Context Travel Offers Access to Historic Viennese Landmark

Looking for a different way to see Vienna? Walking-tour organizer Context has expanded its options in the city with Gilded Ambition: a Tour of Schönbrunn Palace, a walk through interiors of the Habsburgs’ summer residence and a close look at the complex history of the Habsburg Monarchy.

Built at the end of the 17th century by Emperor Leopold I, Schönbrunn Palace is surrounded by gardens. Inside, the building has almost 1,500 preserved rooms, many of which are open to the public. Each room has ancient artwork and historic furnishings that add to the Habsburg legacy.

Guests on the tour will learn about the lives of successive Habsburg monarchs who lived in Schönbrunn. Led by a local expert, the 2.5-hour walking seminar explains complex narratives and geopolitical influences revealed by the palace and its interior.

The tour also connects the past with the present, revealing how the Habsburgs’ legacy (for example, Schönbrunn Palace itself), continues to speak to modern day Vienna, its culture, its people and their outlook.

Gilded Ambition: a Tour of Schönbrunn Palace lasts 2 and a half hours and is available daily. Private tours cost €280 per party.