Inhabitants of large and famous cities are never friendly. Take Paris, London, Berlin or New York as further examples. No wonder. To pretend that one is happily excited that the 17th million visitor this year came along would be manifestly insincere. To pretend that one cared about each of the millions of other inhabitants would be absurd. And if one looks deeper Viennese grumpiness is philosophical. Namely stoicism spiced with that specific Habsburgian-Bohemian-Hungarian-Italian-Jewish-Balkanesque charm and with a benevolently wicked sense of humor. That is the authentic essence of Central Europe. The linear Anglo-Saxon minds can hardly penetrate it. Nor the impatient and ever efficient Protestant souls. Nor overly harmonious East Asians.
People in Vienna are generally unfriendly, not only towards foreigners. I am Austrian myself and would advise you not to take the Viennese grumpiness personal in any way.
It is not meant to be unfriendly. Austrians and especially Viennese are direct and if you are not used to this kind of communication, yes it seems to be unfriendly. As I know from international friends (China, UK, USA) it is still a great place to live. But, it is difficult to make friends. That has two reasons: 1) If you are not a student, than your colleges, etc. will be busy with their lives. Hence, it is not easy to become a close friend as they already have settled their social environment. (That may be true for other countries too I guess.) 2) In Austria / Vienna we do not have a large interest in other peoples personal live. So besides the regular small talk (where do you come from, why are you here, and so on) it is hard to get in contact. As always, both points are not true for everyone in Austria but I think they are still correct. So if you are not a student and party with young people, you will find it hard to connect on a regular social level. Anyway, we are hearty once you give us some time to warm up with you. So just give it a try. As you are saying, at least it is a great place to travel around central and east Europe.
Been to Vienna maybe 15 times. A British friend of mine lives there. As a minimum wage worker, his quality of life is 3x better than in the UK. Better and faster medical treatment, proper dental treatment, more holidays, much cheaper accommodation which includes electricity and hot water and no council tax for renters, public transport is 1/10th the price of London. Food is more but restaurants much cheaper than the UK. And to top it off, is in the EU and a days drive or train ride to dozens of other European cities. And wherever you are in Vienna, everything you need is 15 minutes away.
There seems to be a perception that the streets are paved with gold in the UK...in 10 years the population has gone up 5 million and we've built about 800,000 homes in that time...doesn't take a genius to see how this causes a problem. I'm an immigrant too and even I'm like WTF.
@@jonjohnson2844The UK is finished. If i didn’t have family roots and was younger i would leave. There is no hope for the UK with the muppets in charge of it.
Without a working knowledge of the local language. You are struggling every day, if you decide to live there. A fact that most of these travel videos never mention. English is not widely spoken outside the capital cities in most countries. Learning the language also helps in terms of integrating. Why should Austrians have to learn English?
@@lukebignell7846 a bit extreme, I'm sure depending where exactly in the UK you live you will have better quality of life. also you were crying about the tories and there's a labour government for nearly a month and youre losing your mind
The perceived unfriendliness of Austrians is mostly a case of culture clash. Expats often expect the culture to be similar to that of their home country, but it's not. One of the main reasons why expats find it so hard to get to know locals is that Austrians tend to keep work and pivate life very separate and generally don't socialize with colleagues or co-workers. You can work at a company for 30 years and never once go for a drink with somebody from work, and you'll never be invited to their place. It's just something people don't do here, and people from other countries are simply not used to this. Friendships are generally forged at school, university or through mutual friends. The slim chance you have to get to know Austrians is to join a club with a common interest, such as a rowing team, dance classes, or the like, but generally, Austrians already have enough friends and will not openly approach new people, especially not someone they haven't known for a substantial amount of time. Friendships are generally deep and often for life, so they're only extended to people who are trusted 100%. Austrians are also notoriously bad at smalltalk or at fake professional friendliness, which is also something many expats are not used to. On the other hand, despite the sometimes grumpy exterior, people will not hesitate to help if they feel that help is needed. Despite an insistence on following rules, the rules are usually not written in stone and, if necessary, bent to help someone. That said, Austrians can become extremely unfriendly if someone is perceived as impolite, overly demanding, or behaving as if they were entitled to something. Comunication is an art form that takes a lot of time to master because what matters is not what is said, but how it is said. That's also why many Germans, despite speaking the same language, can have a hard time when living in Austria, because they focus on the former rather than the latter.
Native Viennese in particular are very direct. If they think someone is doing something inappropriate, they will address it. If they are angry, they will show it. Most cultures cannot deal with that. Many are not used to having the truth told to their face, even other Austrian people. :)
I want to add that this is especially true for conservative environments like the public sector or the industry. There the unsophisticated middle-class life you described is truely lived 😂
As a Swede living in Vienna for the last ten years, I have some comments. 1. If you don´t really need carbonated water, please try out the tap water! I am spoiled with having great tap water in all my life, but Viennas tap water is amazing, even from my standards. It comes from the Alps, is really tasty and available almost everywhere (during summer, there are drinking fountains open, all over the city - don´t miss that many of them have a holder for excess water. It is for dogs and birds). 2. No matter what, one can´t deny that Vienna is beautiful. In some suburbs, everything is built straight (boring), but in most places there is always and "odd angle", a street that dwindles, some odd details or something else. I am convinced of that we humans are not made for living in places that are built straight. I think it is an unconcious thing, but walking around in Vienna simply makes me happy. Vienna is also very green, 50 percent of the city are green areas. If you like birds and animals, there is a surprising range of species that have made the city their home. 3. Stay out of the Inner city (Erste bezirk). Visit it once and be done with the "must see". Most tourists go there and it is expensive. Yes, very beautiful and some hidden gems, but still - I don´t think I visited the center for the last two years. 4. Yes, there is a language barrier when it comes to especially the Viennese dialect. Everyone understands Hochdeutsch, but not all will use it themselves. The original Viennese are also known for being grumpy and somewhat negative - they always complain about something. Just answer with the same attitude, and you might get a friend! :D The correct Viennese answer to "Oh, such nice weather!" is "Yes, but what about tomorrow?". 5. Visit in early spring or late autumn. Then you can skip the hot summer months and enjoy walking (I recommend walking a lot, you will always find something interesting). The heat waves we have during summer are insane.
completely agree with the 1 district. when you need the zip code go for it but thats not really what vienna has to offer. the inner circle is where the good life is plus 13, 19. best tap water in the world as our mayor often says.
Now that is a comment i can basically totally agree with, haha. Summer is awful here, water is great, 1.Bezirk is too 1. Bezirk, and most places out here, outside the Gürtel, where people are normal, look boring and straight. That is what i hate about Vienna. And all the other cities i have been to in Europe, except for Germany, are so much more exciting. I just love old architecture. Old lanes, old buildings, old street lamps and Vienna does not care about that at all, unless of course in 1. Bezirk. I can't stand it. So many of the post WWII architects and city planners ought to be in prison for what they have done to this city. Another thing is culture, the one besides the classical music circus. In my general field of music, i have to real lucky, if one of my favourite composers or musicians stops by here. I could go on but i won't bore you, may i just ask what made you come here in the first place?
I don't know what heat-waves you are talking about. But o.k., Sweden is a much cooler country. I live in Vienna too (born here too), still at least, because I will immigrate to the Philippines once I retire. I can cope much better with the people there than with people in Europe. May have to do with my wife who is from there, but my whole life I always felt more at home with non-Europeans. When it's not about my job at least. But privately, I don't have any Austrian or European friends.
yes we dont like foreigners from specific areas on the world map who really like to be here. even schools got serious problems with foreign culture behaviours and you dont want your kids to be there to learn bad language, having not the right religion...
We don't like foreigners who don't behave and stick to their own way of life (includes how they dress). That's why we have no problem with Chinese, Philippinos, Vietnamese, Japanese or Americans, but Turks, Arabs and the like are generally quite unpopular. And we don't like foreigners who question our way of life and tell us what we should do differently or whom we should (not) vote for.
but that is exactly what happens with immigration. The immigrants, once they feel "naturalized" in the new place will become intolerant of other immigrants. It's a pretty curious phenomenon.
