Vienna Haus Party!

You acted like a prince at the Hofburg. You raged like a spring breaker at Tel Aviv Beach. You even nursed your hangover and confessed your sins at St. Stephen's Cathedral. What's next for a Vienna tourist? You could always check out the butterflies.

Huh?

In a city with this many grand structures, the Schmetterlinghaus doesn't always rise to the top of the tourist list, but if you're looking for something different, why not check out the "Imperial Tropical Butterfly House." The exhibit features hundreds of species of butterflies flying around freely in a natural rain forest-type environment. As you might have guessed, the collection befits its imperial name with species boasting surprisingly vast wingspans (as far as butterflies go) and enough vibrant colors to make Joseph's technicolor coat look gray.

Schmetterlinghaus, which is technically part of the royal Hofburg palace, is located in the 1901 art nouveau Palm House that was once the private domain of the royals. Today, it's a gorgeous greenhouse with waterfalls, hollow trees, a fish pond and gorgeous fluttering colors. This place is great for people of all ages, but it's perfect for those kids you made suffer through the Vienna Boys Choir.

Check out more photo here.

Images courtesy of author and Butterfly House via Flickr.