Europe Trip - Day 8 Vienna Schönbrunn Palace

The next day after arriving to Vienna (read Day 7 and Renaissance Wien hotel review) we had our breakfast and coffee, headed out at 10:30am to our first destination of the day which was the Schonbrunn Palace (aka The Summer Palace).

The Schonbrunn Palace wasn't far from where we were staying so, we used the google map and walked to the palace. It was just a 10 minutes walking distance. 

Front of the Schonbrunn Palace

We arrived at the side entrance of the palace, it was kind of a long walk to the main entrance of the palace. Once we got there, the palace looked golden huge! The summer palace looked very homey which made me felt that I wouldn't mind staying a few nights there.

Anyway, so we went all the way back to the entrance gate where there was the ticket office to purchase the tickets. There were a few choices depending what you would like to see inside the palace.

We purchased "The Grand Tour" ticket which allowed us to access 40 different rooms inside the palace with the Now or Never card (Vienna Card) that we purchased at the airport and the coupon booklet that we got we used it and there was a discount for the tickets. (The Now or Never card (Vienna Card) is a card for you to get discount offers by showing the card + coupon and also allows you to get on any transportation according to the days on the card you selected).

The Grand Tour of the palace takes you through 40 magnificent interiors. The Grand Tour begins in the west wing of the palace and takes you through the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, the central wing with its imposing state rooms and finally into the east wing of the palace, where highlights include the magnificent audience chamber used by Emperor Franz Stephan and Empress Maria Theresa. (info from: Schonbrunn Palace website).

There are various of selections you can choose from inside the ticket office or you can purchase them online.

Read my arrival day in Vienna! (Tips on transportation in Vienna!)

Backside of the Schonbrunn Palace

It took us about an hour waiting in line and purchased our tickets. Once we got in, we didn't go line up to see the rooms yet so, we decided to check out the beautiful garden. The garden was huge. Along the side there were different things to see. There was a maze, a zoo and other different gardens. There are other things to see that you will have to purchase an entrance other than that, the garden outside the palace is FREE to all people to walk in. People were jogging around the palace like it was just an ordinary park.

Schonbrunn Palace

The view of the garden was amazing! It was so big that every tourist was there had their own space to roam around the palace. At the far end was the Gloriette where the Gloriette Cafe is located and you can have a nice cup of Vienna Coffee and a piece of cake to rest while looking at the Schonbrunn Palace.

We headed up to the Gloriette and found ourselves looking a huge fountain. The carvings were so real and detailed. Once you are there you will have to walk either right or left to go up to the Gloriette. The path way was designed in a zig zag way, I assume it was much easier and faster to walk that way and it did not pull away any attention for the Imperial people to look at the garden inside the Schonbrunn because trees was hiding the pathway. 

The Gloriette

Top of the Gloriette

Get on top of at the Gloriette to view Vienna. (Reminder, going up top you have to walk on stairs. There is only one to up and down. The stairs going up is pretty narrow so, please be careful and give room for other tourists who was going out or going up to visit the view.) It was absolutely breath taking. You can even see St. Stephan's Cathedral there. After taking a view moments and snap shots of this beautifu we decided to head down to the Gloriette Cafe

We sat down at the outdoor of the Gloriette over viewing a pool at the back surrounded by wonderful tourists who were having drinks and cake. The waiter there was busy but efficient. They were well dressed in their staff uniform and the place looked really clean. They really held up a good reputation for the palace with their services. 

The food tasted very nice as well. I ordered Gratinierte Fleischpalatschinke mit Salat (Pancake stuffed with minced meat and gratinated with cheese, salad) and a hot cup of Vienna Coffee. The salad was fresh and the salad dressing didn't over power the dish. The pancaked was soggy and the whole presentation looked very nice. It was a perfect dish for the spring season when the sun was shining down at the cafe.

