrash pop and Israeli hits. Held in the historic underground club inside the old U-Bahn entrance, the club is always LGBT friendly – being both historical, and splendorous and simultaneously cheap and nasty.
A sexy, sweaty, crazy mess of boys and girls dancing the night away in LGBT ecstasy. Held in various venues, these well-known parties are anything but boring and always offer something new and innovative.
Let them drink MILK! A new and refreshing party series has been taking place for months with plenty of hot, shirtless guys. Buckle up, because milk, honey, and drink will flow, and the party escalates with fresh pop and remix sounds as well as some new surprises.
For queers and friends to check in & freak out. Held on the first Friday of the month at different venues around the city, g.spot, step through the gates to experience the dance-mad Viennese gay and lesbian scene.
Organising hip-queer parties with high-quality house music, and open-minded gay, lesbian and straight people. The Austrian queer scene would not be the same without OMG Society.
A new gay party in Vienna with two floors, lots of cute boys and a hijinx. Expect ecstatic dancing, electronic beats, alternative sounds, extraterrestrial moaning, intentional hedonism, familiar feelings and a naughty universe to have fun!
A casual summer gay dance party series in Vienna with an array of sexy guys and girls enjoying Eurotrash, chart hits, and porn! Equal parts muscle boys, glamour toads and blonde bombshells.
A fun, free-loving LGBT party with sexy bartenders and sickening beats covering pop, trash, the 80s, the 90s and house music. Held once a month on average.
A journey to a place somewhere over the rainbow, this is the biggest gay dance party in Vienna, with fabulous DJs, sexy shows and plenty of gorgeous boys to keep you entertained for hours.
Most frequently held at Club Arena, but they love to mix it up, and Circus also takes place in other gay bars and sauna around Vienna. Check their Facebook page for more details of the upcoming events and to purchase tickets in advance.
A grudge indie rock / urban venue hidden on the bank of the Danube plays host to the all-welcome Meat Market gay parties. Occasionally parties move to other venues, so check their Facebook page in advance.
Vienna’s hottest Bear & Butch night out! Real Guys, Wild Bears, Daddies ‘n’ Chubs, Fetish Fans and Friends. For all men who are in a relaxed, bitch-free, masculine mood … “WOOF!”
A new gay party in Vienna is designed for those who cannot live without good club music and wants to enjoy it again and again. Very popular with bears and muscle queens who love to show off everything!
An infrequent queer Balkan clubbing/dance night where DJs play electronic, house, and techno music. Rather inactive, but if you are lucky enough to attend, expect the hottest Balkan guys around! They also host an annual Miss & Mr. Queer Balkan competition.
Vienna’s biggest queer Pop Party with Pop, Trash & Dance party for gays, lesbians and friends, appealing to a mainly young crowd and many students. Established in 2005, Queer: Beat is one of the most popular parties in Vienna, taking place every 2nd Saturday of the month at various large clubs around Vienna.
Gay Saunas in Vienna
Had enough of gay cruising in Vienna – either in the bars or elsewhere?
For those who want a bit more guaranteed action, the gay saunas in Vienna will not disappoint you (unlikely all those faceless accounts on Grindr or the other hookup apps…). Foreigners are typically welcoming throughout the Vienna gay scene, but many guys don’t speak English in the saunas, so you’ll need to be good at reading non-verbal cues. Luckily we have our gay sauna guide to help you out!
One of the world’s oldest gay saunas – and surely one of the most beautiful. This is no dark and dirty sex dungeon of depravity, but a pleasure palace covering 1,700 m² providing the most distinguished and elegant bathing establishment in Vienna. Among the equipment offered are two saunas ( including 1 bio-sauna), a cruising steam bath, a playground, rest cabins with TV, a relaxation area, slings, a darkroom, and a prison with cages and glory holes.
In addition, there is an onsite restaurant and gym, plus trained masseuses offering the best male massages in Vienna. The Kaiserbründl gay sauna offers special prices for students and youth, as well as special weekday promotions, regular events, and parties such as the legendary annual Orgia Epikurea. Incredible architecture, hot guys, epic fun – The Kaiserbründl is an absolute must for any tourist with even a passing interest in the naughtier side of Gay Vienna.
