# Eisenstadt Day trip from Vienna to Eisenstadt, Haydn's town: the Esterházy palace and its Haydnsaal, the composer's house, his tomb and the old Jewish quarter. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/austria/burgenland/eisenstadt · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Eisenstadt is the capital of Burgenland, a small town at the foot of the Leithagebirge, 57 km south of Vienna. For centuries it was the court of the Esterházy princes, the great Hungarian noble family, and their Baroque palace still dominates the square. Joseph Haydn worked here for more than forty years, thirty of them as Kapellmeister, and he is buried here. In a day you can see the palace with its concert hall, Haydn's house, his tomb in the Bergkirche and the old Jewish quarter, one of the best preserved in Austria. ## How to get there from Vienna By train, direct trains to Eisenstadt leave Wien Hauptbahnhof almost every hour, via Meidling and Wulkaprodersdorf; others go via Bruck an der Leitha and Neusiedl am See. While the closure of the central stretch of the S-Bahn lasts, until October 2027, board at Hauptbahnhof or Meidling. From Eisenstadt station to the palace it is a walk of about 15 minutes. By car it is 57 km on the A3. Vienna airport is 65 km away. ## What to see in a day Start with Schloss Esterházy: the princes' rooms, the silver treasury and the Haydnsaal, the hall where Haydn premiered many of his symphonies, with an acoustic that is still used for concerts. Five minutes away, Haydn's house is where he lived during his years at court. Then climb up the street to the Bergkirche, with Haydn's mausoleum and the Kalvarienberg, an artificial hill with chapels and wooden figures. Next to it begins the old Jewish quarter, with the Austrian Jewish Museum and Samson Wertheimer's private synagogue. To finish, the Schlosspark, a landscape garden of almost 50 hectares with the Leopoldina temple. With a car, 25 km away, Forchtenstein Castle holds the Esterházys' armoury and treasury, and 15 km away, on the way to Lake Neusiedl, the Roman quarry at St. Margarethen is the setting for the summer opera. ## Where to eat and sleep For eating on the palace square, the Henrici, in the former stables, is open Tuesday to Sunday. The Restaurant Platane at the Hotel Ohr is Burgenland cooking from a family that has been at it since 1951. To sleep, the Hotel Galántha is next to the palace, with a spa and a rooftop bar, and the Hotel Ohr is the simple option, with free parking. A night here lets you link up with Lake Neusiedl the next day. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Lake Neusiedl (a 12.5 km), Baden bei Wien (a 27.9 km), Mödling and Burg Liechtenstein (a 31.8 km), Carnuntum (a 39.1 km) ## Qué hacer - **Schloss Esterházy and the Haydnsaal** (1 h 30 · Adults and teenagers; family tours on some days · €19; with guided tour, €25; reduced €16 or €21; family €44 or €60; under-6s, free): The Baroque palace of the Esterházy princes dominates Eisenstadt's square. The tour goes through the piano nobile with the family's rooms, the entailed estate's collection of Neoclassical table silver, presented as the largest preserved set in the world, the princesses' apartment and the Haydnsaal, the festival hall where Haydn conducted the court orchestra and which is still used for concerts. At street level is the exhibition "Haydn explosiv". Entry is €19, or €25 with a guided tour; in English at 13:00. In November and December it is open Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 16:00 and on weekdays only with the winter tour at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Animals and pushchairs are not allowed in the exhibitions. - **Haydn-Haus, the house where Haydn lived** (1 h · Adults and teenagers; workshops for families on some Sundays · €9; reduced €7): Haydn lived in this house on the Joseph-Haydn-Gasse during the years when he directed the Esterházy music. Today it is a museum about his life and work in Eisenstadt, with an herb garden, the Haydn-Kräutergarten. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 and Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 17:00; on Monday it is closed. Entry costs €9. There are workshops and tours for children on some Sundays. It is a five-minute walk from the palace. - **Bergkirche, Haydn's mausoleum and the Kalvarienberg** (45 min · Adults and teenagers; stairs and dark passages in the Kalvarienberg): Beneath the north tower of the Bergkirche, also called the Haydnkirche, lies the mausoleum of Joseph Haydn. He died in Vienna in 1809 and the Esterházys brought him here in 1820; the mausoleum dates from 1932, and only in 1954 could his skull, stolen after the Vienna burial, be buried with him. Attached to the church is the Kalvarienberg, from 1701–1707: a hill made of stones, climbed by stairs and dark passages with grottoes and chapels, where life-size wooden figures tell the Passion. From the top you can see the plain as far as Lake Neusiedl. Guided tours of the church, the mausoleum, the crypt and the treasury are arranged by appointment with the parish. - **Austrian Jewish Museum and the old Jewish quarter** (1 h 30 · Adults and teenagers): For more than 250 years Eisenstadt had an important Jewish community under the protection of the Esterházys, in a quarter of its own beside the palace. The Austrian Jewish Museum, the first founded in the country after 1945, occupies