Hotels near Prater and the Riesenrad

The Wiener Prater is a vast public park and amusement area that has been a recreation ground for Viennese since Emperor Joseph II opened it to the public in 1766. At its entrance stands the Riesenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel), built in 1897 and made famous by its cameo in the 1949 film The Third Man. The wheel lifts you 64.75 metres above the park in enclosed wooden gondolas for a slow, 15-minute rotation with views across the Danube and the city skyline. It is unmistakably one of the top things to do in Vienna, especially around sunset.

A standard Riesenrad ticket costs EUR 14.50 for adults. The adjacent Wurstelprater amusement park is free to enter - you pay per ride, with roller coasters, bumper cars, and carnival games stretching along the Hauptallee. Beyond the amusement area, the Prater's green parkland extends for 6 km along the Hauptallee, a dead-straight chestnut-lined avenue popular with joggers and cyclists. Praterstern station (U1/U2) is directly at the park entrance.

Pro Tip: Ride the Riesenrad 30-45 minutes before sunset for the best light and photo conditions. The Schweizerhaus beer garden inside the Prater serves excellent Stelze (roasted pork knuckle) and Czech Budvar on tap - a perfect post-ride dinner spot that locals have frequented since 1920.