Schönbrunn Palace
Schönbrunn Palace is one of Vienna’s top attractions. It was the summer home of the Habsburgs, the powerful empire that ruled Austria for over six centuries. On the palace grounds you can enjoy ornate hallways, grand halls, and beautiful gardens showing the grandeur of imperial life.
Be prepared to spend at least ½ a day here.
We were really afraid of the crowds (it is, after all, probably one of the TOP attractions in Vienna), so we showed up pretty early in the morning. I think that was a good idea, because the crowds definitely became heavier and heavier as we approached noontime.
I didn't know very much about the history of the Austria-Hungarian Empire, so I found the audio guide to be very, very helpful. The palace is HUGE, and there are many rooms, but they are quite stunning, and the history is really interesting.
After wandering through all the different rooms and halls, you can explore the outdoors, which is just as interesting.
The grounds are quite big, and there are some interesting building up the hill too (if you don't mind hiking up just a bit of elevation).
This huge hall at the top of the hill was probably used to entertain important visitors.
It's really cool to look back at the palace from the top of the hill.
So majestic!
Tickets
Getting tickets to Schönbrunn Palace is pretty straightforward, but it’s best to book in advance, especially during peak seasons. You can buy tickets online or at the entrance, with different options depending on how much of the palace you want to explore. The Grand Tour covers more rooms, while the shorter Imperial Tour is a quicker visit. Combo tickets are also available if you want to see the gardens, the Gloriette, or other attractions on the palace grounds.
We ended up getting the Sisi Pass, which included three attractions on 1 ticket: Schönbrunn Palace, Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments in Hofburg Palace, and the Vienna Furniture Museum (which we did not see).
Sisi Museum
The Sisi Museum, located inside the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, was interesting largely because of the fascinating story it told about the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (known as Sisi). Definitely get the audio guide. The exhibit tries hard to capture the truth and complexity of Sisi's life, versus trying to paint an ideal image of her (which is what was previously done).
Imperial Treasures at Hofburg Palace
On our last day in Vienna, we visited the Imperial Treasury at Hofburg Palace, which houses the treasure of the Habsburg dynasty.
It was amazing to see ornate crowns, sceptors, regalia, and more from the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire over a 600+ year history.
There's also a lot of holy relics, and some incredibly beautiful jewels.
So Many Museums
Even though we bought the smaller pass, we still didn't have a enough time to visit all the museums even on our one pass. Vienna is filled with so much history, one can really come back and visit the city over and over again.