@10:01 pro tip: you don't need to buy bottled water in Vienna. Tap water is of _excellent_ quality (it comes straight from the Alps via two aqueducts), and there are plenty of drinking fountains and fire hydrants with taps all around the city. Just get yourself a small reusable bottle and fill it up on the go.
As a Brit who is living in Salzburg - was it difficult to adapt at the start? Absolutely. Was learning the language a requirement? Absolutely. Austrian migration law and generally the culture is more closed off to foreigners. However, as a result, the quality of life that I have as someone who put the effort in and integrated is far better than in say the UK, France, or Germany.
Ah lovely Salzburg! Yes it'd be the place I'd relocate to in Austria, not that I've explored that widely yet. So pretty though, and the mountains, the lakes! Really got to get back there next year.
Well it is a bit absurd how difficult it is when people want to come legally especially if they are from an European country anyway, i don't mean EU with that. At the same time certain migrants get in without even having a passport and certain families get a 5k Euro every month in Vienna.
Hand on heart, do you think they view you as one of their own? I struggle with this a lot in Spain, they view me as a foreigner even after a decade of living here and speaking their language perfectly.
All the people from Salzburg come to Germany for buying groceries and go to restaurants, because here it is about 30% cheaper. Germans love Brits, you are very welcome 😊
I moved to Vienna from the UK 12 years ago and I love it. It's a beautiful city and in my experience as a Brit, I have not found it to be so unfriendly. The quality of life here in Austria is high and I feel very privileged and lucky to call it home.
May i ask which district? Because to call VIenna biutiful as a whole is insane in my opinion. There sure are nice parts but outside the Gürtel, where the people are normal it is not pretty unless you got money and live in those particular districts. Oh well, i suppose it all comes down to personal taste, i myself cannot stand what modern "architecture" has done to this place, of course WWII plays a big role in that as well.
@tinkeringforfun "It's a beautiful city and in my experience as a Brit, I have not found it to be so unfriendly." From a British perspective, this makes perfect sense, as the British are the most unfriendly tourists in the world. Joking aside. Welcome to Vienna!
Yeah if you don't behave obnoxious, don't expect everyone to be your friend from the get-go, leave them some space and you shouldnt get too much trouble with unfriendliness here. Glad you enjoy it here! : )
I am Austrian and lived in the US for almost a decade, started a family there (NY area). We moved to Vienna 15 years ago and no regrets. I still love to visit the US, though!
I moved to Vienna 18 years ago from Latvia and I always felt very cosy and found Austrians even friendly and open. Compared to the Baltic countries and Scandinavia, this is exactly the case. I guess it depends on where you come from and also on your knowledge of German. And maybe your willingness to adapt to local customs and habits.
Reminds me of what Christoph Waltz once said "Austrians are very polite and they don't mean it." I wouldn't say that counts for all of us as I consider myself very polite (maybe because of my foreign mother) but in general he told the truth.
@@xcel5203 Polite and nice are not the same. Being polite towards strangers is good enough. Being nice to someone is more personal. Being faked nice is odious.
I lived in Vienna for six years, when my Dad was posted at the American Embassy. Vienna is my heart. I went to both the international school and local schools. The Viennese are a bit aloof, but I made great friends there and it was a fabulous place to grow up. The public transport is the best and a great way for kids to become independent and mobil. I did have the advantage of speaking German fluently and could also speak the local dialect. It’s a beautiful city and as you pointed out, central to much of Europe. Go visit , you won’t be disappointed!
A Western Embassy in Vienna- that must have been quite "entertaining" for your Dad. I worked there briefly when on secondment to the UK FCO. Sadly the cold war was over by then and I didn't get to see anything first hand, but worked with people who did. Spy central 1945-1991.
@@derektaylor2941 We were there 60-66. He was the political advisor at the American Embassy. I think “entertaining” about sums it up. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. Was he or wasn’t he? He never said.
I am sure the international schools are pretty different, i have only connections to one. I know several people who went to the vienna international school. Even my brother was there for 3 month before quiting. They all were arrogant snobs, thinking they are open to foreign cultures but after listening to them it seemed more like all those teens have the same culture but from different countries. All they were talking and thinking about was clothes, new tech and popular people they met. I once was on a Dinner with a group of them and as the korean food was served and we wanted to start eating, my wife and i were stunned, watching all other 9 people taking out their phones to take food pictures for instagram. VIS-students live in another world. As far as i know, all of them now work normal jobs in Vienna and are pretty lost while my brother lived and worked in India, Spain and Dubai and speaks 3 Languages. I know construction workers who are more open minded and international than those Students 🤭
@@TheNamu87 Not my experience at all. I was there in the early years. It was small , very diverse and not snobby. Cell phones were a futuristic dream. I am sorry you had such a negative experience. My classmates ended up all over the world, engaged in varied occupations. We all have very fond memories of AIS, Vienna and each other.
@@katewilliams4876 Ah, then maybe the AIS is much better than the VIS or i had the bad luck of meeting the wrong people and their quite similar friends. 😄
I’m from the US and just visited Vienna for the first time in July. Absolutely loved it. It was so easy to get around, the food was great, the architecture, atmosphere, infrastructure, and general vibe was leaps beyond what we have here in the US. There wasn’t a place where I felt unsafe. Food prices where I live in the US are ridiculously inflated. I noticed the price of basic food and necessities were much more affordable compared to my mid-tier American city. I have no doubt it’s one of the most livable places in the world.
That's interesting, Austrian food prices are relatively expensive for European standards. Both in restaurants as well as groceries. There's a notable difference compared to most of Austrias neighbours.
@@kulak403 You are mistaking inflation and prices. While Austria has had the most inflation in the EU, cost of living in Nordic countries is still more expensive... But due to the high inflation we are closing the gap.
I was in Vienna a few years ago, & walked around the city at all hours, late at night. I had one incident, when a carload of young men stalked me. I hid in the shadows on Rauhensteingasse. Otherwise, I would not venture out in my own city in Annapolis, Md, late at night.
@@sagichnicht6748 “Scotti” originally referred to a people who inhabited Northern Ireland and Western Scotland (by the Romans). There’s some debate about whether it was their name or whether it was a generic term that meant “sea raiders” (similar words were used for pirates in the Mediterranean) but because it went into Latin, the only written language at the time, it stuck. But the key point was that they were “culturally Irish” - in language and religion. And it was those Irish-Scottish people that brought Christianity to Scotland and Northern England and they were great missionaries and travellers elsewhere (maybe some got to Austria). When those people merged with the Pictish people of north east Scotland around the 10th century their rulers called themselves Kings of Alba (which is still the Gaelic name for Scotland) but also “Rex Scotorum” - king of Scots - and that is what ultimately led to the country being called Scotland in English.
All Gaels were called Scottish, Ireland is from "Iar" meaning "western" ie the "Western Isle", cf "Na h-Eileanan Siar" = "Western Isles"= "the Outer Hebrides". Also etymologically linked "Hibernia" = "the west" ( where the sun sleeps) "Hebrides" = little western isles.
@@sagichnicht6748 Because the "Scoti" were an Irish tribe...they were originally from what´s today Northern Irland...and from there they settled on the today´s Scottish Westcoast and founded the Gaelic Kingdom "Dal Riata" (5th century - 9th century) which was today´s Northern Ireland + the Scottish Westcoast shore and from Dal Riata slowly but surely the Scoti went more and more East and at some point in time (=9th century) they took over whole "Pictland".... and "Dal Riata" + "Pictland" together then became the Kingdom of "Alba" which is the Gaelic name for "Scotland" till today... The Christian Missionaries who arrived in Austria in the 6th century who were assigned to christianize today´s Austria were Scoti from monastries in Dal Riata´s Northern Irland region...that´s why they are called "Schotten" although coming from Ireland.
