I. General outline Schönbrunn Palace together with its ancillary buildings and extensive park is by virtue of its long and colourful history one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria. Scheduled as a listed monument, the whole ensemble, including the palace, the park with its numerous architectural features, fountains and statues and not least the zoo – the oldest of its kind in the world – was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1996. In the possession of the Habsburg dynasty since Maximilian II, the palace passed to the ownership of the Republic of Austria at the end of the monarchy in 1918 and was subsequently administered by the Schlosshauptmannschaft Schönbrunn. In 1992 the Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. (SKB) was founded and entrusted with the administration of the palace as a modern, limited-liability company. The duties of the SKB include the exploitation of its many resources in fulfilling its role as a cultural and touristic amenity as well as the obligation to conserve and revitalise this unique historical and art-historical gem. As its primary duties, preservation and restoration have to be financed by the SKB from its own resources without recourse to state subsidies.

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Vienna is a truly beautiful and magical city. Stephansplatz is at the center of the city and it's named after the cathedral located there, St. Stephan's Cathedral (Stephansdom). The cathedral is one of the largest in the world and is also the seat of the Archdiocese of Vienna. Entry is free, but donations are highly recommended. You will find many street entertainers there, and if you're lucky like my husband and me, a political protest. Make sure to visit Figlmuller's, off one of the side streets, for Schnitzel so large, it overlaps the plate!

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This palace is one of the greatest I have ever seen. I visited on a beautiful summer day when the sun was shining strong. After visiting the actual palace, I wandered through the perfectly manicured garden up to the Gloriette high on top of the hill. I enjoyed a lovely Austrian meal while gazing into the garden at the back of the Gloriette. The gardens are glorious with many people relaxing by the fountain at the base of the hill. I rate the Schonbrunn Palace much higher than Versailles. I know, controversial!

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Situated at the very epicenter of Austria’s capital city, the Prater is a surprising escape from urban European city-life. Half carnie funhouse, half sprawling meadow, the Prater is a public park to be rivaled, and one of Vienna’s top must-visit attractions.   Man-made machines and Mother Nature coexist in perfect harmony at the Prater. The park is home to over 250 attractions; including casinos, restaurants and the famous Riesenrad Ferris wheel. Beside the amusement park, over six-million square meters of endless green space set the scene for visitors to relax, keep active or just enjoy the great outdoors. Most incredible is that all of this can be found at the hub of metropolitan Vienna.   Admittance to the amusement park is free, which allows visitors to wander and explore at their leisure and pay only for the attractions they enjoy. The park opens most of its attractions from early March until late October; still many more are open year-round. Even in peak season, visitors are hard-pressed to find a lineup to stand in or a restaurant with no free tables. If you wander the grounds in the spring you might be amazed at how few people stand in your way of enjoying all the Prater has to offer. Restaurants are all open and waiting to serve just you and rides are up and running on standby until you work up the courage to take them on.   The main tourist attraction is the Riesenrad. The massive Ferris wheel stands almost 200 feet tall and boasts the best bird’s-eye view of the city. Built in 1897 by English architect Walter Basset, the Riesenrad has a rich history and has become a key element of Vienna’s city skyline. The wheel is well known for it’s role in several movies, most notably Orson Welles’ 1949 film-noir  The Third Man.  It was burned down during the Second World War and was rebuilt along with Vienna’s Stephansdom (St. Stephan’s Cathedral) and the Staatsoper opera house. Recently remodeled for the 2008 Euro Cup soccer games, the Riesenrad has gone  “Zuper”  kitschy, with Mozart chocolates, Mozart souvenirs and Mozart music creating the ambiance around the massive attraction.   There is also another Ferris wheel that proves itself a pleasant alternative to the over-hyped Riesenrad but fails to provide as good of a view, and an adrenaline-pumping spinning swing monument that provides a comparable view, but spins a bit too fast to catch a good glimpse of it all.   Even so, you may not have to choose: With plenty of time to explore and ride-fares as low as three or four Euros, you can afford to enjoy whatever you fancy.   And you’ll never go hungry at the Prater. There are over 60 restaurants and eateries ranging from hot-dog stands to beer halls to cafes to local and international cuisine. And yes, of course there’s a McDonalds.   The “Green Prater” is an attraction unto itself. Endless grassy meadows surround dozens of bike and foot paths, and ponds and playgrounds pop up where you’d least expect them. If the weather permits, the Green Prater is the best place to spend a day lounging with a good book, cycling through a wonderland of shady trees or joining in a soccer game with some friends you have yet to meet.   That being said, anyone who has traveled through Austria may have noticed the air of sophistication and snobbery that many Austrians possess: It is an attitude that says “we are Austrian and you are not, so there.” But everything changes in the Prater. The typically stiff and conservative Viennese leave their pretentiousness at home and transform into carefree, friendly and downright chipper human beings.   The Prater has that effect on people. Everyone coexists peacefully with one another; thrill-seekers and tree-huggers compliment each other, locals and tourists exchange smiles and young and old blend seamlessly into the all-ages ambiance. The Prater is a must-see, so if your journey lands you in Vienna, be sure to coexist in its glory, even if only for a moment.

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this is a former castle with incredibly beautiful gardens and plenty of art treasures. i´m a huge Klimt fan so part of the reason why i love this place is that Klimt´s famous painting "The Kiss" is there. believe me, no reproduction does justice to the original. i starred at it for like 15 minutes and the guard in charge of that room just smiled at me and understood... if you are in Vienna, you should definitely go!

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4 Sterne für das Somemrpublikum auf der Donauinsel. Aber dennoch der beste Freizeit - Sport u Spaßplatz der Stadt - Von Party bis FKK Baden bis - Natur Pur - Donau Auen Rad Wanderwege alles vorhanden. Wasser, Wiese, Infrastruktur ( Eisverkäufer auf Räder u Toiletten u Hydranten ) Angesehen von den vielen Grillplätzen und gelegentlichen Kinderspielplätzen.

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There are tons of shops stores, a lot of franchising, but single stores as well. Cheap or expensive, whatever you want.
And you can choose from a lot of different locations where you can eat.

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This place is lovely! Locals as well as tourist can enjoy a visit on the Naschmarkt everytime. There are cafés, restaurants offering food from everywhere in the world. Colours and flavours in the air are so various it's definetly worth to be seen... But don't forget the cash. Around the Naschmarkt it's hard to find a ATM.

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Superbe musée, où l'on retrace toute l'épopée des grand mouvements artistiques, impressionisme, etc.. malheureusement, il ferme assez tôt..y retourner plusieurs fois

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Vienna's Stadtpark is dedicated to its musicians.It is most famous for the monument of the “King of Waltz”, Johann Strauss. When comming to Vienna- it's a must! Don't go shopping- enjoy instead!!!

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