Vienna, Austria with family presents a unique opportunity to experience European culture in a walkable and accessible city for children of all ages. This day helps you take in a great overview of the city, as well as many of its historical landmarks and some fantastic educational opportunities. All of these activities recommended for ages 8 and up.

Click Here for our Entire, Featured Spotlight on Vienna

A SPECIAL NOTE: We recommend a driver/tour guide for this sort of day. It will help provide greater context for what you are seeing, make getting around simpler, and ensure you make the most of your time here. We recommend the guide we used:

Walter Juraschek

Taborstraße 59/23A

A – 1020 Wien

Tel.: +43 699 1 925 15 24

http://www.my-vienna-guides.at

From Our Family: Walter is really knowledgeable and friendly, and he really knows his way around Vienna.

Top Historical Attractions in Vienna:

• Ring Road – This circular road surrounds the Innere Stadt district of the city and showcases an important segment of 19th century architecture and history.  The Ringstraße, as it is locally known, was built to be a showcase of wealth and power for the Habsburgs, and demonstrates some of the best minds in Austria working as one. Here you will find such sights as the Austrian Parliament Building, Urania Observatory, University of Vienna, Rathaus (Town Hall), Palace of Justice (now the Federal Ministry of Justice), several palaces and many more sights. This is a great central starting place that includes, or is located nearby, many of the other sights on this list.
• Vienna State Opera House – This fine example of neo-romantic architecture was conceived by the great by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll. The membership of the Vienna Philharmonic is recruited from its orchestra. This was the first building commissioned for the Ringstraße, and has since served as a cultural and civic focal point for the city. For a city that has always held music very near and dear to its heart, this is an important and beautiful site, rife with Viennese history.
• Monument Against War and Fascism – Vienna’s remembrance of those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. Located behind the Opera House, this monument consists of four thought-provoking statues. It is a powerful experience and worth planning your walking route to have some time here. A SPECIAL NOTE: In this same location, through November 2015, you can experience The Missing Image. This temporary exhibit shows how the Jews were forced scrub the streets in the early part of World War II, and how some of their neighbors jeered at them. Though a sad part of history, it provides important context and serves as a powerful lesson to children old enough to understand it. We highly recommend spending the time to take it in.

• Imperial Palace (Hofburg) – Built in the 13th century, this building has been historically significant and is still in use today, with part of it serving as the office and official residence of the President of Austria. This palace has long served as home to the most powerful people in Austria, and indeed, Europe. After being greatly expanded over the years, this sprawling facility also houses a number of museums and locations of note. With nearly a thousand years of history in one location, there is much to learn here and a guide can be especially useful in understanding just how important this location is.
• St. Augustin Church – Located on Josefsplatz, next to the Hofburg, this fantastic example of a Gothic Church formerly served as the parish church of the royal court. In this capacity, it was the site of many Habsburg weddings and features the sort of stunning details that allow you to picture such opulent affairs as they may have taken place. Today, a cadre of Augustinian monks still tend to the needs of the church, and you and your family can experience the beauty and history of the location to add to your understanding of Viennese life.
• Spanish Riding School – Also known as Hofreitschule, this traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses is part of the Hofburg and represents a quintessential element of Viennese royal and upper class culture. Still active to this day, the top riders and horses represent international fixtures and are some of the most talented in the world. Many performances and some training sessions are open for public viewing, and children are sure to delight at these beautiful creatures and their masterly riders. You can find a schedule of performances on their website and taking the time to enjoy one will really add a wonderful memory to your trip. A SPECIAL NOTE FROM OUR FAMILY: Although we did not attend any of the performances ourselves, others who did really seemed to enjoy them.
• Imperial Treasury – Now serving as a museum, the section of the Hofburg which formerly housed the Imperial Treasury of Vienna contains one of the most valuable collections of antique treasures and artifacts spanning 1,000 years of European history. Combining secular and church goods, this 21 room collection includes rare and formidable treasures, including the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire.
• Heroes’ Square – Also known as Heldenplatz, this public square located in front of the Hofburg abuts many of the most important buildings there, including the official residence of the Austrian President. Featuring beautiful statues and a view that puts you in the center of the Innere Stadt, this is ground zero for some of the most significant culture and most breathtaking views in the city. The square itself has also been the site of numerous events of importance throughout history, notably Adolf Hitler’s 1938 announcement of the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany.
• Trinity Column (Pestsäule) – Located on the Graben in central vienna, this column was erected following the Great Plague epidemic of 1679. Vienna endured one of the last and worst plagues of the era, and a fleeing Habsburg emperor vowed to erect a “mercy column” if he and his city were spared. Today, this serves as one of the best known sculptural works of the city and a preeminent example of Baroque art.

