Things To Do In Vienna October 2025– Top Cultural Picks
October in Vienna is packed with cultural events, from art and music festivals to historic journeys and Halloween chills. Dive into Vienna’s lively scene with this guide
1. Museum Night (Lange Nacht der Museen)
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. Museum Night or Lange Nacht der Museen, is an annual event that keeps locals up at night for all the right reasons: At more than 100 museums and galleries throughout the city the lights will stay on until 1 am, allowing visitors to experience art and history in a unique nighttime setting. This includes world-renowned institutions like the Vienna Museum of Art History, where you can marvel at masterpieces by artists such as Bruegel, Rubens, and Raphael. At the Albertina Museum, discover one of Europe’s largest collections of graphic arts, with works from Dürer to Picasso. The best part is that for one ticket, you have access to all participating venues, making it easy to witness Vienna’s artistic treasures in the early hours.
Date: first Saturday of October 2025 (TBC)
Location: Various (tba)
Admission: free
2. Wiener Kaiserwiesn
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. The Wiener Kaiserwiesn festival is Vienna’s take on Oktoberfest. Over 700 hours of live music await you, with more than 1,900 musicians creating the ultimate Oktoberfest atmosphere across three festival tents, five alpine huts, and open-air stages. Interestingly, this lively event showcases traditional Austrian folk music, hearty dishes like Käsespätzle, Schweinsbraten, and crispy pork knuckle, alongside classics like pretzels and even vegan bratwurst. And, of course, plenty of refreshing pints of beer are on offer to complete the experience.
This festival is the perfect opportunity to spot locals dressed in traditional clothing, such as lederhosen and dirndl dresses, adding to the authenticity of this Austrian Oktoberfest-style celebration.
Date and Time: Sat, 04.10.2025 – 19:00
Location: Kaiserwiese, Prater Park
Highlights: Traditional Austrian music and Live Performances by Volksmusik Bands, local beers, and delicious foods such as Käsespätzle (cheese noodles) and Schweinsbraten (roast pork).
Tickets: Free entry; food and drink prices vary
3. Enjoy Schönbrunn Palace in Autumn
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. No visit to Vienna is complete without seeing Schönbrunn Palace, especially when autumn transforms the gardens into a bright display of red, orange, and yellow. Once the summer residence of the Habsburg emperors, Schönbrunn showcasesbaroque architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Inside, you can tour opulent rooms that once hosted emperors and empresses, including the famous Hall of Mirrors, where Mozart once performed. Outside, use the well-structured grounds to explore the manicured flower beds and trimmed hedges of the Crown Prince’s Garden, get lost in the historic maze, walk uphill to the Gloriette belvedere, or disappear behind the bushes at Café Pavillon.
Date: Open daily
Location: Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130 Vienna
4. Quintessence Organ Festival
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. During the Quintessence Organ Festival, the blue walls of the Renaissance Franciscan Church will reverberate the sounds of Bach, Mozart, and Vivaldi. Even if you aren’t a passionate organ fan, it pays to hear the almost 400-year-old restored Wöckerl organ ‘sing’ from its heart.
Date: October 1st, 2025
Location: Franciscan Church, Vienna
5. Festival of Contemporary Music
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. Held at the Konzerthaus, the annual Festival of Contemporary Music features a range of performances, from experimental jazz to modern orchestral works. The festival not only highlights international artists but also showcases Austrian composers, offering insight into Vienna’s contemporary music scene. With more than 50 performances across multiple venues, the festival allows you to enjoy new genres and experience the city’s commitment to musical diversity.
Date: Late October to Early November 2025
Location: Konzerthaus, Vienna
Admission: Tickets available online
6. All Saints Day At The Central Cemetery
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. If you’re in Vienna around All Saints’ Day or All Souls’ Day, you’ll notice the city slows down while its cemeteries come alive with activity. Families visit cemeteries to honor loved ones, lighting red candles and leaving flowers or wreaths on graves. It’s a peaceful, reflective time, with cemeteries like the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) busier than ever.
Visiting Vienna’s Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) is like stepping into an open-air museum filled with history, art, and music. Spanning over 2.5 square kilometers, this iconic cemetery is the final resting place of nearly three million people, including Austria’s biggest cultural legends. Such as Beethoven, Johann Strauss, and Schubert, whose graves are rich with symbolism.
Picture classical masonry, quirky modern sculptures, and beautifully crafted tombs that wouldn’t look out of place in a top museum. For movie buffs, it’s also the backdrop for scenes from The Third Man. You can even explore it by horse carriage or hop on a bus or through a walking guided tour.
Booking: Book your tour here.
7. Arena Tour at Wiener Stadthalle
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. Rock fans have a treat in store this October as Finch brings their Arena Tour to Vienna. Known for their electrifying performances, Finch has captivated audiences around the world with their intense energy and dynamic stage presence. During their concert at the Eingang Märzpark Wien, fans can expect a setlist packed with the band’s biggest hits, as well as newer tracks that showcase their evolving sound. With impressive lighting effects, powerful vocals, and an enthusiastic crowd, the concert is sure to be an unforgettable experience for music lovers.
Date: 4th October, 2025
Location: Vienna Dr. Roland Rainer Platz/Eingang Märzpark Wien
Admission: Tickets available online
8. Austrian National Day Parade
Things to do in Vienna October 2025. When Austria celebrates its National Day on the 26th of October we commemorate the first day of independence and political neutrality. The Österreichischer Nationalfeiertag commemorates the declaration of permanent neutrality for Austria on October 26, 1955. Neutrality followed after the occupying Allied Forces had signed the State Treaty after World War II.
To capture the local spirit, use this day to watch a military parade on Ringstrasse. Right at Heldenplatz in front of Hofburg Imperial Palace, a competitive military exhibition will take place. After that, why not walk into the office of Austria’s State President at Hofburg?
You can also get free entrance to the Vienna Museum and the museums of the Austrian National Library. In addition, a few other state museums offer reduced ticket prices.
Date and Time: 26th October, from 9.00 am
Location: Ringstrasse, Heldenplatz, Imperial Palace, various museums
9. Opera And Ballet Highlights
Things happened in Vienna in October 2024. This October 2025, the Wiener Staatsoper is expected to bring new opera performances to life. To give you a flavour of the 2024 programme while we wait for the new season 2025/26 list: Verdi’s La Traviata followed Violetta, a Parisian courtesan who gave up love for duty, only to face heartbreak and tragedy. Puccini’s Tosca tolde a gripping tale of love, jealousy, and political turmoil in Rome.
Also on stage in 2024, Richard Strauss’ Die Frau Ohne Schatten told the mystical story of an Empress who must gain a shadow to save her marriage. Meanwhile, the Vienna Volksoper presented Strauss’ Salome—a dramatic biblical tale of desire and revenge, where a vengeful princess demands the head of John the Baptist.
Date and Time: throughout October
Location: Vienna State Opera, Opernring 2, 1010 Vienna
Tickets: Get opera tickets /get ballet tickets (updated opera schedule for the 25/26 season expected in early summer 2025)
what to do Specifically In Other months
Things to do in Vienna, January
Things to do in Vienna, February
Things to do in Vienna, March
Things to do in Vienna, April
Things to do in Vienna, may
Things to do in Vienna, June
Things to do in Vienna, July
Things to do in Vienna, August
Things to do in Vienna, September
Things to do in Vienna, October
Things to do in Vienna, November
Things to do in Vienna, December
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