Globally, Vienna tops the ranking for the 10th year running, closely followed by Zurich, the runner-up.
Mercer, “Quality of Living City Ranking“
I have been traveling so long, living out of my carry-on luggage that I have forgotten what the date is or which day of the week it is. Still, there is routine to my days. Once I get situated in my Airbnb, it is a countdown before I must pack my bags, get to the train station, and move on to the next city and country. After my stay across the border of Liechtenstein in Buchs, Switzerland, my next stop was Vienna, Austria.
The train ride from Buchs was expectedly scenic. As the train crossed Liechtenstein into Austria, there was the charming combination of mountain, forests, and old European farmlands. From my train window, I could see bicyclists on the roads—some on racing bikes getting in a workout, some on tour bikes traveling from one destination to another. Part of me would have liked to have traveled from one country to another by foot or bike, to have the time to take in the scenery and savor travel at a slower pace. Maybe my next European trip will be a walking tour.
Once the train made it to Vienna, it was a 40-minute walk from the station to my Airbnb. Since I was remiss about not traveling by foot more, I relished the opportunity to trot to my Austrian refuge for the next several days. Aside from not having to pay Swiss prices for all manner of goods and services, the other convenient thing about leaving Switzerland was that the data plan that I bought in Italy when I first landed was working again. It was nice being able to listen to music and surf the internet during the train ride. Also, being able to quickly check my location on Google Maps on my phone made finding my Airbnb quite easy.
My Vienna Airbnb was spacious, quiet, and clean. It was in a residential neighborhood with a metro stop less than two blocks away and a hip restaurant called Das Augustin just around the corner. The restaurant had a nice selection of salads and entrees, but I really enjoyed were the crispy triple fried pome frites. While food prices in Vienna were cheaper compared to Switzerland, there is a tipping culture in Vienna. Nothing too unclear or excessive like in the US. I would usually round up by a couple Euros when paying my bill and would get a nice thank you from the servers.
So, after relaxing from my travels, my second day in Vienna I bought a city pass for 72 hours. This allowed me to use the public transportation throughout the city, which seemed to operate on the honor system because no one ever checked if I had a ticket or not as I used the public transportation (metro, trams, and buses). Of the three options, I only used the metro and the trams. I don’t know what it is about buses, but I have an aversion to them. I would rather stand in a crowded, sweaty metro or tram than sit in a bus. I would probably even pay for a taxi or Uber if I had to navigate the city by road. However, it didn’t matter because I didn’t have to ride a bus while in Vienna.
My first big excursion in Vienna was to the Belvedere because I wanted to see Gustav Klimt’s painting “The Kiss.” I have always enjoyed Klimt’s sensual, mosaic-like artwork, and his influence is quite evident in one of my favorite artists, Yoshitaka Amano. I was afraid that there would be a huge throng of tourist crowding the Belvedere to take selfies with the artwork, but to my surprise, the crowd in the Belvedere was reasonable. Maybe because it was June and not the height of the tourist season, or maybe because it was Vienna and not many people think about visiting the capital of Austria.
If I were to guess the top cities of the world most people want to visit, cities like Paris, Venice, London, New York, or Tokyo all come to mind. A city like Vienna might not be on the radar for most people. Which is a shame, because the public transportation is excellent, the city is safe, and there is plenty of cultural sites to explore. I was able to enjoy medieval and modern art, a classical music performance, and Austrian culinary fare during my stay. Though Vienna had an active tourist sector, it didn’t feel overwhelmed by tourists. It felt like a city where people went to work, rode their bikes, shopped for groceries, and ate at restaurants. I appreciated that about Vienna.
Vienna was well-organized and easy to navigate, it was culturally rich with lots of sites to explore, but most importantly it was relaxed. The city wasn’t trying to squeeze every last dollar, euro, or rubble out of the tourists. I could peek into shops without a salesclerk pouncing on me. I could enjoy a nice meal without having to worry about prices being marked up for tourists. I could fill a bottle up with tap water from a faucet or fountain and stay hydrated for free.
Long story short, Vienna exceeded my expectations. Though I was able to fill my time there with inexpensive sightseeing activities, I would visit the city again if given the opportunity. Part of me hopes that it stays under the tourist radar. Let the throngs of tourist swarm to Paris, Venice, and London, and keep Vienna the way it was like I was able to enjoy it. I now know what the most livable city in the world feels like.
opusculum 