When more than 6,000 experts gather in Vienna for the ESA Living Planet Symposium, and the Blue Danube Waltz is transmitted into deep space at the speed of light, it’s clear: innovation knows no bounds in Meeting Destination Vienna. At the same time, Vienna’s vibrant summer offers open-air culture at its best – from film nights to Europe’s largest free music festival.
ESA Living Planet Symposium & “Space in the City“ in Vienna
This week, the ESA Living Planet Symposium, the world’s largest conference dedicated to Earth observation, gathers over 6,000 participants from 119 countries at the Austria Centre Vienna. In parallel, Vienna’s central Karlsplatz transforms into an open-air space lab during the public festival “Space in the City” – an interactive experience combining science, art and hands-on activities for all ages.
WALTZ INTO SPACE: Blue Danube Waltz Sent into Space
On May 31, 2025, the Vienna Tourist Board and the European Space Agency (ESA), in partnership with the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), successfully transmitted Johann Strauss II’s masterpiece “The Blue Danube Waltz” into space as an electromagnetic wave at the speed of light from the ESA Deep Space Antenna DSA 2 in Cebreros, Spain. The mission marked Strauss’ 200th birthday.
Did you know?
Vienna offers numerous free events and activities in summer. Last weekend was the Danube Island Festival, Europe’s largest open-air festival with free admission. The Film Festival on Rathausplatz is welcoming culture and culinary enthusiasts for the 35th time this year, while numerous open-air cinemas, concerts and events also delight visitors.
Learn more about Vienna here.
