The Hofburg Palace complex includes 8 museums, and within its grounds, you can enjoy well-maintained gardens, an extraordinary horse show, and even a lovely butterfly house. You can witness its beauty by visiting the beautiful museums inside and joining a guided tour of the charming Imperial Apartments and the Sisi Museum.
Near the palace, there are gardens that you can enter for free, the historic Heroes’ Square which you can also see without paying an entrance fee, or St. Michael’s Square, considered a lovely spot for a classic Viennese photo.
In this article, you will find detailed information about:
- Guided tour in English
- Palace gardens open to the public for free
- Museums in and around the palace
- The famous horse show at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna
- How to get to the palace by public transport or car.
Guided Tour in English at Hofburg Palace
Unlike Schönbrunn Palace, which only allows entry as part of a guided tour, Hofburg Palace can be visited without a guided tour by entering one of its museums. The museums themselves are charming, and a visit will allow you to see the palace’s beauty from within. Further in this article, you’ll find information about the museums located within the Hofburg Palace complex.
The main museums of Hofburg Palace are the Sisi Museum, which includes the Imperial Rooms and Apartments, and the Imperial Treasury Museum, showcasing the finest jewels and luxury items of the Habsburg emperors.
You can join a guided tour inside Hofburg Palace, which presents the royal imperial rooms and the story of Empress Sisi, famous and beloved by Austrians.
The guided tours at the palace take place daily and are guided in English. Information about the tour inside the Sisi Museum.
There is also an option for a more extensive guided tour covering additional parts of the palace complex. More information about a comprehensive English tour of the Hofburg Palace complex.
The Royal Palace Gardens – Free Entry!
Within the Hofburg Palace complex, there are two beautiful and well-maintained gardens open to the public. On summer days, you can see many locals sitting on the grass enjoying a beer and the summer weather. If you wish, you too can sit and enjoy the lovely gardens or simply cross them on your way to the various attractions within the palace complex.
Volksgarten is located north of the palace building, directly opposite the Austrian Parliament House on Ringstrasse. It is Vienna’s first public garden, built in 1821. The garden boasts about 3000 roses of various types. The garden features beautiful structures, fountains, and statues depicting important figures in Austrian culture.
Burggarten is located in the southern part of the palace, right next to the Albertina Gallery on one side and close to Maria-Theresien-Platz on the other. The garden was established for Emperor Franz I between 1818 and 1819. Throughout the garden, there are several statues and also greenhouses, one of which houses the Butterfly House.
Museums at Hofburg Palace
There’s no doubt that just admiring the palace from the outside is an amazing experience, but if you want to enrich your trip, it’s worth entering the museums and exhibition rooms inside the palace. There are 3 museums and exhibition rooms open to visitors: the Sisi Museum, the Imperial Apartments, and the Imperial Silver Collection Museum.
In the New Palace Wing (Neue Burg), there are four interesting museums. Some of them belong to the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History), which is across the road in Maria-Theresien-Platz. Read about all the museums in the comprehensive article we prepared on the 8 museums of Hofburg Palace.
The Spanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) is also located in the stable area of the palace and is the oldest of its kind in the world. It is a world-renowned institution presenting unique horse shows where the art of classical horsemanship (haute école) has been preserved in an exemplary manner.
The 81 pristine Lipizzaner horses are extraordinarily trained and demonstrate flawless precision in their movements to the sound of music and in perfect coordination with the rider. These horses originate from the Andalusia region of Spain, which is why the riding institution is called – the Spanish Riding School.
How to Get to Hofburg Palace?
Hofburg Palace is located in the heart of Vienna and can be easily reached by metro, tram, or bus. You can enter the palace complex via Ringstrasse or from the direction of the old city. To reach the museums within the palace, you need to get to St. Michael’s Square (Michaelertor) and pass through St. Michael’s Gate (Michaelertor) to reach the entrance located under the copper dome called Michaelerkuppel.
For those arriving by public transport, there are several options:
- Metro: Orange line, U3. Exit at Herrengasse station.
- Tram: Lines 1, 2, D, and 71. Alight at Burgring station.
- Bus: Lines 1A, 2A. Alight at Hofburg station.
For those arriving by car, drive towards Vienna city center and continue on Ringstrasse until you reach Hofburg.
Official Website of Hofburg Palace
Phone: 004315337570
Email: info@hofburg-wien.at
Address: Michaelerkuppel, 1010 Wien
Map:
What else can you see in the Hofburg Palace area?
As we mentioned, the palace is located right in the heart of Vienna, so all the city’s wonderful places are just a short distance away. You can walk along Ringstrasse towards the Parliament building, the City Hall, or continue towards the Old Town and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
Across Ringstrasse, you can visit Maria-Theresien-Platz, which houses two magnificent museums: the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum. From there, you can continue towards the Museum Quarter and the popular shopping street Mariahilfer Strasse.