I have lived in Bregenz in the West of Austria for 8 years and have been very well accepted. You do need to put in the effort to integrate. Learning and becoming fluent in German is not negotiable. You cannot hope to integrate in any country without speaking the language and Austria is certainly no exception.
not true, especially in vienna with thousands of syrians/afghans. They do what they want. Scare people, annoying them, and most turn out to become criminals from an early age.
as someone born and raised in Graz, I was always slightly envious of the cultural offerings Vienna held, with its Musikverein, Konzerthaus, Staatsoper and Volksoper. But living there is costly compared to Graz, and I assume one gets used to the faint reminders of its imperial past fairly quick. Graz has nice, green areas with parks and trees, which makes it enjoyable to live here. What unites both cities is the lack of clean public toilets apart from the very center of each city. Sadly a quite Austrian/German thing in general.
Why can’t he live in Vienna? He has a passport! Apply for the correct visa and you are sorted! If you have no reason to be in a country for more than 3 months, then you shouldn’t be there! Brexit stopped people living in another country without a reason, including Brits of course
Supermarkets and Mini-Markets which are opened in sunday and on bank holydays in Vienna: Filiale Öffnungszeiten Sonntag und Feiertag Billa am Praterstern 06:00 - 22:00 Uhr Interspar Pronto in Wien Mitte 06:00 - 23:00 Uhr Spar Gourmet im Flughafen Wien 05:00 - 22:00 Uhr U3 Supermarkt im Westbahnhof 07:00 - 24:00 Uhr Merkur mini Markt im Westbahnhof 05:30 - 23:00 Uhr OKAY Reiseproviant 05:30 - 23:00 Uhr
Please don't think that a rent of € 500-600 is standard. I work at a Real Estate company in Vienna. There are very few flats with this price on the privat market but a lot of people who want's them. You have better chances if you are able to pay ~€900 and more depending on the flat size and location. The statistics aren't good because we have a lot of social flats but you don't get one when you are moving to Vienna. You have to live in a flat there for 2 years and than you can ask for a social flat. Doesn't mean that you get one. We also don't earn a lot. If you earn €2000 and have to pay €900 for a cold flat it gets a little bit harder especially if you are single. Please take a good look into that before considering to move here. I have a lot of people who want to move here in a few months and thought that it would be easy to get a cheap flat here. It's not.
You don’t need to buy water in Vienna. The tap water is the best! It comes from the mountains. So, you just need bottles. And there are fountains all over Vienna where you can fill up again.
The reason why the Praterstern is so quiet is, that one of the major train lines there is closed during summer for track replacement. 👈🏻😉 It's annoying. I live only a few blocks away and this is a station a used very often.
Also it's one of the only places where drinking alcohol is prohibited in public. I wouldn't say it's quiet though... it's always very busy there whenever I'm there
Praterstern is known as a dangerous area, especially in darkness. Drug-dealers of foreign descent, who quickly become violent, also against each other.
Infrastructure repairs in summer are brutal; the poor tourists walking like a trail of ants between Schottenring and Schwedenplatz in 30° heat is painful to watch.
let me tell you a secret: in 3 years i´ve lived in the uk not a single german word was spoken to me. the whole country demanded me being able to speak english from the start. and you know what? never in those 3 years would i have expected anyone to speak german to me. that has to do with respect for the country you move to. the immigration/visa topic is a bit more complicated though as what you have said. you were talking about visas (for short term stay). but there are also A LOT of different residence permit types. i´ve worked in immigration and i granted visas as well as residence permits to non-eu-citizens for years. the visa d you mentioned is not meant for people who want to stay in austria long term for working purposes. for that you need to apply for a residence permit. but to cut a long story short: everyone who wants to come to austria to work is able to do so. they just need to apply for the right permit.
amazing really. someone from very far away visiting another country and complaining that everybody doesn't speak their language! us/uk are really hanging onto imperial mindsets.
Still funny to me that so many channels are checking out my home country. I am from Salzburg but worked in Vienna for 14 years, a great great city. As an Austrian you take everything for granted and watching tourists talk about as they see it, gives you new perspective. Don't go to Vienna in the summer, it is too hot, come in spring.
Vienna in the summer is great - if you like it hot like I do (I just miss the humidity). The balmy evenings are so much better than in Munich where it gets chilly in the evenings even on the hottest of days.
Hi Scott, just love Vienna and Austria as a whole. It seems to have a certain class that you don't get anywhere else. The cities and mountain villages are just stunning. Quality of life is on a different level compared to the UK, I can see why Vienna is ranked number one in the world for living in. Definitely try living there for a few weeks next year. It would be a great experience and an ideal location for local and European travels.😊
Spend one day in the districts 10 and 11 and you would change your mind. You are not in Europe anymore there. Just somewhere in the center of Turkey or the Middle East.
I’m a Brit living in Vienna for going on sixteen years. It is a fantastic city, extremely safe and affordable with excellent public infrastructure. Incidentally I live in the 19th district near Heiligenstadt, where you went to look at the Karl Marx Hof and the U4 station there is my main link to town. It borders the vineyards (Heurigen) where you can sit in the green enjoying a ‘Sommer Spritzer’ and excellent local cuisine. You are absolutely correct about the Viennese’ apparent unfriendliness to foreigners; there is virtually no small talk and they are famous for their ‘grantig’ gruff demeanor and dry humour. If you can speak the dialect then you can bypass this entirely and share in the ‘schmäh’. Since Brexit there are far less Brits in town, something I actually don’t mind because I am generally only friends with Austrians through my work in the music and film scene. The necessity of learning the dialect cannot be underestimated if you want to be accepted here. Oh, and shops at the railway stations (like Praterstern and Franz Josef’s Bahnhof) are actually open on Sundays. Petrol stations too.
you don't notice the hordes of illegals on every corner? Maybe in your area this phenomenon is not clearly visible (yet). Vienna has changed a lot since 2015. Not to the better.
I grew up in Vienna and graduated from university there. Later, I worked in several countries and am now back to Vienna. I also worked in the UK (Cumbria) for about 8 years and in Finland and the Netherlands for another alltogether 9 years... Without knowledge of English things would have been rather difficult in Cubmria and even in places like London German would not have got me far. (and obviously I would not have been able to do the job (university lecturer) I was hired there for. As regards finding friends. Everywhere I lived I found friends through work related acquaintancies or freetime activities (e.g. sports). As regards the "having to leave" rule: This does not apply, if you have a job and are on a worker visa. Incidentally, EU/EEA citizens travelling to UK also have to leave after 6 months, so situation is not that much different.
I am here in Vienna for 4 months this summer. I went to a meet up group for new residents and met the nicest folks. Here is a plug for Club Melange. A few of us made plans to meet again and I intend to go to their next event as well. Your best bet is to get to know other newcomers who are seeking out friendship like you are. Indeed, unless you are working with local people or engaged in regular activities, I have a feeling it is hard to melt into the established communities. I must admit, I find that to be true everywhere. I have not encountered rudeness, however. Everyone is gracious and seems to enjoy meeting me with curiosity about my home country, the US, even if for just a minute. Thanks for the tour!
I am an austrian myself and I can tell you, that viennese unfriendliness is only to be found in Vienna ;) The more you get to the western parts of Austria, the more friendly and welcoming the people are. I know that, because I was born in Tyrol and also lived in Salzburg. When I moved to Vienna and entered shops I always got the impression that I am disturbing and not welcome in there. It was a shock! Nowadays, when I visit Vienna for shopping and I got lost, I am always asking the turks or other immigrated people. Usually they are more friendly :)
This is one of the most interesting comments. I am Austrian too ( originally from Upper Austria) but I live in Vienna since 13 years. The not originally Austrian population I am surrounded by are very friendly and you can have anything from them. They are very nice neighbors. They do not seek fights with you! They are understanding if you want peace and also if you want fellowship. I love the multicultural bustle in Vienna. And if an Austrian is speaking hatefully about foreigners, I leave them in the middle of the road mid-sentence! 😅
I don't think you can be eligible for a work permit in Austria unless you are classed as a skilled worker (not that I doubt your travel skills!). Austria is nice (although some regions can be somewhat boring imho), and I've met many friendly Austrians, but like many Europeans, they are fatigued by mass immigration, and this can contribute to the lack of enthusiasm and patience to engage with outsiders. Graz is meant to have lower rental prices, and it's a popular student city as well as being near holiday resort areas such as Worthersee. My personal fave is Bregenz, because it's right on Lake Constance, which is a fantastic area. I also like Salzburg because of its proximity to places like Berchtesgarden (I've probably messed up the spelling there). Servus!
