{"id":35726,"date":"2021-08-03T05:08:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T04:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=35726"},"modified":"2025-11-20T10:28:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T09:28:12","slug":"prater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/prater\/","title":{"rendered":"The Prater"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/pratersmall.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/pratersmall.jpg\" alt=\"View across the Prater\" class=\"wp-image-35727\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/pratersmall.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/pratersmall-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Vienna can take you on a rollercoaster ride through centuries of history. But sometimes you just want a rollercoaster. Welcome to the Prater. This huge recreational area offers everything from burlesque shows to bucolic meadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Giant entertainment complex &amp; huge park<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attractions like the Mirage show venue, Tussauds, and the giant ferris wheel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Popular for walks and bike rides with meadows, woodland and water features<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Architectural Instagram favourites too<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/mirage-theater-im-prater-tickets-l241727\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Prater\" rel=\"sponsored\">Strauss dinner concert<\/a>* in the Prater<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/kids-2\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"11143\">What to do with kids<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-wiener-prater\">The Wiener Prater<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/praterhauptallee.jpg\" alt=\"Part of the Prater hauptallee\" class=\"wp-image-49417\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/praterhauptallee.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/praterhauptallee-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(View down the long 4.5km Prater Hauptallee popular with joggers and cyclists)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at a map of Vienna, and a huge stretch of green cuts its way from just northeast of the centre all the way across to the commercial ports on the Danube and the edge of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the Prater, which looks back on a long history that began around 500 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The park area once served as a place for the imperial family to enjoy the country and the hunt within a short distance of their central residence (and without having to mix with the great unwashed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ah, but history does like its little jokes: the one-time playground of emperors is now full of playgrounds for the descendants of those unlucky few who did not live in palaces. And the adrenalin rush of funfair rides has long replaced the terror of spear-wielding invaders marching across from the east.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prater1772.jpg\" alt=\"Painting of people enjoying cards and dice in the 18th century\" class=\"wp-image-80200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prater1772.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prater1772-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Guests enjoying games of cards and dice in a Prater inn; painted in 1772; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 31714; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joggers, cyclists, and those seeking some escape from the urban hubbub can also run, ride and wander where aristocrats once tittered at an archduke&#8217;s peculiar choice of wig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Prater has become ingrained in the Viennese soul: &#8220;them and us&#8221; just becomes &#8220;us&#8221; as we lift a glass of beer, down a sausage, marvel at the entertainments, and stroll among the trees\u2026just like many before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyway, that&#8217;s all well and good, but what does this recreational area have to offer the visitor to Vienna?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We begin with the amusements\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"food-and-fun\">Food and fun<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/distantpraterturm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/distantpraterturm.jpg\" alt=\"The Praterturm from a distance\" class=\"wp-image-41739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/distantpraterturm.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/distantpraterturm-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The Praterturm ride)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, yes, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/wurstelprater-amusement-park\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35559\">giant fun park<\/a> occupies the end of the Prater nearest the city centre. Think dodgems, carousels, water rides, rollercoasters and the kind of pleasures where you need to be strapped in <em>very<\/em> securely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that&#8217;s by no means all. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The pride of the Prater is the movie icon, city landmark and visitor magnet that is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/riesenrad\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"271\">Riesenrad Giant Ferris Wheel<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/madame-tussauds\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35377\">Madame Tussauds<\/a> and other indoor entertainments live on the same square as the Riesenrad<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The smallish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/museums\/pratermuseum\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"70049\">Pratermuseum<\/a> introduces you to the rich history of the location<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All of the above can make you hungry and thirsty, so the numerous snack bars and restaurants come in rather handy. One or two enjoy considerable local fame, like the Schweizerhaus and Luftburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/wurstelprater-amusement-park\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35559\">The Wurstelprater amusement park<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"nature-and-recreation\">Nature and recreation<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/LusthauswasserEnd.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/LusthauswasserEnd.jpg\" alt=\"One end of the Lusthauswasser\" class=\"wp-image-41742\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/LusthauswasserEnd.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/LusthauswasserEnd-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Tranquil nature in the middle of Vienna)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite its size, the entertainment complex actually only occupies a small part of the Prater. Most of the rest is a huge <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/prater-park-hiking-trail-9\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35713\">park and recreational area<\/a>, with numerous footpaths, cycling paths and even a miniature railway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Locals gravitate here to use the skate park, sports meadows and other facilities, for example, or simply to take in the air on the 11km official hiking path that loops around almost the entire area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/prater-park-hiking-trail-9\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35713\">The Prater: park &amp; hiking trail 9<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-slug-ids=\"pro976992,pro1084652\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_Prater\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"architecture-and-history\">Architecture and history<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ErnstHappelStadium.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ErnstHappelStadium.jpg\" alt=\"The Ernst Happel Stadium\" class=\"wp-image-41744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ErnstHappelStadium.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ErnstHappelStadium-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The national football stadium)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although dominated by greenery and ghost trains, the Prater also has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/prater-architecture\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35531\">few surprises<\/a> for those interested in history and architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/lusthaus\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35524\">Lusthaus<\/a>, for example, is an 18th-century summer house where Emperor Franz I once celebrated victory over Napoleon with the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of European monarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More recent buildings adjoining the Prater park include the national football stadium and the quite astonishing new campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business (very popular as a photo motif).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2192 More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/prater-architecture\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"35531\">The Prater: buildings and architecture<\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-get-to-the-prater\">How to get to the Prater<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The more urban parts of the Prater are well-served by Vienna&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/transport\/public\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"310\">public transport system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subway: the main access point, especially for the entertainments, is just outside the Praterstern station (on the U1 and U2 lines), while later stops on the U2 all drop you within walking distance of the park:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Messe-Prater (on the other side of the amusement park)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Krieau (good for viewing the modern architecture)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stadion (the national stadium)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Donaumarina (on the Danube)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Tram: lines 5 and O also go to Praterstern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tram line 1 makes an interesting option, since it leaves from the centre (e.g. Schwedenplatz or Schottentor) and drops you off in the middle of the Hauptallee boulevard that runs through much of the Prater (at the sensibly-named Prater, Hauptallee stop).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Since the Prater covers some 6km<sup>2<\/sup>, no one address is possible. But the main entrance to the amusement park and also the square where you find the ferris wheel, Madame Tussauds etc. is Riesenradplatz, 1020 Vienna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1MSzFPzvbN1BdY_oXvkPgQltRSY4gwncM\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vienna can take you on a rollercoaster ride through centuries of history. But sometimes you just want a rollercoaster. Welcome to the Prater. This huge recreational area offers everything from burlesque shows to bucolic meadows. The Wiener Prater (View down the long 4.5km Prater Hauptallee popular with joggers and cyclists) Look at a map of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35727,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-35726","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35726","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35726"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35726\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87211,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35726\/revisions\/87211"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35726"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}