When you look at the best things to do in Vienna, Schoenbrunn Palace and Gardens will surely come up. If you have more than one day in Vienna, you should add Schoenbrunn to your itinerary. Let me take you around the Schoenbrunn Gardens to help you plan your visit.
Schoenbrunn History
Schoenbrunn (Schönbrunn) means ‘beautiful spring‘ and takes its name from a well that provided water to the imperial court. The complex started as a hunting ground for Roman Emperor Maximilian II. Later, the Schoenbrunn Palace developed, and it became the imperial summer residence of Empress Maria Theresa. Today, Schoenbrunn Palace and its gardens are one of the major tourist attractions in Austria.
Schoenbrunn Gardens
Behind the Schoenbrunn Palace lies an ample park. Most areas are free to visit and walk around, and it’s an ideal place for running in Vienna. However, there are a few gardens that require a ticket to visit. Exploring the free park will easily take a couple of hours, and it’s a budget-friendly way to walk in imperial footsteps and get some great photos in the process.
If you want to visit the palace and some of the other gardens, plan to spend the better part of the day.
Free Areas of the Schoenbrunn Gardens
The park around the Schoenbrunn Palace extends for about a kilometer from the palace to the Gloriette on the hill and a little more from side to side.
On the southern side of Schoenbrunn Palace, the Grand Parterre with manicured flower beds creates an ample open space between the palace and the Neptune Fountain (Neptunbrunnen). 32 statues guard the French-inspired garden.
The Baroque-style Gloriette dominates the southern hill, creating great photo opportunities with the palace and Vienna in the background.
When you find the Roman ruins on one side of the park, they seem a little out of place. They were actually built in the 18th century when fashion dictated that rich properties should have some Roman ruins on the grounds. So, the ruins are fake, though they look much like the real thing.
Not far from the fake ruins, a well a beautiful white pavilion protects a well. It’s a peaceful place that makes you think this might be the spring that gave the domain the Schoenbrunn name.
Other Schoenbrunn Gardens
Some of the themed Schoenbrunn garden require buying a ticket. Choose the ones you are interested in from the list below and check the official website. The best deal is to choose a combined ticket.
The Privy (Crown Princess Garden or Kronprinzengarten)
On the east side of the palace, you’ll find the private garden of the Imperial family. A pergola shelters the sunken garden from the rest of the park. Only five iron pavilions interrupt the greenery. The princess could walk in the shadow, enjoy the fresh air and the flower beds in complete privacy.
The Orangery
The Orangery at Schoenbrunn is one of the largest in Europe. The Imperial family used this building for different celebrations, and the exotic plants and citrus trees were part of the decorations.
One of the most impressive features of the Orangery is the hypocaust, a Roman-style heating system still in use today to keep a constant temperature in the building.
Outside, you can also see a small vineyard and apple trees. The Orangery hosts classical concerts during the summer months. If you love classical music, treat yourself to a concert in the Imperial atmosphere of the Schoenbrunn, one of the most interesting Vienna experiences. Click the link to buy your ticket to a Schoenbrunn Orangery concert.
You can visit the Schoenbrunn Orangery from April to the end of October.
The Maze & Labyrinth
Fashion dictated that every Grand Palace in Europe needed to have a Maze area. The one at Schoenbrunn has three different areas. You can find your way through the Maze, solve puzzles within the Labyrinth and have fun with the children on the Labyrinthikon playground.
The Gloriette
The Gloriette stands at the top of the southern hill, overlooking Schoenbrunn Palace and Vienna behind it. It was the final touch Empress Maria Theresa added to her beloved Schoenbrunn.
It’s a beautiful Baroque building with arches and colonnades. The attraction is the roof platform you can visit for the best views over the park and palace. Cafe Gloriette, at the center of the structure, is a great place to stop for a coffee with one of the best views in Vienna. You can even try Maria Theresa’s favorite coffee with a touch of orange liqueur.
You can visit the Gloriette viewing platform from April to the end of October.
The Palm House
The Palm House (Palmenhouse) has three iron pavilions, each recreating a different climate zone: cold, temperate, and tropical. It’s the largest palm house in Europe, displaying more than 800 types of plants.
The Palm House is open every day of the year, from 9:30 AM to 6 PM (May to September) and from 9:30 AM to 5 PM from October to April.
The Zoo (Tiergarten)
The Tiergarten of the Schoenbrunn Park is the oldest still-functioning Zoo in the world. The emperor’s menagerie from the 18th century became one of the best Zoos in Europe. Visiting the Zoo is also one of the best family activities in Vienna.
The Zoo is open every day of the year from 9 AM. Closing time varies throughout the year. Check the updated times on the official website if you plan to visit in the afternoon.
Plan your visit to the Schoenbrunn Gardens
How to get to Schoenbrunn Palace and Gardens
You can easily reach the Schoenbrunn on Subway line U4 to the Schoenbrunn station. Alternatively, you can get there on bus 10A or trams 10 or 60.
Duration
You can easily plan to spend a full day at the Schoenbrunn if you want to visit the palace, the Zoo, and the gardens. However, if you’re short on time, you can tour the palace and take a stroll through the park in a couple of hours.
Schoenbrunn ticket options
There are various ticket options for the Schoenbrunn palace and gardens. You can choose one depending on what you’re most interested in and the time you have.
Look at the combined ticket options if you want to see the palace and some of the gardens. The Classic Pass includes a palace tour and also the Privy Garden, Orangery Garden, Maze, and Gloriette. In addition to that, the Classic Pass Plus includes access to the Zoo, the Desert Experience, and the Palm House.
Another option is to buy a Vienna Pass to help you save throughout your stay in Vienna.
Lunch and snacks options
If you plan to see both the palace and the gardens, you’re going to need a break at some point. You can stop for coffee at Café Gloriette or Café Residenz by the entrance. You can also have lunch at either of these places. In addition, you can have a very Viennese experience if you want to see the Strudel Show. Have a coffee and a fresh slice of apple strudel while enjoying the show of making the Viennese pastry. Read my post about the Strudel Show at the Schoenbrunn if you need more convincing.
Inside the Zoo, there are a few lunch options, but I recommend the Kaiserpavillon Café, a historic pavilion with good food at the center of the Tiergarten.
Disclosure
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Did I miss anything? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below!
We are planning to visit Austria. So will definitely add Schoenbrunn Gardens in Vienna to our itinerary. Gorgeous photos!
We’re going to be there over New Years. I’m excited to see Vienna around the holidays but at the same time I am disappointed we’ll miss some things like this!
Not that I support hunting, but without royal hunting grounds, we wouldn’t have most of the beautiful city parklands there are today!
So true! It’s a good thing most of them evolved into public gardens.