Jogging, lying on a meadow and reading a book, enjoying a family picnic or simply going for a walk – Vienna has perfect locations for all of these: its parks. A few hours in the park are a perfect way to balance out everyday life in the city, especially when the weather is nice. But where can Vienna’s visitors and residents take a break from sightseeing? We created a list of seven wonderful parks in Vienna.

Volksgarten

The Volksgarten is undoubtedly one of the city’s most beautiful parks. It is part of Vienna’s Imperial Palace grounds and still shows traces of its French Baroque origin. Right in the heart of Vienna, we can wind down perfectly for a moment and take in the impressive park. The Volksgarten includes a rose garden with more than 3,000 rose bushes. It is home to over 400 different kinds of roses. The 10.5 meter tall Theseus Temple is located at the Volksgarten’s center. It’s a true-to-scale reproduction of the Hephaistos Temple in Athens. In the Volksgarten you can also find a memorial honoring the Austrian Empress Elisabeth, best known as Sisi.

Türkenschanzpark

We are taking a break in the Türkenschanzpark in Währing, the 18th district. It was the city’s largest park until 1918. Today its a popular green oasis with colorful recreational features, including volleyball and baseball courts, skating rinks and ping pong tables. Monuments for famous people such as Adalbert Stifter can be found here. The Paulinenwarte, a small observation tower, is also located here. The many fountains and ponds help visitors relax in the park. Vienna’s University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences is right next door. That’s why many rare plants from all parts of the world can be found throughout the park.

Stadtpark

The Stadtpark was opened in 1862, making it Vienna’s oldest publicly accessible park. If you’re longing for some peace and relaxation right in Vienna’s center, the Stadtpark is the perfect place. It’s also the park with the most monuments and sculptures, including the famous golden Johann Strauss Monument. Meierei im Stadtpark, which belongs to the famous Restaurant Steirereck, offers a sumptuous breakfast and the finest Viennese Cuisine right on the Wien river.

Kurpark Oberlaa

It may be less central, but Kurpark Oberlaa is always worth an excursion. It can easily be reached directly from the center with the U1 subway line. The giant grounds consist of many individual sections and were opened in 1974 as part of Vienna’s International Garden Show. We recommend planning some extra time for the thematic sections of the Kurpark, like the Allergy Garden, Flower Labyrinth, Film City or Japanese Garden. The Kurpark is an excellent destination for family trips. The exciting playgrounds, animal enclosures and expansive meadows for romping and picnics will keep you busy in nature all day.

Augarten

The Augarten is Vienna’s oldest baroque garden. It has a tumultuous past and was almost completely destroyed on two occasions. Only the two flak towers from World War II are still a reminder of its darkest period. With its extensive meadows and impressive avenues, the park is all the more beautiful today. We like spending a few hours here and recharging our batteries with a good book. Two world-famous Viennese institutions, the Augarten Porcelain Manufactory and Vienna Boys’ Choir, are also located here.

Donaupark

On the other side of the Danube, the Donaupark is home to Austria’s highest building and thus one of Vienna’s most famous attractions – the Danube Tower. The Donaupark was created during the Vienna International Garden Show in 1964. At that time the grounds were traversed by a chair lift. Today a trip with the Donaupark train is a special delight. Visitors enjoy the Donaupark not just for its numerous flowerbeds and the large pond in the center, but also for the many sports activities, such as jogging or tennis.

Burggarten

Between the Imperial Palace and Albertina, adjacent to Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse, the Burggarten has always been a popular and quiet oasis of nature. Several impressive monuments and statues perfectly complement the imperial style of the park. Highlights include a 7.5-meter marble statue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Vienna’s oldest equestrian statue. After visiting the Butterfly House with over 50 butterfly species, you can take a break at the Palm House Café. With the best view of the Burggarten, the coffee and oven-fresh strudel taste even better.