Live like a king in the Hofburg

Did you know that you can live in the Hofburg or Schönbrunn? These are some of the most famous addresses in Vienna, but they are not only for the royals and nobility of yesteryear. No, they also contain rental apartments that are open to anyone—assuming you get a spot!

The number of apartments are quite limited. You need to be on a waiting list in order to have a chance of getting one. However, even once you’re on the list, the wait can be a long one. Apartments typically only open up when someone dies, so waits can take up to 10 years or longer.

Although it must be great fun to tell the pizza delivery service that your address is in the Hofburg, there are some drawbacks to these apartments. Firstly, many of them are small and oddly shaped. Most of the apartments in both the Hofburg and Schönbrunn are found on the upper floors. This is where the servant’s quarters used to be. In addition, there are limitations on what kinds of window decorations or curtains can be hung, and pets are not allowed – you are living in a historical building after all! On top of that, you live in the midst of mass tourism, with few grocery shops or other amenities nearby, to say nothing of the dearth of parking spots at such locations. But that’s the price you pay to live at such an imperial address! (C.G.)

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