Used to be an amazing car event on in worthersee every year but unfortunately locals complained (about one day a year ffs) and that was that. They then missed the money they weren’t getting anymore and asked organisers to put it back on but it’s not half what it used to be and the police are right a******s with people
Greetings from Vienna. I think you should stay here for a while. Lots of good coffee, fine food, wineries, pastery shops, interresting local + international train and bus travel options. Finally thank you for all the effort your put into your presentations. Vienna will love you.....
Greetings from Vienna. It's true of you don't have to work and can lounge about with fine food, wineries, pastery shops in the inner districts - most of us can't, most of us live in a world where the cost of living crisis is a real thing, and Vienna doesn't love us, no.
@@josefsad1502There exists internet today...people are traveling there, streaming videos and journalists show the situation there. I have been working with refugees from Afghanistan for years, so you can bet I have an Idea. But I am living in the hotspot of Vienna and it is really, really bad. When women dont dare to go outside in the evening alone and moral guardians are bothering girls here in Vienna, it has something of Afghanistan.
22:27 as an Austrian can explain this to the unbearable amount illegal immigrants (syria, irak, afghanistan etc) austria, especially Vienna has been flooded with for the last 10 years. Locals are fed up to the max with those people and have developed a pronounced rejection towards anyone from outside.
Great observation, so, what is we gonna do about it? I am also "European" same country as you... and as another commenter said, it's the same there... i guess it takes 3 days of darkness or some other divine intervention.
@@AmadeuShinChan All it would take is our "dear leaders" to grow some hair on their testicles and ovaries and deal with it like normal, grown up people and not scream "Nazi!" immediately as the issue is brought up. Well, a hell lot of the population needs to change too, 'cause they are the ones screaming "Nazis!" even louder. The whole debate is so stupid, i mean everyone can see this is not healthy for anyone but due to some strange ideology and misunderstood past, so many still rather shut up and go along, just like with Corona and so many things. People here are cowards on insane levels. Nothing will change unless we deal with this one issue, an issue that has been planned long ago and that is executed on levels we have no idea about. All that is getting accomplished by their way of handling is strengthening the numbers on the far right and left and nobody in their right mind wants that, so......apparently Sweden and Denmark under Socialist Democrat leadership are finally doing something, probably all it will take is take away all the free money, 'cause we all know that is why so many are here and who can blame them? Greetings from Vienna, from one of the districts with the largest immigration numbers.... one more little story...when i was in primary school, there was one boy from then Yugoslavia in our class, i still know his name, now, in over half of all the schools in Vienna, there is a majority of Muslim children, from many different countries, i heard from people i know and from media, in many cases there is now 1 Austrian boy, perhaps 2 in a class.....i grew up in the 70s and 80s.....that's all one really needs to know i'd say.
Really enjoying these “would I live here” videos. We all wonder that when we travel, right? We have visited Austria a couple times and loved it. Our vote though, if you do a month there, is Innsbruck. It’s our favourite with Salzburg in 2nd. Hope you do more of these.
Great video Scott. It's always nice to be able to travel around and visit other countries but it's even better to get back home to your own bed. Thanks for sharing your travels in Vienna 😊
I am going to Austria next year, probably September and I am going to try the same cafe and dish. I let you know if I like it as well. Your videos are awesome and you are the BEST! Cheers. Mike
Believe me, you are very welcome in Vienna. Come here and stay for a couple of month and explore Austria. I am always happy to hear a nice british accent in Vienna. :-))
The title is totally misleading. He says 1. Tourists are welcome in Vienna 2. He is a tourist but 3. He's not welcome. Living in a foreign country takes effort if you want to be accepted. Even then, you will normally be "foreign" because you will have a (slight) accent. But I don't want to loose my slight accent. It makes me a bit different and defines who I am.
Certain areas in Vienna, not places he showed, that does happen to you too now on a daily basis. No, it's usually really peaceful here, but the tendency goes in that direction unfortunately.
And for all the sneering shite you hear from Scottish people (I am one) about Sunday trading rules in England (I live there) - all I can say is that at least you can shop on a Sunday if need be. And the English Sunday trading rules only apply to stores over a certain size, smaller ones can open whenever they want and usually stay open really late. It's no problem for me at all. Germany is slowly loosening up, but it's taking a _loooong_ time.
@@halfbakedproductions7887 Sunday is actually the busiest shopping day in England, even if the big shops are only open for 6 hours. It did take a lot of getting used to when I first moved down here. Arrived down in England with all my stuff very late Saturday night. Woke up very late on Sunday because I was tired from the move, spent a bit of time unpacking some stuff, went out to the big Asda nearby, and found it was closed because it was after 4pm, whereas the big Tesco near where I previously lived in Scotland was open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
I was working in London in the 1990s and it was filled with litter. I flew into Toronto in 1991 and was picked up by a mate and was driven through the city centre. Something was missing, then it dawned on me there was no rubbish on the streets.
The 90 day rule only applies to visiting non-Europeans. We have residence in Portugal and I worked here for 15 years until my retirement and both the residency and work permit were easy to obtain. This means that we retain our U.K. citizenship but can travel anywhere for any time in the Schengen area simply on production of our residency card.
I am afraid you are wrong. The 90 day rule applies to EVERY third country citizen including citizens from the UK ! You had stayed in the EU long enough BEFORE Brexit to obtain your right or priviledge to stay. So, please, do not raise hope where there is none !
Wrong ?? I did say 'non-Europeans' which includes U.K.! Anyone with 'residencia' can travel freely within Schengen. Permanent immigrants can still apply for resident status.
@@minischembri9893 Misinformation. I live in Pori in Finland. There are Americans here, Russians, Indians, Kazaks, all sorts, and me, who is married to a Finn. All with permanent residency. Don't tell me that India, Russia, Kazakstan, Afghanistan, etc, etc are members of the EU because they are not!
I subscribed to the newsletter using your link. Hope you get the hoodie! A month in Vienna next year would be great. Look for an Airbnb outside of center city but near public transit and maybe it would be less $$.
Funny you should mention the "Prückel" so early on. I worked in an office just around the corner, and I had lunch there every day for years. For the first couple of weeks I felt "Herr Joseph" (Mr. Joseph, honorific and then first name, yes, that's strange ), the head waiter, was actively ignoring me. After that, my favorite table had my favorite newspaper and my favorite drink waiting for me every day. People will, as a rule, be IMPOLITE, unless they think you are a tourist. That's the standard here, on the edge of more easterly Europe, where anybody that smiles in public will be pegged as a fool, or smirking, not smiling, at them. I don't think that's "unfriendly", but it does take some time to get used to.
Guten Abend, Scott. I've been to Austria including Vienna several times, mostly for work and have found no problems at all. I think one has to learn to speak some German, partly to tslk to others but also to understand what you are hearing/seeing.
You come to Austria, check out Austria, Bratislava, Slovenoea, Trieste, Venice, Ljubljana, Bregenz, Zurich, use Trains, and get to know Vienna. People are not so hard-shelled as reported 🙂
Yes, Hofer and aldi are the same. Hofer was once an austrian company. Sold to the Aldi group for several years. Since the former Hofer store was very well known and popular in Austria, the name was left here.
There are few. But there are. You must enter the small lanes. There are public primary and secondary schools and a public Kindergarten. Those are not facilities for rich expats.
