The Belvedere: the prince's palace and the Kiss
Prince Eugene's palace, Klimt's gold, and the cascade gardens down to the lower house. This is a Claude-drafted route awaiting the editor's walk.

1. Upper Belvedere
Prince Eugene of Savoy built this as his summer palace and his swagger; it's now the gallery that owns Klimt's *The Kiss*. Go for the Klimt room first, before the coaches arrive — the gold leaf does something to a room that no postcard manages. The palace itself is the rest of the reason.

2. The cascade gardens
Step out the garden side and the whole baroque layout falls away below you — terraces, fountains, clipped hedges dropping toward the lower palace, the city's spires on the skyline. This is the view the prince paid for. Walk down the central axis slowly; the sphinxes line the way.

3. Lower Belvedere
At the bottom of the slope, the prince's actual living quarters — lower, longer, more intimate than the show-palace above. The old Orangery and the marble stables now hold special exhibitions. Worth a look even if you only do the courtyard and the formal beds out front.

4. Botanical Garden of the University
Slip out the east gate into the university's *Botanischer Garten*, founded by Maria Theresa's doctor for medicinal plants. It's free, calm, and almost no tourist finds it — a working botanical collection where students label the beds. The glasshouses are the prize if they're open.

5. Schweizergarten
South of the palace grounds, the *Schweizergarten* is a plain, generous public park — pond, lawns, locals on benches. After the formality above, it's a soft landing. Cut through it toward the station, or sit a while; nobody's rushing you.

The Belvedere: the prince's palace and the Kiss