Schönbrunn Palace, home of Sissi and other royalty and other Vienna, Austria Things to Do Tips

Schönbrun, the palacecomplex in the outskirts of Wien, and it's magnificent gardens (which will be told about in few others tips). The old empirial times from 'Sissi' are relived when you just walk over the promenades and along the beautiful yellowish buildings. The huge okre-yellow palace houses dazzling ballrooms and even more magnificent chambres (see seperate tip). The wealth of the Habsburgian emperors of the Austrian-Hungarian double monarchie is astonishing and can be seen to the fullest in Schönbrunn palace and gardens.

Leave a Comment

Address: Schoenbrunner Schloss strasse
Directions: Outskirts Meidling, well connected with U-bahn (subway) as well as several touringcar busses.
Website: www.schoenbrunn.at

Number one attraction of Vienna is for sure Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens. You can easily spend a full day here and still not see everything that it has to offer. In the evening, when the lights are switched on, another fairytale starts to take form. Often concerts are given in the gardens or in certain parts of the Palace complex. The gardens have several sections in which one can also find a complete Zoo. There is a forest part, but also spectacular fountains, romatic ruines, rose gardens, splendid formed hedges etc. etc. etc.

Leave a Comment

Address: Schoenbrunner Schloss strasse
Directions: District Meidling,
Website: www.schoenbrunn.at

Vienna and romance are definately two of a kind. Especially Schönbrunn is a highlight in romantic atmosphere that hardly finds it's match anywhere else in the world. The only thing that can spoil the romantic atmosphere is the constant masses of tourists that are arriving here day by day, so a quiet spot for you and your girl/guy is hardly found. Even though the palace and gardens form an outrageous big space.

Leave a Comment

Address: Schönbrunn Schloss strasse
Website: www.schoenbrunn.at

A definate must is to take a tour on the inside of the palace. There are daily several tours with various interesting subjects. At the main entrance one can book a guided tour, but there is also the possibility to take an audio guide and follow the standard tours through the number one rooms. Inside one also finds some expositions of which the Sissi in the movies is a permanent one. For those who are true fans of this beloved Austrian empress, in the Palace a whole museum tells everything about her.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.schoenbrunn.at

Right in the middle of the old city centre, one finds the colourfull and magnificent Sankt Stephan's Dom. This main church of Austria is especially charming, because of the colourful roof tiles that cannot be missed when you look at the gothic splendour. The huge building is decorated with fine statues, curls, pinacles etc. The Stephans Dom saw the light in the 14th century as Dom and became the status of Cathedral in the 15th century. Still, everybody is speaking of the Sankt Stephansdom.

Leave a Comment

Address: Stephans platz
Website: www.stephansdom.at

When one visits the Sankt Stephans Dom you should miss at least a few glimpses from the inside. The rather dark interior holds several masterpieces, such as paintings and sculptures. Especially the pedestal has a few perticular stories, so go on a tour and listen to the secrets of the Sankt Stephans Dom. Also very beautiful is the treasury.

Leave a Comment

Address: Stephan's platz
Website: www.stephanskirche.at

There are a few places from where you can admire Vienna from above. One is the side tower of the Sankt Stephans Dom. A lift will bring you to the top, where you can not only see the old bells of the Sankt Stephans Dom, but also the wonderful view over the (red) rooftops of the Austrian capitol on one side and the colourful roof tiles of the Dom on the other side. Now the eagle figure stand out clear.

Leave a Comment

Address: St.Stephens cathedral
Website: www.stephansdom.at

Schönbrunn was for the empirial family the summerpalace, but their central palace, from where the Austrian-Hungarian monarchie is ruled, was the Hofburg in the centre of Vienna. This enormous palace complex consists of several buildings. The buildings are around various courtyards and squares and the style is mainly a mixture of neoclassic and barqoue. Highlights (mentioned later seperately) are the emperial rooms (Kaiserappartments), the Sissi museum, the Silberkammer (the treasury).

Leave a Comment

Address: Hofburg, Heldenplatz
Website: www.hofburg-wien.at

The complex of the Hofburg consists of several linked palace buildings in which in present day several museums and expositions are housed. The emperial rooms (Kaiserappartments) are a set of rooms decorated in the imerial style of the 19th century, filled with the wealth of six centuries of Habsburgian power. The silver treasury (Silberkammer) is "just" the enormous silverware collection of the Habsburgs (try to imagine what remains unseen). Finally, the most famous Habsburg (both beloved as well as infamous) was Sissi, emperess Elisabeth and wife of the last Austrian-Hungarian emperor, has her own museum, where one can finally find out who she really was (and believe me, that's nothing like the sweet lady that Romy Schneider played in her famous Sissi filmcycle).
Less wellknown buildings, yet no less interesting, are the Albertina palace, the emperial chapel and the greenhouses (where inside a beautiful butterfly garden can be visited - see different Tip).

Leave a Comment

Address: Hofburg, Heldenplatz
Website: www.hofburg-wien.at

In between and around the Hofburg complex, beautiful gardens are inviting the visitors for pleasant walks. Especially when the weather is good, lots of Austrians - above all students - gather aruond in the park to read their study books, chat, discuss or just lay in the sun. In the park the small squares are decorated with large statues and small pavillions that house café's or restaurants make an afternoon in the Hofburg park a very pleasant time.

Leave a Comment

Address: Hofbrug, Heldenplatz and surroundings
Website: www.wien.info/hofburg/hofburg-d.html