Vienna

Vienna is a city that still dresses like an empire. Grand palaces, a cathedral with a patterned roof and a ring road lined with opera and museums recall the Habsburg era, while coffee houses keep an old tradition alive: order a drink, linger as long as you like and read the paper. Music is everywhere, from Mozart to Strauss, and modern Vienna adds great food markets, parks and wine taverns. It consistently ranks as a very liveable city.

Talking points

• Coffee houses are a way of life, and nobody rushes you.
• Classical music is part of the city's daily rhythm.
• Palaces and museums are packed along the ring road.