Vienna Best Palaces

No matter what time of year you decide to visit the Austrian capital, one of the best things to see and do in Vienna is arguably a tour of the city's history and architecture through its beautiful palaces and stately homes.

As you will soon realise, Vienna is full of them, so it can be difficult to choose which palaces to visit. Here is a list of some of the best alternatives, designed for first-time visitors to Vienna, but also for those who want a tour off the beaten track. Enjoy your adventure!

No tour of Vienna would be complete without a stop at one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions; a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Schönbrunn Palace was the official home of the imperial family. It is a beautiful residence with magnificently preserved rococo interiors that speaks perfectly of the luxury and ostentation of the kings of the time. For this and much more, a guided tour of Schoenbrunn Palace and its beautiful gardens is a must on any trip to the city.

Where to find it and how to get there

Schönbrunn Palace is located at Schönbrunner Schloss Strasse, 47; you will find in the city of Vienna several means of transport that take you to this destination such as the tram (lines 10 and 58), bus (line 10A) and the metro (line UA). The nearest underground station, Schönbrunn, is just a few minutes' walk from the palace.

Useful information

• Opening hours: The opening hours vary according to the time of year. All year round opening time is 08.30. From 1 April to 30 June it closes at 5.30 pm; from 1 July to 31 August at 6.30 pm; from 1 September to 31 October at 5.30 pm; from 1 November to 31 March at 5.30 pm.
• Price: The guided tour includes a tour of Vienna and costs €56.

The Hofburg Palace is **Vienna'**s largest palace, a magnificent Baroque-style residence that served as the home of the Habsburg dynasty for at least 600 years.

I personally find it a must-see on any tour of Vienna, both to see the Sisi Museum, the country's most iconic empress, and to admire the interior of the fantastic imperial flats.

Where to find it and how to get there

Located in the heart of Vienna, at Michaelerplatz 1, getting to the Vienna Hofburg Palace is really easy and you have several means of transport: Herrengasse metro station (line U3) is only 8 minutes from the Palace; the Burgring stop 6 minutes from the complex serves the city tram (lines 1,2 and D) and the bus (lines 2A and 57A).

Useful information about the complex

• Opening hours: The palace is open all year round at 09:00. From September to June it is open until 17.30h and from July to August until 18h.
• Price: The adult entrance ticket costs approximately €15 per visitor; if you buy the Vienna Explorer Pass this attraction is included.

The Belvedere is a complex of buildings consisting of two beautiful Baroque-style palaces linked by a beautiful French-style garden. Construction began with the aim of serving as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.

It took time to complete the complex and virtually nothing remains of the palatial interiors. Nevertheless, it is well worth a visit to the Upper Belvedere Palace to see the Belvedere Art Museum, the beautiful façades and the beautiful and well-preserved gardens.

Where to find us and how to get there

The grounds of the complex are located in the 3rd district of the capital. If you are on your own, the main entrance to the complex is on Prinz Eugen Street. The easiest way to get there is by Tram taking the D line to Schloss Belvedere a 2 minute walk or the 71 line to Unteres Belvedere a 6 minute walk.

Useful information

• Opening hours: Open to the public daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Price: Admission to the Upper Belvedere Palace costs €17.

Hetzendorf is a medium-sized baroque palace. Although it is not open to the public, as it houses the Hetzendorf School of Fashion, its exterior and chapel are hidden gems. In addition, the Hetzendorf is located just behind the Imperial Palace, so you can take the opportunity to visit it after your guided tour of Schoenbrunn Palace.

In fact, the beautiful Schloss Hetzendorf chapel can be visited most of the year. In addition, in the courtyard at the entrance to the palace you will find a pleasant pub-restaurant with a magnificent view of the grounds. If you visit Vienna in summer consider having a coffee or beer in this nice place.

Where it is and how to get there

The palace is located at Hetzendorfer Str. 79. The easiest way to get there is to take the Vienna underground (line U6) to Schloss Hetzendorf station, which is only a 2-minute walk away. You can also take the tram (line 62).

Useful information

• Opening hours: The School of Fashion and Design is open from Monday to Friday from 07.30 am to 3.30 pm.
• Price: Not available for interior tours. Access to the chapel is free of charge.

The Mollard-Clary Palace is a fabulous baroque building built in the 1680s by Count Franz Von Mollard. The façade of the building is impressive and very beautiful as well as its interiors, which you will be able to see if you decide to visit the museums that the Austrian National Library has housed inside since 2005.

• Balloon Museum: Founded in 1956, it is the only museum in the world dedicated to exhibiting a fantastic collection of globes.

• Esperanto Museum: More of a documentation and archive centre founded in 1927 and focusing on Esperanto.

Where to find it and how to get there

The Mollard-Clary Palace is located at Herrengasse 9 in Vienna's 1st district. It is quite close to the Hofburg Palace and the famous Clock Museum. Getting to this area of the city is very simple: you can use the Vienna tram (line 1), whose nearest stop is Rathausplatz/Burgtheater, a 9-minute walk from the entrance of the Palace. You can also use the city metro (line U3), whose nearest stop, Herrengasse, is only a 3-minute walk away.