Samson Wertheimer's house in the old Jewish quarter. Inside is preserved his private synagogue, the oldest in Austria that still serves its purpose. From here you can visit the streets of the old quarter and the two Jewish cemeteries. It is open from 2 May to 26 October, Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:15); it is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays. - **Schlosspark, the princes' garden** (1 h · All ages; pushchair-friendly · Free): Behind the palace stretches one of the great 19th-century landscape gardens in Austria, of almost 50 hectares. The prettiest part is the Leopoldine temple on its pond, from 1824, with a copy of the statue that Antonio Canova made of Princess Leopoldine Esterházy. There is also the orangery, the engine house, where the monarchy's first Watt steam engine ran and where there is now a café, and at the top an obelisk 26 metres high. It is free and open all year; you enter through the Joseph-Haydn-Gasse, the Bergstraße or the Glorietteallee. - **Forchtenstein Castle, the Esterházy armoury** (1 h 30 · Families and teenagers; lots of stairs · €19; with guided tour, €25; reduced €16 or €21): The Esterházy castle in the Rosaliengebirge, on a crag 25 km south-west of Eisenstadt, holds the family's armoury and treasury. From April to October it can be visited daily, independently or with a guide. From November to March it is open only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, with the winter tour at 11:00 and 13:00, and cannot be explored independently. It costs €19, or €25 with a guided tour. In Advent there is a market in the courtyard. You need a car. - **The Roman quarry of St. Margarethen** (1 h · All ages): A sandstone quarry worked since Roman times, between Eisenstadt and Lake Neusiedl, about 15 km away. Today its white walls are the stage of the Oper im Steinbruch, an open-air opera every summer, and from April to October it can be visited by day. In winter it is closed. It fits on the way to Rust and the lake. ## Dónde comer - **Restaurant Henrici** (Restaurant, Eisenstadt, €€€). Qué pedir: the weekend breakfast, or the surprise menu on Saturday night. - **Restaurant Platane at the Hotel Ohr** (Restaurant, Eisenstadt, €€). Qué pedir: in autumn, the OHR Gansl, the house's crispy roast goose. ## Car-free: By train from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling Eisenstadt can be seen entirely on foot: the palace, Haydn's house, the Bergkirche, the Jewish quarter and the park are all within a kilometre. The direct train from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling drops you 15 minutes from the palace. Only Forchtenstein and the St. Margarethen quarry need a car. Presupuesto orientativo: 80–150 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Galántha** (Hotel): The house A modern design hotel set in the palace's historic quarter, a few steps from Schloss Esterházy and the stables. It has 120 rooms, three of them suites, some with a view of the palace and others over the Pannonian plain. Downstairs is the Paulgarten restaurant, with grill and vegetables from regional produce, and upstairs the Parrot bar, on the roof. Rooms and spa There are several categories; the family room has space for three, with a double bed and an extra bed. The spa has a sauna, steam bath, relaxation area and gym. The hotel garage has electric car chargers. Where it is In the centre: the palace, Haydn's house and the Henrici are two minutes away. The station is about 15 minutes on foot. It is a good base for Lake Neusiedl, Sopron or a day in Vienna. - **Hotel Ohr** (Hotel): The house A long-established family hotel on the Ruster Straße, the road out of Eisenstadt towards Rust and the lake. Downstairs is the Platane restaurant, with its garden, and upstairs 39 rooms. Rooms There are 29 standard rooms, renovated, with air conditioning and wooden floors, and 10 comfort rooms facing the inner courtyard, with a walk-in shower, French balcony and a large television. One of the comfort rooms is adapted for guests with reduced mobility, with wide doors and an accessible shower. Wi-Fi is free. Getting there and parking There is free parking around the hotel and a covered car park for €20 a night. On foot, the palace is about 10 minutes away and the station is nearby. ### Servicios - **Train from Vienna to Eisenstadt**: Direct trains from Wien Hauptbahnhof via Meidling and Wulkaprodersdorf, almost every hour; others via Bruck an der Leitha and Neusiedl am See ## By car: By car on the A3, with Forchtenstein and the lake By car you are in Eisenstadt in about 50 minutes from Vienna, and in the same day you can add Forchtenstein castle, 25 km away, or drive down to the St. Margarethen quarry and Rust, on Lake Neusiedl. Presupuesto orientativo: 90–170 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Galántha** (Hotel): The house A modern design hotel set in the palace's historic quarter, a few steps from Schloss Esterházy and the stables. It has 120 rooms, three of them suites, some with a view of the palace and others over the Pannonian plain. Downstairs is the Paulgarten restaurant, with grill and vegetables from regional produce, and upstairs the Parrot bar, on the roof. Rooms and spa There are several categories; the family room has space for three, with a double bed and an extra bed. The spa has a sauna, steam bath, relaxation area and gym. The hotel