Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Schönbrunn)

If you happen to visit Vienna don't forget to visit Tiergarten Schönbrunn or The Vienna Zoo. It is the oldest zoo in the world which is quite an honor for a place. It is a part of Schönbrunn Palace which is another place you shouldn't miss. 

The zoo is opened all year round. You can go there on Christmas or Easter or any other day you happen to be there. Zoo opens everyday at 9:00 AM but it closes early in winter and a bit later in summer. The tickets are not cheap: Euro 16.50 for adults and half of that for children. If you live in Vienna then a cheaper solution is to buy an Annual Ticket which costs Euro 44 per person but then you can go there everyday if you like. There are also guided tours and other adventures which cost way more and you can choose from them if thats your cup of tea. Personally I don't enjoy guided tours.

The zoo is divided into different areas or themes such as desert animals, aquarium, polar world and sea animals, insectarium, aviary, rat house, monkey house, rainforest house etc. So there is plenty of things to see. If you are there for a day then by all means try to see all of them but if you can go there often then I would recommend visiting one or two places in detail. 

I have not seen this much variety of animals in my life but then I haven't visited that many places either. In any case most of the people would really like the place and would find it really worth visiting. There are polar bears and pandas, Orangutans and King Colubus, Elephants and Rhinos, Lions and Cheetahs, Nicobar pigeons and Emus, and reptiles, amphibians, fish and so much more. The zoo is still missing Birds of Paradise. I hope they get some in the near future. Several US zoos have them and I don't know why such a prestigious zoo wouldn't want to have them. 

Oh and there are 14 places to eat. From Asian to French to Austrian to American cuisines are available. During the hot summer months you can enjoy delicious ice cream there or have a glass of cold beer at the Biergarten. You can also watch animals enjoying there lunch at various times. 

All in all this is a don't miss place in Vienna. You can enjoy a full day there and may still end up missing something.