Sports
Vienna's unique location in the middle of the Vienna Woods and only 60 minutes via train/car from the start of the Eastern Alps provides fantastic year-wide opportunities for recreation and sports.
The University of Vienna offers numerous no-credit sports courses (called "USI-Kurse") from Pilates to Kick-Boxing to Basketball to Swimming. Check out their varied offerings with modest fees! This is also an excellent opportunity to practice your German and meet other Austrian and international students in an informal atmosphere.
In winter, you will find plenty of opportunities to try skiing or sleighing in resorts only 1-2 hrs away from the city center, for example at the Semmering. If you prefer to stay in the city, you might enjoy ice skating on a huge ice landscape directly in front of the City Hall.
The city offers many basketball courts, soccer fields, and skate parks. There is also an excellent infrastructure of bike lanes, in addition to a very cheap and efficient automatic bike rental system (WienMobil Rad) to help you enjoy them!
Previous IiVP participants also took part in large Viennese sports events like the Vienna Night Run (5km around the famous "Ringstraße") or formed relay teams in the Vienna City Marathon!
If you enjoy running, cycling, roller blading, or taking long walks in nature, don't miss the "Prater Hauptallee" (in Vienna's largest park - the "Prater" right next to the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Wien) and only 20 minutes from the city center). Exploring the Donau Insel and the hills around Vienna also can be interesting adventures. And of course, you can go swimming in the drinking-quality water of the Danube River itself!
ACSL - Austrian College Sports League
Do you want to experience a piece of home during your semester abroad? Get the college sports experience in Austria and come to basketball and American football games to cheer on your varsity! The following teams play for their respective university: WU Tigers, Uni Wien Emperors, BOKU Beez, TU Robots, MedUni Serpents and JKU Astros. Not only the teams, but also cheerdancers and even a marching band make the day an unforgettable experience!
Get discounted tickets for students here.
