Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Vienna, Austria
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Go beyond what meets the eye on this 3-hour tour of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, led by a historian guide. Together with your small group limited to six people, you'll explore around 40 of the palace’s most extravagant rooms. Gain a better understanding of the significance of the palace as your guide walks you through its history, and learn about royals such as Franz Joseph who have called it home. Plus, visit the room where Mozart once performed, and see a secretaire previously owned by Marie Antoinette.
- 3-hour tour of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, led by a historian guide
- Small-group tour limited to six people ensures a personalized experience with your guide
- See the music room where six-year-old Mozart performed before royalty
- Choose between a 10am or 2pm departure time
What's Included
- Guide
- Schönbrunn Palace & Park admission ticket
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Group Center SchönbrunnSchloss, 1130 Wien, Austria
Meet your guide at the Schönbrunn Arrival Centre at Schönbrunner Schloßstrasse 50. Your guide waits in front of the Group Centre Building right across the street from the palace’s main entrance. THANK YOU FOR BEING ON TIME for your reserved tour since the palace can refuse late entry.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Meet your guide and small group at Schönbrunn Palace a little before your chosen departure time. Please note that palace admission isn't included in the tour price, but your guide will assist you in the purchasing of your entrance ticket.
Follow your guide on a journey back in time as you dive deep into the rich history of the former imperial summer residence. First, stroll through the formal gardens, and catch a glimpse of the Gloriette, an arch on top of a hill overlooking Vienna’s forests. Then, become more familiar with Franz Joseph and his wife Elizabeth (also known as Sisi) as you head over to the Rococo state rooms of the palace. Visit the Great Gallery, the Yellow Salon, and Franz Joseph’s private suite.
Next up, learn about Empress Maria Theresa as you enter some of the rooms she loved to spend her time in. Admire the extravagance of the Hall of Ceromonies, the Gobelin Salon, and the Feketin Room. Stop in Maria Theresa's music room, where Mozart performed at six years old.
Your tour concludes inside the palace after three hours, leaving you free to spend the rest of your day as you wish.
Follow your guide on a journey back in time as you dive deep into the rich history of the former imperial summer residence. First, stroll through the formal gardens, and catch a glimpse of the Gloriette, an arch on top of a hill overlooking Vienna’s forests. Then, become more familiar with Franz Joseph and his wife Elizabeth (also known as Sisi) as you head over to the Rococo state rooms of the palace. Visit the Great Gallery, the Yellow Salon, and Franz Joseph’s private suite.
Next up, learn about Empress Maria Theresa as you enter some of the rooms she loved to spend her time in. Admire the extravagance of the Hall of Ceromonies, the Gobelin Salon, and the Feketin Room. Stop in Maria Theresa's music room, where Mozart performed at six years old.
Your tour concludes inside the palace after three hours, leaving you free to spend the rest of your day as you wish.
1
Schonbrunner Gardens
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Schonbrunn Palace
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Your guide will help you to purchase your Schönbrunn Palace & Park entrance tickets
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 125 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Robert_T, Jun 2026
Stephan was very friendly and easy to ask questions to. He had good information on every question. He helped ensure we got the most out of the tour. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review. We're so pleased you enjoyed your tour. Hope to see
you on another Insight Cities tour in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, or Salzburg. Safe
travels!
Spencer_H, Apr 2026
Meeting our guide was easy as was getting our tickets, and bypassing the lines to get into the palace.
Stefan our guide was knowledgeable, pleasant, fun and focused. We were able to see a great deal of the palace rather quickly, learning more than those around us as his commentary was directed exactly to us and where we were in the palaces, as well as very deep if we asked to dive into any topic. It made the most of our time without any feeling of being rushed, highly recommend.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review. We're so pleased you enjoyed it. Hoping to see you on
another Insight Cities tour in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, or Salzburg. Safe travels!
Maria_T, Nov 2025
We took a small group tour with Kristina. As it happened, we were the only two this time so it was more like a private tour. Score!
She was wonderful. Friendly and informative. She explained about each of the rooms usage and the history of the Hapsburg family. Not just dates, but who they were personally and their stories which I find more interesting.
Not only was it an interesting tour, but she gave us some great recommendations on restaurants, dishes, we should try and some places we should consider visiting. All in all an excellent experience.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for the wonderful review. We're so pleased you enjoyed it. Hoping to see you on another Insight Cities tour in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, or Salzburg. Safe travels!