Sachertorte, Gloriettetorte

Since we were in Vienna and it is best known of their delicious pastries, we couldn't resist on ordering ourselves lunch desserts. Sitting at the Schonbrunn Palace is probably a once in a life time there. I don't often sit inside a palace and have food served, so I am going to take that opportunity to do so! I ordered the Sachertorte, Gloriettetorte. It was just the amount of sweetness that I was looking for! I am not a fan of anything too sweet. I will get a sore throat if there's too much sugar but this cake was just right! It was very moist, the chocolate icing on top was not too sweet.. hmm... delicious!

Overall with all the food I had at the Gloriette Cafe, it costed a total of 16.5 euros with tips for the staff I paided about 18 euros - 20 euros for the lunch. It wasn't so bad thinking that I was in a tourist attraction place and I was inside eating inside the palace compound.

View the Gloriette Menu here (file in pdf format)

After lunch, we finally walked inside the palace! There were so many beautiful rooms. Audio devices will be provided to all tourists. All you have to do is ask after you have entered the entrance. All the rooms were beautiful. It showed cased the army uniforms. Part of the imperial beds, clothes, paintings. It is all fascinating and knowing the history of the Austria Royalty. What I was most excited about was I got to step inside where once Maria Antoinette was born and raised before she got married and became the Queen of France. Though she had a tragic death due to the French Revolution but seeing how extravagant lifestyle from the Austria Royalty lived was pretty amazing!

Inside the palace no pictures were allowed so, I secretly had a snap shot of the central room.

By the time we finished the rooms inside the palace, it was nearly closing time. Some parts of the garden that required tickets was closed already, so we couldn't finish the whole tour using the ticket we purchase. Even a day spending at the Schobrunn Palace I couldn't see everything, so my advice to people if you really like to see the whole palace probably spend 2 days there. You can purchase each ticket individual to see the things you want.

Where is Schonbrunn Palace?

Address: Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130, Wien Austria
Opening Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm
Website: http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en.html
Suggested Transport: U-Bahn get off at Schonbrunn Station

Once Schonbrunn Palace closed, we headed to the center of Vienna to find our next place to have dinner. We took the U-Bahn and got off at Karlsplatz station. Then simply just roamed around and found ourselves in front of the infamous Vienna Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper).

Wiener Staatsoper - Vienna Opera House

What a beautiful beautiful building. Unfortunately during WW2 most of the building was lost only the entrance part of the building was left and the building behind it was re-built after the war. More details on the tour at the Opera House later in the future blog!

Interesting Street Performance

Sissi Palace

Not really knowing what we are having dinner, thanks to Tripadvisor we looked up a place that was sort of far from the whole tourist attraction place and was located in between the business district and local district area. During our adventure on finding this restaurant we just took snap shots on the streets we saw along the way.

I think as a backpacker tourist, the most wonderful thing on not having a tour is that you can roam around the city and not knowing where you and you will find so many interesting things around you rather than just spotting out only where the tourists are.

Schnitzel time!

Thank you to tripadvisor we looked up Das Heinz restaurant. The pictures told us the place looked very cozy and warm welcoming. When we got there it was drizzling was rain. Luckily we found it before it was raining very heavily. As expected the restaurant was very cozy, homey, warm and romantic.

The staff was very nice and gave us a good seat near the window. I love the decoration around the restaurant. I never had a Schnitzel before and my friend wanted one so bad so we ordered two and beer. The schnitzel was so big that I couldn't finish it at all. It was tender, not try at all and very flat. The potato salad was very well seasoned and not soggy. It a traditional Austrian food and I think it is the same in Germany as well.

Where is Das Heinz?

Address: Rudolfsplatz 12, Vienna 1010, Austria
Opening Hours: 11:30am - 12:00am (Mon - Fri) / 6:00pm - 12:00am (Sat) / Close (Sun)
Website: http://www.dasheinz.at/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dasheinz
Suggested Transport: U-Bahn get off on Schottenring station or Schwedenplatz station

The romantic night after the rain in Vienna

Once dinner was over we were heading back to the hotel for a good night rest. The next day we had plenty of places to visit. After the rain, I couldn't help to take a photo of the night scene in Vienna. It felt so romantic being outside with old building surrounding me and the went pavements on the street. I felt like I was inside a movie scene.

Next Blog... Day 9 Belvedere Palace & Gustav Klimt