THE PRIDE OF VIENNA

Europride 2019 is headed for the gorgeous and super-gay-friendly Austrian capital.

THE THEME OF 2019’s Europride is Visions Of Pride and, with a two-week festival planned and over one million visitors expected, there’ll be plenty to see and do.

About 100,000 people usually attend the annual pride event, Rainbow Parade that circles central Vienna’s Ringstrasse, ending at Town Hall Square with a huge outdoor party.

Vienna has a vibrant LGBTIQ community that’s embedded into the life and culture of the city, especially the hip cafés and bars around the Naschmarkt like Café Savoy and Café Berg.

For gay nightlife there’s plenty to choose from: the regulars include Heaven Vienna, Why Not, Porntrash, OMG Society and Kibbutz Klub, plus the monthly club night, Ken Club, and the major party event Circus with spectacular shows and international DJs, usually held in October.

But the up-coming calendar also includes uniquely Viennese events. There’s the Vienna Dance Contest in October for same-sex couples in the Ballroom, Latin and Viennese categories; the Rainbow Ball in January 2019 for LGBT people and friends; the Boylesque Festival in May; and the amazing Life Ball (date to be confirmed). Life Ball is a major HIV/AIDS fundraising event, founded by Elton John that attracts visitors from around the world. It’s also a costume ball so getting in requires putting a decent amount of time and energy into your outfit.

For a city of just 1.5 million, Vienna has a lot of sex-on-premises: Sportsauna, Romersauna, Apollo City Sauna and the most famous, Kaiserbrundl. Do your research to find out which one best suits you. Even if saunas aren’t your thing, you may want to check out Kaiserbrundl. It’s a rambling, ramshackle venue over three levels that could do with a major refit, but in the basement is a historic, Turkish-themed pool that dates back to Vienna’s imperial history, still used today.

Away from the LGBT scene, Vienna has much to offer. Museum Quarter houses four major art galleries in one city square, plus there are galleries new and old, palaces and museums full of jawdropping antiquities.

MORE: www.wien.info/gay or www.patroc.com or europride2019.at

WHAT: Europride WHERE: Vienna, Austria WHEN: June 1 to 16. 2019. Rainbow Parade, June 15