Barbara_P, Sep 2025
Excellent guide inside the castle, a lot of history knowledge, but she live us in the garden without the tour or advise what to see.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you very much for the feedback. We're thrilled you had a great time with our guide inside the palace. We will make sure that in the future our guides give a better tour of the gardens as well. Safe travels.
jason_h, Sep 2025
Great tour. Highly recommend Elisabeth. She was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and provided a lot of great information. Can highly recommend without reservations.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for the wonderful review. We're so pleased you enjoyed it. Hoping to see you on another Insight Cities tour in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, or Salzburg. Safe travels!
LaurenceD_S, May 2025
We thought our guide Biljana was just excellent. Schönbrunn is also very much worth seeing, more so than the Hofburg as it has more styles of room design than the latter. Biljana was very knowledgeable and sensitive to the pace that we were able to go, being seniors. We recommend this tour highly.
Response from Host, May 2025
We really appreciate the great review. That's always the goal, to help travelers leave our cities with a much deeper appreciation. We love to hear that we delivered. Hope to see you again on Insight Cities tours.
Gregory_L, May 2025
Our guide was excellent! She was very knowledgeable about all things to do with the palace. She also knew all of the ins and outs pertaining to our palace tour.
I highly recommend Katarina for your guided palace trip!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thanks for the warm feedback. That makes our day. And thanks for recommending Insight Cities tour to your friends traveling to Prague, Berlin, Vienna, Budapest and Salzburg. Safe travels!
Evaristo_B, Nov 2024
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and shared a lot of very useful and fun information. She was also very accommodating to our wishes. Very highly recommended!!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for taking the time to review. We're proud to work with such terrific guides. Hope to see you again on Insight Cities tours in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg. Please tell your friends!
Rebecca_T, Oct 2024
We saw so much of the palace. And even in Fall the gardens were beautiful. Our tour guide Catarina was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you for the wonderful review. We're so pleased you enjoyed it. Hoping to see you on another Insight Cities tour in Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, or Salzburg. Safe travels!
Dennis_A, Oct 2024
The personal tour with tour guide, Selin, was excellent. The palace rooms and grounds were breathtaking and we learned a great deal about the royal family, the history and culture from our knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly guide. We would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
We're so pleased you enjoyed the tour. It makes us proud of our exceptional guide team and wide range of tours. Please try us again when you travel in Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Salzburg and Budapest.
Maurice_S, Oct 2024
Our personal guide, Stephan, was amazing. Give this guy a big raise!
This is a “can’t miss” for any visit to Vienna.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
We're so pleased you enjoyed the tour. It makes us proud of our exceptional guide team and wide range of tours. Please try us again when you travel in Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Salzburg and Budapest.
Merran_B, Sep 2024
Thank you Wolfgang for a wonderfully informative tour. We really appreciated the additional photos and material you brought along to show some extra history. Topped of with a trip to a 'locals' cafe away from the crowds for some welcomed refreshments. E rigging recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thanks for the warm feedback. That makes our day. And thanks for recommending Insight Cities tour to your friends traveling to Prague, Berlin, Vienna, Budapest and Salzburg. Safe travels!
Laura_L, Aug 2024
Excellent guide and so willing to explain the timelines of the Habsburg and their reign. All her exhibits showed the power they exhibited for 600 years. Her side tales of the conspiracy room, the use of monkeys, mini Mozart in paintings and explaining their daily lives really added to the story. Highly recommend! She was delightful and well informed. One of the best Viator tours we have experienced. Really love the small group of 4 people.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
We really appreciate the great review. That's always the goal, to help travelers leave our cities with a much deeper appreciation. We love to hear that we delivered. Hope to see you again on Insight Cities tours.
lisa_w, Jul 2024
Annelie was an EXCELLENT tour guide. She checked in with our interests at the beginning so she could curate the tour better. Her extra maps, drawings and photos that she brought helped to add some depth and extra history to everything. Very knowledgeable and overall a joy to work with!!! Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thanks for the warm feedback. That makes our day. And thanks for recommending Insight Cities tour to your friends traveling to Prague, Berlin, Vienna, Budapest and Salzburg. Safe travels!
JAMES_A, Jul 2024
Our tour guide Katrina was wonderful. We learned a lot about Austria’s history and the royal families that ruled the region during the tour. The palace is awesome but the grounds and gardens are very impressive also. Be sure to follow the guide’s directions and don’t get tickets in advance; that includes the Vienna Card. We almost ended up having to miss the first hour of the tour by having the Vienna card because Katrina needed to buy all the tickets on her reservation, but with the Vienna card, our tickets had to be purchased separately, and they gave us a later entry time.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thank you for taking the time to review. We're proud to work with such terrific guides. Hope to see you again on Insight Cities tours in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Salzburg. Please tell your friends!
STEPHEN_W, Jul 2024
Thorough & detailed exploration of Schonbrunn Palace inside & out. Enjoyed the enthusiasm of the guide with her background as historian.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you on another Insight Cities tour in the future.
