Bar
Loos American Bar
A tiny cocktail bar designed by Adolf Loos in 1908, with mahogany, onyx, marble and mirrored walls that make the room seem far larger than it…
A club and concert venue in a former underground tunnel on the Danube Canal, open since 1995 and known for its powerful sound system, live acts and club nights.
Good to know
Flex is one of Vienna's longest-running clubs and a key venue for alternative music and electronic dance culture. It was founded in 1990 and in 1995 moved into its present home, a disused section of underground railway tunnel on the bank of the Danube Canal by the Augartenbrücke. Over the years it shifted from rock to techno and dub, and today it attracts a young crowd with drum and bass, techno and many other genres, alongside a busy programme of live concerts.
The club has long been known for its sound, and Vienna's tourism board describes it as standing for the best sound in the city. The long, tunnel-shaped main room focuses everything on the stage and the dance floor. Concerts range from up-and-coming bands to well-known international acts in punk, rock, indie, hip hop and electronic music, so the crowd and the mood change from night to night. The Flex Café next door has its own dance floor and programme of smaller concerts and parties.
In summer, the canal bank outside becomes part of the experience. Clubbers spill out to sit by the water between sets, and the Danube Canal promenade, lined with beach bars and street art, is one of the liveliest places in Vienna on warm nights.
Flex suits music fans, students and anyone looking for a night out away from the polished bars of the old town. Club nights usually run late into the early morning, generally from Thursday to Saturday, while concerts start earlier in the evening. Check the programme on the Flex website before you go and buy tickets in advance for popular concerts. Dress is casual, and you should bring photo ID. Ticket prices vary with the event, so check the programme for the night you plan to go.
The club is on the lower quay of the Danube Canal, reached by steps down from the Augartenbrücke. The nearest station is Schottenring (U2, U4), a few minutes' walk away, and trams also stop nearby. Night buses and, at weekends, all-night underground services make getting home easy. The Rossauer Lände and Schwedenplatz are a short walk along the canal for food before or after.
On the lower quay of the Danube Canal by the Augartenbrücke, close to Schottenring station.
A wide mix, from drum and bass and techno to live punk, rock, indie and hip hop concerts.
It was founded in 1990 and moved to its canal-side tunnel in 1995.
Club nights usually run late from Thursday to Saturday, and concerts are held on other evenings. Check the website programme.
A smaller space next to the club with its own dance floor, concerts and parties.
For popular concerts, yes. Club nights are usually paid at the door.
No, dress is casual. Bring photo ID.
Night buses run all night, and the underground runs through the night on Friday and Saturday.
Café
The café of the Hotel Sacher opposite the State Opera, home of the Original Sacher-Torte first created by the 16-year-old Franz Sacher in 1832.
Tour operator
Austria's largest traditional Danube shipping company, running city cruises, evening trips on the Danube Canal and day trips to the Wachau and Bratislava from Vienna.
Hotel
A family-owned five-star hotel opened in 1876 behind the State Opera, with 152 individually designed rooms, a boutique spa and the original Café Sacher.
Thing to do
Vienna's best-known food market, a long strip of around 130 stands and small restaurants along the Wienzeile, with a flea market every Saturday morning.