Enjoying the Culture 221beautiful surroundings. Closest
to Vienna is the Neusiedlersee
in Burgenland, the only steppe
lake in Europe. It averages
2 metres in depth, making it very
warm in the summer, but is an
incredible 30 km long. If you go, plan a full day because you
have to pay to enter the lake area.
The lakes of the Salzkammergut are colder but have a
more romantic setting. Carinthia is another wonderful area
with almost 200 lakes; the most popular is Wörthersee. The
shores are lined with hotels and more affordable pensions.
Less well known are the lakes of Tyrol. Achensee is the largest
in the region and provides good facilities. Many resort areas
also provide swimming pools.
For those who are stuck in Vienna, follow the locals
and swim in the Danube. The Strandbad Alte Donau has
beaches and swimming pools. You can also rent rowboats
and sailboats. The Donauinsel has beaches, a regular pool
and a wave pool. If you’re walking along the river, don’t be
surprised to find little piles of clothes here and there. People
tend to swim in their underwear, especially when they are
trying to catch some sun on their lunch hour. At the far end
of the island is a nudist beach.
If you don’t want to swim in the river, there are many
indoor and outdoor swimming pools to enjoy. Brochures
listing all the pools are available from the City Information
Office at City Hall. Their quality is good and all have
lifeguards on duty. Many pools offer classes for children
and adults. The Stadionbad in the Prater has six pools and
waterslides in addition to the big pool. The Krapfenwaldbad
in Grinzing is set amidst vineyards and overlooks Vienna.
The Schafbergbad sits high up in the hills of the 18th
district. The Hallenbad Döbling has a fantastic children’s
pool, and for those living in the 13th district, there is the
Hallenbad Hietzing.
Dancing
Ballroom dancing will come in handy if you plan on attending
If walking and water sports are
too tame for you, try rock climbing
and hang-gliding. Hohewand,
just south of Vienna, is a sheer
cliff wall that is perfect for such
activities. Rock climbing is
possible in many Alpine resorts.