LaurenceD_S, May 2024
This is a remarkable summer palace and well worth the trip to see it. A must see for Vienna. The guide, however, made it even more special since she was very knowledgeable and give us a much deeper understanding of the history of the site that an audio tour simply cannot do. She was really excellent and we were lucky to have her.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thank you for your review. Hope to see you on another Insight Cities tour in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, or Salzburg.
Scott_H, May 2024
Even for the non-historian, we found this the right amount of history to absorb. Our guide was excellent and took us through the 40 rooms. Skip the line was excellent. The gardens were amazing and worth walking up to the top of the hill. Only comment was tour could give exact address for pick-up point.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thanks so much for your review and for your feedback on the pickup point! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour of Schonbrunn. Hoping to see you on another Insight Cities tour in the future in any of our cities: Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Budapest, & Salzburg!
Tiffany_H, Apr 2024
Biljana was wonderful! Knowledge of historical facts and fictions & folklore kept all of us engaged. Patience to listen and focus to keep us moving forward was greatly appreciated.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thanks so much for your kind review! Biljana is an excellent guide and we're so glad you enjoyed your time with her.
Mannino_C, Mar 2024
Biljana was an excellent guide. Full of energy, extremely knowledgeable and interesting. Traveling with my 21 year old son who was fully captured by the visit. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
We are so glad you enjoyed your tour with Biljana! We hope to see you on another Insight Cities tour in the future.
Deborah_O, Nov 2023
Katrina was our guide and she was great and very knowledgeable. It was a wonderful tour that we would highly recommend.
mdelorca, Oct 2023
Biljana was one of the top guides we’ve experienced in over 40 years of international travel. Thorough knowledge of palace history and players with some royal gossip along the way. Schönbrunn’s interiors are both breathtaking and memorable—as are the vast and manicured grounds. A stop at the cafe in the way out was the perfect end to a great half-day tour.
Helen_C, Oct 2023
We had an excellent guide who was so knowledgeable and a great way of explaining things to us. The tour was so informative and entertaining.
Highly recommended!!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you so much, Helen! We're so happy you liked the tour! Insight Cities
Richard_A, Sep 2023
This is a highly-recommended tour. Our guide was thoroughly knowledgeable in the history of the Habsburg dynasty, particularly in the context of the Schonbrunn Palace. We completed our tour with a good understanding of the Palace's purpose and construction, and the purpose and usage of each of its important rooms. The Gardens tour was equally satisfying.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you, Richard! Glad you enjoyed your tour and found it informative. Hope to see you again on our other tours. Insight Cities
Cheryl_S, Jun 2023
Our guide Edward Mueller did a great job with the history of the palace. He’s a definite gentleman and always went one step beyond. Great tour! Would suggest labeling the brown building meeting point. We felt we needed to go inside the gates and of course seen the ticket office. The brown building doesn’t show signage from across the street. Perhaps paint the building another color.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Thank you very much for the review! We're glad you enjoyed the tour. Insight Cities
Benjamin_B, May 2023
The tour guide was very nice and tried to answer all the questions. I personally feel I could have gotten more from an audio tour.c
Response from Host, May 2023
We're so sorry and surprised to hear about your experience. We've been very proud of the quality of our tours and guides. I have to say it is entirely unique for us in years of feedback to hear that our guide wasn't audible even when the palace is very busy. We can't help but wonder if this was individual hearing situation that is not related to our tour? But we're sorry if you did not get to enjoy our guide's knowledge and excellent storytelling because you could not hear it. Very best and wishing you an excellent rest of your Vienna trip.
Anthony_P, Apr 2023
Best way to learn in a short period of time. very informative and enjoyed the ability to by-pass lines.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thanks for the lovely review and we're pleased you enjoyed our tour!
Rachel_Z, Mar 2023
Our guide Katarina was excellent: knowledgeable, engaging, and entertaining. We probably learned more from her than any other tour we did. Highly recommended if you want to learn about the Habsburg dynasty, family, palace, and history of the region.
DaleMassie, Feb 2023
Enjoyed my tour. Guide was very friendly and knowledgable. Palace and grounds are beautiful. I stood in the room where Mozart performed as a little boy. I highly recommend this tour
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thanks for taking the time to review. We're so pleased you enjoyed the tour! Thanks for keeping our wonderful Insight Cities guide team in mind if you visit our cities again -- Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Salzburg. Travel safe.
Carl_D, Dec 2022
Katarina gave us great insights, punctual information, use time efficiently to make our experience very unique
Response from Host, Feb 2023
We're so pleased that you enjoyed it. Hope to see you again on Insight Cities tours in Vienna, Berlin, Prague, Salzburg & Budapest.
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