Schoenbrunn Palace & Gardens is one of the top things to do in Vienna. Schoenbrunn should be on your itinerary if you are staying in Vienna for more than one night. I’ll show you the Schoenbrunn Gardens so you can plan your trip.

Schoenbrunn History

Schoenbrunn is a German word that means “beautiful spring” and was named after a well which provided water for the imperial court. The complex began as a hunting grounds for Roman Emperor Maximilian II. The Schoenbrunn Palace was developed later and became the summer residence for Empress Maria Theresa. Schoenbrunn Palace, with its gardens, is one of Austria’s most popular tourist attractions.

Schoenbrunn Gardens

Hinter the Schoenbrunn Palace is a large park. The majority of the park is free to walk through and visit. It’s a great place to run in Vienna. There are some gardens which require a ticket. The free park is a great way to explore the imperial past and take some beautiful photos.

Plan to spend a full day if you plan to visit the Palace and other gardens.

Schoenbrunn Gardens: Free areas

The park surrounding the Schoenbrunn Palace stretches for approximately a kilometer, from the palace up to the Gloriette at the top of the hill.

The Grand Parterre, with its manicured flowerbeds, creates a large open space on the southern side between Schoenbrunn Palace and the Neptune Fountain. The French-inspired garden is guarded by 32 statues.

The Baroque Gloriette, which dominates the southern slope of the hill, creates great photo opportunities.

The Roman ruins that are located on the one side of the park seem out of place. The ruins were built in 18th century, when it was fashionable for rich properties to have Roman ruins. The ruins are not real, even though they appear to be the same as the original.

A beautiful white pavilion guards a water well not far from the fake ruin. This peaceful spot makes you wonder if this is the spring which gave the domain its name Schoenbrunn.

Other Schoenbrunn Gardens

Tickets are required for some of the Schoenbrunn gardens. Select the garden you’re interested in and visit the official website. A combined ticket is the best option.

The Privy, or Kronprinzengarten

The Imperial garden is located on the east side. The sunken garden is separated from the rest by a pergola. The greenery is interrupted only by five iron pavilions. The princess was able to walk in the shade, enjoy the air and flower beds in total privacy.The privy is the private garden of imperial family, located on the one side of Schoenbrunn Palace

Orangery

Schoenbrunn’s Orangery is the largest in Europe. This building was used by the Imperial family for various celebrations. The exotic plants and orange trees were decorated.

The Orangery’s hypocaust is a Roman style heating system that is still used today to maintain a constant temperature.

You can also find a small apple orchard outside. During the summer, classical concerts are held in The Orangery. Treat yourself to an Imperial Schoenbrunn concert if you enjoy classical music. It is one of the most fascinating Vienna experiences. To purchase tickets for a Schoenbrunn concert, click the link.

From April until the end of October, you can visit Schoenbrunn Orangery.Schoenbrunn apple trees

The Maze & Labyrinth

The fashion dictated that each Grand Palace in Europe had to have a maze area. Schoenbrunn’s Maze has three distinct areas. The Labyrinth is a great place to play with children, as you can solve puzzles in the Labyrinth or find your way around the Maze.

The Gloriette

The Gloriette is located at the southernmost tip of the hill. It offers a view of Schoenbrunn Palace, with Vienna in the background. The Gloriette was the last touch Empress Maria Theresa gave to her beloved Schoenbrunn.

This is a stunning Baroque-style building, with colonnades and arches. You can get the best view of the palace and park from the roof platform. The Cafe Gloriette in the middle of the building is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee and take in the view. Even Maria Theresa’s favorite coffee can be tried with a hint of orange liqueur.

From April until the end of October, you can visit the Gloriette observation platform.The Gloriette is the best view at Schoenbrunn

The Palm House

The Palm House has three pavilions made of iron, which each recreate a different climate zone, cold, temperate and tropical. This is the largest palm house of Europe. It displays more than 800 different types of plants.

The Palm House is available every day from May to September from 9:30 am to 6 pm and from October to April from 9:30 am to 5 pm.The Palm House in Schoenbrunn Gardens

The Zoo (Tiergarten).

The Tiergarten of Schoenbrunn Park was the first Zoo to still be in operation. The 18th-century emperor’s menagerie became one of Europe’s best Zoos. The Zoo is one of the most popular family activities in Vienna.

The Zoo is open daily from 9AM. The closing time changes throughout the year. If you are planning to visit the museum in the afternoon, check the website for the latest times.

Visit the Schoenbrunn Gardens

Schoenbrunn Palace & Gardens: How to reach it

Subway U4 can take you to Schoenbrunn. You can also take the tram 10 or 60 or bus 10A.

Duration

If you plan to visit the gardens, the Zoo and the palace at Schoenbrunn, it is easy to spend an entire day there. If you are short on time you can still tour the palace in two hours and stroll through the park.

Schoenbrunn ticket options

You can choose from a variety of tickets for the Schoenbrunn Palace and Gardens. You can select a ticket based on your interests and time constraints.

If you’d like to visit the palace as well as some of the gardens, consider the combination ticket. The Classic Pass also includes the Privy Garden and Orangery Garden. It also includes Gloriette, Maze and Gloriette. The Classic Pass plus also includes access to the Palm House, the Desert Experience and the Zoo.

A Vienna Pass can help you to save money during your entire stay in Vienna.

Lunch and snack options

You’ll need to take a break if you want to visit both the palace as well as the gardens. Cafe Gloriette and Cafe Residenz are located near the entrance. These places also serve lunch. You can also have a Viennese experience by watching the Strudel Show. Enjoy a cup of coffee and an apple strudel as you watch the Viennese pastry being made. If you still need convincing, read my blog post about the Strudel Show in Schoenbrunn.

There are several lunch options inside the Zoo. I recommend the Kaiserpavillon Cafe. It is a historical pavilion that serves good food in the middle of the Tiergarten.