A more basic gay sauna in Vienna is popular with bears, older guys, daddies, and their fans, but Apollo City Sauna has been in business for over 20 years, so they must be doing something right! Inside there are private cabins, a small cruising area, a lounge, a bar, a Finnish sauna and a swimming pool, all for your enjoyment.
A bi-sexual sauna is open to both men and women. Clean, modern and surprisingly upscale, it is often for swingers, but there are more than a few closeted guys hanging around here who are just waiting to be tempted.
Sportsauna
A small gay sauna in Vienna popular with twinks and cute young things in the basement of the semi-gay hotel Pension Wild. Modern and clean, with a Finnish sauna, steam bath, bar, XXX film room, and cruising space.
In the middle of Gay Vienna lies this steamy Roman sauna, completely rebuilt and renovated in 2014. Currently, one of Vienna’s most modern gay saunas, across the two floors, you will find everything you need to relax or meet new people, including a Finnish sauna, steam bath, gay massages, two cruising areas, porn rooms and special events held daily. They are especially well known for their hot-as-hell monthly party “Römerfest”.
Gay Cruising and Fetish Clubs in Vienna
If the bars or gay parties in Vienna are too vanilla for you, perhaps these fetish clubs and cruise lounges are a better fit. We have to warn you; however, Vienna has one of the most intense fetish scenes we have ever come across – up there with Rome, Paris, Munich, and Prague and it is not for everyone. We have tried to identify places for the more ‘initiated,’ but really, there is nothing vanilla here.
Most of these ultra-hardcore cruising venues / gay sex clubs in Vienna are located close to the Kettenbrückengasse metro station, but you can use our Gay Vienna map at the end to find the closest to you.
An international renown leather and fetish cruise bar in Vienna, one of the oldest in Austria, with hot guys, a fun dance floor and plenty of fun. A great underground ambiance in the style of the Freddy Mercury era, air-conditioned with a fully stocked bar and busy darkroom with slings, glory holes and St. Andrew’s Cross. A truly-kinky El Dorado for men who want to have sex with big, beefy men.
A hardcore Vienna gay cruise club for men with an interest in leather/fetish men and uninhibited fun. LMC Vienna (Leather & Motorbike Community)has for over 30 years been the center of the gay fetish community in Vienna and Austria but is also active throughout Europe.
The HARD ON Vienna is their non-profit clubhouse, planned and built as a meeting place for fetish-interested gay men, for fetish-interested gay men and is run exclusively by volunteer members in their free time! Membership is mandatory and free but must be done online prior to your first visit. Check out their website for a roster of events and party themes coming up.
A busy gay sex club in Vienna with themed nights, trance, techno and house music and everything you could desire to live out your infinitely pleasurable erotic fantasies. Their Sunday afternoon Naked Mask parties are legendary and the meeting place of attractive Viennese and Vienna tourists.
Vienna’s largest gay cruising & fetish Bar at over 300 m² offers a large bar, smoking, and non-smoking area, darkroom, glory hole, gang-bang platform, cabins, slings, gyno chairs, etc. Different events are held frequently, like Naked, Sports, Fist, Fetish, Kinky Underwear and Cruising parties.
Open Thursday to Sunday – this playground is for men who want to have sex with men. Check the latest entrance fees on their website with special discounts for whole weekend tickets to maximize your pleasure.
A XXX cinema and cruise club for everyone – straight, bi, gay, women, unicorn! Yes, for diversity and inclusion! On certain evenings, it may be limited to men or other groups so that like-minded people are among themselves.
There are 9 different video cabins, hardcore movie programs for gays, darkrooms, single cabins, group rooms, changing rooms and shower rooms. Explore your own world of sparkling eroticism.
Man For Man
A gay sex toy shop with DVDs and magazines – but also a busy cruising area and porn cinema. Found in the heart of Gay Vienna, so it’s easy to stop by and see how busy things are.
Le Swing Club @ U1 Club Underground
We told you Vienna had its fair share of kink. No wonder Sigmund Freud based himself here! These are not gay events but erotic BDSM parties for swingers and bi people. With dark mazes, a full buffet spreads and a bar – it is pretty bizarre, to say the least. Tuesday evening for all the trans and gay men to gather here, but click through to their website for all the events and info.
Gay Map Of Vienna
Finding it hard to envisage where everything is Gay Vienna? Hopefully, this queer-centric map helps where we have marked all the bars, clubs, parties, hotels, saunas, massages and more will help you stay in the spot best suited to you!