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Schönbrunn Park is home to two special attractions – the maze and the labyrinth in the palace’s gardens. The maze is based on the original 18th-century designs and once you have made your way through the hedges, there is a viewing platform over the area. The labyrinth is a games area with a giant kaleidoscope, a climbing pole and fun riddles (see p38).

The beautiful grounds of the Schloss Schönbrunn include ponds, fountains and a maze (see pp36–9).

Considered the oldest zoo in the world, all the usual favourites can be found here, including elephants, reptiles and butterflies. Most are housed in Baroque-style compounds (see p38).

Franz Schubert was buried at the Währinger Friedhof on 21 November 1828, following his early death aged 31. When the cemetery was closed down in 1872, however, his bones were moved to the Central Cemetery. There he was given an honorary grave among many of his composer friends.

Franz Schubert was born in the kitchen of this little first-floor apartment, now a museum, on 31 January 1797 and spent the first four years of his life in the property, known locally as “House of the Red Crab”. The apartment, which is entered via a wooden balcony, had only one small room facing the street. The museum presents information on the composer’s life (see p58) as well as various portraits by Schubert’s contemporaries. The highlight of the exhibition, however, is Schubert’s famous spectacles.

Little dragons spout water beneath the protecting angel who gives the fountain its name.

The Baroque architect Lukas von Hildebrandt was commissioned to build a summer palace here in 1697 which was bought by the influential Schwarzenberg family in 1720. Architects Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and his son Joseph Emanuel continued adorning the palace and laid out the garden in formal French style.

Black Forest Cake is another rich chocolate cake where layers of sponge cake are sandwiched together with cream and sour cherries. It is then lavishly decorated with crowns of whipped cream, more sour cherries and grated chocolate.

Roast pork is another standard of Viennese cuisine. Seasoning ranges from garlic to fresh herbs and caraway, and the meat is generally served with dumplings, salad and gravy.

In the city centre, close to the Stephansdom, this family-run hotel has rooms equipped with a direct-dial phone, TV and radio. A breakfast buffet is served.