locals | Talk to me about Austria

Ever wondered what makes VIENNA so special and why it is continuously voted as NUMBER 1 city to live in, in the world?

Even we locals and/or people who grew up in Vienna, are continuously fascinated and sucked in by the beauty of the City of Music, as well as amazed by all the many different layers the city has to offer. The Viennese say that, “you can spend your whole life in Vienna and never really know all of it’s mysterious secrets :).” This is a saying we know to be true. But that is another reason why we love Vienna, we love to be surprised. Do you?

Check out our beautiful picture tour of the capital city of Austria.

Photo Credit: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/vienna-photos-2/#/vienna-hundertwasser-haus_2702_600x450.jpg

Photo Credit: http://gencept.com/vienna-timelapse-and-hyperlapse-photography-video

Photo credits: http://christianmari.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/vienna-street-photography-2/

Photo Credit: http://www.theweddingnotebook.com/tag/acapella-photography/

Photo Credit: Peter Talke Photography

Photo Credits: Nadine Heller: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57816136@N03/6615593333/

Love the pictures & maybe want to see your own pictures of Austria on our site?! Then SUBMIT your unique shots here.

For the fourth consecutiveve year, Vienna was ranked as the number one city with the highest quality of life in the world, surpassing cities in Switzerland, Denmark, and the U.S.!The title was bestowed by Mercer, a global consulting firm, and was based on a combination of traits such as stability, rising living standards, and advanced city infrastructures.Vienna, known for its coffee, low crime levels, and historical architecture, beat out the over 450 other world cities surveyed (!) & which might leave you wondering — what makes the quality of life in our beautiful capital city so high :)? Well, here’s a short little list of the things we Vienna locals love BEST!

Our Vienna has a thriving music and nightlife culture beneath the subway between the Thaliastrasse and Nussdorferstrasse stations with famous clubs like Chelsea and the Rhiz bar.

Vienna has a thriving music and nightlife culture beneath the subway between the Thaliastrasse and Nussdorferstrasse stations with famous clubs like Chelsea and the Rhiz bar.

We Viennese (as we locals of Vienna are called 😉 ) have access to a ton of shopping options, including one of the best flea markets in Europe (!) — the Flohmarkt — with plenty of gems hidden among the piles of goods.

Its residents have access to a ton of shopping options, including one of the best flea markets in Europe — the Flohmarkt — with plenty of gems hidden among the piles of goods.

There’s also the fashion-forward 7th district of Neubau that includes the MuseumsQuartier Wien. Made up of museums, concert halls, and a theater, it was constructed from the original Hapsburg stables!

Though Vienna has a ton of global food options, its best known for its traditional Viennese fare. The restaurant Steirereck (one of the WORLD’S best restaurants) in particular is a hotspot for its selection of Viennese cheeses.

Though Vienna has a ton of global food options, its best known for its traditional Viennese fare. The restaurant Steirereck in particular is a hotspot for its selection of Viennese cheeses.

Our Viennese cafes are truly legendary and we Viennese claim to have invented the process of filtering coffee in 1683! Viennese coffee is 2 shorts of espresso mixed with whipped cream instead of milk. Try it out! You’ll be surprised how nice and creamier your coffee will taste ;).

Viennese cafes are legendary, claiming to have invented the process of filtering coffee in 1683. The traditional Viennese coffee is two shots of espresso mixed with whipped cream instead of milk.

We Viennese are also surrounded by some of the world’s most beautiful architecture, ranging from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period! The city was even designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site!!

Vienna residents are also surrounded by some of the world's most beautiful architecture, ranging from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period. The city was even designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vienna is proudly one of the last European cities to hold carnival balls, and hosts over 450 per year in its palaces that we locals may attend!! What can we say? We Austrians LOVE a good ball haha.

Vienna is one of the last European cities to hold carnival balls, and hosts over 450 per year in its palaces that the Viennese people may attend.

In the winter, we love to go to Wiener Eistraum (“Vienna Ice World”), a gorgeous 75,000-square-foot ice skating rink located in the City Hall Square.

In the winter, the Viennese can go to Wiener Eistraum ("Vienna Ice World"), a gorgeous 75,000-square-foot ice skating rink located in the City Hall Square.

The quality of our Austrian police force is said to be comparable in training, efficiency, and expertise to the one in the U.S. And it really shows — Austria has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe!

The quality of the Austrian police force is said to be comparable in training, efficiency, and expertise to most U.S. cities. And it really shows — Austria has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe.

There are over 150,000 public university students in Vienna, and almost 3,000 students of private universities, making it the European-equivalent of a fun college town ;)!

We Austrians can vote when we are only 16 years old, and drink when we are 18 (or 16 depending on the alcohol content of the beverage).

Austrians can vote when they are only 16 years old, and drink when they are 18 (or 16 depending on the alcohol content of the beverage).

Vienna has a high level of public utilities and transportation facilities, with almost 4,500 stations serving us daily commuters.

Vienna has a high level of public utilities and transportation facilities, with almost 4,500 stations serving Vienna's daily commuters.

Austria is a stable democracy with extremely low potential for war or civil unrest. Though political demonstrations sometimes do occur (since we Austrians can be pretty opinionated), they are peaceful.

Austria is a stable democracy with extremely low potential for war or civil unrest. Though political demonstrations do occur (especially in Vienna), they are peaceful.

Vienna is a central European city and meeting point, hosting more international congresses than any other world city (a total of 181 in 2011). As a result, our Viennese culture is extremely liberal and open-minded.

Vienna is known as the City of Music due to its music culture and the world-famous classical composers — including Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, and Brahms — who have all lived here.

We Viennese have access to the world’s oldest zoo (!) from 1752 in Schönbrunn Palace, with over 500 types of animals including giant pandas, Siberian tigers, orangutans, and elephants.

The Viennese have access to the world's oldest zoo from 1752 in Schönbrunn Palace, with over 500 types of animals including giant pandas, Siberian tigers, orangutans, and elephants.

Vienna is the only world capital with its own vineyards within city limits!! The traditional Austrian wine is served in designated taverns throughout the city (usually as a Spritzer).

Vienna is known for its city planning, and was even awarded the prestigious 2010 Scroll of Honour from the United Nations for reducing its sub-standard housing to less than 9 percent.

We Viennese can view the Emerald Unguentarium, the largest emerald in the world at 2,860 carets, in Vienna’s Imperial Treasury.

The Viennese can view the Emerald Unguentarium, the largest emerald in the world at 2,860 carets, in Vienna's Imperial Treasury.

Or they can eat and drink inside one of the 15 surviving gondolas on the world’s oldest Ferris wheels, the Riesenrad, built in 1897!!

Will we Viennese be able to keep the ranking of 1st Place in 2014 as well :)? 
We certainly hope so and will let you know, 
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