Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn was the summer residence of the Habsburg emperors and is the most visited sight in Vienna. The estate goes back to a hunting lodge, but the palace you see today took shape in the 1740s and 1750s under Maria Theresa, who received it as a wedding gift and turned it into the family's main seat outside the city. The palace has 1,441 rooms, and in 1996 the palace and its gardens were inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Inside, a set route leads through the piano nobile, the main floor of state and private rooms. The rooms used by Franz Joseph and Elisabeth are plain compared with the Rococo halls of Maria Theresa's era, and the contrast tells you a lot about the two reigns. The Great Gallery, used for balls and banquets, and the small Chinese cabinets are among the highlights. Several ticket types are sold, from the Palace Ticket with an audio guide covering the whole main floor (allow about 75 minutes) to combined passes that add parts of the gardens and other Habsburg sites.

The gardens are free to enter and are worth as much time as the palace. A long axis climbs from the parterre to the Gloriette, a colonnade on a hill about 60 metres above the palace that was completed in 1775 and gives the classic view back over the roofs towards the city. The grounds also hold the Palm House, a maze and labyrinth, the Privy Garden and Tiergarten Schönbrunn, which claims to be the oldest zoo in the world. A small panorama train runs between the main attractions for those who prefer not to walk.

Schönbrunn suits almost everyone: history lovers, families who can combine the palace with the zoo, and runners and walkers who come just for the park. Book a timed palace ticket in advance, especially in summer and at weekends, and only through the palace's own ticket shop, since the operator warns about unofficial resellers. Arrive at opening time or late in the afternoon to avoid tour groups, and plan at least half a day if you want to see the gardens and the Gloriette properly.

The palace is in Hietzing, south-west of the centre. The U4 underground line stops at Schönbrunn station, a short walk from the main gate, and Hietzing station is closer to the zoo entrance. Trams also serve the area. Wear comfortable shoes, as the gardens are large and the climb to the Gloriette is steep in places.