Discover Vienna’s animals
Although Vienna is a large city, it is home to numerous animals. For both young and the not so young, a visit to Schönbrunn Zoo, the Spanish Riding School or the House of the Sea will be a highlight of any holiday in Vienna. However, you will also discover many animals in the wild too.
Where horses dance ballet
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You may think that you would not find horse stables in the centre of Vienna but you would be wrong. Situated at the heart of the first district of the city is not only the oldest riding school in the world but also one which is included in UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Here in the Spanish Riding School, classical equestrianism has been upheld for over 450 years
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The Stallburg – which is home to the famous white stallions – is Vienna’s oldest Renaissance building and currently accommodates 72 of the proud and noble animals. Formerly the nobility were trained for horsemanship and war at the Riding School but today everyone can marvel at the elegant horses at performances and training sessions of the “white ballet”. These take place a number of times every week.
The objective of the training of the stallions and their riders is to achieve the greatest possible elegance and to present this harmony at various performances.
The whole family will definitely enjoy the programme of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and special performances are arranged for school pupils, which give a deep insight into the history and the varied daily life of the Riding School.
Spanische Hofreitschule Wien
Address: Michaelerplatz 1, 1010 Vienna
Opening times:
Tuesday – Sunday: 9am – 4pm
Fridays, if performances take place: 9am – 7pm
Performances: www.srs.at/vorfuehrungen/
Visit the oldest zoo in the world
In 1752 Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna was grounded by Emperor Franz I., the husband of Maria Theresia, and it is a part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, Schönbrunn. Today the zoo is one of the most modern worldwide and every year it attracts over 2 million visitors from all the corners of the globe to Vienna.
Besides offering the possibility to relax and have fun, visitors of all ages can enjoy the sight of watching many different types of animals being fed while at the same time learning lots of interesting information about the animals. For true animal lovers, the backstage tours as well as the special tours for families or the night tours are particularly interesting. A further feature is the possibility to celebrate birthdays in the zoo or to take part in „horse whispering for children“.
Eating establishments are also located within the zoo, which means that you can really take your time to explore all 17 hectares of the zoo. The 9,000 animals in Vienna’s most famous zoo are simply waiting to charm and captivate you.
Tiergarten Schönbrunn
Address: Maxingstraße 13b, 1130 Vienna
Opening times:
January: 9am – 4:30pm
February: 9am – 5pm
March: 9am – 5:30pm
April – September: 9am – 6:30pm
October (until the end of summer time): 9am – 5:30pm
November – December: 9am – 4:30pm
Feeding times: www.zoovienna.at/termine/fuetterungen/
Fascinating underwater world in Vienna – The Aqua Terra Zoo
Not far from the lively shopping street, Mariahilfer Straße, an almost 50m high flak tower – better known as the House of the Sea – dominates the skyline of Vienna and it is home to over 10,000 animals. In addition to sharks, land and sea turtles, crocodiles and fish from fresh and salt water, you will also find colourful birds, various monkeys and insects.
Besides this impressive selection of different species of animals, there are further highlights: possibly the longest ant trail worldwide with a length of approx. 70m, the two-storey shark pool and a huge tropical house – here you feel as if you are in the middle of the jungle as the animals can be experienced without any barriers and close up!
Guided tours are also offered in the House of the Sea. These are even arranged for various special topics – if you have always wanted to feel a shark’s tooth or to look deeply into a piranha’s mouth, this is the place for you!
If you still want more, go to the rooftop terrace and enjoy some refreshing snacks and drinks with a breath-taking view of Vienna.
House of the Sea – Aqua Terra Zoo
Address: Fritz-Grünbaum-Platz 1, 1060 Vienna
Opening times:
Monday – Wednesday: 9am – 6pm
Thursday: 9am – 9pm
Friday – Sunday: 9am – 6pm
Feeding times: www.haus-des-meeres.at/de/Besucherinfo/Fuetterung_Meehr.htm
Experience the true Vienna Woods
Ready for a break? Then the Lainzer Tiergarten is the right place to visit. It is situated on the western outskirts of Vienna and since time immemorial it has been a popular recreation area for the Viennese and also many of its visitors.
The Lainzer Tiergarten – a last piece of the true Vienna Woods – is simply unique in terms of culture and landscape. Here you can perfectly combine relaxation, adventure and education.
Due to the diverse landscape, endangered animals and plants have their own protected environment. The imposing beech and oak forests are a particular feature of the Lainzer Tiergarten. The mighty trees have become home to many birds and insects. But you will also find reptiles, amphibians and many wild animals here, such as wild boars, stags, deer and wild sheep.
To enable you to take some knowledge home with you, there are two different learning paths, the forest and nature path, which all visitors can go on free of charge. Above all children are given the possibility to learn about nature in a playful manner.
Lainzer Tiergarten
Entrances:
Lainzer Gate: Hermesstraße, 1130 Vienna
Gütenbach Gate: Gütenbachstraße, 1230 Vienna
Nikolai Gate: Nikolausgasse, 1130 Vienna
Laaber Gate: Tiergartenstraße, 2381 Laab im Walde
Opening times: https://www.lainzer-tiergarten.at/oeffnungszeiten.html
Learning paths: https://www.lainzer-tiergarten.at/freizeitangebot.html
In order to have enough time to discover the animal and plant world, it is advised to rent an apartment nearby. CheckVIENNA can help you!