Vienna/Outer East

Outer East describes the Vienna districts Floridsdorf and Donaustadt.

Understand

Floridsdorf (21) radiates from its own town center in the northeast on the eastern bank of the Danube. Donaustadt (22) includes a mix of farms, suburbia, housing blocks, villages, the United Nations Headquarters and the Donauturm (Danube Tower) and includes the largest development project in Central Europe at Aspern. Many of these lands were flooding zones by the danube. Hence they are modern parts of Vienna.

This part of Vienna was urbanized mostly after World War II. Until the 1990s, it retained a rural feeling. Besides several big housing complexes of the 1920s and several prominent recent developments (e.g. Großfeldsiedlung, Donau City, Seestadt Aspern) one can still stroll around old villages that in parts kept their countryside style (e.g. Stammersdorf, Aspern, Süßenbrunn). You can also find vast areas of Natural Reserves (Bisamberg) and even a section of Danube Wetlands National Park (Lobau).

Get in

By rail

Three U-bahn lines stretch into the Outer East, namely  U6 ,  U1  and  U2 .

Tram 31 brings you from central Vienna across Danube to the shopping malls in the northern part of this district, while the lines 25 and 26 are useful for getting around this district in the southeast-northwest direction.

When arriving from north or east of Vienna, alight the suburban railway (S-Bahn) at Floridsdorf or the trains from Bratislava, Prague or Warsaw at Stadlau and you are directly in the area.

By car

The Motorways A22 and S2 cut through this district. If you're driving and want to visit Vienna, consider picking a hotel in this part of Vienna. You can park your car and continue by U-bahn or tram and thereby avoid the hassle of driving and finding a (probably more expensive) parking place in central Vienna.

See

Donauturm

Vienna International Center, aka UNO-City

22., Transdanubian: U.N. Headquarters in Donaustadt

Interior of the Donau City Church

• 1 Donauturm (Danube Tower), Donauturmstraße 4, Donaustadt, ☏ +43 1 263 35 72 (general info), reservierungen@donauturm.at. Daily 10:00-24:00, last admission 23:30. An observation tower with spectacular view over the entire city. It also houses two rotating restaurants. €14.50 (adults), €9.90 (children). (updated Sep 2018)
• 2 UNO City (Vienna International Centre), Wagramer Straße 5, Donaustadt, ☏ +43 1-26060-5793. Tours M-F 11:00 14:00, in July also 12:00. This complex was completed in 1979, and is the seat for such international agencies as the IAEO, UNHCR, UNOV, and UNODC. General tours are offered for the public, as well as tours for those interested in human rights or arts. €6 (adults), €5 (Vienna Card), €4 (seniors/students/military/handicapped), €3 (children); photo ID required.  
• 3 Donau City Church (Donaucity-Kirche), Donaucitystraße 2, Donaustadt (near UNO-City), ☏ +43 1 263 09 52. A modern Catholic church designed by the internationally-renowned Austrian architect Heinz Tesar.  
• 4 DC Towers, Donau-City-Straße 1, ☏ +43 1 20 501 12-0, marketing@wed.at. Tallest building of Austria, with an "observation deck" at 207 m.  
• 5 Seestadt Aspern (Seestadt) (U2 Seestadt). A new city area under construction. One of the biggest development areas in Europe, it will accommodate 20.000 inhabitants by 2025. 5,000 are living on the grounds of a former airfield. The modern architecture combines high living quality and state of the art building techniques and some noteable buildings like the tallest wooden house with 85 m, which is under construction and some sophisticated green space and an artificial lake suitable for swimming. (updated Aug 2015)
• 6 Blumengärten Hirschstetten, 22., Quadenstraße 15 (Tram 26 stop 'Spargelfeldstraße' or bus 23A stop 'Blumengärten Hirschstetten'), ☏ +43 1 4000 8042, post@ma42.wien.gv.at. end of Mar - mid Oct: Tu-Su 08:00-18:00; Jun-Aug F-Su 08:00-20:00. The Flower Gardens of Hirschstetten are run by the City of Vienna. The Gardening Department fosters their plants, which are then used in public gardens and parks. In the public section, several themed gardens (Chinese, Mexican, etc.) are installed; there is a preserved farm with petting zoo, an educational beehive, some turtles, owls and wild cats. For children, there is a big insect-themed playground available. Between Oct and March, only the orangerie is open for public. In front of the orangerie, there are popular Christmas and Easter markets during the weeks before the respective holidays. Free. (updated May 2016)
• 7 Goethehof, 22., Schüttaustraße 1-39 (U1 Kaisermühlen). One of the bigger social housing projects of the "Red Vienna", the Goethehof was built 1928-1930 as living blocks (~700 apartments) surrounding a courtyard. The architectural style is modern-functionalist with some art déco-elements. As all of the housing projects of the social democratic Vienna (1919-1933), it was a quantum leap in housing quality for the working class. During the Austrian Civil War (1934) it was one of the strongholds of the resistance against Austro-fascism and even suffered the one and only air-raid during this conflict. (updated May 2016)
• 8 CityGate (Leopoldtower, Brachmühle, Schanze XX), Wagramer Straße 195 (U1 Aderklaaer Straße). Two high-rise apartment buildings (80 m and 100 m tall), built 2013-2015, mark the northeastern entrance to the city. The two massive buildings strike out in an otherwise suburbian jungle of low-rise shopping centres and family houses. On the ground floor is a medium-sized shopping mall (CityGate Shopping) (updated May 2016)
• 9 Fatty George Jazz Museum, 22., Esslinger Hauptstraße 96 (26A Essling Schule). Honouring the jazz musician Fatty George (1927-1985), a small museum about his life and jazz in general was opened in his native village Essling, now part of Vienna. It was installed inside a historic toilet building in a park. The park was renamed Jazzpark and a sculpture depicting jazz (the musical style) was erected in 2005 by Leopold Grausam. On the opposite side of the street one can find another park memorializing another jazz musician, Bill Grah (1928-1996). (updated May 2016)
• 10 Jüdischer Friedhof Floridsdorf (Floridsdorf Jewish Cemetery), Ruthnergasse 28 (Floridsdorf), ☏ +43 1 53 104, friedhof-tor-IV@ikg-wien.at. Established in 1877 in the then-independent town of Floridsdorf (now a suburb of Vienna), the cemetery was in use until 1978. There are no regular opening hours, but visits can be arranged by contacting the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien (IKG), which maintains the cemetery. (updated Oct 2016)

