The Gardens, the Gloriette and the Grounds
The free formal gardens, the Great Parterre, the Gloriette view over Vienna, and the maze, Palm House and world's oldest zoo — Schönbrunn beyond the palace.
The palace is only half the experience. Behind it stretch some of Europe's grandest formal gardens — the Great Parterre, lined with clipped hedges and statues, rising to the Gloriette, the arcaded folly on the hill that gives the classic view back over the palace and the city of Vienna beyond. The gardens, the parterre and the Gloriette hill are free to enter and open daily.
Beyond the main axis
Beyond the main axis lie further treasures, most with their own separate tickets: the Privy Garden, the Palm House, the maze and labyrinth, and the Tiergarten Schönbrunn — the oldest zoo in the world. Your Grand Tour ticket covers the palace interior; give yourself extra time to wander the free grounds before or after, ideally ending with the climb to the Gloriette for the view.
Frequently asked
Are the Schönbrunn gardens free?
Yes — the formal gardens, the Great Parterre and the Gloriette hill are free to enter and open daily. Your Grand Tour ticket covers the palace interior; the main gardens cost nothing extra.
What's worth seeing in the grounds?
The Great Parterre and the climb to the Gloriette for the view over Vienna, plus (separate tickets) the Privy Garden, the Palm House, the maze, and the Tiergarten Schönbrunn — the world's oldest zoo.