With an active estate farm, the grand Schloss Hof — once home to Prince Eugene of Savoy of the Habsburg dynasty — is celebrated for its magnificent architecture and richly landscaped grounds. Transformed in 1725 by its then-owner into a two-story palace, the residence sits amid extensive gardens and a working farm that still houses horses, sheep, goats, birds and even camels. The farm offers hands-on, interactive tours, and children can deepen their experience by adopting historical roles such as a housemaid or stable boy during guided visits.
Along the tour route, a series of stations demonstrate traditional crafts and skills, including falconry, blacksmithing, gardening, hunting and baking. Inside the palace, visitors can explore the Imperial Apartment with its drawing room, games room, bedchamber, table parlor and a dedicated coffee room — complete with a baroque fireplace — reflecting the once-exotic status of coffee. Other highlights open to the public include a grand Neoclassical banqueting hall, a dome-vaulted chapel, a sala terrena and the apartment associated with Empress Maria Theresa. Schloss Hof lies east of Vienna, near the border with Slovakia, and remains a popular destination for those interested in Baroque architecture, historic gardens and living heritage experiences.