Tour Details
Duration
2.5 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Schönbrunn Palace
Photos & Highlights
- Explores Schönbrunn Palace, summer home to the Hapsburgs
- Led by a local historian
Select a date
Tour Description
Schönbrunn Palace, the stunning summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty, is an excellent place to learn about the Habsburgs, their impact on European history ... and their odd chins. During this 2.5-hour Schonbrunn Palace tour, we'll join a local historian for an in-depth exploration of this crown jewel of Imperial Austria. Along the way, we'll acquire a solid understanding of how the Habsburg dynasty evolved and discover the hidden stories behind its gilded details and ornate furnishings.
Schönbrunn Palace Tour
Preceded by an expanse of lawn and winding footpaths, the façade of Schönbrunn presents a spectacular, cinema-worthy view as we approach. This sprawling structure houses almost 1500 rooms and has a significant area open to the public, including intimate salons, larger galleries, and the private apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth. As we walk through the labyrinth of residential and ceremonial rooms, we’ll look at ancient artwork and painstakingly preserved interiors, sparking discussions of the progression of the Habsburg Monarchy and its persisting historical importance for Europe. (For a more detailed look at the Habsburg art collection check out our Kuntshistoriches Museum Tour.)
“This was a terrific way to see what might otherwise be an overwhelming palace and we walked away with a much better appreciation for the history and the court life of the Hapsburgs.”
Imperial Legacy
Along with its glorious gardens, Schönbrunn provides a unique insight into the lives and loves of a long line of imperial monarchs. Together with an expert Vienna guide, we’ll seek out details of the palace’s design and decoration to help transport our imaginations back to the time of the Habsburgs. In doing so, we’ll develop a deeper understanding of how one family came to hold such power and wide political influence and how the effects of this history are visible in Vienna even today. (We also get a small taste of this on our Introduction to Vienna Tour through the 1st District.)
After the walk, there is the opportunity—weather and time permitting—to stroll through the gardens independently, filled with new knowledge about the personalities behind this imposing site.
Additional Info
Please note that ticketing availability at the Palace lies outside of our control and can be limited in the busy summer months or on major holidays. We may contact you to request flexible scheduling in order to confirm the walk on your desired date.
Visiting Schönbrunn with kids? Check out our guide to making a trip to the palace the highlight of your Vienna family vacation.
FAQ
Where does this walking tour meet?
You will meet on the palace grounds. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point and a map.
What are skip-the-line tickets?
You will meet on the palace grounds. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point and a map.
What are skip-the-line tickets?
For this tour, your tickets are pre-purchased which allows you to directly enter the security line at the palace without waiting to purchase tickets. You may still have to wait in a security line or in a line to have your pre-purchased ticket scanned.
Please note: we strongly encourage starting in the early morning (9:30 am or earlier) or late afternoon (3:00 pm or later). The palace has fewer visitors during those periods and the experience is significantly better!
Experts
Where You'll Start
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171 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
To repeat what I said above: Alexa Brauer is just wonderful. She toured us thru the Kunsthistorisches in April 2014, and through the First District and Schonbrunn in May 2015. We think the world of her. She is extremely knowledgeable, articulate, and clear in her commentary, and delightful as to personality. We love her and feel really lucky that we had her again this spring -- twice!
Elizabeth
Reviewed on:
May 8, 2015
Reinhard could have spent more time explaining more about the history of the Habsburgs and the functions of each room, at times the tour felt rushed, even though ultimately we had time to spare (we finished the tour of the palace within 90 minutes). My mother and I were also at fault for not speaking up and having more questions to ask him about the palace or the palace grounds, but I suppose this is something that a docent should be aware of, as they are the experts and should know how much time is to be allotted at each stop.
We both realize that the Schonbrunn and the Habsburgs are not Reinhard's expertise, and that our tour was rather last minute. Perhaps in the future Reinhard can incorporate a walk in the palace grounds, to explain their function and architectural history/style etc.
Clementine
Reviewed on:
Apr 29, 2015
Our docent was very good about engaging my 16 year old niece and addressing her questions.
Judith
Reviewed on:
Apr 9, 2015
