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Vienna reclaims the title of world’s most livable city
The Austrian capital Vienna is known for its classical music culture, fine arts, and world-class museums. Located in the northeastern corner of Austria, Vienna keeps its unique beauty and charm while maintaining a very global vibe. The city has become home to people from numerous cultures and backgrounds, giving the city a very cosmopolitan spirit.
The Austrian capital is also home to many major international organizations, including the United Nations. Every year, tourists from each corner of the world are drawn to Vienna. However, in the recent past, the city has also managed to establish the reputation of Europe’s most livable city which constantly tops various rankings dedicated to exploring the quality of life in different cities.
According to a recent article in the Guardian, Vienna has reclaimed the title of the world’s most livable city in the annual report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The city’s key advantages are its stability and excellent infrastructure, it was stated in the report. The Danish capital Copenhagen and the Swiss city of Zurich ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively, with Western European cities generally dominating the top ten.
Moreover, from 2009 through 2019, Vienna consistently ranked as the best city in the world to live in according to Mercer’s Quality of Living study. What is Vienna’s secret and how is the Austrian city always ranking so high in livability reports?
According to reSITE, the characteristics of a healthy, livable city include access to green spaces, an abundance of public spaces, effective public transit systems, and the availability of healthcare for all citizens.
One of Vienna’s strengths is unquestionably its public transportation system. An effective network of trams, underground trains, and buses serves the Austrian capital located between the foothills of the Alps and the Carpathians. One can quickly go practically anywhere in the city using buses, trains, trams, and underground lines.
However, biking in Vienna is also a fantastic experience, as the city is flat and has an extensive network of cycling lanes. Vienna prides itself on being a bicycle-friendly city and constantly works to improve cycling-related traffic conditions. Biking to work or school is fairly popular among the residents of Vienna. Moreover, Vienna’s city center, in particular, is very walkable due to its huge pedestrian area.
Austria’s central location in Europe also has the benefit of making it simple to get to from anywhere in the world. Particularly, Vienna has excellent access to all major European cities and numerous world cities, which undoubtedly boosts the city’s popularity among expats. The largest airport in Austria, Vienna International Airport, is situated 18 kilometers southeast of the city center in Schwechat.
According to the city of Vienna’s official website, 200 square kilometers, or about 50%, of the Austrian capital are considered to be green spaces. These green spaces allow for free public use in major portions.
Vienna is undoubtedly a pioneer when it comes to sustainability. For many years, Vienna has led the way in developing innovative strategies for sustainable urban development, providing its residents with livable and sustainable spaces.
The city with a population of nearly 2 million residents stands out for having comprehensive climate protection programs that were adopted early on, earning the city the distinction of being one of Europe’s greenest cities. Vienna has risen to the top of the list of the world’s most livable cities because of its citizens’ availability of high-quality, affordable housing.
The Austrian city also has a stellar reputation as a clean, green city with high-quality drinking water and air. The city upholds strict safety and cleanliness standards. At the same time, with extremely low crime rates, Vienna is also one of the safest cities.
Vienna offers all the features that make it extremely attractive for people wishing to experience a good quality of life in the heart of Europe, including affordable accommodation, green spaces, a low crime rate, and a rich cultural offering. (photo credit: 30daysreplay Social Media Marketing/Unsplash)
