Why Live in Vienna?

I enjoyed the coffee and the sacher torte, but I think I would rather live in Rothenburg or Bruge than in Vienna.

The sacher torte was good! :D

The sacher tort is dry. The coffee is good. Everything is under massive construction. Palace is amazing. Other than that not really sure?

Vienna was the first place in Europe that my husband took me. Then and now,I feel a difference in how the people look at life. It just feels .... deeper, slower, more at peace???? I don't really have the words... but I recognize it every time I set foot there.

AMY - My sacher torte was heaven - all four days! Where did you get yours?

Sacher torte at the Sacher Hotel was OK, but my wif makes cakes that are just as good, and some better. Wiener Schnitzel, on the other hand, was fabulous. Don't remember the name of the place, but noy too far from the canal. Would I stay in Vienna? Given teh opportunity yes! German organization without the brusqueness; good weather, at least when we were there, polite and accommodating people who almost to a man (or woman!) speak English and accept my mangled German with a smile.

I would want to live there for the following reasons - a city rich in history, quite beautiful and elegant, wondeful cafes and restaurants, a brilliant and cheap public transport system, countryside close by, other interesting cities a train ride away, friendly people, wonderful Xmas markets.......and so on.

Would I move there from southern Spain - probably not.

Because living in a city is entirely different than visiting it for tourist reasons.

Considered would be public transportation, good health care, safety, good job prospects, reasonable housing availability, cultural activities and the basic infrastructure.

If you look at the top 10 cities, 3 of them are in Germany - Duesseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt and they trade places every year, but always staying in the top 10.

So, though many of you on this forum don't even want to consider visiting Duesseldorf or Frankfurt, they are wonderful places to live and actually have a lot to offer to tourists.

Jo, I think I will plan next year's trip to Germany so I can take a look at Duesseldorf and Frankfurt. I went to Vienna last year and loved the museums, forrest, city, parks, food and yes the Sacher tort at the Sacher hotel. What I did not like was the mandatory 2 euro charge to check your coat in. Also, encountered a couple of rude store clerks but they are everywhere these days.

Brad, I too am from SoCal and love the beaches. A lot of people are moving to Costa Rica for the beaches and lower cost of living. Don't know about the medical services though.

Well, If ever there was a post I had to respond to, it is this one. We have been living in Vienna 7 years now. Saturday night we hosted a dinner party of expats from all over Europe and this topic came up. These are the reasons we agreed on: 1. One of the best public transit systems in the world. You really don't need a car. We waited 3 years before we bought a car. 2. Low, low crime. As one woman at the party said "a woman can walk by herself in any part of town and never have to worry." 3. Green. The city has vineyards within the city limits. The Vienna woods are glorious for walks. 4. Culture and history. So many layers, so little time. I particularly love the Roman bits that you can still find here and there. 5. Coffee houses, Gasthauses, Heurigers, etc. If you haven't spent a sunny afternoon in the leafy garden of a heuriger, you haven't lived. 6. Vienna is clean, well organized and the gap between rich and poor is relatively small. 7. Seasonal foods and seasonal markets (Christmas and Easter markets!) 8. Polite and friendly locals. Yes, really. 9. The city is a nice mix of cosmopolitan and "gemuetlich". 10. Centrally located. All of Europe is just a short flight away. 11. Baked goods! Say no more. But I could go on and on! :-)

Vienna is great, but life isn't complete without an ocean. My wife and I grew up on beaches in California. The goal now is to find a place with similar climate and an ocean without the craziness that California has evolved into.

I'm currently leaning toward Albania. I'm thinking beachfront property will be cheap and, by the time I retire, they'll be ready to throw off their third-world dictator and join the modern world. It's like buying a fixer-upper. :)

Albania is a democracy, and a member of NATO. So there's really no excuse not to move there:)

I guess after reading the posts, I realize that I do like Vienna more than I let on but still not enough to move there. It is a beautiful city. I do have to admit that the Rathaus does hold a pretty nice Christmas Market. I loved the huge ornaments in the trees and the gigantic pastry tubes filled amazing cream filling.

What about Wales?

I'll let you know when I get back. I'm gonna be there next week. First stopping off at Shrewsbury. Always wanted to go there after seeing the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott. Great movie filmed in this historic town.

I LOVE Vienna and haven't been there in nearly 30 years. As I said in a post under a different thread, my first trip to Europe had me in Vienna for about 5 days. That is where I fell in love with good public transportation, learned the Chicken Dance (yes, really!) and saw that a big city didn't have to be sterile (I DID grow up in the 'burbs of Dallas after all). Why haven't I been back? None of my trips since then have made getting there convenient. However I have plans to visit Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary and Vienna will DEFINITELY be on that itinerary.

Yes, Wales.

Wales is nice, but I would not want to live there. I was there for a month, and let me tell you, it rains almost non-stop! There is great history, culture, etc- but here are three drawbacks:

Rain/ weather

Mediocre transportation. Rail between cities is good, but Cardiff has no real metro, just buses and a rail commuter system for the villages around the city. You will need a car if you plan on living in Wales

Everything closes early, even on weekends!

On the other hand, if you are looking for village atmosphere, better prices than the rest of the UK- that is, if you are not working. The BBC ran an article a year or so ago that placed Wales as the highest priced place to live in the UK commensurate to earnings; but it is cheaper to visit than the rest.

The food is nice, homey, and filling. It is a good place, but beware the weather!

I'm with Mike there- Wales is too wet!

If I lived in Vienna, I would get a season pass to the Vienna Symphony concerts!!! I love Vienna!

Brad, "The goal now is to find a place with similar climate and an ocean without the craziness that California has evolved into."

New Zealand. (And you won't need to overthrow any political regime. )

How is the weather in New Zealand?