Schönbrunn Zoo

Visiting Schönbrunn Zoo during the winter months offers a unique perspective on one of the world's oldest and most beautiful zoological gardens. While we initially had concerns about the cold weather, we found that a significant number of animals were quite active. Even though several paths and specific exhibits were closed for the season, the overall experience remained highly engaging for our entire family. ​The absolute highlights of our trip were the giant panda and the polar bear. Seeing the polar bear in a colder climate felt particularly authentic, as it was energetic and clearly at home in the crisp air. The children were also thrilled to see the leopards and the cheetahs. Despite the lower temperatures, these predators were visible and provided a great viewing experience for the kids. ​For younger visitors, the goats and penguins were a massive hit. The zoo is designed in a way that allows for close encounters with some of the more docile animals, which kept the children entertained throughout the afternoon. We also appreciated the abundance of indoor exhibits. These warm spaces allowed us to escape the biting cold periodically while still observing various species in climate-controlled environments. ​We transitioned to the zoo immediately after completing our tour of the Schönbrunn Palace. It serves as a perfect follow-up activity because of its proximity to the palace grounds. We ended up staying until the zoo closed and felt that the price of admission was well worth it. If you are visiting Vienna in the winter, do not let the weather deter you from spending a full afternoon here.

Schönbrunn Palace & Zoo is ideal for family visits and a fantastic experience for both adults and children. The palace gardens are wide, safe, and beautiful, giving kids plenty of space to walk, explore, and enjoy the outdoors. The Tiergarten Schönbrunn Zoo is very family-friendly, with well-designed enclosures, clear paths for strollers, and lots of interesting animals that keep children engaged throughout the visit. There are many places to rest, eat, and take breaks, which makes the day easy and enjoyable with kids. A wonderful mix of learning, fun, and fresh air. Highly recommended for families visiting Vienna.

A wonderful place to spend a day with family, friends, or on your own. There are many species of animals, all well cared for. The enclosures are stunning, allowing the animals to roam freely. Several animals have given birth, indicating their well-being in captivity. Adults will find plenty of food kiosks, cafes, and restaurants, while children will have a blast on the numerous playgrounds.

One of the most impressive zoos I have ever seen in my life. The size of the zoo is amazing, and it feels very spacious and well-organized. The animals are well taken care of, and their habitats are thoughtfully designed to resemble their natural environments. Walking through the zoo, you can see a huge variety of species, from pandas and elephants to exotic birds and marine animals. It’s both educational and entertaining, with plenty of spots to relax, cafes, and play areas for kids. Truly a must-visit place for families and animal lovers alike .

The Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) is one of the most beautiful and well-maintained zoos I’ve ever visited. Located inside the stunning Schönbrunn Palace gardens, it feels like a mix of history and nature all in one place. The animal enclosures are spacious and clean, and the zoo is home to an incredible variety—from pandas and elephants to polar bears and exotic birds. 🐼🐘🦜 There are plenty of shaded areas, cafés, and places to rest, making it perfect for families or a relaxed day out. The educational signs are informative, and you can really tell that the animals are well cared for. Don’t miss the rainforest house and the aquarium area!

The Schönbrunn Zoo is one of the best zoos I’ve ever visited! It’s very well organized, clean, and easy to walk around. There’s a huge variety of animals, from giant pandas and polar bears to elephants and tigers. The enclosures are spacious and well maintained, and you can see that the animals are cared for. What makes it special is the atmosphere – it’s part of the Schönbrunn Palace grounds, so walking through the zoo feels like a mix of nature, history, and culture. There are plenty of places to rest, grab a snack, or enjoy a coffee while taking a break. Definitely a must-visit in Vienna – plan to spend at least half a day here to enjoy it fully!

I am against zoos and while this one has better conditions than others, some of the animals are not well taken care of and they show clear signs of distress (like the polar bear who kept rocking left to right). Some of the animals are crammed into small “rooms” while others have decent living conditions. The animals are very clean and groomed but most of them seemed very tired, sedated or just in distress.

Opened in 1752 by order of Emperor Franz I, this zoo is the world’s oldest continuously operating zoo. It was originally designed in a Baroque radial layout, reflecting the Habsburg-era concept of display and control of nature. Today, it has been fully transformed into a modern, animal-welfare-focused zoo. The zoo is home to about 700 species and over 8,000 animals, and it is especially famous for recording Austria’s first successful giant panda births. ※ Included in the Classic Pass Plus.

