How long is the tour?

The self-guided loop is designed to take about 30 minutes from descent to exit.

Is an audio guide included?

Yes, the ticket includes an audio guide; language options and details are listed at booking.

Is the site wheelchair accessible?

The tour includes stairs and narrow passages; accessibility is limited—check notes before booking.

Can I take photos inside the cellar?

Photography is generally allowed, but avoid flash and respect barriers protecting fragile features.

Do I need to book in advance?

Booking online via the provided reservation link is recommended to secure a time slot and limit group sizes.

Is this suitable for children?

Children curious about history can enjoy the site, but small children should be supervised due to low ceilings and steps.

Beneath Vienna: Self-Guided Tour of the Roman Wine Cellar | Self-Guided Tour | Private

Adventure Brief

Drop below Vienna’s streets for a 30-minute, self-guided look at a private Roman wine cellar and the tunnels that kept the city’s wine culture alive. Ideal for history-minded travelers and wine lovers who want a concise, surprising urban archaeology experience.

30 minutes

easy

From €20.00

Selbstgeführte Tour durch den römischen Weinkeller offers a compact, atmospheric way to experience Vienna’s buried wine history beneath Ertlgasse 4 in the 1st district. In a focused thirty-minute self-guided loop you descend into narrow vaults, follow dimly lit passageways and stand inside a private Roman wine cellar where masonry, amphora fragments, and cool cellar air link modern Vienna to its Roman past. The audio guide steers the narrative, pausing at structural features while explaining why the city’s viticulture persisted along the edge of the Vienna basin. The key features are straightforward and powerful: barrel-vaulted tunnels, exposed Roman-era brick and stonework, a small cellar room used historically for wine storage, and the surrounding bedrock and loess deposits that have preserved these spaces. You will see hand-laid brick ribs, patched archways, and small niches where artifacts and ceramic shards occasionally appear. The geology—layers of loess and river-deposited sediments—helps explain why subterranean cellars were practical here and why they remain stable and cool. This experience stands out because it shrinks centuries of urban and agricultural history into a single, walkable experience. Rather than a sprawling archaeological site, the tour offers an intimate cross-section of how Roman Vindobona, medieval cooper workshops, and modern heurigen culture connect beneath Vienna’s streets. It’s an ideal complement to daytime vineyard visits outside the city: here viticulture is urban, adaptive, and visible in mortar and stone rather than in rows of vines. Practicalities matter: expect stairs and narrow corridors; the cellar is cool year-round so dress accordingly. The tour’s brief duration makes it easy to combine with a city walking route, a museum visit, or an evening in a nearby wine tavern. Photography is permitted in most areas but watch for low light and protective barriers around fragile features. Who should go? History-minded travelers, wine lovers curious about origins, and urban explorers who appreciate contained archaeological spaces. The tour is especially valuable for visitors who want local context—audio narration supplies dates, anecdotes and connections to Vienna’s broader wine tradition—without committing to a long museum visit. Address: Ertlgasse 4, 1010 Wien, Austria. Operator information: not provided. Allow thirty minutes, bring a light jacket, and leave time afterward to sample Vienna’s lightweight, cellar-friendly whites at a nearby heuriger. Booking is simple via the linked reservation system; the ticketed self-guided format helps limit group size and keeps the experience personal. The compact nature of the cellar makes it suitable for short layovers or as an introduction before a longer wine-focused day in Vienna’s vineyards such as those on the city outskirts. Children with an interest in history will find the tangible artifacts engaging, though small children should be supervised because of low ceilings and uneven steps. Check accessibility notes before booking online.

About Wien mal anders

Wien mal anders is a Vienna-based experience company offering guided tours and hands-on workshops that reveal lesser-known sides of the city. Specializing in small-group and private formats, Wien mal anders runs eco-friendly Elektro-Oldtimer sightseeing, exclusive Stephansdom access from cellar to attic, and underground wine cellar explorations. The company curates culinary experiences including Wiener Schnitzel and Kaiserschmarrn workshops, wine and beer tastings, and market tours such as Kutschkermarkt and Meidlinger Markt, combining tastings with local stories.

Guests can choose themed walks — from the "Ugly Vienna" tour that explores architectural missteps and melancholic histories to serene courtyard visits and boating on the Alte Donau with a private picnic. Vienna's coffeehouse culture is covered by a dedicated "Kaffeehaus Wien" tour led by coffee experts who explain brewing techniques and specialties. For adventurous visitors, multiple Wiener Unterwelt tours provide access to historic cellars, WWII passageways, bunker experiences and atmospheric "lost place" visits.

Wien mal anders emphasizes authentic local knowledge, small-group dynamics, and exclusive site access where specified. Tours often include expert narrations, tastings, and eco-conscious transport options such as retro electric cars. Offered trips are suitable for travelers seeking cultural depth, culinary insight, and unusual urban stories across Vienna's first district and beyond.

All trip descriptions reflect available activities like private Elektro-Oldtimer rides, historic cellar entry, rooftop views at Stephansdom, hands-on cooking workshops, market tastings, and guided walking routes. Wien mal anders operates in Wien, Wien, and designs experiences that connect visitors with Viennese history, food, and hidden spaces. Bookings are direct online.