Prater (Grüner Prater and Hauptallee)

The Grüner Prater is Vienna's largest inner-city green space, a landscape-protected area of meadows, woodland and old Danube channels covering some 3.2 square kilometres in the second district. Its 4.5-kilometre Hauptallee, lined with chestnut trees, is a flat, largely car-free route popular for walking, running and cycling with a dog.

Good to know before you go

Dogs are permitted, and the City of Vienna provides both dog zones (Hundezonen) and off-leash running areas (Hundeauslaufplätze) inside the Prater, shown on the city's official maps. Under the Wiener Tierhaltegesetz, dogs must be kept on a lead in public parks and away from planted beds, except on the lawns of marked dog zones and running areas. The park has no published opening hours; access is unrestricted. Facts taken from the City of Vienna's official park page.

Practical notes

• Vienna requires dogs to be leashed in public parks except inside marked Hundezonen and Hundeauslaufplätze, so keep the lead on along the Hauptallee itself.
• The Prater meadows are mown only once or twice a year to protect wildlife, so expect long grass and ticks in summer and keep dogs clear of the waterbirds on the old Danube channels.

What is available on site

• Off-leash area
• Fenced
• Shaded seating
• Water bowls

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