Useful information

• Opening hours: The opening hours of the museums change according to the season; all year round they are open from 10am to 6pm. However, from June to September they are open every day, but from October to May they are open from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays.
• Price: Admission to the museums inside the Palace costs approximately €15 per person. Admission is free for minors and with the Vienna Pass, admission is included.

Kinsky Palace is the name given to a wonderful baroque palace in the centre of the Austrian capital. Originally built in the 18th century as a crown mandate for Count Duan, it was later acquired by the Kinsky family of Bohemia.

The baroque interior of the palace is magnificently preserved, a testament to the care taken by its owners over the years. It is worth a visit to Freyung Square to admire the fantastic yellow and white façade and its fabulous entrance gate.

Where is it and how to get there

Located at Freyung 4, you will find various means of transport to get to Kinsky. The most recommended is the Vienna tram (line 1), as the Schottentor stop is only a 5-minute walk away; the Herrengasse metro station is a 7-minute walk (lines U1 and U2).

Useful information

• Opening hours: Unfortunately, the Kinsky Palace is not available for sightseeing tours inside as the palace functions as a prestigious private event centre.

The Pálffy Palace was owned by the princely Pálffy family in the 17th century. It has an interesting façade in the Renaissance style, but the most striking feature is its excellently preserved interiors.

Today the building is used as a centre for events, musical performances and various types of public functions. It also houses the Phantasten Museum, an exhibition area devoted mainly to the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. There you will find an average of 150 works and sculptures by Austrian and international artists.

Where it is and how to get there

This beautiful palace is located in Josefsplatz, in the centre of Vienna, and you will find several means of transport to get there. The best way is to take the Vienna underground (line U6) to Palffygasse station or the City Tram (line 43) to Palffygasse station, which is only a 6-minute walk from the entrance of the Palace.

Useful information

• Opening hours: The small Phantasten Museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.
• Price: Admission is free.

Built between 1706 and 1710, Auersperg holds the title of being the oldest baroque palace in Vienna, making it one of the most famous and beloved historical buildings of the Viennese.

The current layout of the building includes a majestic restaurant serving both traditional Austrian and international cuisine. The rooms of the palace lend themselves to the organisation of all kinds of exclusive events ranging from weddings, corporate events, conferences, gala events and even concerts - a great plan for a night out in Vienna.

Where to find us and how to get there

The Palace is located at Auerspergstraße 1 in the heart of Vienna's city centre. You will find several means of public transport to reach this area, including the underground (line U3) and the city tram (line 46) both stopping at the Auerspergstraße terminus, located just two minutes away from the Palace.

Useful information

• Opening hours: Auersperg Palace facilities and offices are open from 09.00 to 07.00 Monday to Friday.
• Price: There are no tours of the interior of the Palace, but there are frequent classical music concerts by the Vienna Resident Orchestra. The price of the experience is approximately €45.

Owned by Count Johann Leopold Donat de Trautson, the palace was built in 1712 using Amsterdam's luxurious town hall as inspiration for the façade. From this fact derives its façade full of details and architectural elements.

The building is not open to the public but it is possible to admire its exterior and tour the surrounding areas including the gardens and the Orangery.

In its glory years, the Palais Trautson was one of the most elegant dance and party venues in the city. In 1760, Empress Maria Theresa acquired it and converted it into the barracks of the Hungarian Guard. For much of its history it remained the property of Hungarian royalty until 1961, when Hungary sold the property to the Austrian state, which now uses it as the seat of the Ministry of Justice.

Where it is and how to get there

Located in Museumstraße 7, the 7th district, you will have several means of public transport to get to this location. You can get there by underground (line U3), the nearest station is Volkstheater, which is only a 4-minute walk away. You can also use the city tram (line 49); the nearest station is Auerspergstraße, which is only a 3-minute walk from the palace.

Useful information

• Opening hours: The building is for private use and there are no set visiting hours.
• Price: Free admission to the greenhouses and gardens and to admire the exterior façade.

Vienna's Epstein Palace was built at the end of the 19th century on the orders of the banker Gustav Ritter Von Epstein. Designed in the Renaissance style, it has a vertical height of five storeys and is one of the best preserved buildings of its time in Vienna.

Over the years, the space has served a variety of purposes and is now part of the Vienna Parliament, whose main building is right next door and was designed by the same architect.

Where to find it and how to get there

The palace is located at Dr. Karl Renner-Ring 1. To reach this area of Vienna by taking the city tram (line D), the nearest station Ring/Volkstheater is only a minute's walk away. Another way to get here is to take the Vienna underground (line U3) and the nearest station Volkstheater is only a 4-minute walk away.

Useful information

• Opening hours: The premises are open to the public from Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.
• Price: Epstein Palace offers free guided tours every Saturday from 11.30am to 1.30pm. Tours are only available in German and English and must be booked in advance by email or phone.