Do

• 1 Kletterhalle Wien, Erzherzog-Karl-Straße 108, Donaustadt, ☏ +43 1 890 46660, info@kletterhallewien.at. 09:00-23:00. This is one of the biggest climbing gym in Vienna with 1200 mm² lead walls and 400 m² boulder walls. It is operated by the Viennese Naturfreunde. It hosted several IFSC Boulder Worldcups. 
• 2 Donauinsel (Danube Island), Donaustadt (access via U1 Donauinsel, U2 Donaustadtbrücke, U6 Neue Donau or tramway 31). This island was built for flood protection and separates the artificial Neue Donau (New Danube) canal from the Donau (Danube). It offers many opportunities for outdoor activities, including canoeing, waterskiing, cycling, and swimming. There are a number of free beaches on the northern and southern ends of the island, and toward the center are a number of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.  
• Donauinselfest (Danube Island Festival). End of May. An open-air free music festival that takes place every June, and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The festival is spread over an area of 6.5 km² with a number of music stages, hosting mostly Austrian and European pop musicians. Food and drink stands offer a range of dishes, including Austrian and vegetarian. Free.  
• 3 Strandbad Gänsehäufel, 1220, Moissigasse 21 (Bus 92A from metro stations Kaisermühlen (U1) or Donaustadtbrücke (U2) until Schüttauplatz; from mid-May to late Aug free shuttle bus ("Bäderbus") from U1 Kaisermühlen), ☏ +43 1 60112 8044, post@ma44.wien.gv.at. May - mid-Sep: daily 09:00-20:00. The Gänsehäufel is the biggest open air beach in Vienna, and is operated by the city. You can lie on the grass, swim in the Old Danube or swimming pools including a wave basin and a water slide. There are several other activities available like rope climbing, stand up paddling and miniature golf, but don't expect the level of an upscale waterpark. There is a large nudist section available, too. Besides leisurely activities, the whole bath is noteable for its well-preserved functionalist 1950s buildings. €5, wide range of reductions available. (updated Aug 2015)
• 4 Motorikpark, 22., Süßenbrunner Straße 101 (24A, 86A Breitenleer Straße/Arnikaweg), ☏ +43 1 4000-8042. Nov-Feb: daily 08:00-16:30, Mar: daily 08:00-18:00, Apr-Aug: daily 08:00-20:00, Sep-Oct: daily 08:00-19:00. Huge playground for kids and grown-ups with focus on physical exercising and enhancing coordination. There is no shade in the hot season. Free. (updated Jun 2016)

