The Film Park (Prater)

Member Name: zoe_page_1

Product:	Prater
Date:	07/08/01 (89 review reads)
Rating:

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The Prater is a huge park which stretches for over 6km, situated just slightly east of the centre. Originally an imperial hunting ground, it was opened to the public in 1766. It can be reached by bus 74A, the U1 and several strassen- and schnellbahn lines. Within the park itself there is a lot to see and do, including

 The Maria Grun Kirche (church)
 golf course
 bowling alley
 racetrack
 planaterium
 swimming pool
 tennis courts

What most tourists, and indeed natives mainly mean when they talk about the „Prater“ though is the Volkprater, an amusement park at one end open 8am to 11pm daily. There are a number of well known attractions here, but the most famous of these has to be the Riesenrad, the giant ferris wheel immortalised by Graham Greene’s film „The Third Man“. (This is part of the reason for the title of the opinion – the other being that lots of films are shot here, including the dodgy one currently showing at the Secession). A ride on the Riesenrad (which costs about 4 GBP and can take around 15 mins) gives you amazing views over the city, assuming the weather’s fine.

Other attractions include a pretty funky ghost train (well I liked it when I was 8) and some dangerous looking roller coasters I’m yet to try.

The Liliputbahn is a miniature railway which travels a 4km circuit through the park. I’ve never tried ir - I was going to go on it a few months ago, but I kinda got lost and ended up following the circuit by foot anyway, but it looks like a nice relaxing ride. One thing worth noting if you’re a 1st time visitor to the city is the fact that you can buy a combo ticket for this and the Riesenrad and save yourself a few Schillinge.

Aside from the rides, the Volksprater holds other similarities with your typical Blackpool Pleasure Beach / Alton Towers stylie amusement park.
There’re lots of stands selling every item of fast food imaginable, and lots of sit down restaurants too. Though the prices are fairly reasonable, they do vary slightly so if there are a few of you, it’s worth checking out a few stands. My personal recommendation has to be the Langos (about 1 GBP each) which are a garlic bready based snack which are sooooo lecker (delicious). There are lots of stands featuring games which will never be won, no matter how hard you try, and prizes which, as a result, will never be given away. At the entrance there are numerous souvenir stands which can offer some good deals, especially if you are in the market for 25 postcards in one go.

The wonderful thing about the Prater is that it’s free (well free until you start riding / eating / shopping that is). There are lots of places to sit in the (much more now it’s August) sun and take a break. Kids will love the many Spielplätze (playgrounds) scattered around the place. We monopolized one last night, messing around on the swings and singing children’s TV show themes (altogether now, „Postman Pat, Postman Pat......“).

There are warnings in guide books about the Prater being a junkies’ haven, but I’ve never seen any evidence of such. There are more dealers in the Stadt Park or on the tubes (on my way out last night I was sitting opposite a well dressed, elderly gentleman, who started rolling out a splif just as pulled out of Karlsplatz.....

Overall, a great day or halfday out if you’re in the area.

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