Prater Park, Vienna is located in the Leopolstad district, right on the banks of the Danube. The vast recreation area is 6 km2 and most of the territory is dense, green vegetation, picturesque alleys and benches. In addition to the Green Prater, in the northern part there is an equally impressive entertainment area. The Ferris wheel located here has become a symbol of Vienna. And here is the highest carousel. In Prater Park it is pleasant to just walk, ride on numerous roundabouts and swings, play sports – run, ride a bike. Adults are invited to a beer restaurant, young people will enjoy spending time at a fun and colorful disco. Undoubtedly, the Prater is a must visit.
General information on the Prater Park in Vienna
If your vacation time in Vienna is not limited, plan to visit the park at least half a day. If time is limited, take a few hours, believe me, the attraction is worth it.
The first information about Prater Park dates from 1162. At this time, the ruling Austrian monarch granted the land, where the attraction is now located, to the family of noblemen de Prato. Most likely, the name is associated with the surname of this kind. However, there is another version of the origin of the name – in translation from Latin “partum” means meadow.
Then the territory often changed ownership. In the mid-16th century, Emperor Maximilian II bought the land to go hunting. After Emperor Joseph II decided to make the recreation area public, since then restaurants and cafes began to open here, but representatives of the nobility continued to hunt in Prater.
At the end of the 10th century, the Vienna International Exhibition was held in Prater. It was during this period that the park zone experienced the most significant rise. The attraction was regularly reconstructed, infrastructure was developed. The recreation area decreased slightly after the construction of the stadium and the opening of the hippodrome. In connection with the construction and commissioning of a new metro station in the park, a serious reconstruction was carried out, now it is possible to get by public transport comfortably and quickly.
Interesting fact! Many entertainments remind of the long history of the park, adding a historical touch to the landscape.
Roller coasters, a variety of carousels, an old railroad that runs through the caves and, of course, the fear rooms arranged in the caves evoke light nostalgia. If you want to continue your voyage to the past, visit the Prater Park Museum in Vienna, located next to the wheel of vision.
Things to do in Vienna Prater
The green Prater extends along the Danube in a southeast direction. This is a landscaped area where you can walk, ride bicycles, and have picnics. The park operates around the clock and throughout the year. The longest tourist route number 9, its length is 13 km and it is laid through the whole attraction. On the territory of Green Prater you will find boat and horse stations, golf courses.
Interesting fact! According to Focus magazine, Prater is included in the top ten most beautiful city parks in the world.
The main “pedestrian artery” of the park area is the central avenue 4.5 km long. Along it planted 2.5 thousand trees. The alley starts at Praterstern Square, and ends at Lusthouse Restaurant.
Good to know! Guests can use the service – bike rental. Another way to explore the Prater is to board an old train car following from the Ferris wheel.
Green Prater is not only a comfortable area for walking. There is a track for bikers and skateboarders on its territory, and from May until the beginning of autumn you can swim in the outdoor pool.
The noisy and funny world of entertainment is called Folk Prater. The main entrance is located on the Riesenradplatz square, which the reconstruction field resembles the old Prater of the last century. The entertainment area consists of 250 attractions, here are: Ferris wheel, Madame Tussauds. In the museum the figures are located on three floors. Photography and video are allowed. The official resource of the museum (www.madametussauds.com/vienna/en) contains a work schedule, you can book and buy tickets.
The height of spectacular entertainment is 65 meters, the attraction was opened in 1897. It is noteworthy that only the review wheel in Chicago is older – it was put into operation in 1893. The attraction consists of 15 booths, while 6 are designed for special celebrations and events.
Good to know! Before taking a booth, tourists can visit the Prater Park Museum, and then be sure to go to the souvenir shop.
The viewing wheel accepts tourists from 9-00 to 23-45 in the summer, in autumn and spring, the operating mode is reduced by two hours – from 10-00 to 22-45. The official website presents the exact mode of operation, you can book tickets. Full costs 12 €, children – 5 €.
Be sure to take a ride on the old railway, which is called Liliputban. Its length is 4 km, the route is designed for 20 minutes, laid through the entire park area. The schedule of the railway coincides with the park.