There are locals in the city center BUT just lawyers, doctors and businessmen. You won't want to connect with them - not even "normal" citizen like to do.
@@Piusplac some high ranking social democrats lived also there. But you have also council flats (Gemeindebauten) in the first district. Not a lot, but they exist.
There are actually many "normal" locals who live in the 1st district but you won't notice them, especially if you are just visiting the tourist hotspots.
Loved this video Scott .. thank you!! My husband and I would absolutely love it if you’d stay somewhere for a month .. it’s something we have thought about fairly seriously, although to date have not actually tried it! We are older than you and are former Brits living in Canada, but the call of Europe is beckoning, strongly !! Time to do it, possibly 😊
Please don’t use the word “Ex-pats” for Brits living abroad. They are migrants. Either immigrants or emigrants depending on which way you are looking at it.
You can come by with only english in Vienna. The father of a schoolmate of me only ever spoke english and he was here for decades. Most Viennese speak english. They just didn't want to speak to you. (And yes some didnt practice english in a long time so some might be out of practice but everyone has to learn english in school. If you meet someone who doesn't speak english well enough just go to talk to someone else it really shouldn't be difficult finding someone who can speak with you properly) Also its not like we don't like foreigners, we just generally don't want to be bothered by anyone. Native or foreigner. As others have commented, don't take it personally. The experience would be similar if you were a native. And you are absolutely right, Vienna is a great base for travel. The flight prices to most european destinations are dirt cheap and you got alot of neighbouring countries as well you can reach by car or train easily as well. I think you should give Vienna a trial month, you seem to like it and you can test your hypothesis further if people were just friendly to you because you were a tourist. ; ) I hope you had a pleasant stay and enjoyed your time in Vienna and thank you for trying to be as objective as possibe in your video though the title is a bit missleading. Cheers!
@@GregoryKodolanyiRitterHe indeed said the EU would stop him from living in Vienna, which is wrong because immigration is a national competency. He would have to apply under Austria’s immigration rules to be able to live and/or work there. Unlike some EU countries, Austria does not offer a “digital nomad” visa or residence permit so I think the answer to his question whether he could live there and pursue his youtube content creation business for a period is probably no (or at least not easily), but it would be informative to see him try to do it all legally. I rather suspect that filming videos for commercial gain is not technically within the scope of his Schengen visa waiver even on a short visit.
@@scottm9158the EU treats every third country the same. It’s a rules based system that is protective of it’s own interests. UK citizens expecting preferential treatment are in for dissapointment.
@@TrevorLink-v6o correct; and proof that the Brexiteers are liars and charlatans. After the global EU 90 day ruling, each individual country is 'sovereign' in how it deals with foreign immigrants and visa seekers. So funny how the UK needed to get its sovereignty back but Austria already has its own
Having just come back from staying in an Airbnb in the suburbs (well, Meidling), I love the place. Living in an Airbnb instead of a hotel meant that aside from having space with a 7 year old, we got privacy and that chance to get out and do what locals do; take the public transport, use the supermarkets, get the pfand back on the beer bottles etc. I'd say give it a go if you can make it work. Also, even managed to get to the football whilst we were there. It's good value for money
I'm originally from London - But I've been living here for 20 years - I have a love/hate relationship with this city and when I visit London I'm surprised how polite and friendlly people are. They know how to queue and say excuse me! Yes Vienna is really unfriendly and it's famous for that in the rest of Austria!. I enjoyed your video - And yes I think you should come and be based here for a month - There is so much more to see and you're close to many midlle and eastern European countries!
I agree. I’ve been many times to both cities and have the same experience. Every place just has its downsides. People usually tend to see the place they visit as a tourist either too positively or too negatively.
@@simonh6371 I usally stay in Walthamstow - But of course we're making vast generatlizions - in comparisson to Vienna -people appear to be better at queuing...
Immigration of third country nationals is regulated by each country, not the EU. The scope of economic activities which may be performed while visiting under a Schengen visa waiver is also determined by each country, not the EU. For economic activities which cross the line, a national visa is required. The types of national visas available also vary by country.
Yup. Same as if anyone else would go and move to the UK (or most other countries to be honest). Of course, if the UK hadn't brexited moving anywhere else in the EU would be a non-issue.
If you google “professional activities not classed as economic activities/work” you should get a very helpful list published by the German Embassy in London of what may be done in Germany when visiting under a Schengen visa or visa waiver. It is not obvious to me that the making of youtube videos for commercial gain is covered under any of the provisions eg journalism or cultural activities. Other Schengen countries’ rules are likely to be similar but may differ in detail as this is a national competency, but those rules are hard to find so the relevant embassy should be consulted. Also when entering the Schengen zone, the purpose of the visit should be correctly stated.
@@dsracoon You completely misunderstood his comment, did you even read it?. Also it's clear you never lived in the EU before Brexit. If you did you know that moving anywhere else in the EU was not a non issue even before Brexit. I lived in Austria just before they joined the EU. To get an Aufenthaltsgenehmigung I had to show my contract of employment, proof of residence (rental contract) and medical insurance. After Austria joined EU citizens had to get an ''Anmeldebescheinigung'' (certification of registration) for which the criteria were...contract of employment, proof of residence (rental contract) and medical insurance...exactly the same, only the name had changed. Failure to fulfil those criteria within 3 months means an EU citizen there is illegal. Now we are not in the EU, moving there would now be just like it was when I did (1994)...and just the same as whilst we were in the EU. It was never the same in other EU countries as for EU citizens moving to the UK, the UK authorities and people like you were just so insular that they assumed that everywhere in the EU worked like the UK, because were in the EU. Such ignorance, not even bothering to check up.
@@simonh6371 EU citizen cannot be "illegal" for failure to register, one can only get a fine. (which btw even Austrians can get for not registering their address in time) You cannot be deported for failing to register. You don't need to show medical insurance if you work in the same country. Rental contract is only for proving you actually live where you say you live. Non EU citizens are not allowed to work AT ALL unless they already posses a Work Visa / residence permit. In this case unlike the latter its not just a formality and you CAN very much be refused for any reason at any point. If you actually did some research than you would also know that third country nationals (including UK) have quotas for red white red cards, can only be hired if a no EU/EEA/CH candidate is available for the job + in addition, non EU/EEA/CH are not allowed to ever own property in Austria...
@@poulhnilica8987Registration of the place of stay (Meldegesetz) indeed applies to all equally and failure to register may be sanctioned by a fine. EU/EEA/CH citizens wishing to stay more than 3 months need to go through an additional process to confirm they are entitled to freedom of movement rights: employed or self-employed and therefore socially insured; studying with medical insurance; or economically self-sufficient with medical insurance. Those who do not qualify may be expelled. This is the process which the UK chose not implement in relation to FoM! Land ownership is regulated by the States (Länder) eg Vienna is liberal but Land Salzburg is restrictive. But the States should not discriminate in this regard against EU/EEA/CH citizens exercising FoM rights or indeed UK citzens with Withdrawal Agreement rights in Austria.
I've been living here for 15 years. It's quite a mixed bag. On the one hand, I've met some lovely Viennese people (young and old) who have been an absolute pleasure to know. On the other hand, I've met some absolutely loathesome types, too. I still remember the shock I had when I greeted one lady with "Servus" during our school excursion. She turned, in a very offended manner, and said "Servus? SERVUS? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?? SERVUS??" I was so taken back as she walked off. A colleague of mine explained the situation to me. Basically, she was a PhD in her field. Austrians absolutely LOVE their titles. Probably more than their kids! (Joking...but not really). With these titles, comes a level of respect expected from those around you. For example, when you sign for something, as a PhD or Master, you would write your qualification before your name (My wife has a masters degree but refuses to use her title in her name as she thinks it's cringe worthy). So me saying 'Servus', which is kind of an informal "hello", maybe like a "alright mate" in English, is extremely offensive to those with degrees.
