Full disclosure: I’m writing about a place I haven’t actually visited. John and the kids went on an adventure last Sunday… while I stayed back at our Viennese apartment and enjoyed my first few hours COMPLETELY ALONE since arriving in Europe!!!!!
The zoo ended up being a fairly epic outing enjoyed by the rest of the family, so I wanted to have a record of it on the blog.
Schönbrunn Zoo + History
Schönbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world, and it’s regularly ranked among the best zoos in Europe. The main attraction for our family was black and white and very fluffy: the giant pandas!!!
Indy has loved pandas for years (doing school projects on them, getting panda stuffies), and since they’re so rare to find in zoos (20 zoos across 16 countries), this was a big deal. From everyone’s enthusiastic reports, the pandas absolutely lived up to expectations.
For the last week, Indy has been watching and rewatching videos he took of them eating bamboo and giggling every single time.
The setting makes the zoo even more unique. It’s located on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, which used to be the summer residence of the Habsburgs. Everything in Vienna always ends up pointing back to the Habsburgs.
The palace and gardens are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
The grounds offer great views of Vienna, too!
The zoo dates back to 1752, when it started as a “menagerie” for Maria Theresia’s husband and was only accessible to royals and invited guests.
A few decades later, it opened on Sundays to “decently dressed persons.” Hmmmm. I wonder if our kids would pass the test??? Define “decently dressed”…
These days, there are about 6,000 animals from 500 species.
I had a good chuckle when John texted me these pictures 🙂
While I can’t give a firsthand review of the zoo (no regrets about staying home to get some quiet time + frugal hack, this saved the cost of an adult ticket), I can say that based on very enthusiastic feedback (and a lot of photos), it comes highly recommended!
Tickets are €29 for adults and about €17 for kids, so it’s not a cheap outing (especially with the generally horrendous Canadian exchange rate), but it was definitely worth it for our family.
Fun fact: the zoo is open 365 days a year, so if you get a hankering to see a polar bear on Christmas Day, you’re in luck…
Your turn.
- Would you have chosen a zoo day or time home alone?
- What’s the most unusual thing you’ve done on Christmas Day? I have never been to a museum, that’s for sure. Or the movies, though I know that’s fairly common…
Discover more from The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I’m on Team Zoo. I love seeing different animals. Most zoos and aquariums also have conservation and education as a big part if their mission, so I figure it helps! Sone animals in zoos have been injured or abandoned in the wild and would not survive, so a zoo gives them a chance. That’s what happens with the seals that cone into the narine animal rescue my sister volunteers at at least.
On Christmas, I’m usually in the kitchen. So nothing unusual about that! My husband did go shopping for a computer once back in the day- the stores in the area were run by Jewish businessmen, so they were open.
Yes! I know that zoos can have horrific conditions but, for the most part, they are doing important work and try very hard to care for and protect their animals. It’s often the last stop for injured animals and they do a lot of rehabilitation work and education. This zoo, in particular, John and the kids said had huge enclosures for most of the animals and the quality of the care seemed very high.
I think this was a great way for you to enjoy some quiet time alone. The pictures are great! And I’m sure the kids had lots of fun telling you all about their adventure. It sounds like a win for everyone!
I’m sure I would have had fun, but I didn’t feel any FOMO. Definitely a win-win. And a good way to save money.
Aw! I’m glad Indy got to see a panda in real life! i have mixed feelings about zoos. I would have stayed home, but then I’m always craving alone time.
We never go anywhere on Christmas Day- the time leading up to Christmas is so, so busy, I love just relaxing at home (and reading my new books!) One time when Paul was a baby (I think???) we flew on Christmas Day. I can’t remember why, but we were trying to fit in two different family Christmases or something- we arrived at my parents house on Christmas afternoon. It was actually a pretty great day to fly- not crowded at all!
It’s ironic, but Christmas Day does seem like a good time to have lower transit traffic!
Goodness, sometimes a girl just wants to have some alone time. I don’t blame you!!
The zoo looks like a fabulous place to spend some time, though. The pandas are so cute! Of course, I loved seeing the butterfly with all the chrysalis, too! I don’t even recognize that variety.
Decently dressed! Heck, that would rule out most people I see at the airport!
I am currently home alone and just woke up from a nap. The windows are open and the sun is shining and birds are singing 🙂