Social Programme

In addition to the high profile technical programme of the International Vienna Motor Symposium, we also offer our participants and accompanying persons the social programme listed below.

The technical programme can be found here.

Evening Programme

Reception and Opening of the Exhibition

Wednesday, 22 April 2026
18.00 hrs. - 21.00 hrs.

At the start of the 3-day event, we invite participants and accompanying persons to a get-together reception and the opening of the exhibition in all exhibition rooms of the Hofburg Conference Centre Vienna.

Participation is free of charge for participants and accompanying persons - but for organizational reasons we ask you to register. The registration can be made together with the registration for the symposium.
The registration counter is open from 17.00 hrs. and during the reception.

Reception and Opening of the Exhibition
© ÖVK - Klaus Ranger

Evening Event “Mayor´s Reception”

Thursday, 23 April 2026
20.00 hrs.: Doors are open
20.30 hrs.: Start
Location: City Hall Vienna
Entrance: Lichtenfelsgasse 2, 1010 Vienna

The invitation of the mayor of Vienna to the evening event at the City Hall gives the opportunity to end the second day of the congress in a relaxed atmosphere. Participation is free for participants and accompanying persons - but for organizational reasons we ask you to register. The registration can be made together with the registration for the symposium.

City Hall
© Classical Dreams Veranstaltung GmbH

Cultural Tickets

Vienna is the world capital of music. Tickets for a variety of evening events (concerts, musicals, theater etc.) can be found on the following website: https://www.wien.info/en/music-stage-shows, opens new window

The Vienna State Opera, opens new window offers a diverse programme of operas and ballets. The best-known names in the world of opera provide brilliant moments – in the opera house with the largest repertoire.
The Volksoper, opens new window is Vienna's largest house for operetta, opera, musicals and ballet, and has been offering sophisticated musical entertainment for over 120 years.
The "Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, opens new window" offer a uniquely wide range of musicals in their three historic theaters.

Theater
© Wien Tourismus - Paul Bauer

Tours

Half-day Tour: Gustav Klimt and his contemporaries

Thursday, 23 April 2026 - 09.00 – approx. 13.00 hrs.

Kuss / Secession
© Belvedere - Johannes Stoll / WienTourismus - Christian Stemper

Gustav Klimt is the quintessential Art Nouveau genius, whose works "The Kiss," "Judith," and the "Beethoven Frieze" are known throughout the world. From the Hofburg, we will go by bus to the Upper Belvedere, where Gustav Klimt's most famous painting, "The Kiss", is exhibited. This painting, with its depicted sensuality and predominant gold tones, radiates a glorification of the love between man and woman. There are many interpretations and explanations but let the painting work its magic on you for a few minutes and find your own interpretation. After viewing a few other works in the exhibition at the Upper Belvedere, we will take the bus back to the city centre to the Secession. The Association of Visual Artists Vienna Secession is one of the world's oldest independent exhibition venues expressly dedicated to contemporary art. In 1902, Klimt created here one of his most famous works, the Beethoven Frieze, for an exhibition of the Secession movement. The entire show was a tribute to Ludwig van Beethoven. It was introduced by Klimt's monumental frieze, which greeted visitors right in the entrance hall. Marvel at this lavish, ornamental symphony, 34 meters wide and two meters high, in which Klimt explores Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and its interpretation by Richard Wagner. Afterwards, we will take a walk back to the Hofburg.

Half-day Tour: Sweet Vienna

Friday, 24 April 2026, 09.00 – approx. 13.00 hrs.

Café Central / Sachertorte
© WienTourismus - Christian Stemper / Paul Bauer

Vienna is renowned for its diverse coffeehouse culture. Join us on a journey through time to the court confectioners of the imperial and royal monarchy and Vienna's most traditional cafés, where the charm of those times is still present, and discover with us the "sweet" side of Vienna. Our walk begins at the Hofburg and takes us, among other places, to Café Landtmann on the famous Ringstrasse, past Café Central with its breathtaking architecture, and on to Café Demel on Kohlmarkt, a former imperial and royal court confectioner still famous for its exquisite cakes and pralines. From Kohlmarkt, we cross the Graben to reach Stephansplatz, where Josef Manner had a small shop selling chocolate and fig coffee from 1889. In 1890, he and his brothers founded the "Josef Manner Chocolate Factory." Six months later, the company already had 100 employees and subsequently rose to become the leading confectionery producer in Austria-Hungary. Afterwards, we will stroll past Café Frauenhuber, one of Vienna's oldest coffee houses, and continue to Palais Todesco, owned by Gerstner, another former imperial and royal court confectioner, where you can enjoy coffee house culture in a truly special atmosphere. The grand finale of our tour is one of Vienna's most famous hotels and cafés – the Sacher with its renowned Sachertorte, created in 1832 by Franz Sacher for Prince Metternich. You are welcome to spend some more time in the city centre on your own and enjoy a Viennese coffee in one of the coffee houses we have shown you, or you can join us for the return walk to the Hofburg.