As a Bosnian who lives in Vienna for more then a 3 decades I am so tired of hearing that Viennese people are unfriendly. Please don`t be so childish and grew finally up. Nobody will cuddle you as a grown man. Nowhere. Not in Melbourne, not in Paris and also not in Vienna. Be active, find some bubbles according to your hobbies and you will find enough interesting people and maybe later good friends.
I am sorry for you if you really think that way. It is not about people "cuddling you as a grown man," but showing some minimal politeness, respect for other people, and willingness to interact socially in a way that minimizes attrition (which usually means being at least polite and, ideally, friendly). Most people in Vienna are unnecessarily passive aggressive, purposefully unpleasant, and sometimes even brutish in a myriad of social interactions, not to mention the fact that they are often racist/xenophobic. If you lived in other cities and saw how much more pleasant life can be when people talk respectfully to each other, presume good will, don't make faces for even the tiniest thing, and don't judge everyone immediately based on their nationality and appearance, maybe you'd change your mind. Social interaction doesn't need to be dreadful, you know?
@@henriquemendes7938 Sounds like Vienna isn't the city for you. I will tell you though on the note of "minimizing attrition" that I do find the fake and superficial politeness and cheerfulness exhibited by people of some other cultures exhausting, so to each their own I guess.
@@kiddaedalus Indeed, it probably isn't. I came here to perform a specific task that has a start and an end date, and I must say I am glad I am approaching the latter.
@@PlanesTrainsEverything Innsbruck seems an unorthodox choice for staying a month. Have you been there? What made you consider Innsbruck rather than, say, Graz?
haha, brilliant! And even that is ugly these days. Man i used to love riding in the old trains, the ones we had up until the late 1990s. You would have a whole compartment to yourself late at night, was able to switch the light on and off, open the window.....comfy seats in orange and brown...yes, even smoking was allowed then, so i don't care about that anymore, but the other things are what made train rides home, after a day or evening in Vienna so special. Now you can't even see outside with the ugly neon lights glaring and reflecting in the windows.
My local architecture guide says Rosemount Square in Aberdeen is "based on Viennese workers' housing". Having now seen the Karl Marx Hof I realise this is true, although our version is quite a bit smaller.
Been to Vienna once. We took a city tourbus out to Schonbrun. The bus route back took us through residential areas. Where it was wall-to-wall grafitti.
The 2019 General Election was won by a party with the slogan "Get Brexit done." During the 2024 election none of the major parties campaigned on a manifesto of cancelling Brexit. The British haven't changed their minds.
Thank you for your Video! Very well done! :) I was very much interested in your point of view about the city. I was raised in Vienna but does not directly live here anymore. In my opinion Vienna nowadays is overcrowded included all the problems which come with it, not as clean anymore as it was serveral years ago and currently the public transport is quite annoying because of the track works which are going on. If you come to Vienna again I highley recommend to visit lower austria, especially the little town "Baden bei Wien". I gues you would really love it ;-). So I send you warmhearted regards!
I'm a local for 35 years now, born and raised here. It's absolutely true what you're saying at the end of your video. Most Viennese aren't exactly sociable. The few times I attend big public events around here I usually try to stick to expats or tourists because they tend to be more interested in talking to strangers. But I'm also fairly sure this incommunicative behaviour is showing less in locals younger than me. I'd say there's hope after all ;)
@PlanesTrainsEverything I think it would be a wonderful idea if you tried to live in Vienna for a month or so! I literally just did the same where I was staying in the 5th district for just under 2 months very close to the Margareten Gurtel U4 station and only returned home just a few weeks ago. Besides tourism, my purpose was to see if I could make a home there. So please allow me to share some of my thoughts with you on some of the road blocks you might encounter. As a disclaimer, I want to tell you that even though I was born and raised in America, I did recently get Austrian citizenship and this was my motivation for investigating living in the Vienna area since my barriers are lowered in terms of not needing a visa or work permission but I still have some barriers to jump over. First and foremost, as you said, once you are outside the tourist bubble, having command of the German language will get you much further. The AMS (Austria's unemployment office) is not even supposed to talk to you unless in German (when I showed my Austrian ID card showing I was a citizen, they relaxed about that) but still told me to go and get German classes then come back before they would help me find a job. If you go looking for work, even if the company speaks English for day to day operations, your work contract (and any other legal stuff) must be in German. This will also be true of any rental contracts. I did rent an actual apartment as opposed to an Airbnb where I was able to file my Meldezettel (registered as a resident with the local authorities). Legally, you should do this within 3 business days of renting your place. Also, you should de-register before you move out. 2nd (and this is a big concern for me as an American) is access to healthcare. Ideally, you want to have a job lined up as your employer will take care of getting you healthcare access. Austria may have nice healthcare, but it will be very expensive if you do not have insurance. Although you can pay SVS for private healthcare, there is a ridiculous 6 month wait for it even though you start paying almost 500 a month (depending on medical questions about your health)! So you shell out about 3000 euros and wait 6 months for coverage to start. But what if something happens to you within that 6 months? What if you are on maintenance medication or a diabetic or something? You might need the healthcare right away so this is a BIG problem. If you come from another EU country, your EHIC card might save you but there are no agreements with America so that is a show-stopper for some people. I also hear there may be pre-existing conditions you might not get coverage for but I did not confirm that with SVS, only with traveler's insurance like Cigna. I was unable to find out the costs for doctor visits and prescription drugs as a non insured person but the unknown of what those prices could be sounds scary! Finally, (and this only affects people in my situation), the ÖIF has a program where you can sign up for German language classes. But the catch is they will only help migrants and refugees (which is not a bad thing) but someone forgot that it might be important to help actual Austrian citizens integrate. Since I have the citizenship, they told me they had no program to help me integrate with German language classes. Going from zero to B2 or higher is going to cost a lot if you want something more than Duolingo. It seems silly that the Austrian government does not have integration programs in place for people who are citizens that never lived in Austria until now. Hopefully someone will change that someday. Those were some of the challenges I faced even as a new Austrian citizen. But as you already know from your travels there, on the bright side, the place is very beautiful and can be great place to settle and perhaps raise a family if you have decent employment. There is also a good work / life balance and plenty of holidays. But again, unless you have sufficient passive income for SVS and can pay out of pocket for the first 6 months for healthcare, if you think you need healthcare, it would be very good to line up employment before moving there. That will be a little easier to do if you already know some German language especially since all the job postings are in German as well. In my estimate, if you could live and work there for a little over 3 years, you should be well integrated by then and you might even crack that outer shell for finding friends and start to be able to have a social life with the locals. Good luck!
We stayed in Austria awhile ago now, Our Hotel fresh ,modernised and a gorgeous wood smell,just lovely place, we had good and tasty food, and lots of Tea ,they couldn't do enough for us, 😊
I moved to Vienna 15 years ago, married an Austrian man, speak German fluently. Austrians need time to open, if they don’t know you they will not make an effort first. Very often the friendliness is only the surface to pass by and not to be rude.
Guess I must have missed you by a few hours when you had been exploring Heiligenstadt. Living in Vienna is not that much more difficult than living in Rome or Warsaw. If the only language you can speak is English you will stay in an ex-pat/tourist bubble, if you can speak the proper language of the country you're staying in, you will be able to get in touch with more and more people.
Moving there for a month sounds a good idea Scott. I'm sure that you could use Vienna as a base for your TH-cam videos, as you suggest. See if you can make friends with the locals?
Hello Scott, I came across your video by chance. I'm a 32-year-old German living in Austria and have lived in Vienna for 24 years. You really have to like Vienna, the Viennese are very peculiar. I'm married to a Viennese and to be honest he doesn't like the city of Vienna himself. Our circle of friends is very multicultural, you can hardly build a real friendship in a big city. Vienna has its beautiful sides but also very ugly ones. I live in the 10th district of Favoriten, Reumannplatz is called little Istanbul here. There is a Turkish shop and kebab stands next to each other. But my family and I live in Oberlaa near the U1 Oberlaa and it's very quiet here. Oberlaa and Unterlaa have village charm. It's very nice to live here. You can get to Stephansplatz in 15 minutes on the U1. I haven't been to Vienna's city center for years. We Viennese tend to avoid the city center, there's just too much tourism at once. Yes, the prices are very high here. For shopping, I would recommend going to Hofer, Penny or Lidl. Billa, Billa +, Interspar, Spar, Eurospar, Hofer, Penny and Lidl are open until 8pm on weekdays and until 6pm on Saturdays, but there is a Billa at Praterstern that is also open on Sundays, very crowded with people. Otherwise, you can still get groceries at the gas stations, which usually have a Billa or Spar shop. I wish you the best of luck if you try to live in Vienna for a month next year.
