Swimming with dog in Vienna

When the thermometer rises in summer, there is hardly anything better than cooling off in a lake or swimming pool. Of course, this also applies to our four-legged friends. But although there are now over 160 dog zones for about 60000 dogs in Vienna, the bathing options are not looking so good. Therefore, I would like to introduce you to the places where Ronja always goes swimming. This list is of course not complete, but I will expand it over time when I have discovered something new again.

Baden mit Hund in Wien

Maybe some people don't like it when "their" secret tips are revealed here. But I honestly think that is quite selfish, after all, these are public places. I will also only present those bathing facilities that I have visited myself, so that we can be sure that they are suitable for our dogs.

Every now and then you read reports about the poor water quality of some natural bathing places. So far, however, I have not had any bad experiences in this regard. In principle, the water quality at several locations is tested three times per bathing season. The results can be seen on the homepage of the city of Vienna.

Here is the list of bathing facilities I have visited so far. If you have any further tips, I would of course be very happy about a hint. Ronja will then test the place in detail!

Dog zone at the Angelibad

The dog zone at the Angelibad is the only dog zone (i.e. fenced in, in contrast to dog free running zones) in the whole of Vienna that has access to the water. It was built in 2001 and received fencing in 2002. At over 14,000 m2, it offers plenty of room to play and there's even some agility equipment and logs to keep the dogs busy. But the special thing is of course the access to the old Danube. The bank is about 100 meters long and goes nice and shallow into the water. It is probably the most famous bathing opportunity with dog in Vienna, so it is recommended to go there rather in the morning. In the afternoon, it can be quite crowded there on a nice day, which unfortunately sometimes leads to friction between the dogs and their owners. It is said that there are even people who have a picnic there and then get upset when a curious dog wants to have some of the treats.

The easiest way to reach the dog zone by public transport is via the U6 station Neue Donau. From there it is about 650 meters on foot. By car, you can park right next to the dog zone at Ferdinand-Kaufmann-Platz.

Dog beach Donauinsel Nord

The dog beach Donauinsel North is one of two dog walking areas on the Danube Island. It is located between Floridsdorfer Brücke and Nordbrücke directly on the Danube. The area is almost 13,000 m² and extends over a length of about 500 meters. The special feature are the two very beautiful sandy bays which are located directly opposite each other. Here you can really go swimming with your dogs. Just as beautiful is the sandy clearing in front of it, which is perfect for playing.

Since there are a lot of cyclists, skaters and joggers on the Danube Island and the dog beach is not fenced, you should be a little careful with dogs that react to these stimuli. Due to the central location, it is also here that on nice days is very busy, especially at the sandy bays.

The dog beach is publicly accessible via line 31 station Floridsdorfer Brücke. From there it is then just under 500 meters on foot. By car you can park directly at the parking lot on Donauinsel .

Bathing Pond Hirschstetten

The bathing pond Hirschstetten is located in the district Donaustadt and used to be a simple gravel pit. In the meantime it has become a very popular destination for dog owners, bathers and also anglers. The dog run is located in the southern part and is over 27,000 m² in size. The shore area is about 400 meters long and in many places you can easily walk into the water. For this, the green strip is not too wide, but even here there is enough space for the dogs to run and play. In the middle of the green strip runs a path that is also used by joggers with pleasure. Dogs that have a problem with this should be careful.

By public transport you can reach the pond with line 85A station Badeteich Hirschstetten or with line 26 Stadion Oberfeldgasse/Spargelfeldstraße. By car you can park in Spargelfeldstraße without any problems.

Bathing pond Süßenbrunn

The Süßenbrunn bathing pond is located in the east of Vienna on the outer edge of Donaustadt. It is an old gravel pond, whose shore area is largely natural. Between the wild banks, however, there are several small and large bays that invite you to swim. In the eastern area there is a large lawn for sunbathing, but also on the rest of the shore you can make yourself comfortable. At the entrance there is also a sausage stand and toilets are also available.

At the beginning of 2016, there was suddenly a message that the access to the lake should be closed. To do this, one must know that the gravel pond is the property of the Theresian Academy Foundation and is leased free of charge to the city of Vienna. Apparently, however, there were some disagreements regarding costs and other issues, but fortunately they were settled. So the bathing pond is still open to the public. Thanks to its location on the outskirts of Vienna, the crowds are kept to a minimum, but again, the earlier you get there, the more comfortable it is.

The pond can be reached by public transport with line 25A, and for drivers there is a parking lot directly at the lake.

Heustadlwasser

The Heustadlwasser runs through the Vienna Prater and consists of the Upper and Lower Heustadlwasser. It is a separated old arm of the Danube, which was created during the regulation of the Danube at the end of the 19th century. The shore area of the natural water body is densely overgrown with trees and offers a lot of shade even on hot days. In between there are always idyllic sandy bays that are perfect for swimming. Due to its length of almost two kilometers, the Heustadlwasser is never overcrowded, you just have to expect joggers or horse riders from time to time, especially in the area where the Heustadlwasser is crossed by the Prater Hauptallee.

The easiest way to get to Heustadlwasser by public transport is to take line 77A to the Stadionbad station. By car you can park at the parking lot near the Ernst Happel Stadium.

