New Years Eve in Vienna - What time?
 

We are considering dinner in Vienna on New Year's Eve which starts at 7 p.m. and is 6 courses. The restaurant says to start around 7 p.m. so we can be out of the restaurant by midnight.

We also want to enjoy some of the street party though, but not where it's really wild! What time do the festivities begin in the ring?

I'm interested in the operettes on the screen by the opera, seeing some of the music groups performing etc. Will these start early enough to enjoy, before a 7 p.m. dinner?

Thanks so much.

A New Year's party goes like this:

You go into the restaurant by 7 p.m. Then you will eat leisurely. Usually, there will be some dancing, starting around 10:30 or 11. At midnight, there will be toasts. Shortly after midnight, most guests will go out on the street to see the fireworks. After 15 or 20 min, people will return into the restaurant to continue dancing & drinking. Often, a soup will be served around 0:30 or 1 A.M. After 1 A.M. the party will start to erode.

Spending the whole night outside will be a different thing. Then you would take a short meal (more like a snack) and spend the time on the street. Then, bring your own bottles. Requires warm clothes & good weather. Not much much when it is raining. But VERY romantic when snow falls.

I forgot:

The socalled "Silvesterpfad" goes from the City Hall to the Stephansdom. Along this line there will be around 100 stands with snacks & drinks & music. This will start in the afternoon.

The main street party will be at midnight on the Stephansplatz, in front of the Dom. At midnight, the big bell (Pummerin) will be banged, and you grab the nearest person to dance a waltz.

"you grab the nearest person to dance a waltz"

We're in trouble then. The waltz is nothing we learned here in the U.S.!

Thanks for the great description of what to expect that night. I'm so torn. Dinner sounds wonderful, but so does the street party. How to decide??

Has anyone spent the evening in Spittelberg on New Years Eve?

Let the waltz begin!” is the New Year’s theme in the historic Biedermeier district of Spittelberg. On December 31, Spittelberg’s many restaurants and inns serve New Year fare, while food stalls offer punch and Viennese specialties. From 5 p.m. onwards, the strains of Strauss and the waltz can be heard from the area around upper Spittelberggasse. DJs take over after 10 p.m. Schrankgasse to Spittelbergasse, Spittelberg, A-1070 Vienna, December 31 from 5 p.m.

This is a very easy choice: stay at the dinner, forget the "Silvesterpfad" if you want to keep your hearing intact. In fact, the city will be full of crazy teens who love to drop very noisy fireworks into the crowd (which is of course prohibited, but who cares...).

I visited the Silvesterpfad only once, about 10 years ago, and decided to avoid the inner city for the rest of my life during NYE.

Rather get a nice table in a decent restaurant, and go for a city walk the day before or the day after NYE!

Thanks for reassuring me that we made the right decision! We have reservations at Kutschker 44. They have a 6 course meal for 55€ each, beginning at 7 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Do you know of this restaurant? It has good reviews on Chowhound.

bookmarking

I was in Vienna for NYE 2000. I loved doing the Silvesterpfad. You buy some glog along the street and it comes in a real ceramic mug. Then when you need a refill you have your mug handy. They also sell champagne and wine in glasses not plastic. There are a lot of places to get food. Around the Ratshouse is where the waltz was being played and people were dancing. At St. Stevens is indeed where the bells chime and fire works are held at midnight. It was very crowded, but I did not find it overwhelming and I'm old. It is not a dignified sit down dinner, but great fun. I actually thought the people were rather restrained compared to us here in the US. I think it really does not matter which you do, you will have a wonderful time.

Enjoy, Yipper