This is the oldest zoo in Europe. You couldn't tell though because it's one of the most progressive. They've massively expanded spaces for the animals who need to roam like the elephants and rhino. The polar bear exhibit is spacious and gives the animals a place to hide. The panda has one of the best environments that I've ever seen. It's a nice centralized zoo with one center restaurant that comes to the middle. It's very much about the animals. They put a lot of revenue in and don't do a lot of marketing. There are good sit down foods. Beer gardens. Petting zoo and big play area. Even the walkways and public spaces are amazingly well planted and kept up. After Singapore, my second best zoo in the world.

The Schönbrunn Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn) is touted as the oldest zoo in the world, so we did pop in to see it while wandering the Schönbrunn grounds. It unfortunately does seem like it's the oldest zoo, too. I don't like zoos in general, but where I live, we have one of the world's best zoos (The Henry Doorly Zoo), where the animals have lots of room to roam and live their best lives - as best they can while being in a zoo anyway. But the Schönbrunn Zoo seemed very cramped and a lot older of a set up for the animals there. It kind of made me sad to see them in smaller enclosures. They seemed to be hiding a lot from all the people too. We decided to leave pretty quickly after looking around a bit. I think it's a good thing for kids to do vs. what the parent's probably are wanting to do (seeing the Schönbrunn Palace and grounds), so maybe it's a good thing to have, but just was not up my alley.

One of the most beautiful zoos I've ever visited. It has a stunning pavilion style cafe in the middle which is fitting for its royal neighbour. It has a variety of animals some rather rare to find in zoos, such as polar bears, pandas and it was my first time ever seeing a koala in real life. The areas are beautiful and well kept. A great zoo!

This was such a great zoo and a 'need-to' visit if you are ever in the area. My mom and I were in Vienna for a couple days and made this one of our go-to places that we wanted to visit; especially after seeing the Belvedere. They have a Panda! We've always wanted to see a Panda and we saw one. It was, of course, eating the entire time, lol, but that's what they do. They have a really large plethora of animals so the zoo most likely has what you are looking for. The facilities looked really nice as well. I would definitely come back here if I'm in Vienna again.

The zoo is open on Christmas Day ? I guess so when you're The World's Oldest Zoo. It's located behind the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, as part of the Schönbrunner Schloßstrabe. It was created in 1752 as an imperial menagerie and opened to the public in 1779 free of charge. In the 1980s, the zoo experienced some financial difficulties, to prevent closing it was privatized in 1992. There several entrance and tickets gates. Make sure you pick up a map, because the paths and layout wind around. You don't want to miss anything. Even in the winter there was easily over three hours of animals to see. I bet when the trees and other plants are in full foliage it is even prettier. A lot of the food vendors were closed. The rainforest was great- actually had mudskippers. The baby elephant was out playing. The polar bear exhibit was cool. There's a new baby that should be out next summer.

The Schönbrunn Zoo was so enjoyable and a perk of the Vienna Pass I am glad we utilized. I set my expectations fairly low as I didn't know what to expect in a foreign zoo and with cold weather many animals might not be out. We were wrong. The zoo is very expansive (map picture included) that while we didn't get lost it was very plausible. Shockingly nearly all the animals were out and about in their respective habitats. Lots of families with young children seemed to enjoy the zoo that cold weather and the occasional drizzle didn't dampen anyone's experience.

What a great zoo. Buetiful experience. Panda had a nice gyatt. What that elephant trunk do? Also an amazing hippo, had thunder thighs and everything. Only sad thing is the wolves were being emo and hid in the back.

I just came here to see the panda, since its totally random that they'd have a panda here! Since it was a cold day I didn't expect to see many of the animals really walking around their pens since they did mostly belong to the Africa regions. I wasn't disappointed since got to see the panda just being fat and lazy and eating its bamboo while everyone bombarded it with photo taking. Totally worth it!

Did not like zoo. Panda is a 5 but couldn't see many of the other animals. It was hot and they were hiding. We started to joke about it- like "What if this zoo doesn't actually have any animals." Maybe on a cooler day it's ok. We spent about 1/2 hour and left. Glad it was included on the Vienna card. Almost totally a waste of time for us. Lots of crying children.

I. love. this. zoo! You have to visit. It is the oldest zoo in the world! That facts adds such a wondrous feel when walking around. It is pretty big but manageable. They have some highlights that you do not want to miss. The exhibits are so up close and personal that it feels almost like you aren't looking at them in a zoo setting. The pandas, lemurs, monkey house, and koalas were some of my favs! They have some decent food and drink choices too. Totally worth the price of admission!!!