Buy

• 1 Am Spitz, Floridsdorf (in its own downtown area around Florisdorf station, Florisdorf U6/S). A good variety of normal everyday business. 
• 2 Donauzentrum, Wagramer Straße 81/2/3, Donaustadt (near the UN, U1 Kagran), ☏ +43 1 2034722110. M-F 09:00-20:00, Sa 09:00-18:00. The largest mall in the east of the city. The selection of shops is huge.  
• 3 SCN - Shopping Center Nord, Ignaz Köck Straße 1, Floridsdorf, ☏ +43 1 271 76 77-0, office@scn.at. M-W 09:00-19:00, Th-F 09:00-20:00, Sa 09:00-18:00. Medium-sized shopping centre popular among the locals of the area. 
• 4 48er-Basar, 22., Stadlauer Straße 41a / 3 / 5 (Bus 86A, 87A, 95A stop Miriam-Makeba-Straße), ☏ +43 1 546 48. Tu 07:00-16:00. A shop run by the City's Waste Disposal (Department no. 48, hence the name) which sells stuff thrown to trash, which is still useful and refurbished. Additionally, phased out equipment of the City (school and office furniture, projectors and so on) can be found here. A bargain hunter's and treasure seeker's paradise. (updated May 2016)
• 5 Gewerbepark Stadlau, Gewerbepark Kagran and Shopolis, Between Motorway S1 and Zwerchäckerweg (Buses 24A and 87A, Tram 26). Another cluster of suburban malls and department stores can be found west of the motorway S2. The range of shops includes mostly big chains for electronics (e.g. Media Markt, Conrad), furniture (e.g. IKEA), sports (e.g. Sports Direct, Hervis) and diy (e.g. Obi), among others, garnished with some big supermarkets. If you are not by car, it is not the most pleasant place to access and walk around and you will find the same shops also in different parts of the city and much easier to reach. (updated Feb 2018)

Eat

Donauturm Café

Budget

• 1 Vorstadtwirt, 22., Schüttaustraße 64 (92A Schüttauplatz), ☏ +43 1 2633643, vorstadtwirt@gmx.at. M-F 09:00-23:00, kitchen open until 21:30. Classic Viennese cuisine in a typical old-style neighbourhood pub with old and well preserved wooden walls. Small regular menu but vast, often changing, seasonal selection of dishes. Mains €7-15. (updated May 2016)

Splurge

• 2 Donauturm Café (Danube Tower Restaurant), Donauturmstraße 4 (U1 VIC/Kaisermühlen, bus 20B to Danube Tower, you have to pay for the elevator first: €5.90 for adults), ☏ +43 1 2633572. 11:30-15:00, 18:00-24:00. On a sunny day you can have a look over Vienna from the rotating restaurant. It is a non-smokers' restaurant. 

Drink

Sunken City

• 1 Sunken City, Donauinsel, 200 m upstream of Reichsbrücke (U1 Donauinsel). Daily 11:00-04:00. A cluster of bars, clubs and restaurants on the Donauinsel, especially popular among the younger crowds on summer evenings. (updated Jul 2016)

Sleep

• 1 Melia Vienna, Donau-City-Straße 7. Located in Austria’s highest skyscraper, the DC Tower, this hotel opened its doors in February 2014. The restaurant and bar offer spectacular views. 
• 2 Park Inn by Radisson Uno City Vienna, Wagramer Straße 16-18. This low-rise among highrises faces the St. Markus church and offers the usual Park Inn standard in its totally inspectacular and slightly worn rooms. Some rooms have sloping roofs. 
• 3 NH Danube City, Wagramer Straße 21. This is a typical NH catering to business guests mostly. The "standard" rooms have not been updated and their decor is not up to snuff with the rest of the hotel. 

Go next

The obvious place to go next inside of Vienna is Vienna/Inner East. The other possibility is to continue outside to Vienna/Outer West or Vienna/Outer South.