Vienna’s world-famous Spanish Riding School is something not to be missed if you are visiting Vienna.  It is an absolute must to see the riding hall truly reminiscent of the imperial Habsburg era and the Lipizzaner stallions dancing to the music. This equestrian show is performed by Lipizzaner stallions that originated from the imperial stud in Lipica, Slovenia. The graceful stallions perform classical dressage movements to a classical-music program while the audience watches from pillared balconies – or the cheaper standing-room area – as the chandeliers shimmer from above.

There are many options to see the Lipizzaner’s. The Gala performances are offered at certain times of the year and normally on a Sunday.  So, seats are highly sought after, and booking for these performances needs to be planned several months in advance. The website lists performance dates and tickets can be ordered online. Normally, performances are at 11 am on Sundays from mid-February to June and mid-August to December, with frequent additional performances on Saturday and occasionally other days of the week.

The Lipizzaners have a well-earned summer break normally from the end of June through to the end of August, so there are no Gala shows or training sessions but stable tours are offered and the School may offer other performances.

Training sessions in the morning
Most of the year, the stallions train in the winter riding hall in the mornings and this Morgenarbeit (morning training) is open to the public from 10 am – 11 am. Although it doesn’t have the glamour or comprehensiveness of the gala performances, the exercises are done to music and it’s a more affordable way to see the horses doing their (rather impressive) thing.  There are no training sessions from July to Mid-August.

Guided Tours
You can also take a guided tour around the riding school and stables most days.  One-hour guided tours are at 1 pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm Tuesday to Sunday, held in English and German, take you into the performance hall, stables and other facilities. A combined morning training and tour is another option.

The visitor centre on Michaelerplatz sells all tickets. Morning training tickets can also be bought at the entrance during training sessions but it is recommended to pre-book.

Remember
During part of the summer, don’t expect to see any Gala shows or morning exercise.  The stars of the stable enjoy a well-earned holiday in the country. Refer to the website for any special performances that maybe on offer.

Other information
If you want to see the stallions for free and you have plenty of patience, you can wait outside the stable areas for the horses to transfer from their accommodation to the training areas on days when there’s Morgenarbeit or a performance.

Stand outside the former Lipizzaner Museum (Address: Reitschulgasse 2), facing the wall. To your right is the entrance to the stables. If you’re there just before, during and after the times of a session or performance, you might see some stallions walked past by their riders. No promises though.

Equally, from the road, you can look into the courtyard of the riding school stables and maybe catch a glimpse of some Lipizzaner poking his head out to catch sight of the tourists.

How to get to the Riding School
The visitor centre and entrance to the Spanish Riding School is part of the Hofburg Palace area, underneath the giant dome (Michaelerkuppel).

If you aren’t walking past on your travels around the sights, anyway, then you can best reach it on bus numbers 1A and 2A using the Michaelerplatz and Habsburgergasse stops.

Alternatively, it’s approx. a 10-minute walk from subways U1 (Stephansplatz), U2 (Volkstheater or Museumsquartier) and U3 (Herrengasse or Stephansplatz), and from any stop on the trams 1, 2, 71, and D between the stops Ring/Volkstheater and Oper/Karlsplatz.

Address – Spanish Riding School (visitor centre and entrance), Michaelerplatz 1, 1010 Vienna

Website –  https://www.srs.at/

Note: The schedule is a guide only and you must refer to the website for accurate dates. The prices suggested are subject to change.

If you are interested in visiting the Spanish Riding School in Vienna please get in touch as we can help suggest other wonderful highlights of this region and arrange itineraries and accommodation, including tickets to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

Snaffle Travel is including a visit to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna with their London International Horse Show & Vienna Christmas Market tour in December 2025.  Email us to be included on the pre-release tour list as numbers are strictly limited. info@snaffletravel.com.au

Photo: Courtesy of Austrian Tourism & Vienna information