This is the oldest zoo in the world! That alone made me want to visit it to see what it was like. The zoo is located on the palace grounds of Schloss Schönbrunn. It's free to walk the palace grounds before you head into this large zoo. What I appreciated about this zoo is that you could definitely sense the history to this place by some old (but well maintained) buildings while at the same they have some ultra-modern facilities that they have built. The polar bear and giraffe enclosures looked recently built and were quite nice. I was even impressed with the food. I wasn't expecting much but the lunch I got (from the Biergarten I believe) was an unusual dish of flattened turkey breast with multiple spices added to it. I loved it! I thought the way you viewed the pandas was SO much better than at the San Diego zoo. There it's a long, slow process to eventually see them. Here you walk up, enjoy some seeing some pandas eating and relaxing, and walk away. The most memorable part of our visit was the 'bat cave' that I think was in the rainforest section. We were completely stunned to discovered that it is literally a bat cave. The bats fly freely around you instead of you viewing them from behind glass. We could not get out of there fast enough when we realized that and had a good laugh when we exited. I've never seen anything like this at a zoo before. I still haven't decided if that's a bad thing or a good thing.

I will put out this significant disclaimer -- that is, if you know me -- and say that my mom and I came here purely to see the pandas. And the panda area is nice! It is somewhat secluded, so it's not as crowded as it might be in a different part of the zoo. The pandas put on a nice show for us, and we were able to sit on one of the shady benches for about an hour and watch. The zoo is nicely laid out and not too commercial. Then again, we had hoped the store would have had more panda souveniers!

Old school Zoo in Vienna that is beautiful and a great pleasure to visit. This is one of the first places my in-laws (who lived in Vienna for many years) brought us to. It has peaceful gardens that are a pleasure to walk through. Our family favorite are the Panda Bears that were just "oh-so-cute"! It can get incredibly hot in the summer in Vienna so just make sure you are prepared with water and hand fans.

The Vienna zoo is amazing! For a very reasonable entrance fee you can spend an entire day up close and personal with animals from around the world. Despite being the oldest zoo in Europe, it does not feel run down or old at all. The various animal houses around the park are in the same beautiful architectural style as the nearby Schonbruun palace. An excellent zoo set among the palace grounds. There are only a few decent food options within the zoo, but thankfully several reasonably priced options too. Try to see the zoo on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds.

The best zoo I 've ever visited! The oldest one in over the World Pandas, penguins, zebras, lions, tigers, bears, jaguars and many many others are there. P.s. A aviary with giraffe is under reconstraction until the middle of 2017.

Schonbrunn Zoo (also, the oldest zoo in the world) is located in Schonbrunner Schlosspark. To get to the main entrance, enter the park via the "Hietzinger Tor". Adult admission to the zoo is 18.50 euros and can be paid by local currency - credit cards are acceptable as well. The best time to see the animals is in the morning as they are more active then (so not like people!). Also, go on line to see the feeding schedules if you are interested in seeing a particular animal. Visiting this zoo allows you to take a journey through all continents seeing Siberian tigers, orangutans, rhinos, and koalas. If you are part of the "pandamonium" craze, you can see the giant panda cubs Fu Feng and Fu Ban who constantly hide from their mother. Explore the zoo's tropical rainforest where you feel you are in the heart of the Amazon. Check out the Polarium - where children can flatten their noses against the large glass as penguins and seals glide by. The zoo's website also provides special events that are worth noting. There is a Safari Dinner happening in June where at dusk you can enjoy a gourmet meal when the zoo closes its doors and your African experience begins. Together with the Palace Schonbrunn and its gardens, the zoo belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Austria.

My wife received 2 free tickets from work and we went this past Sunday. We both enjoyed it very much and are thinking of buying a yearly ticket. We didn't get to see the Polar bears but the Pandas more than made up for it. Lots of great chances to get close to the animals for some good photos.

This was the highlight of Vienna for me. When you go to the oldest zoo in the world, that is an interesting fact. But to go to a zoo that is as beautiful as this? It was such a treat. This place had all the types of animals you want to see (sans the giraffes due to construction of their home). Pandas, penguins, polar bear and even an aquarium with a tubular walkway where large fish swim over your head. And we had lunch at the Emperor's Pavillion. The food was very good and the ambiance was fantastic.