Yes I want to see you living in Vienna or Innsbruck for a month! You said 1000€/month was expensive, have you looked how much they want for a wee place in Angus in the summer!! I lived in Innsbruck a long time ago whilst studying german. Loved every moment.
Scott, that was an amazing report. come to Vienna in Spring to rent a short term flat for a month, i don't have the extra space, but i am sure you get a good deal. spot on👍
Germans and Austrians take a while to befriend. I was born and raised in Germany but have now lived many years in the United States where people tend to think that friends are formed instantly. Speaking the native language or making the effort to learn is definitely beneficial to living in a foreign place. I've been to Vienna, Innsbruck and Salzburg. You might want to consider making your base in one of the latter two.
Salzburg has the highest rents in Austria, the city centre is overrun by tourists, and traffic is a nightmare. I think that Graz would be a much better option.
I just looked up the recipre for Eiernockerl, Austrian Egg Dumplings, easy to make and they do indeed look fantastic...well that's me experimenting this week, I'll let you know the results next Sunday
I completely disagree. We people from Vienna are not especially unfriendly to foreigners. We are just unfriendly.
😂😂😂
True (born in vienna).
My experience too. Austrians are simply very unfreindly.
@@redpapuangoblinredpapuango2755I wouldn't say unfriendly per se, but rather standoffish and blunt. 🤷🏻♀️
Inhabitants of large and famous cities are never friendly. Take Paris, London, Berlin or New York as further examples. No wonder. To pretend that one is happily excited that the 17th million visitor this year came along would be manifestly insincere. To pretend that one cared about each of the millions of other inhabitants would be absurd.
And if one looks deeper Viennese grumpiness is philosophical. Namely stoicism spiced with that specific Habsburgian-Bohemian-Hungarian-Italian-Jewish-Balkanesque charm and with a benevolently wicked sense of humor. That is the authentic essence of Central Europe. The linear Anglo-Saxon minds can hardly penetrate it. Nor the impatient and ever efficient Protestant souls. Nor overly harmonious East Asians.
People in Vienna are generally unfriendly, not only towards foreigners. I am Austrian myself and would advise you not to take the Viennese grumpiness personal in any way.
yes, to say it in gamer terms: it's a player vs environment thing, not necessarily a player vs player thing.
Our grumpiness is a kind of art😂
especially compared to the Scots austrian people are a lot less friendly and welcoming! You already notice the difference at the airport
@@mississippi7224 even wien schwechat is unfriendly.
It is not meant to be unfriendly. Austrians and especially Viennese are direct and if you are not used to this kind of communication, yes it seems to be unfriendly.
As I know from international friends (China, UK, USA) it is still a great place to live. But, it is difficult to make friends. That has two reasons:
1) If you are not a student, than your colleges, etc. will be busy with their lives. Hence, it is not easy to become a close friend as they already have settled their social environment. (That may be true for other countries too I guess.)
2) In Austria / Vienna we do not have a large interest in other peoples personal live. So besides the regular small talk (where do you come from, why are you here, and so on) it is hard to get in contact.
As always, both points are not true for everyone in Austria but I think they are still correct. So if you are not a student and party with young people, you will find it hard to connect on a regular social level.
Anyway, we are hearty once you give us some time to warm up with you. So just give it a try. As you are saying, at least it is a great place to travel around central and east Europe.
Been to Vienna maybe 15 times. A British friend of mine lives there. As a minimum wage worker, his quality of life is 3x better than in the UK. Better and faster medical treatment, proper dental treatment, more holidays, much cheaper accommodation which includes electricity and hot water and no council tax for renters, public transport is 1/10th the price of London. Food is more but restaurants much cheaper than the UK. And to top it off, is in the EU and a days drive or train ride to dozens of other European cities. And wherever you are in Vienna, everything you need is 15 minutes away.
There seems to be a perception that the streets are paved with gold in the UK...in 10 years the population has gone up 5 million and we've built about 800,000 homes in that time...doesn't take a genius to see how this causes a problem. I'm an immigrant too and even I'm like WTF.
@@jonjohnson2844The UK is finished. If i didn’t have family roots and was younger i would leave. There is no hope for the UK with the muppets in charge of it.
Without a working knowledge of the local language. You are struggling every day, if you decide to live there. A fact that most of these travel videos never mention. English is not widely spoken outside the capital cities in most countries. Learning the language also helps in terms of integrating. Why should Austrians have to learn English?
@@lukebignell7846 a bit extreme, I'm sure depending where exactly in the UK you live you will have better quality of life. also you were crying about the tories and there's a labour government for nearly a month and youre losing your mind
Average net salary is only €2000/mth
The perceived unfriendliness of Austrians is mostly a case of culture clash. Expats often expect the culture to be similar to that of their home country, but it's not. One of the main reasons why expats find it so hard to get to know locals is that Austrians tend to keep work and pivate life very separate and generally don't socialize with colleagues or co-workers. You can work at a company for 30 years and never once go for a drink with somebody from work, and you'll never be invited to their place. It's just something people don't do here, and people from other countries are simply not used to this. Friendships are generally forged at school, university or through mutual friends. The slim chance you have to get to know Austrians is to join a club with a common interest, such as a rowing team, dance classes, or the like, but generally, Austrians already have enough friends and will not openly approach new people, especially not someone they haven't known for a substantial amount of time. Friendships are generally deep and often for life, so they're only extended to people who are trusted 100%. Austrians are also notoriously bad at smalltalk or at fake professional friendliness, which is also something many expats are not used to.
On the other hand, despite the sometimes grumpy exterior, people will not hesitate to help if they feel that help is needed. Despite an insistence on following rules, the rules are usually not written in stone and, if necessary, bent to help someone. That said, Austrians can become extremely unfriendly if someone is perceived as impolite, overly demanding, or behaving as if they were entitled to something. Comunication is an art form that takes a lot of time to master because what matters is not what is said, but how it is said. That's also why many Germans, despite speaking the same language, can have a hard time when living in Austria, because they focus on the former rather than the latter.
Nothing to add. A true and accurate summary.
Native Viennese in particular are very direct. If they think someone is doing something inappropriate, they will address it. If they are angry, they will show it. Most cultures cannot deal with that. Many are not used to having the truth told to their face, even other Austrian people. :)
As an expat I fully agree with you on this and I love this about Austria. I am surprised how many people don’t get this.
Most accurate comment here!
I want to add that this is especially true for conservative environments like the public sector or the industry. There the unsophisticated middle-class life you described is truely lived 😂
As a Swede living in Vienna for the last ten years, I have some comments.
1. If you don´t really need carbonated water, please try out the tap water! I am spoiled with having great tap water in all my life, but Viennas tap water is amazing, even from my standards. It comes from the Alps, is really tasty and available almost everywhere (during summer, there are drinking fountains open, all over the city - don´t miss that many of them have a holder for excess water. It is for dogs and birds).
2. No matter what, one can´t deny that Vienna is beautiful. In some suburbs, everything is built straight (boring), but in most places there is always and "odd angle", a street that dwindles, some odd details or something else. I am convinced of that we humans are not made for living in places that are built straight. I think it is an unconcious thing, but walking around in Vienna simply makes me happy. Vienna is also very green, 50 percent of the city are green areas. If you like birds and animals, there is a surprising range of species that have made the city their home.
