Schönbrunn was the summer residence of the Habsburgs, the dynasty that ruled a large part of Europe for centuries. The palace, on the western edge of Vienna, was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the eighteenth century under Empress Maria Theresa, and it has more than a thousand rooms. It began as a hunting lodge on land where, legend says, Emperor Matthias found a beautiful spring, the schöner Brunnen that gave the place its name. The gardens are vast and formal, with avenues of trees, fountains, statues, a maze, and the Gloriette, a colonnaded structure on the hill above the palace with views over Vienna. The palace and gardens were inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1996.
Inside, the state rooms are richly decorated, with gilded stucco, chandeliers, porcelain and paintings. The young Mozart performed here for Maria Theresa, and Emperor Franz Joseph was born and died here. The palace also hosts the oldest zoo in the world still in operation, founded in 1752, and a palm house, a large glass and iron greenhouse.
For riders, Vienna is a city stop. Traffic is heavy, trams and cyclists are everywhere, and the city has strict parking rules, with short-term parking zones across most districts. Leave the bike in a garage or designated area and use public transport, which is excellent. Fuel is easy to find on the outskirts. Austria requires a vignette for motorways. Arrive at opening time if you want the state rooms without a crowd; the gardens are free and at their best early, when the gravel paths are freshly raked and the city is still waking up.
When you are ready to ride, head west into the Vienna Woods, the Wienerwald, where winding roads through beech forests lead to villages known for their heurigen, wine taverns serving local wine and simple food. South, the Semmering pass and its UNESCO-listed railway, built in the nineteenth century, offer scenic mountain roads. Vienna's food is legendary: Wiener schnitzel, tafelspitz, sachertorte and apfelstrudel, best enjoyed in one of the city's traditional coffee houses.