Rosenlacke

The Rosenlacke, sometimes also called Rosenwasser or Rosenteich, is a pond-shaped branch of the Obere Heustadlwasser. This idyllic pond is also surrounded by many trees, but the water is easily accessible in most places. The pond is located directly on the Prater Hauptallee, so there are many walkers and athletes nearby.

Mühlwasser

The Mühlwasser is a true idyll on the edge of the Lobau. The several kilometers long shore is mainly overgrown with reeds, but there are countless small bays and meadows where you can swim undisturbed. Many trees provide enough shade even on hot days to spend comfortable hours there. The water is shared with ducks and swans, so dogs with hunting instincts should be careful here.

The Mühlwasser can be reached by public transport with the lines 92A, 93A, 95A or 96A, depending on where you want to go. By car you can park for example on the Mühlwasserstraße.

Schillerwasser

The Schillerwasser lies just below the Mühlwasser and is also very similar to it, only a bit wilder. But especially nice is the Kleine Schilloch, which is located next to the Schillerwasser. There are some hidden, very quiet and natural places here that make you feel like you've landed on a desert island.

The best way to get there by public transport is to take lines 93A and 96A Stadion Schillwasserweg. By car you can park in Schillwasserweg.

Alte Naufahrt

The alte Naufahrt is located between the Mühlwasser and the Schillerwasser. Here, too, there are beautiful areas on the shore with small sunbathing areas that are well suited for swimming. However, nudist bathing is also very popular here despite several prohibition signs. However, this should not disturb our dogs ;-)

Publicly you can get to the old Naufahrt with the line 93A station Naufahrtbrücke. By car you can park on the Naufahrtweg

Silbersee

The Silbersee is located next to the Dehnepark near the Steinhofgründe and is one of the few swimming opportunities in the west of Vienna. It is not very large, but still very idyllic amidst tall trees and shady paths. On the paths near the lake you occasionally meet joggers and walkers, but at the lake itself it is very quiet.

You can reach the Silver Lake by public transport with line 47B Hüttelberg station. Next to the stop there is also a parking lot. From there it is only a short walk to the lake.

Kaiserwasser

The Kaiserwasser is located in Kaisermühlen next to UNO City in Vienna's Donaustadt district. It is a side arm of the Old Danube with a large sunbathing lawn, on which there are many beautiful trees, some of which have even been declared natural monuments. The shore area of the Wildbadeplatz is wildly overgrown in places, but in most places you can easily go into the water and have a great view of the Vienna skyline. The water is shared with ducks and swans, so watch out for dogs with hunting instincts. The Kaiserwasser is one of the better known bathing possibilities, so it is quite busy on warm days or weekends. But there is a toilet, so you can easily stay a little longer.

The easiest way to get to the Kaiserwasser by public transport is to use the U1 station Kaisermühlen - Vienna International Centre. By car, you can park on Wagramer Straße at the ARCOTEL Kaiserwasser.

Pionierinsel

Strictly speaking, the Pionierinsel does not belong to Vienna, but to Klosterneuburg. But since it's only a few hundred meters from the city limits, I don't take that too seriously now. The Pionierinsel was considered a real insider tip for a long time, but in the meantime word has spread about this little gem just outside Vienna. The island itself is just under 3 km long and the shore area, which is particularly suitable for swimming, has a length of about 400 meters. The shore consists mostly of pebbles, but there is also a small bay with a real sandy beach.

By public transport you can take the S40 to the station Klosterneuburg-Weidling. From there it is about 500 meters to the pioneer island. The regional bus 239 also runs from Heiligenstadt to this station. By car it is best to park on Magdeburggasse at the LVA GmbH. From there you only have to cross the bridge and you are already on the island.

Wienerberg-Teich

The Wienerberg-Teich is located in the district of Favoriten and is part of the Wienerberg recreation area. The pond has a quite considerable size of about 120,000 m2, but the shore is largely overgrown with reeds and in some places also quite steep. Nevertheless, there are many small and also some larger bays where you can easily go into the water. In the northern part of the recreation area there is a large dog area, but unfortunately it does not have direct access to the pond. In the remaining part of the area I could not discover any bag dispensers and also toilets I did not come across any. Instead, there is garbage everywhere and the trash cans are completely overflowing. I personally found that less so nice, especially since it is even a landscape conservation area. The Wienerberg pond is also used for fishing, so here you should take some consideration and not go right next to it with the dogs in the water.

Wienerberg-Teich can be reached by public transport with the lines 65A, 16A or 67. You can park for example at the parking lot at the end of Grohnergasse or in Neilreichgasse.

Hanslteich

The Hanslteich is located south of the Marswiese in the Vienna district of Hernals. It served as an ice pond in the 19th century and was named after a Mrs. Hansen, who at the time used to chisel blocks of ice out of the pond for cold storage. As the name suggests, the pond is not particularly large. I also passed it many times on my trips with Ronja without even noticing it.

The easiest way to get to Hanslteich by public transport is to take line 43B. There is a stop directly at Hanslteich. Alternatively, you can take the 43A to Wien Geroldgasse station, but from there it is about 1km to the pond. By car you can park directly in front of the turnoff to the pond on an unpaved parking lot. There is also a parking lot at the pond, but I don't know if it is only for guests of the restaurant Klee am Hanslteich.

Do you have any other tips where you can go swimming with a dog? I would be very happy if you can give me a hint then!

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