Very disappointed. During information session while everyone was gathering to see the animals they were not letting the animal out so people could see them. This happened so far both during polar bear and giant panda session. If I want to just listen to someone speaking on speakerphone I could sit at home and watch a video about them. The location of zoo is nice but I could spend my time in many other places as nice as this location without paying for a ticket.

This was a fabulous zoo and SO big! The zoo map was clear and the layout makes it easy to visit everything. I was happy to see that all the animals had a larger space to live in since sometimes the smaller zoos seem to not have a big enough space for the animals. We spent a couple hours here and saw so much! The highlight for me were the pandas and the pond area with the lemurs. We hadn't planned on going here before arriving in Vienna but I'm so glad I didn't miss this!

The Tiergarten zoo, or Vienna zoo is located in the grounds of the Schonbrunn palace. It is unique and considered the oldest in its kind. During our visit we saw the famous Panda bears, they also have a rain forest house that simulates the conditions of the Amazon Rain forest. There is also an Artic area and a very complete aquarium. This is a must visit place during your trip to Vienna, it is unique and historical, and you cannot beat the location.

Smaller than you think. You get to be in close proximity to the animals, which is its biggest selling point. However, you start to feel claustrophobic for these animals. There are very little English in here so if you want to learn more about these animals and don't read German, you won't get much out of it. There's a pavilion cafe in the center of the zoo that was surprisingly very good - worth a visit if you're there. If you're not super crazy about zoos, and is simply here to check it off the list and enjoy the atmosphere of the oldest zoo in the world, 90 minutes are enough for a thorough walk-around.

Really good zoo - much better than London zoo IMO. It's MASSIVE and easy to get lost in, but that's part of the charm. Loved the pandas, anteaters and the bat room was something different. Entry is €16.50 for adults, but that actually isn't that bad compared to zoos in the UK. If you're in Vienna it's definitely worth a visit.

I generally hate (strong word; deserved) zoos, and generally don't choose to support them even though ANIMALS! WAH! LOVE! But I'd heard great things about the quality of the Vienna zoo and the consideration that goes into each animal habitat. It is also reportedly the oldest zoo in the world. So, on a snowy Sunday I set out. #VIENNAYOLO This is a _beautiful_ zoo, though adult admission is steep (16.50 Euro). All of the indoor areas are creatively laid out, and bright, and roomy. I couldn't see the zebras because - op, there they are, playing with a zoo keeper! Oh, rhinos off, because they are being given baths! The donkeys were all following the staff around they were so geeked on them (and what they had in their wheelbarrows). There's a true sense of respect and care and consideration, here. The monkeys were my favourite. No, the seals! No, no... WAIT THO. The actual stars this visit were the elephants. It had to do with the fact that it had snowed earlier in the day, and the elephants were out of their indoor enclosure...scooping up snow in their trunks and eating it, or just snuffling around in it. IT. WAS. THE. BEST. Dumbo dreams came true. Only tiny downside is that the materials are German-heavy (some translation, but not comprehensively so). Yelp note: regularly spaced out around the premises bathroom facilities but really poor food options. Best to wait until you're outside the zoo to get your NOMs-on.

I happened upon the zoo whilst wandering around Schonbrunn. Since I had nothing else planned, I decided to check it out. Love the more natural type displays (not just concrete). Many of the animals were quite active which is unusual at most zoos I've visited, and is a positive sign to the health of the animals. I spent over 2 hours walking around. Worth the visit

I've been to many zoos in the U.S, but this was one of my favorite zoos ever. They have a lot of rare animals including 3 pandas! The zoo is spread out nicely so that you're not always following a crowd. The exhibits are laid out in a way that makes you feel like you get to see the animals so much closer instead of the "behind the glass" feel. They told us this is one of the oldest zoos in the world,but it certainly doesn't look it. It has been up kept nicely. If you're a zoo fan, highly recommend this one.

We loved our trip to the zoo! The animals are awesome, there was a cat roaming around the elephant building, the whole place is exceedingly well-maintained with very well cleaned bathrooms and the like. We were also possibly very lucky in that we saw the arctic wolves exhibit where there were some young pups having a feeding time with their mother! Downsides? If you want to see the bats in the tropical exhibit area, they're not behind glass. You're literally walking into a room of bats, which I did not notice until bats were in my face. The cafe there, Heitzing, does very good waffles. Following tradition, my girlfriend was bought a plush elephant on the way out.

