Vienna – Wiener Prater Park

The Wiener Prater Park can arouse extreme emotions – some will find the funfair present there kitschy, while others will want to spend the whole day there. Which group do we fall into? Is the Prater just an amusement park?

We saw the Prater Park (Wiener Prater) every day. To be precise, several times a day. At least this was not due to our fascination with the place, but the location of the hotel, which is right next to the park itself (we stayed at the magdas hotel). From the hotel’s windows we could see the famous Ferris wheel with red wagons and the high carousel every day, but we didn’t hear any noise from the funfair in the room.

Wiener Prater, not just an amusement park

At the outset, we must point out that Vienna’s Prater is not just an amusement park, but a large leisure and recreation area with a funfair, playgrounds, bicycle tracks, skatepark, dog runs and many other attractions. It’s a place where you can jog, bike or rollerblade (and even horseback ride!) or just spend time with the family. Whichever hour we were there were always a lot of people.

However, it’s the part with the funfair that attracts tourists the most, and no wonder, because it’s a place where there’s something for everyone – both the youngest, for whom there are peaceful carousels, toy cars and roller coasters, and those a little older who are more eager for thrills.

We traveled to Vienna with the conviction that we would see this part only from behind the fence, because we read that the funfair is closed from 1. November for the winter period, but on site it turned out to be working at its best. Maybe not all the attractions and some of the stores and restaurants were closed, but we were still happy to see one of Vienna’s “top” attractions (yes, we’re not ashamed to admit that we often walk the beaten track ;-)).

Amusement park in Vienna

The main entrance to the amusement park is on the side of the Praterstern subway station – you’ll get there without a problem because all you have to do is head toward the Ferris wheel with its red wagons. Along the way, you pass sausage and ice cream stalls until you finally reach the entrance to the funfair. It is a symbolic entrance with cash registers, stores, a gate, but this does not mean that you have to pay at the entrance – entrance to the area is free, and you pay separately for each attraction (just such a typical funfair and not an amusement park ;-)).

In addition, the area only seems closed, and in fact in the further parts you can easily go out and enter the funfair. We often just passed through the area on our way to the hotel.

What attractions await us? Diverse! At the very entrance there is something for those not interested in rollercoasters, namely the Museum of Wax Figures (Madame Tussauds) and the Chocolate Museum.

TheFerris wheel is also considered a quiet attraction (don’t go in if you have a fear of heights, it measures 65 meters).

For toddlers, there are many carousels, cars to enter with parents or several free queues.

For the thrill-hungry, there are plenty of more or less chilling attractions here (there are about 250 attractions in total!!!). Including roller coasters (also covered), or scare houses.

We especially liked the 117 (!) meter high chair carousel. Impressive…

It is fair to say that some of the attractions to the latest and most beautiful are not. Right next to the rusty, noisy railroads are the brand-new, gutted ones, which even invite you to take a ride. Also, some of the vending machines, bars and decorations give the impression that they have not been refreshed for a long time. So if you find the funfair too kitschy, however, you can always leave and go to the park next door :)

Recreational park

The park near the hotel is it :) Not that we didn’t have something to do in Vienna, but in the evenings, when we still had strength we went for a walk. In addition, looking from the window we did not feel at all that we were spending the night in the center of Vienna, because there were trees all around, only the attractions from the funfair visible in the distance reminded us of this.

The main avenue in the park (Hauptallee) is 4.5 kilometers long and connects Praterstern Square to the Lusthaus restaurant. Every morning as we walked through the park we passed many people running or biking along this very avenue. When we returned in the evenings there was a preponderance of families with children. Unfortunately, in the evenings the avenue is not all lit up, so it is worth equipping yourself with flashlights or cart lights.

The park also has a lot of amenities and good infrastructure – fancy playgrounds, climbing areas, there’s somewhere to rollerblade, bike, board, and even go boating! Since we have been traveling with Olivia we have been paying very close attention to just this type of attraction :)

Let the enormity of the entire park be evidenced by the fact that you can travel through it on the narrow-gauge railroad Liliputbahn Prater, which has as many as several stations ;)

The park looked downright fabulous in autumn. This season in Polandzłtoo late and left too soon, while in Vienna we could really feel it.

A kitschy funfair?

Do we consider a funfair to be kitschy? A little, yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time here. On the contrary!

We could spend all day here riding all the carousels and roller coasters :) At this time of year it’s a little colder and it gets dark earlier, but there are also a lot fewer people and there are no queues at all to the various attractions.

We recommend our post about other attractions and what to see in Vienna.

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