Editorial
Vienna runs its rooftops through hotels, from the cathedral-view terraces in the first district to the tower bars over the Danube. The 10 below cover both, sorted by view, polish and price.
Das Loft crowns the 18th floor of SO/ Vienna under a Jean Nouvel ceiling of 2,000 colored glass panels, with a full sweep over St Stephen's Cathedral. The cocktail list runs ambitious, the Skyline Spritz its signature, and the dress code is dress to impress. Best for a sunset arrival before the city lights come up. Book a window table ahead.
Der Dachboden sits in the attic of the 25hours Hotel by the MuseumsQuartier, a circus-themed loft bar over the Ringstrasse rooftops. The gin list is long, the snacks run late, and swing and electronic nights keep it busy. Seating is first-come, so arrive early at weekends. Best for a relaxed, playful rooftop that skips the five-star formality.
Atmosphere Rooftop Bar tops the Ritz-Carlton Vienna on the 8th floor, a Ringstrasse terrace built for a slow sundowner. The Ritz 75 with gin and champagne is the house pour, backed by Perrier-Jouët by the glass and Austrian-leaning snacks. The crowd dresses up. Best for a polished early-evening drink with the Ringstrasse domes lined up below.
Sky Bar at Steffl runs along the 7th floor above Kärntner Strasse, open since 1998 and still the most central rooftop view of the cathedral. The glass front frames the old town one way and the vineyards the other. Cocktails and hearty plates hold the room late. Best for a shopping-street perch right in the heart of the first district.
The Onyx Bar tops the DO & CO Hotel on the 7th floor, nose to nose with St Stephen's spire across Stephansplatz. It leans cocktail lounge rather than open terrace, with floor-to-ceiling glass and a polished after-work crowd. The view of the cathedral is the closest in the city. Best for a dressed-up drink steps from the Graben.
Altia Skybar sits high in the Meliá Vienna inside the DC Tower, the tallest rooftop perch in the city above the Danube. The lounge pours Meliá's travelling-mixology cocktails with fine spirits and champagne, with hours running to 1am at weekends. Best for a big-height, big-skyline night away from the old town, looking back at it from across the river.
Aurora crowns the Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere on the 16th floor, a Nordic-styled terrace named for the Northern Lights and looking straight at the Belvedere. The menu carries a Scandinavian touch through cocktails and small plates, and the design is bright and minimal. Best for a sunset drink over the palace gardens in the Belvedere quarter.
Cayo Coco tops The Hoxton Vienna, opened in 2024 on a marble-clad 1950s building and already named among the world's most beautiful hotel bars. The room leans tropical and loose, a contrast to the city's formal rooftops. Best for a livelier, younger crowd and a cocktail with more swagger than the five-star terraces.
Redroof, renamed from Istros in 2025, runs across the 7th floor of the Radisson RED, panoramic glass framing the Danube and the skyline. It is the city's best rooftop for water views rather than cathedral spires, with a social, design-led room. Best for a Danube-side sundowner near the UNO-City towers, away from the tourist core.
The Lamée Rooftop tops the Hotel Lamée on Rotenturmstrasse, a compact terrace with a clean line on the cathedral and the rooftops of the first district. It stays more intimate than the hotel-tower bars, which is the appeal. Best for a quiet central drink when the bigger terraces are booked out.
Cafe Die Au sits in the Augarten park in Leopoldstadt as a cafe, bar and museum cafe in one. A large terrace looks over the green, and weekend brunch draws the crowd.
Vienna's rooftop scene runs on hotels. The five-star terraces like Das Loft and Atmosphere chase the Stephansdom view, while the tower bars at Meliá and Radisson trade the old-town spires for the Danube and the skyline. Most peak between 7 and 10pm.
Book ahead in summer and arrive before sunset for a seat. The cathedral-view terraces fill fastest on warm weekends.
Which Vienna rooftop has the best cathedral view? The Onyx Bar at the DO & CO Hotel sits closest to St Stephen's spire, with Das Loft and Sky Bar at Steffl close behind across the first district.
What is the highest rooftop bar in Vienna? Altia Skybar at the Meliá Vienna, set inside the DC Tower above the Danube, is the tallest rooftop perch in the city.
Which Vienna rooftop bar is the most relaxed? Der Dachboden at the 25hours Hotel is the casual pick, a circus-themed loft that skips the five-star dress code, while Cayo Coco at The Hoxton draws a younger crowd.
Do Vienna rooftop bars need a reservation? The cathedral-view terraces fill fast on warm evenings, so book a window table at Das Loft or arrive early at Sky Bar at Steffl and Der Dachboden, where seating is first-come.