Rainy day but it was still a fun day! Weren't a lot of people today, that made it even better. Saw the feeding of monkeys which was really fun for my kid.

Come visit one of the oldest zoos in the world. The exhibits are pretty large and they even have wolves which were great to see. I'm not a fan of zoos but found myself enjoying this one just because it has history to it. There's also a cafe for a delicious, yet seriously overpriced pastry. Price of admission is a bit steep at €16,50 but still a lot cheaper than the Bronx Zoo in NYC. Great for the kids and adults may enjoy it too.

The oldest zoo in the world is truly worried by the animals'life quality. By transforming old cages into natural-reserve-looking-like spaces, Schonbrunn Tiergarten managed to provide both a comfort living for its species and a pleasure tour to its human visitors. A day is not enough to visit all sectors of the attraction. But coming back to the zoo is far from being a dull or boring walk. Schonbrunn Tiergarten frequently hosts art work exhibitions and every coming back will be full of small surprises. The actual running art exhibition (June 2009) is very interesting and can catch the attention of children/teenagers about the ways nature deals with waste and human produced garbage. Pay attention to the white bears space. One of the two big white bears is extremely active and playful and could be giving his own show with his blue-floating toy by your walk. Another great area to visit is the Tropical Florest: inside of a climatized building, you'll be able to see free-flying birds and bats as well as smell the largest flower of the world.

A huge, well-maintained zoo. I could tell that the management really makes a constant effort to replicate the natural habitat of the animals, even up to the temperature of the area, and to provide ample space to allow the animals to move around. I could only imagine how much time, energy and expertise are devoted to maintain a zoo as big and varied as this. Various types of animals can be found here: panda, koala, sea lion, penguin, polar bear, jellyfish, clownfish, horseshoe crab, zebra, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, red flamingo, pink flamingo, ostrich, giraffe, ants, bats, tiger, etc, etc, etc. One can spend the whole day walking around this zoo and still not get bored.

I love this zoo, pandas, polar bears and tigers - what more can you ask for! Try to go during the afternoon as they have feeding areas where you can see the animals in close proximity

Amazing! Pandas, tigers, and bears, and peacocks, and koalas and elephants and much more!

Spent an entire day here. lost track of time and never ended up going to the Palace nearby. I have no regrets.

A decent sized zoo but should be bigger. Not a huge fan of zoos though so can't say much positive about it. Guess it's fun for the kids. They have most animals that would be interesting to see. They have a cool lay out though and spend a lot of time outside.

What a gorgeous zoo! It has to be one of the prettiest, most elegant zoos in the world. Fortunately as an added bonus we saw 3 panda bears eating - they are the cutest!! We also saw several species of cool penguins and many other animals too numerous to mention. There is even an aquarium. I read lunch was good and I must agree (though my sister in law's falafel was too dry). We wanted to buy T-Shirts for our nieces and nephews but they were not for our taste. Oh well. So I highly recommend this amazing zoo. Great time!

The zoo is large and spread out. The range of animals is great and they all have plenty of room to roam around. The enclosures are beautiful and they actually have some of the original cages throughout the property. I would suggest spending the day and grabbing some food at the cafe on site. We went in the spring so we were lucky to see a lot of the babies!

One of the best zoos I have visited around the world. It has a great layout, interesting concepts and zoo variety, fantastic facilities for children and families, and is just an enjoyable day out really! If you visit more than 3 times in the year, an annual pass is great value and recommendable.

Gorgeous zoo, loads of animals to see. The area up the hill where the farm animals are had a proper Austrian restaurant so my top is to go up there to eat. Watch out for squirrels. Great for kids young and old!

Tiergarten Schönbrunn is a really nice zoo in the world. It has ample space, and excellent, very close viewing of animals (including the Siberian tigers, lions, crocodiles, snakes, orangutangs and elephants). It is also a very child and family friendly environment, one can always see lots of families and small children roaming around the zoo excitedly. Right now, some of the popular attractions are the pandas from China, and the still young elephant who lives with his mother in the Elephant arena. I think the zoo takes good care of the environment and animals but one of the things that saddens me is you can still witness some neurotic behaviour of the animals as a result of being held in captivity. For example, elephants walking backwards, the polar bear swinging in an unusual manner, and the giraffes which fortunately have more space in Summer but are couped up during the Winter months. Apart from that, it looks like a well run zoo.