podtour
The Ring: Empire, Republic and Power
The Ring is more than a line of grand buildings. Between Heldenplatz and Parliament, Austria argued over who should govern it.
The Habsburgs: Vienna and Spain: audio walk in Vienna
The Spanish story that hardly anyone tells in Vienna: why the Spanish Riding School is called Spanish, the prince born in Alcalá who signed the palace gate, the emperor proclaimed King of Spain who took in the exiles of 1714, the weddings with Spanish infantas and the Capuchin crypt, with the truth about its famous ritual.
What this walk is about
You start outside the Winter Riding School with a simple question: what's Spanish about the Spanish Riding School? You step into the courtyard of the old palace and see, in gold above a red gate, that a King of Hungary and Bohemia was still calling himself an Infante of Spain in 1552: this was Ferdinand, born in Alcalá de Henares. In the same courtyard you meet Charles the Sixth, proclaimed King of Spain in Vienna, who ended up without Spain, took in the exiles from the Crown of Aragon and changed the rules so that his daughter could inherit. You carry on past stables built "the Spanish way", the square where weddings with Spanish infantas were celebrated, the grey church of the imperial weddings and the silver hearts, a fountain that an empress wanted melted down and, finally, the door of the Capuchin crypt and the truth about its famous ritual.
- Start
- Horses from Spain
- Finish
- Knocking at the Capuchins' Door
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about Spanish heritage and the Habsburgs.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
Horses from Spain
- 2
A Spanish Infante at the Door
- 3
The House of the King of Spain
- 4
My Peoples: Spanish Etiquette, Exiles and a Daughter
- 5
An Elephant, an Infanta and Spanish-Style Stables
- 6
The Grandson Who Took Off His Spanish Cloak
- 7
The Library That Was Meant to Be a Riding School
- 8
From Riding Arena to Wedding Hall
- 9
Proxy Weddings in the Grey Church
- 10
Fifty-Four Hearts
- 11
The Naked Fountain
- 12
Knocking at the Capuchins' Door
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Vienna, before you go
The big squares can make you feel you ought to hurry. Vienna rewards looking at façades and allowing a proper pause; combine its compact old centre with transport when changing areas.
More walks nearby
The Opera and Vienna in 1900
Vienna pulled down its walls, then argued about what should replace them. Follow the changes to the artists who made a break of their own.
From Judenplatz to Café Central
Vienna's old squares witnessed conspiracies, refuge and shifts in power. Follow their stories from Judenplatz to Café Central.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.