On cycleways and saunaways, Robert La Bua waltzes through The Austrian Capital.
Summer in Vienna and the livin’ lovin’ is easy. The trees in the parks are shooting green all over, the sky just blue and the locals can’t get enough of the outdoors, happy are they to shuck heavy winter clothing and enjoy one of Europe’s most charming cities. Now that Austria has enacted same-sex union legislation as of 1 January 2010, it’s a great time to give a show of support and make a visit to explore Vienna, one of the most gay-welcoming cities in the world.
May is usually the time of year when Vienna hosts the world-famous Life Ball, Europe’s most glamorous fundraising event for HIV/AIDS organisations. Life Ball was founded by the indefatigable Gery Keszler, whose hard work (and that of his team) has raised millions of dollars for a variety of organisations. This year, Life Ball takes place in July rather than its usual May- an adjustment made to have the event coincide with an important HIV/AIDS health conference taking place in Vienna in July. This year’s Life Ball will be the biggest ever, with the elegant Burgtheater across from the Vienna City Hall being included as a venue for the first time.
Summer is the perfect time to explore Vienna’s many hundreds of hectares of parkland. Head to the expansive grounds of Schönbrunn Palace on the city outskirts to enjoy what was once the private park of the Imperial family. The grounds are so vast that they extend from the Schönbrunn U-Bahn stop (convenient for the palace and concerts at the Orangerie) to the Hietzing stop (best for the zoo, Desert Experience, and Palm House). The classic European layout of the park, with its many tree-lined alleys concealing the buildings in a cloak of summer greenery, is a peaceful place to spend the day. Closer to town, the Stadtpark, on the eastern side of the Old Town, is a favourite place for lunchtime sunning relaxation. Stadtpark’s famous gilded statue of Johann Strauss is nicely set off by the plants, flowers, and trees of the park.
For those who enjoy active lifestyles, Vienna has many kilometres of jogging paths and cycleways both in town and in nearby areas such as Donaupark, the long sliver of greenery in the middle of the Danube can accommodate the need to aerobicise. Vienna Tourism’s website has a page dedicated to sports—doing, not watching. One of the most enjoyable ways to see Vienna and enjoy the fresh air is on a Segway tour. Donaupark also happens to be a favourite for sun-loving homosexuals who jump at the first chance to take off their clothes and enjoy Nature. Austria being a Germanic country, don’t be surprised to see nude sunbathers in public places.
Vienna is cosmopolitan on many levels, not the least of which is the city’s openness regarding sexuality. Try naming another city that would permit a museum art exhibit by day to become a sex club by night. The Element 6 exhibit has come and gone at the famous Secession, but Vienna only needs a short break between acts before it is up for more titillation. The Rainbow Ball and The Rose Ball are two of many LGBT events held in Vienna throughout the year. The Identities Queer Film Festival is a biennial event showcasing LGBT cinematic arts; the Vienna Rainbow Parade (this year to be held on July 3), and of course, Life Ball, the most spectacular LGBT event of them all, this year taking place on July 17.
Vienna’s gay scene ranges from chic to nasty, depending on your tastes. From refined cafés to the backroom at Sling, all venues are popular among their individual clientele. When night falls, perhaps then is a good time to make a pilgrimage to one of the most ornately beautiful bathhouses in the world, Kaiserbründl. In a country whose beloved Prince Eugene was a confirmed bachelor—and unconfirmed bachelor connoisseur—there is, of course, a place fit for royalty no matter what size the towel. Even if saunas are not your thing, go enjoy a meal at the restaurant and at least swallow something while taking in the ambience. Appetite(s) sated, stroll happily back to Hotel Altstadt, an eclectic little hotel that defies conventional definition, for a touch more indulgence. Hotel Altstadt encapsulates contemporary European hotel concepts of spacious rooms and apartments decorated with beautiful works of modern art, which contrast nicely with the building’s historical roots. At Altstadt, you come and go as you please with direct access to your accommodation, giving the feel of a private abode rather than a hotel. Very discreet. Altstadt is just a short walk from MUMOK (Vienna’s Museum of Modern Art), one of the five major components of the Museumsquartier and frequent showcase for LGBT-themed exhibits such as the recent Gender Check.
Though Austrian Airlines has reduced its intercontinental flight network in recent years, Vienna is within one stop of almost the entire world’s population, mostly thanks to the extensive network of Emirates, which can bring travellers from the Asia-Pacific region to Vienna with a well-timed connection in Dubai. Australian gay-exclusive travel company Hautes Vacances organises visits to Life Ball as one of its Party Experiences for a select few who can afford the best of everything. Check out videos from last year’s extravaganza on the website.
For more information, visit Vienna Tourism’s encyclopaedic website, full of information in an easy to navigate presentation. The Austrian National Tourist Office is equally well endowed with information for travel plans in Vienna and the rest of the country. Vienna Tourism also maintains a dedicated gay and lesbian page and welcomes LGBT visitors with genuine appreciation.
www.vienna.info/en
www.wien.info/en/vienna-for/gay-lesbian
www.austria.info/au
www.lifeball.org
www.hosiwien.at/regenbogenparade
www.sling.at
www.kaiserbruendl.at
www.altstadt.at
www.schoenbrunn.at
www.emirates.com
www.hautesvacances.com
