Why Vienna makes a great family holiday
If you are thinking of staying in Vienna with your family, you will find lots of great activities for children. The elegant streets, full of buzzing cafes, grand palaces and pretty houses are perfect for exploring. Kids will love stopping for a Viennese pastry at one of the many little cafes, sitting in a courtyard or a square full of people. You can take a horse and carriage ride around the centre, or a riverboat down the Danube, and over half the area of the city is dedicated to parkland and green spaces such as the famous Prater Park.
The best way to really feel at home in Vienna is to rent a little apartment in the city, where you can relax with the family and do things at your own pace. Tours of the Schonbrunn Palace and the Imperial Palace should keep them entertained for a while. At the Schonbrunn there is a maze and a programme of children’s events. The Imperial Palace has special tours for little ones, bringing Viennese history to life before their eyes.
Vienna’s delightful zoo at Lainzer Tiergarten has many endangered species and offers night tours too. You can combine zoo entry with a ride on the famous Ferris wheel beside the fantastic Prater amusement park. The Planetarium thrills children with ‘space missions’ and star gazing fun. If you visit Vienna at Christmas, the twinkling lights and wonderful stalls of the Christmas markets will create an unforgettable image.