The spectacular 18th-century Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) is worth visiting not only for its magnificent architecture, but also for its beautiful park-like setting. One of Vienna’s top tourist attractions, this Baroque palace contains more than 1,441 rooms and apartments, including those once used by Empress Maria Theresa. Tour highlights include a chance to see the Imperial Apartments, including Emperor Franz Joseph’s Walnut Room and his Bedroom, which still has the small soldier’s bed in which he died. Of Empress Maria Theresa’s rooms, highlights include her richly furnished and decorated garden apartments, along with her Breakfast Room with its floral artwork created by her daughters. Schönbrunn Park and Gardens is another must-see here, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park, with its sweeping vistas and sumptuous Baroque gardens, is one of several free things to do in Vienna, although you will have to pay to enter the maze and some of the adjoining buildings, such as the 1883 Palm House. If traveling with kids, visit the Children’s Museum for a chance to see them dressed up as a prince or princess.

A good way to get to the palace and avoid the wait at the entrance is on a Skip the line: Guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace and Vienna Historical City Tour beginning with a pickup from your central hotel or the Opera House. After a narrated drive along the famed Ringstrasse, past major attractions like the Hofburg Palace, City Hall, and the Vienna State Opera, you’ll tour Schönbrunn Palace without having to wait in line. The tour continues to Belvedere Palace, where you can see Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss and other famous Austrian art with a discounted admission.