Vienna is a city of inspiration and music, the center of European culture, the epitome of sophistication and spirituality. The city, spread out on the banks of the Danube, surrounded by the Alps, is as majestic and beautiful as the surrounding nature. Perhaps that is why Vienna is somewhat reminiscent of a muse that inspires the creation of genuine masterpieces. After all, it was here that Mozart wrote his Requiem, and Beethoven wrote his Moonlight Sonata. It was in Vienna that the sophisticated Biedermeier style was born. It was here that Stefan Zweig created his works and worked on the famous articles of Sigmund Freud. Schubert and Strauss, Brahms and Haydn, Paganini and Berlioz also worked here. A special atmosphere reigns in Vienna, in which, in an amazing way, high art is combined with home comfort, seasoned with the obligatory aroma of coffee and delicious strudel. Maybe that’s why great writers and composers could create their imperishable works right at a table in a cafe – namely a Viennese cafe… There are not so many cities in the world that can boast of such a number of well-established combinations as Vienna: the Vienna Opera, the Vienna Ball, the Vienna Woods, the Vienna waltz, and also Viennese coffee or Viennese cake. And this is not surprising, because the Austrian capital is magnificent in all its manifestations – from architecture, parks, musical and cultural events to charming cafes, fine shops and elegant hotels.

Viennese cafes
Each capital is famous for its restaurants and cafes, the fame of which is associated either with excellent cuisine, or with history and famous names, or with location and unusual surroundings. And only Vienna is known to the whole world for “Viennese cafes”. Viennese cafes, of which there are about 2000 in the city, are not only famous for their atmosphere, specialties and drinks, they are part of the culture of the Austrian capital. People come here not only to drink coffee, enjoy strudel or Viennese cakes that melt in your mouth. People came and come here to meet friends, read a newspaper, listen to music or even write some literary work. No wonder they say here: “Whatever happens to you, go to a cafe.” So, the most famous cafes in Vienna:

Cafe Sacher (Philharmonikerstrasse 4, A-1010) – located on the first floor of the Sacher Hotel, the most famous cafe in Vienna. Here you can drink a cup of real Viennese coffee, represented by almost three dozen varieties, enjoy the signature Sacher-Torte chocolate cake, the recipe of which was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832, and admire the majestic building of the Vienna Opera, which overlooks the cafe windows.
Café Central (Herrengasse 14) is a famous historic café that has been visited by many celebrities since 1860, including Freud, Lenin and Trotsky. The signature coffee here is Cafe Central Kaffee (espresso with apricot liqueur and whipped cream). You can also buy a book about the history of the cafe at Cafe Central.
Café Hawelka (Dorotheergasse 6)– a cafe popular in the 1960s, the walls of which are decorated with paintings left as payment by famous artists, and even songs were dedicated to it. The cafe is famous for its buchteln buns, which are baked according to an old Havelka family recipe.
Café Braunerhof (Stallburggasse, 2) – an exquisite cafe located directly under the windows of Hobsburg Palace. The famous writer Thomas Bernard was a frequenter of the cafe, and his photographs adorn the walls of the cafe, and on Saturdays there is live classical music.

Shopping in Vienna
Vienna is refined, traditional and at the same time modern in every way. Shops are no exception, where you can find everything your heart desires – from fashionable expensive brands and works of art to jewelry, souvenirs and delicacies. The main shopping areas of the city are Kartnerstrasse (Kertnerstrasse) and Mariahilferstrasse (Mariahil-Verstrasse). Here are: the seven-story Steffi department store, the Helmut Lang mono-brand boutique, the Ringstrassen Galerien, H&M, C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg shopping galleries, the GIL Fashion Area designer boutique and many others. For those who are looking for exclusive goods, there are shops of suppliers of the imperial court: Zur Schvabischen Jungfrau – a shop for delightful bedding and AEKochert jewelry boutique. It is also very interesting to visit the best food market in Vienna – Naschmarkt.