Vienna for The Family Explorers: a Friday-to-Monday weekend

A hands-on museum in the stable courtyards for toddlers to twelve, in timed sessions; the Ocean for the smallest, the studio for the rest. Book the slot.

The big courtyard with its plastic Enzi loungers to climb and ice cream from the kiosk, closed to cars and open to running.

Schnitzels bigger than the children's heads at a Neubau institution, cheap and fast, one to share and a Kinderteller for whoever wants their own.

The oldest zoo in the world, 1752, with pandas and a baroque breakfast pavilion; arrive at opening, see the polar bears, leave before the nap.

After the nap, the hedge maze and the labyrinth playground next to it, with a viewing platform so the parents can wave; the park itself is free.

A brewery restaurant in the village square behind the palace, ribs and Schnitzel at wooden tables and a garden where the children can wander.

The 1897 wheel at opening, a wooden cabin to yourselves and the whole city in one slow turn; the Prater's small rides are at the bottom.

A dinosaur hall with an animatronic allosaurus, the meteorite room and the Venus of Willendorf, in a palace with a lift; open Sunday.

The biggest beer garden in the Prater, organic ribs and Kaiserschmarrn, bouncy castles and a playground inside the fence; dinner at six, bed by eight.

An aquarium stacked inside a flak tower, sharks, a tropical house with free-flying birds and a roof terrace by lift; open daily from nine.

The playground around the base of the tower, a climbing wall on its flank and benches for the adults while the last energy is burned.

Hummus, falafel and grilled halloumi at the Naschmarkt stall the children clear fast, ten minutes from the airport bus at Karlsplatz.