Description:

Schönbrunn Palace is the former imperial summer residence of the Austrian royal family. The Baroque-style palace has over 1,400 rooms and is deemed one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in the entire country. The palace represents hundreds of years of history, and its additions, renovations and other changes represent a unique view into the shifting tastes and aspirations over the course of the Habsburg rule. The name means “beautiful spring” and the gardens (including a maze) are an integral part of the experience. Besides beautiful sculptures, the garden features a Gloriette, which creates a focal point for the garden that today features a cafe and observation deck – offering some of the best panoramic views of the city. There is a summer concert series as well as a number of Mozart-centered performances in the palace’s many concert halls throughout the year.

From Our Family:

This palace was absolutely beautiful. There was so much to see and to do here, and it really offered some great insight into the way the Austrian royals lived and provided an important slice of history. This is definitely the place to dedicate more time to, after getting an overview of the city, and take it as an opportunity to dive deeper into the local history and culture. As for the 3 kinds of tours offered, we recommend choosing one of the “half palace tours” because the building is so sprawling that it will otherwise likely be too much for the kids. Also, make a point to spend time in  the beautiful gardens (though in early March when we went, there is not much to see in this way). The great zoo at Schönbrunn is worth seeing as well.

The rest of the day can be spent wandering around the old city part of Vienna with its lovely lanes and streets. Now that you have covered the lion’s share of the history, take in the feel of Vienna and get a sense of what it looked like in the time of Mozart and Freud. The sites and attractions are important, but for any family vacation it is also key to experience a city on a more local level. Your day will feel more complete and your experience more memorable if you leave time to go beyond the museums and statues, to wander at your own pace and simply enjoy the city. In this way, children will walk away having learned some of the key facts but also having an idea and impression of Vienna as it strikes them. Part of vacationing should be about helping children feel more worldly, and this is a great opportunity for that. Also, be sure to leave time to linger for some coffee and strudel (or the delicious local delicacy known as “Sachertorte”) at one of the many charming cafes. There are a host of beautiful shops as well. This is your chance to create vacation memories as a family, enjoying each others’ company in a unique and beautiful setting.

Description:

Planet Earth in Concert has toured extensively over the past 4 years, cities visited include: Los Angeles (World Premiere), Amsterdam, Atlanta, Baltimore, Bangkok, Birmingham, Cardiff, Chicago, Dallas, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Sydney. The show brings together classical music and fantastic imagery for a truly unique experience. “Explore the wild and beautiful parts of the planet” through classical music as you watch a video to accompany the original score. Each sequence is meant to tell a story, and will help create a unique mood as you gaze upon the beauty of the planet as you are transported across it through the multimedia experience.

A Note for Parents, From Our Family: While the imagery and music are beautiful, parents should be aware that there are a few scenes of animals hunting other animals (at least 4 scenes). As such, this show is not recommended for children younger than 8, and even some older than 8 may get a little scared. You know your own children best, but exercise some discretion in choosing to take them to this show.  The scenes are not bloody or gory, but they are a little tense. That being said, in a city with so many shows to see, we thought this one was great. Aside from the disclaimer we feel is important to share, we recommend it to families who are interested in the concept and it was a great way for us to wind down the day.

Read more about this particular family’s Viennese experience in our featured Spotlight

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