Discover the magical locations of Before Sunrise in Vienna!

Discover the magical locations of Before Sunrise in Vienna!

Wien, Österreich - On June 12, 2025, it was exactly 30 years ago that the cult film * Before Sunrise * came to cinemas from Richard Linklater. In order to do justice to this occasion, Wientourism has updated the Destination App Ivie to offer the "Before Sunrise Walk". This city walk leads visitors to the original filming of the film and enables you to experience Vienna through the eyes of the main characters Jesse and Celine. The new Walk will be published on June 16, the exact date on which the plot of the film takes place.

The walk begins at the Westbahnhof, the arrival location of Jesse and Celine, and ends at the imposing Viennese Ferris wheel. Tourists and film fans have the opportunity to explore a total of eleven locations that occur in the film. The other sites include the picturesque Spittelberg, the Teuchtler record shop in Neubau, the traditional Café Sperl, the small café and the Zollamtssteg over the Vienna River. Albertina's art institution and the Maria church on the Gestade are also on the list of important contact points. An additional, romantic place is the "cemetery of the nameless" on the Danube.

locations and their meaning

The film that Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy shows in the leading roles tells the story of two young people who happen to meet in one train and spend a day in Vienna. In addition to the places already mentioned, there are many other locations that might be interested in film fans. These include Maria-Theresien-Platz, the Stockse Tram Station, as well as the well-known arena café.

films and their locations have an enormous tourist relevance. According to the Travelsat-index between 2017 and 2019, around 100 million international travelers chose their travel destinations mainly due to film productions. Every tenth visitor even decides for a trip to Vienna because of a film, which shows how important films are for destination marketing. For this reason, WientArisme launched the Vienna Film incentive in 2022 to promote international film productions in the city.

Vienna as a film setting

Vienna has established itself as a popular backdrop for numerous productions over the years. In addition to * Before Sunrise *, large Hollywood productions such as * James Bond-Hauch of Death * and * Mission: Impossible * were shot, which made the city internationally known. Again and again the beauty of Viennese architecture and the cultural heritage is captured in the works of domestic and international filmmakers.

Many of the locations from * Before Sunrise * are still unchanged and invite you to enjoy your own tour in the city. Whether with a coffee in Café Sperl or a walk along the Danube Canal - the possibilities of discovering Vienna are diverse and exciting.

film -loving travelers should not miss the opportunity to visit these special places that offer not only an art form, but also a journey into the past.