In short: Between New Year's Eve and Shrove Tuesday, Vienna hosts more than 450 balls every year, from the Opera Ball to small balls of professional groups. Viennese ball culture is listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in Austria.
What to know
The big balls require evening wear: floor-length gowns for women, tailcoat or tuxedo for men. Each ball opens with a polonaise of debutantes, and the quadrille follows at midnight. Dance schools offer short courses if you want to brush up your Viennese waltz.
Dates
The current ball calendar is published by the Vienna Tourist Board, the date of the Opera Ball by the Vienna State Opera.
Tours for the ball season
Visiting a ball with a group? We will gladly plan a programme around the evening: contact us.