This index of cities assesses numerous criteria such as healthcare, stability, education, culture, environment, and infrastructure. According to the recent index, Vienna garnered 99 out of , putting it just ahead of Melbourne and Sydney Australia , and Osaka Japan. Vienna captured the attention of the judges in almost every category, but did note that it lacked any major sporting events.
Known as Wien within the country, Vienna prides itself on its art and music, stately architecture, grand buildings, and coffee culture. My logic suggests that a city worth living in must be a destination worthy of visiting, and I fully recommend it to any visitor, as it has never let me down on several visits over the past few decades. Most of the historic buildings in central Vienna date back to the Habsburg dynasty, which ruled over a large area of Central Europe up until the end of World War I.
The spire of Stephansdom, the old cathedral of the Innere Stadt, is a dominant landmark that can be seen from many parts of the city. Stephansdom, located at one end of the Graben, has been a feature of Vienna since , when Duke Ottokar built a basilica on the site. There are guided tours of the building as well as the catacombs below and to the north tower above.
Energetic visitors can also climb the steps to the top of the south tower for views over the city. The charming pedestrian shopping precincts of the Graben and Karntner Strasse radiate from Stephansplatz, and there is a subway station located immediately beneath the square to enable quick access in and around the city. Away from these principal shopping precincts, there is a maze of narrow streets and back alleys lined with shops, some of which have conducted business on the same site for centuries.
Having been to Vienna several times previously, I was aware that one of the great attractions of central Vienna is that most of its historic sites are accessible by foot or alternatively, in an expensive fiacre or open horse-drawn coach.
