The Most Beautiful Palace Gardens in Austria

Austria is home to impressive castles. Just as remarkable are the expansive gardens, featuring many rare plants.

Austria’s castles are spread out like pearls on a necklace from east to west, offering plenty of chances to discover its history. But it’s not just the castles themselves that are worth visiting – the gardens, parks, and pleasure gardens around them, carefully designed with great detail, are true gems of garden design.

A perfect blend of architecture and nature

Austria's palace gardens are full of variety, from beautiful flowerbeds to alpine gardens, and from romantic designs to water features. Many of these gardens are centuries old, providing a refreshing retreat in summer. It's no surprise that visitors enjoy a relaxing stroll through these beautiful green spaces.

The people of Austria have always had a strong connection to nature and architecture. From an early stage, they started creating gardens to enjoy the beauty of nature. Today, Austria’s stunning palace gardens invite you to walk, explore, and unwind.

Meet Austria's palace gardens

Gardens of love

Gardens of Ambras Castle

Archduke Ferdinand II had the palace built as a retreat for his secret wife, Philippine Welser. Many legends surround the lady of the castle.

Ambras Castle

Mirabell Gardens

Take a stroll through the baroque garden to the fountain, spot marble dwarfs hidden in the hedges, and enjoy the same view that Salome Alt once admired.

Mirabell Palace

Palace gardens and biodiversity

Herberstein Castle Gardens

There’s much to explore: A zoo with animals from all over the world and gardens designed to follow the sun, with colourful themed flower beds.

Herberstein Castle Gardens

Rosegg Castle Gardens

In the wildlife park, visitors can explore the historic castle hill and see over 300 animals. A walk through the labyrinth to the castle is also worth it.

Rosegg Castle

Schönbrunn Palace Park

The oldest zoo in the world is the main attraction at Schönbrunn. Tip: Make sure to set aside plenty of time to explore the vast palace grounds and the palace itself.

Schönbrunn Palace

Gardens of Hof Palace

Where do white donkeys and Lipizzaner horses meet exotic plants? In the baroque garden of Hof Palace! It also boasts 7 terraces and 6 fountains.

Hof Palace

Prince Eugene and botany

Prince Eugene was not only a general but also a passionate gardener. He transformed four palaces into stunning baroque gardens.
Prince Eugene
Hof Palace
Belvedere Palace
Niederweiden Palace
Obersiebenbrunn Palace

Vineyard or castle garden?

Kapfenstein Castle

Enjoy a picnic among the 40 hectares of vineyards and let your gaze drift all the way to Hungary and Slovenia.

Kapfenstein Castle Organic Winery

Palace gardens like no other

Rosegg Castle Gardens

In the 2,400 m² labyrinth, visitors navigate through paths lined with 3,000 hornbeams, creating a hedge that stretches over one kilometre.

Rosegg Castle

Laxenburg Palace Park

Centuries-old trees and a ten-kilometre network of paths, along with vast meadows and water features, offer relaxation and tranquillity.

Laxenburg Castle

Gardens of Belvedere Palace

Here, you’ll find not only the oldest Alpine garden in Europe but also the palace garden, chamber garden, sculpture garden, and botanical garden.

Belvedere Palace

Palace gardens with impressive technical features

Esterházy Palace Park

Where a café now stands, the monarchy's first Watt steam engine was once located. It powered the water system for the four ponds and the greenhouses of the Orangery.

Esterházy Palace Park

Hellbrunn Palace Gardens

The water features in the palace gardens amaze visitors with magical grottos, tricky spray fountains, and 200 handmade, water-powered marionettes.

Hellbrunn Palace

Palace gardens with elegance

UNESCO awards the "World Heritage Site" title to destinations that are unique testimonies of past cultures or exceptional natural landscapes. Four palaces and their gardens have received this prestigious recognition.

Eggenberg Palace Park

Planned as an architectural representation of the universe, framed by five gardens.

Eggenberg Palace Park

Mirabell Gardens

The baroque pleasure garden’s orientation towards the cathedral and fortress highlights the cityscape of Salzburg.

Mirabell Palace

Schönbrunn Palace Park

What a view from the Gloriette over the park, the Crown Prince's Garden, and the maze!

Schönbrunn Palace

Belvedere Gardens

With its landscape design, the gardens are a perfect blend of architecture and nature.

Belvedere Palace

Climate Protection Information

Biodiversity and species richness in castle gardens

Castle gardens are not only peaceful retreats for relaxation, but also vital habitats for many animal and plant species. Many palace gardens are now transforming their green spaces into wildflower meadows, like the Gloriette meadow in Schönbrunn Palace Park in Vienna, which has become a haven for insects.

In Salzburg’s parks, "wild corners" are encouraged to bloom, and even traffic islands are becoming bee pastures. Mowing schedules are now adjusted to support local flora and fauna.

Whether it’s a castle park, traffic island, or grass verge, every green space contributes to biodiversity.

Sustainability is also being embraced in travel: ÖBB is turning road embankments, grass verges, and station meadows into bee paradises, complete with beehives and honey!

FAQs

Burgenland

Lower Austria

Styria

Carinthia:

  • Dogs are allowed in Rosegg Zoo, but not in the labyrinth.

Lower Austria:

  • Laxenburg Palace Park

SalzburgerLand:

  • Hellbrunn Palace Park

Styria:

  • Herberstein Palace Park

Tirol:

  • Ambras Castle Park

Dogs must be kept on a lead in all gardens and parks.

Carinthia:

  • Rosegg Castle

Styria:

  • Herberstein Castle

Vienna:

  • Schönbrunn Palace

  • The Green Rose can be found in the gardens of Herberstein Palace.

  • At Eggenberg Palace, only roses that were known and cultivated before 1837 grow, alongside the ancient olive tree Methuselah and an impressive albizia.

  • The Fockea, a descendant of the oldest succulent pot plant in the world, can be seen in the glasshouses at Schönbrunn Palace.

  • Traditional varieties of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables thrive once again in the Meierhof at Schloss Hof.

  • In spring, the annual Rarities Exchange takes place in the Botanical Gardens of Belvedere Palace, where visitors can find unique plants for their own gardens or balconies.

  • At Esterházy Palace Park, botanical treasures such as the tulip tree, antler tree, Lebanon cedar, hop beech, Japanese string tree, and pine grove are on display.

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