Recently, the Prater Turm carousel was opened for tourists, its height is 117 meters, the maximum speed is 60 km / h. Only teenagers, as well as adults, can ride a carousel.
The planetarium (www.vhs.at/de/e/planetarium) in the park in Vienna is equipped with a real telescope, colorful shows are regularly held. The schedule and the opportunity to purchase tickets are presented on the website.
Pay attention to such entertainments as the Wild Octopus catapult, Black Mamba carousel, roller coasters and the Iceberg interactive attraction. The game zone has trampolines, a shooting gallery, a wind tunnel, slot machines and even a race track.
Culinary Prater
The gastronomic possibilities of the park in Vienna are no less diverse than the entertainment. Here you can eat simple, street food, relax in an elite restaurant with live music and tables in the fresh air. The park has more than five dozen cafes and restaurants.
Good to know! The most legendary institution in Vienna’s Prater is a Swiss house built in a picturesque garden. Here, in the shade of the sprawling trees, you can drink a glass of real Viennese Budweiser beer, eat a pork leg – Stölzen and potato pancakes.
The park has a hotel with its own restaurant, which has been welcoming guests since 1805. Romantically inclined couples can dine in the restaurant with an open, green terrace. And families with children can relax in the restaurant where the children’s town is equipped, they prepare delicious grilled dishes. Perhaps the most luxurious restaurant in the park in Vienna is located in the former imperial pavilion, which was used as a hunting lodge. They prepare national dishes according to old Austrian recipes.
Evening Prater in Vienna
The Vienna Prater Park has the largest disco in the capital. A round dance floor is built for vacationers. You will find fun music, good mood. The disco is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Entrance is open only to persons over 18 years of age. Drinks offer 12 bars. Thus, the tastes of all music lovers are taken into account in the park and the most comfortable conditions for relaxation are created. And in the dark, when the laser show is working, the dance floor turns into a real dance castle.
Practical information
Getting to the park in Vienna is quite comfortable and fast, as there is a metro station nearby. You need to catch the train following the lines U1 or U2.
- Take the U1 branch to the Praterstern stop located directly at the entrance.
- Follow the U2 line to the Messer-Prater stop, it will be more convenient to enter Prater through the side entrance.
It is also possible to get there by public transport: tram number 1 to the stop Prater Hauptallee and go through the additional side entrance, flight number 5 goes to the stop Praterstern, from here it is closer to the main entrance.
Schedule:
- Green Prater is open to visitors at any time and season of the year, this part of the park does not close even on holidays.
- People’s Prater is closed in winter. The traditional schedule is from March 15 to the end of October, but changes are possible due to weather conditions.
Entrance to the park area is free, guests pay only for rides tickets. As for the cost of tickets, the average price is about 5 euros, children, as a rule, are 35% less. At the box office a single card is presented, allowing you not to stand in lines to buy tickets.
Good to know! Using a single card, you can pay with electronic money, in this case the ticket price is 10% lower.
The cost of combo tickets depends on the chosen combination. You can choose a ticket only to visit the Ferris wheel or choose to visit several attractions (Madame Tussauds museum, railway).
Detailed information on Prater Park is available at www.prateraktiv.at/.
Prices on the page are for February 2019.
Useful Tips
- Parking is provided in the park, as well as outside. If you visit a tourist attraction in Vienna on a weekend, transport can be parked for free at any parking lot.
- Couples in love will be interested in the proposal of the park – to organize a romantic dinner in one of the booths of the old Ferris wheel. By the way, the attraction works until 18-00, consider this moment if you plan to visit Prater Park at night.
- Most children’s entertainment is located at the end of the park, where a more relaxed atmosphere and quieter.
- Every year, the park hosts a beer festival – Wiener Wiesn. As a rule, the date is at the end of September or the beginning of October.
Prater, Vienna – the oldest and perhaps the most beautiful city park in the Austrian capital. An attraction is located between the Danube River and the Danube Canal. For several centuries, the park has attracted local residents and millions of tourists.
