Thing to do
Naschmarkt
Vienna's best-known food market, a long strip of around 130 stands and small restaurants along the Wienzeile, with a flea market every Saturday morning.
Spanish Riding School
The Habsburg riding school in the Hofburg, where Lipizzaner stallions perform classical dressage in the Baroque Winter Riding School and train in public most mornings.
At a glance
- Type
- Classical riding performances
- Area
- Innere Stadt, Vienna, Austria
- Official site
- srs.at
Good to know
- Performances
- Morning exercise sessions
- Guided tours
- Suitable from age 3
Why we recommend it
The Spanish Riding School is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the world, with a history going back more than 450 years. It preserves the classical art of riding as practised at the Renaissance and Baroque courts, and its stud farm at Piber is recognised as a centre of intangible cultural heritage. Its horses are Lipizzaners, a breed developed for the Habsburg court. The foals are born dark and turn white over several years, and the stallions that perform in Vienna are bred at the school's stud farm at Piber in Styria, where they also return when they retire.
The performances take place in the Winter Riding School, a Baroque hall in the Hofburg with white columns, galleries and chandeliers. Riders in brown tailcoats and bicorne hats guide the stallions through choreographed movements set to classical music, from quadrilles with several horses to the famous jumps above the ground, in which the horse rises into the air. Performances last roughly 45 to 70 minutes and are the most popular option, so book ahead through the school's own ticket shop.
For a cheaper and more relaxed visit, the Morning Exercise lets you watch the riders and horses at their daily training for about an hour, usually with music in the background. Guided tours, held in German, English and Spanish, take you into the Winter and Summer Riding Schools and behind the scenes to the stables, and there are specialised tours of the roof structure and the school's history for older visitors. All events are open to children from the age of three.
This is a good choice for anyone who loves horses, classical music or court ceremony, and it works well for families with children who can sit quietly for an hour. Seats vary a lot in their view of the arena, so read the seating plan before choosing. Photography rules are strict during performances.
The school is on Michaelerplatz, next to the entrance to the Imperial Apartments and the Sisi Museum. Herrengasse station on the U3 is a few minutes' walk away, and the Hofburg, the Augustinian Church and the State Hall of the National Library are all within the same palace complex.
Spanish Riding School FAQs
How long is a Spanish Riding School performance?
Roughly 45 to 70 minutes, depending on the programme.
What is the Morning Exercise?
A chance to watch the riders and Lipizzaners at their daily training for about an hour, at a lower price than a performance.
Can children attend?
Yes. Performances, Morning Exercise and the standard guided tours are open to children from the age of three.
Are there guided tours?
Yes, in German, English and Spanish, lasting about an hour and covering the riding halls and areas behind the scenes.
Where are the horses bred?
At the Lipizzaner stud farm at Piber in Styria, where retired stallions also spend their old age.
Where do I buy tickets?
Through the Spanish Riding School's official ticket shop or at its box office in Vienna.
How do I get there?
The school is on Michaelerplatz in the Hofburg, a few minutes' walk from Herrengasse station on the U3.
Why are the Lipizzaners white?
The foals are born dark and their coats gradually turn white over several years.