Schönbrunn Zoo: Skip the line

Located on the grounds of the imperial summer palace, Tiergarten Schönbrunn is the perfect complement to a day at the sprawling Schönbrunn Palace complex. After seeing how the upper crust of one of Europe's most fabled royal houses lived, you can commune with the less well-mannered - but very animated and entertaining - animal kingdom.Open year round, Tiergarten Schönbrunn is alive and kicking with an amazing array of animals (more than 700 species in all!). There are pandas, tigers, orangutans, koalas and elephants. And many more. The frequent animal talks help inform you and your family on the habits of some of the creatures great and small who call the zoo home. Other highlights of a day at the zoo include visiting the Borneo-inspired tropical rainforest, exploring the aquarium, and taking a trip aboard the diesel-powered Panorama Train.The zoo was founded as an imperial menagerie in 1752, by the then Holy Roman Emperor, Francis I. His wife, Maria Theresia, loved to have imperial breakfasts in the central pavilion (something visitors can still do to this day!). It was opened to the public in 1779. Initially stocked with exotic animals nabbed on American and African expeditions, the zoo is now a scientifically minded conservation center. But throughout its history, the Baroque buildings have remained, helping it strike a balance between modern values and historical significance.