The Prater
Are you looking for a special place to have fun with your family in Vienna? Then visit the large city park, called Prater. It is divided into two different zones. One of them is the Wurstelprater Amusement Park. There you can find the famous Viennese Fairswheel. The other one is the Unterer Prater Forest Park, where the Habsburgs Dynasty used to go hunting.
Check out what are the most interesting places in the Prater and find some helpful tips to enjoy your visit there.
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What to see?
The Wurstelprater Amusement Park
Do you know that more than 250 attractions are waiting for you there? It’s amazing, isn’t it? Here are some things to consider, before your visit there:
- The Viennese Fairswheel – This is the first Viennese Wheel and is one of the biggest city attractions. Each of its 15 booths is shaped like a small bus and can seat between 10 and 15 people. One full spin of the wheel takes about 30 minutes and it rises to 65 meters. Thus, you can safely enjoy the magnificent views of Vienna. The sightseeing is especially beautiful at night.
- The Turbo Boost – a speed train that drives at the unbelievable speed of 100 km/h.
- The Ejection Seat – also called a “Globe”, as it is the more common name. It has a mechanism of a catapult. The attraction breaks all high-speed records. It can take off its visitors at the amazing 14 meters per second. You will get shot to around 110 meters in the sky, safe with your seatbelts on.
- The Space Shot – the so-called “Space Shot” has always been and still is a classic attraction among tourists. You can find it in the middle of Prater Park. Once you get there, you will find out what it is like to take off like a spaceman, and then get a free fall at 95 km/h.
- The Planetarium – If you want to gaze at the stars, visit the Planetarium. It is possible to organize a day or night visit.
The Unterer Prater Forest Park
It covers an area of 60 square kilometers and is the largest park in downtown Vienna. Here you can stroll among the beautiful poplars and chestnuts, meadows and boulevards with colorful trees. The park has many playgrounds, a swimming pool, a golf course, and a racing track, so you will certainly have a lot of fun there.
The Unterer Prater is extremely beautiful in the fall when it has a variety of colors, brightness, and a unique atmosphere. There also you can find the Lusthaus. The building was originally used as a hunting lodge in the sixteenth century. Afterward, the Lusthaus underwent demolition and redesign in 1783 to host imperial celebrations and other magnificent events. Today it houses a cozy cafe and restaurant, where you can relax after a long walk in the park.
More places to eat and eat:
I recommend the retro-cafe Supersense, which offers delicious Viennese coffee and tasty light snacks. If you are looking for a more intimate and quiet place, visit the Tempel Bistro. If you want to grab something more traditional and try a special beer, visit the Schweizerhaus Restaurant. On warm days, get a seat in the pub’s beer garden.
What do you need to know before you visit the Prater?
- You can get to the attraction by the subway lines №U1 and №U2.
- It is obvious, that as a major attraction in the park, the large Viennese Fairswheel is the most visited place there. To avoid long queues at the ticket centers, buy your ticket online in advance.
- At the end of September and the beginning of October, the famous and well-known festival Oktoberfest is organized in the park.
- During the winter months, usually from mid-November to the first week of January, you can visit the special Wintermarkt in the park.
Tickets and prices
The park itself has no entrance, and all the attractions in it are paid separately.
Top Attractions in Vienna:
Vienna – the city
Schönbrunn Palace
Hofburg Castle
Belvedere Castle
Karlskirche Church
Saint Stephen Cathedral
History of Art Museum
Natural History Museum
Albertina Museum
Museum Quartier
Hundertwasser
State Opera
City Hall
Imperial Butterfly House
Danube Cruise from Vienna
Donauturm
Naschmarkt