Tiergarten Schoenbrunn

The Tiergarten Schoenbrunn is the world’s oldest continuously operating zoo, founded in 1752 by Emperor Franz I Stephan inside the Schoenbrunn Palace grounds. The original Baroque octagonal pavilion at the center of the symmetrical layout still stands as the zoo’s main restaurant: you can have breakfast in the same space where the Emperor watched his animals. The zoo houses 707 species and approximately 8,250 animals. Giant pandas have been successfully breeding here; five cubs have been born via natural conception, a rarity in Europe. The rainforest house inside an old palm structure maintains 40-degree humidity year-round with free-flying birds and bats. Take the U4 to Hietzing. Allow 3–4 hours and note the zoo requires a separate ticket from the Schoenbrunn Palace.