A walk on the wild side
Are you a nature lover? Would you want to go for a walk and combine your trip with a little thrill? Located on the outskirts of Vienna, Lainzer Tiergarten might be just the right thing for you.
Lainzer Tiergarten is a huge forest and the former hunting grounds of the imperial family. With 2,450 hectares it is the largest (and as you will see: wildest) of Vienna’s city parks. Easily accessible by public transport, today, extended walks in the park are a favourite pastime of Viennese families; taking out the kids or your grandma to this park on a sunny Sunday morning is a Vienna classic.
Given the size of the park, at least on weekdays you can walk for hours without meeting another human soul; you may however easily meet: wild boars! Usually friendly, sometimes curious, always hungry, they are the rulers of these grounds, roaming freely about.
Nature trails educate about the Vienna Woods, their history, plants and animals. Visit the Hermes Villa, a 19th century chateau in the middle of the park, which was a gift of Emperor Franz Joseph to his beloved wife, Empress Elisabeth, lovingly called Sisi. Today, Hermes Villa stages special exhibitions and the occasional concert and is a historical setting for a coffee and cake. Children programs on weekends will add to the attraction for families.