Over the years, the Donaukanal has become one of the most popular summer hang-outs in the city. But before 2010, this part of Vienna was almost entirely devoid of any kind of social scene, with the exception of the Hermann Strandbar – which itself has only been around since 2005. It’s true that prior to…
The standard late night snack after a few drinks in Vienna has to be a Käsekrainer at one of the many würstelständer in the city. Although the Käserkrainer is particularly loved by the Viennese, it has broader historical connections. This is because it was actually ‘invented’ by two butchers from Upper Austria in the 1960s,…
A Viennese institution with a storied history – there is no shortage of such places in this city. One of the more popular ones amongst a diverse population of local residents is the Schweizerhaus in the Prater. Long a popular place to have a beer, it was first mentioned in historical records in 1766, and…
It may not be the most glamorous food, nor the healthiest, but sometimes it really hits the spot. I’m talking, of course, about the humble leberkäse. But where does this name come from? After all, it is neither liver nor cheese, thus making the name a bit of a head-scratcher. However, there is at least…
We all know and love the coffee culture in Vienna – turns out, so does Pyongyang! Though the country is notoriously tight-lipped about activities within its borders, apparently a Viennese coffee shop has been in operation in the heart of Pyongyang, right on Kim Il Sung Square. This joint-venture project, initiated by Viennese entrepreneur Helmut…
As winter wears on, many of us may start to dream of the blue waters and white sand beaches of less land-locked countries than Austria, but Vienna has its own cheeky and charming remedy: the Copa Cagrana. Taking its name from a too-clever-by-half portmanteau of the famous Brazilian Copacabana and the Vienna district in which…
There are dozens of classic coffee houses in Vienna, which are worth a visit. Probably, the most shabby, but at the same time the most charming among them, is for sure the Café Weidinger that is hidden at the corner Lerchenfelder Gürtel and Gablenzgasse right in front of the shopping mall Lugner City. When entering, visitors…
Although you could be forgiven for thinking it is still far away based on the unseasonably mild weather, it is just about time for the Christmas markets to open again in Vienna. Over the years the size and number of markets have grown to the point where it is almost impossible to walk through any…
We recently told you about the history and transnational origin of the word “servus”, but there are many more examples to be found in the Viennese dialect that directly reflect the close connections the city had in the past to various countries of central and eastern Europe – especially when it comes to food! One…
As soon as temperatures in Vienna make drinking outside possible, the Donaukanal floods with life. The sport lovers who keep the place alive throughout the year suddenly find themselves drowned in a sea of people who just want to talk and drink on the pavement. One can easily imagine that this was not always the…