garage has electric car chargers. Where it is In the centre: the palace, Haydn's house and the Henrici are two minutes away. The station is about 15 minutes on foot. It is a good base for Lake Neusiedl, Sopron or a day in Vienna. - **Hotel Ohr** (Hotel): The house A long-established family hotel on the Ruster Straße, the road out of Eisenstadt towards Rust and the lake. Downstairs is the Platane restaurant, with its garden, and upstairs 39 rooms. Rooms There are 29 standard rooms, renovated, with air conditioning and wooden floors, and 10 comfort rooms facing the inner courtyard, with a walk-in shower, French balcony and a large television. One of the comfort rooms is adapted for guests with reduced mobility, with wide doors and an accessible shower. Wi-Fi is free. Getting there and parking There is free parking around the hotel and a covered car park for €20 a night. On foot, the palace is about 10 minutes away and the station is nearby. ## By plane: Fly to Vienna and take the train to Eisenstadt Eisenstadt is 65 km from Vienna-Schwechat airport (VIE), which has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities. By hire car you arrive in about 45–50 minutes; without a car, take the airport bus to Wien Hauptbahnhof and the direct train to Eisenstadt from there. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hotel Galántha** (Hotel): The house A modern design hotel set in the palace's historic quarter, a few steps from Schloss Esterházy and the stables. It has 120 rooms, three of them suites, some with a view of the palace and others over the Pannonian plain. Downstairs is the Paulgarten restaurant, with grill and vegetables from regional produce, and upstairs the Parrot bar, on the roof. Rooms and spa There are several categories; the family room has space for three, with a double bed and an extra bed. The spa has a sauna, steam bath, relaxation area and gym. The hotel garage has electric car chargers. Where it is In the centre: the palace, Haydn's house and the Henrici are two minutes away. The station is about 15 minutes on foot. It is a good base for Lake Neusiedl, Sopron or a day in Vienna. - **Hotel Ohr** (Hotel): The house A long-established family hotel on the Ruster Straße, the road out of Eisenstadt towards Rust and the lake. Downstairs is the Platane restaurant, with its garden, and upstairs 39 rooms. Rooms There are 29 standard rooms, renovated, with air conditioning and wooden floors, and 10 comfort rooms facing the inner courtyard, with a walk-in shower, French balcony and a large television. One of the comfort rooms is adapted for guests with reduced mobility, with wide doors and an accessible shower. Wi-Fi is free. Getting there and parking There is free parking around the hotel and a covered car park for €20 a night. On foot, the palace is about 10 minutes away and the station is nearby. ### Servicios - **Train from Vienna to Eisenstadt**: Direct trains from Wien Hauptbahnhof via Meidling and Wulkaprodersdorf, almost every hour; others via Bruck an der Leitha and Neusiedl am See ## As a family: A palace, a castle and a big park Eisenstadt works for families if you alternate sightseeing and the outdoors: the palace has family tours on some days and Haydn's house has Sunday workshops, the Schlosspark is huge and free, and Forchtenstein castle, with its armoury, appeals to older children. Children under 6 enter Esterhazy sites free. ### What works best The Schlosspark, with ponds, a temple and room to run Burg Forchtenstein and its armoury The Schloss Esterházy family ticket (€44) The children's workshops at Haydn's house ### Where to stay Hotel Galántha, with a family room for three Hotel Ohr, with free parking ### Where to eat Restaurant Platane, with a garden Henrici, for weekend breakfast ### Bear in mind Pushchairs are not allowed in the palace exhibitions The Kalvarienberg has dark passages and stairs ### Qué hacer as a family - Schloss Esterházy and the Haydnsaal - Haydn-Haus, the house where Haydn lived - Schlosspark, the princes' garden - Forchtenstein Castle, the Esterházy armoury - The Roman quarry of St. Margarethen ## Consejos ### Choose the guided tour in winter On weekdays, from November to March, the palace can only be seen on the winter tour at 11:00, 13:00 or 15:00. ### The Jewish Museum is not open on Saturdays It is closed on Fridays and Saturdays, and in winter; it is open from May to October, Sunday to Thursday. ### No dogs in the palace or the castle Esterházy admits only assistance dogs. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How do you get from Vienna to Eisenstadt? By direct train from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling, almost every hour. By car, 57 km on the A3. ### How much does the Esterházy palace cost? €19 without a guide and €25 with a guided tour; family tickets €44 or €60. Under-6s get in free. ### Are there tours in Spanish? No: the public ones are in German and Hungarian, and in English at 13:00. ### Where is Haydn buried? In the mausoleum at Eisenstadt's Bergkirche (Haydnkirche), since 1954 with his skull, which had been separated from his body for almost a century and a half. ### Can you combine it with Lake Neusiedl? Yes: Rust is about 15 km away. It is easy by car; by train and bus, better with one night. ### Is it worth it in December? Yes, at weekends the palace is open from 10:00 to 16:00 and Forchtenstein has an Advent market.