There are plenty of comments on the history and culture of Schönbrunn already, so just a few words on this great attraction: first of all, some people seem to believe that Schönbrunn is far outside Vienna; while this was true a few centuries ago, when the area was a hunting ground for the imperial family, it´s in the midle of town nowadays and very easy to reach by subway. Second, it cannot (or should not) be done in a short time. Sure, there are bus tours that whisk you through the palace in 30 minutes, but to really appreciate the whole complex, the better part of a day is necessary. The zoo alone, the world´s oldest, is very well worth a visit, as are the Gloriette monument (but no need to pay the extra fee as the view from the very top is only marginally superior), the Palm House, the Maze, and the Gardens (great landscaping, and for free, plus a few hidden gems like the small fountain after which the whole area was named - "beautiful fountain"). The palace itself is an architectural masterpiece, but suffers a lot from overcrowding - it is Austria´s most popular tourist attraction with over 2 million visitors last year. Especially busy in summer and December (weekends and time between Christmas and New Year), it makes sense to either reserve tickets, buy a ticket combination pass that gives you the privilege to skip the queues, or simply to come at less busy times of day, which means before 10 am or usually anytime in the afternoon. It seems 80% of visitors come between 10 and 1 o´clock. Seeing Schönbrunn in all its majesty on a sunny day (especially early in the morning) is one of Europe´s great moments, but the place has charm even in winter, when the atmospheric Christmas market is held in the palace courtyard. No visit to Vienna would be complete without going to Schönbrunn.