Is this the most liveable city in the world

As a passage between East and West, Vienna is growing in quality – and international companies square measure being attentive.

Austria’s capital recently beat 229 alternative noisy cities to be topped the foremost habitable town within the world in step with a study from practice Mercer.

If you came here ten years ago, you would not recognise town any longer — there is a heap of restaurants and bars, artistic industries and it's rather more numerous

It’s geographic location and simple living build it an enormous draw for business folks. whereas centuries ­old castles and fine arts build it a preferred traveller destination business travellers square measure even as common.

“For me, Vienna was the foremost aesthetic town in Europe,” same Magnus Beyer, associate degree engineer with Imperial school in London United Nations agency recently went on his 1st business trip to Vienna to participate in the general assembly of the EU Geosciences Union control in Gregorian calendar month.

One of Vienna’s many green spaces dotted throughout the city

While the town is understood for its old­-world charm, travellers he speaks to square measure still greatly surprised by its beauty, same Jean-­Paul Dantil, chief at the Ritz­ Carlton Vienna.

“They square measure very perpetually stunned simply by however stunning town very is. several also are stunned however simple it's to run around here, however, nice the general public transportation is which traffic is not dangerous in the least considering that it is a capital,” Dantil same.

He came at the building, regarding half the guest's square measure in a city for business reasons, several of them diplomats, high­-ranking administration and consultants United Nations agency recognize at international conferences of power players, like the Organization of oil mercantilism Countries. the international organisation has been running its worldwide operations from Vienna since 1965.

With over one.8 million inhabitants, Vienna is that the second­-largest German-language town in the world And in a concert of the United Nations' four major office locations, Vienna is home to a number of its major agencies, together with the International energy Agency. The UN offices use some four,400 folks from one hundred twenty countries.

Aerial view of the Vienna International Centre, home to the United Nations Office and many businesses

With over one.8 million inhabitants, Vienna is that the second­-largest German-language town in the world, with 200,000 university students adding a young and cosmopolitan edge that extends to eating and nightlife, same Ursula Kainz, of Vienna Business Agency, that advises national and international corporations.

"If you came here ten years ago, you would not recognise town any longer — ­­there's lots of restaurants and bars, artistic industries and it's rather more numerous, additional open and simply additional vibrant than before," Kainz same.

Once Central Europe's most Japanese outpost, Vienna became the centre of the continent with the autumn of the country — an entryway for businesses seeking to expand into the freshly opened economies rising within the east.

Coffee culture is massive in Vienna

Moreover, the EU Union's eastward growth has squarely placed Vienna as a passage for business and investment that goes each way that.

More than two hundred international corporations have their headquarters in Vienna, and additional and additional international corporations square measure gap offices within the town, Kainz said. The top quality of life, overplus of universities, economic stability, and its proximity to Japanese Europe are major attracts.

Cultural quirks

Austrians square measure usually thought of excessively formal, shown, as an example, in their insistence on the utilization of titles and honorifics. Even those with associate degree undergrad degree are going to be addressed as “Magister”, whereas those with a Doctor of Philosophy square measure observed as the doctor, despite whether or not they have a medical degree.

A simple “hello” is not accepted unless you have established an in-depth relationship with a business partner. Instead, "Gruse Gott”, which accurately interprets into "Greet God”, is that the common phrase business partners use once they recognize during this Roman Catholic nation.

In several respects, though, Austrians square measure additional relaxed and ordered back than their northern neighbours in Germany. Being 5 or ten minutes late is not seen as an enormous deal in Vienna.

A simple ‘hello’ is not accepted unless you have established an in-depth relationship with a business partner

Proud of their recent customs, the Viennese can thirstily invite business partners for ancient meals, which regularly includes brewage or a glass of Grüner Veltliner vino over lunch.

Ubiquitous würstelständes provide fast food for those on the move

After a visit to the opera house, business partners can usually be taken to the “Würstelstand”, the ever present street stalls mercantilism sausages.

“It’s high-­class fast-food, nothing like McDonald's, and you'll be able to prepare to be taken there as a business traveller. My advice: Don’t provoke fork and knife,” Kainz laughed, explaining that the sliced sausages square measure served on a plate and unfit into horseradish, ketchup and mustard along with your hands.

Getting there

More than sixty airlines supply a complete of a hundred and eighty direct flights from Vienna aerodrome. The busiest routes square measure from the metropolis, metropolis and London. Last year, the recently refurbed aerodrome, handled nearly twenty-three million passengers. town aerodrome train, CAT, can take you to the centre of Vienna in sixteen minutes, associate degree eleven monetary unit ($12.25), non-­stop ride.

A three-­day public-­transport pass covers railroad line, tramways and buses and prices sixteen.50 euros ($18.35), whereas those staying long-­term will profit of passes that bring transport prices right down to but a monetary unit ($1.10) a day.

 a group lunch can value but ten euros ($11) and a really smart glass of wine prices no over four euros ($4.50)

Generally, Vienna is taken into account terribly reasonable for a EU capital. a group lunch can value but ten euros ($11) and a really smart glass of wine prices no over four euros ($4.50).

But beware: carrying money may be a should. several retailers and restaurants still won’t settle for credit and debit cards. the bulk of companies shut around 19:00 and also are closed on Sundays.

Where to remain

The many international headquarters conjointly the} increase in business investments has also meant a lift within the city's trade for conferences, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions. Last year town hosted three,685 congresses, conferences and international conferences, leading to one.7 million long stays in one in every of the city's sixty-five,000 building beds.

As Vienna may be a compact, walkable town with most sights set within the 1st District, finding a centrally set building helps build the foremost of your business trip.

Unesco declared the city's ‘coffeehouse culture’ as associate degree intangible World Heritage.

For those seeking accommodation with historic charm, building Sacher is among the city's most ancient hotels, having hosted Queen Elizabeth and John F Kennedy. Eduard Sacher opened the building in 1876, simply some years once his father fictitious the currently ­famous Sachertorte, a cake with a layer of apricot jam and a generous portion of topping.

Food and occasional culture

Coffee culture is massive in Vienna. 2 baggage of low left by Turkish troopers {trying|making associate degree attempt|attempting} to invade town within the seventeenth century sparked a practice currently, therefore, special to town UNESCO declared its “coffeehouse culture” as an intangible World Heritage.

A cup of low buys you a full morning or afternoon of undisturbed study and you may see many folks putting in work or reading for hours, associate degree empty cup ahead of them, while not drawing stares from the workers. Order the classic Sachertorte or associate degree apple pastry with a Wiener mixed bag, Vienna's speciality low.

The famous Sachertorte chocolate cake, a big part of café culture across Vienna 

Steirereck may be an in style place for business lunches owing to its stunning location within town park and its Austrian cookery. Reservations square measure needed.

To get a style of classic Austrian Wiener schnitzel, usually, a cut of breaded veal cooked golden and served with potatoes roast in parsley or a salad, head to Figlmüller. The building is over a hundred years recent and prides itself that its fine eating “goes on the far side the plate” with Wiener schnitzel that lives 30cm in diameter.

Off the clock

Days on finish might be spent ticking all the castles and humanities museums off your list, however, a number of the must-­see sights square measure Hofburg, these days the residence of the Austrian president, and Schönbrunn, the summer residence of the Habsburgs.

An hour-long stroll throughout a lunch break will offer you a decent impression of Vienna’s charm, however, if your schedule is tight, Beyer recommends about to your conferences the method several Viennese would.

“There’s hardly any cars within the 1st District. to examine the Stadtring, the Museums, the Opera and therefore the hall, simply ride a bicycle to your conferences.”