3. Stay out of the Inner city (Erste bezirk). Visit it once and be done with the "must see". Most tourists go there and it is expensive. Yes, very beautiful and some hidden gems, but still - I don´t think I visited the center for the last two years.
4. Yes, there is a language barrier when it comes to especially the Viennese dialect. Everyone understands Hochdeutsch, but not all will use it themselves. The original Viennese are also known for being grumpy and somewhat negative - they always complain about something. Just answer with the same attitude, and you might get a friend! :D The correct Viennese answer to "Oh, such nice weather!" is "Yes, but what about tomorrow?".
5. Visit in early spring or late autumn. Then you can skip the hot summer months and enjoy walking (I recommend walking a lot, you will always find something interesting). The heat waves we have during summer are insane.
I love this city for its heat waves... lol. but great observations. been living here for 15 years already.
completely agree with the 1 district. when you need the zip code go for it but thats not really what vienna has to offer. the inner circle is where the good life is plus 13, 19.
best tap water in the world as our mayor often says.
Couldn't agree more with everything said through points 1 to 5! Very well said!
Now that is a comment i can basically totally agree with, haha. Summer is awful here, water is great, 1.Bezirk is too 1. Bezirk, and most places out here, outside the Gürtel, where people are normal, look boring and straight. That is what i hate about Vienna. And all the other cities i have been to in Europe, except for Germany, are so much more exciting. I just love old architecture. Old lanes, old buildings, old street lamps and Vienna does not care about that at all, unless of course in 1. Bezirk. I can't stand it. So many of the post WWII architects and city planners ought to be in prison for what they have done to this city.
Another thing is culture, the one besides the classical music circus. In my general field of music, i have to real lucky, if one of my favourite composers or musicians stops by here.
I could go on but i won't bore you, may i just ask what made you come here in the first place?
I don't know what heat-waves you are talking about. But o.k., Sweden is a much cooler country. I live in Vienna too (born here too), still at least, because I will immigrate to the Philippines once I retire. I can cope much better with the people there than with people in Europe. May have to do with my wife who is from there, but my whole life I always felt more at home with non-Europeans. When it's not about my job at least. But privately, I don't have any Austrian or European friends.
Lol Viennese people don’t like foreigners, yet half of Viennese people are foreigners and half of the Austrians in Vienna are not born in Vienna!
Maybe that's why.
yes we dont like foreigners from specific areas on the world map who really like to be here. even schools got serious problems with foreign culture behaviours and you dont want your kids to be there to learn bad language, having not the right religion...
there we have it.
We don't like foreigners who don't behave and stick to their own way of life (includes how they dress). That's why we have no problem with Chinese, Philippinos, Vietnamese, Japanese or Americans, but Turks, Arabs and the like are generally quite unpopular. And we don't like foreigners who question our way of life and tell us what we should do differently or whom we should (not) vote for.
but that is exactly what happens with immigration. The immigrants, once they feel "naturalized" in the new place will become intolerant of other immigrants. It's a pretty curious phenomenon.
@10:01 pro tip: you don't need to buy bottled water in Vienna. Tap water is of _excellent_ quality (it comes straight from the Alps via two aqueducts), and there are plenty of drinking fountains and fire hydrants with taps all around the city. Just get yourself a small reusable bottle and fill it up on the go.
As a Brit who is living in Salzburg - was it difficult to adapt at the start? Absolutely. Was learning the language a requirement? Absolutely. Austrian migration law and generally the culture is more closed off to foreigners. However, as a result, the quality of life that I have as someone who put the effort in and integrated is far better than in say the UK, France, or Germany.
Ah lovely Salzburg! Yes it'd be the place I'd relocate to in Austria, not that I've explored that widely yet. So pretty though, and the mountains, the lakes! Really got to get back there next year.
Well it is a bit absurd how difficult it is when people want to come legally especially if they are from an European country anyway, i don't mean EU with that.
At the same time certain migrants get in without even having a passport and certain families get a 5k Euro every month in Vienna.
Hand on heart, do you think they view you as one of their own? I struggle with this a lot in Spain, they view me as a foreigner even after a decade of living here and speaking their language perfectly.
You have to learn the language. I'm a Brit living in Finland. It's rude for Brits to come to a country and just speak English
All the people from Salzburg come to Germany for buying groceries and go to restaurants, because here it is about 30% cheaper. Germans love Brits, you are very welcome 😊
I moved to Vienna from the UK 12 years ago and I love it. It's a beautiful city and in my experience as a Brit, I have not found it to be so unfriendly. The quality of life here in Austria is high and I feel very privileged and lucky to call it home.
May i ask which district? Because to call VIenna biutiful as a whole is insane in my opinion. There sure are nice parts but outside the Gürtel, where the people are normal it is not pretty unless you got money and live in those particular districts.
Oh well, i suppose it all comes down to personal taste, i myself cannot stand what modern "architecture" has done to this place, of course WWII plays a big role in that as well.
@tinkeringforfun "It's a beautiful city and in my experience as a Brit, I have not found it to be so unfriendly." From a British perspective, this makes perfect sense, as the British are the most unfriendly tourists in the world. Joking aside. Welcome to Vienna!
Yeah if you don't behave obnoxious, don't expect everyone to be your friend from the get-go, leave them some space and you shouldnt get too much trouble with unfriendliness here.
Glad you enjoy it here! : )
I am Austrian and lived in the US for almost a decade, started a family there (NY area). We moved to Vienna 15 years ago and no regrets. I still love to visit the US, though!
I moved to Vienna 18 years ago from Latvia and I always felt very cosy and found Austrians even friendly and open. Compared to the Baltic countries and Scandinavia, this is exactly the case. I guess it depends on where you come from and also on your knowledge of German. And maybe your willingness to adapt to local customs and habits.
To your point about the locals being 'nice', There's a difference between 'Paid nice' and 'Genuine nice'
Polite to a stranger .
Reminds me of what Christoph Waltz once said "Austrians are very polite and they don't mean it."
I wouldn't say that counts for all of us as I consider myself very polite (maybe because of my foreign mother) but in general he told the truth.
I lived in Vienna for years and the locals are neither paid nice nor genuine nice 😂
@@marknicoll5298 the "paid ones" are the worst. never talk to a viennese that is working atm. even in sales :D
@@xcel5203 Polite and nice are not the same. Being polite towards strangers is good enough.
Being nice to someone is more personal. Being faked nice is odious.
I lived in Vienna for six years, when my Dad was posted at the American Embassy. Vienna is my heart. I went to both the international school and local schools. The Viennese are a bit aloof, but I made great friends there and it was a fabulous place to grow up. The public transport is the best and a great way for kids to become independent and mobil. I did have the advantage of speaking German fluently and could also speak the local dialect. It’s a beautiful city and as you pointed out, central to much of Europe. Go visit , you won’t be disappointed!
A Western Embassy in Vienna- that must have been quite "entertaining" for your Dad. I worked there briefly when on secondment to the UK FCO. Sadly the cold war was over by then and I didn't get to see anything first hand, but worked with people who did. Spy central 1945-1991.
@@derektaylor2941 We were there 60-66. He was the political advisor at the American Embassy. I think “entertaining” about sums it up. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. Was he or wasn’t he? He never said.
I am sure the international schools are pretty different, i have only connections to one. I know several people who went to the vienna international school. Even my brother was there for 3 month before quiting. They all were arrogant snobs, thinking they are open to foreign cultures but after listening to them it seemed more like all those teens have the same culture but from different countries. All they were talking and thinking about was clothes, new tech and popular people they met. I once was on a Dinner with a group of them and as the korean food was served and we wanted to start eating, my wife and i were stunned, watching all other 9 people taking out their phones to take food pictures for instagram. VIS-students live in another world. As far as i know, all of them now work normal jobs in Vienna and are pretty lost while my brother lived and worked in India, Spain and Dubai and speaks 3 Languages. I know construction workers who are more open minded and international than those Students 🤭
@@TheNamu87 Not my experience at all. I was there in the early years. It was small , very diverse and not snobby. Cell phones were a futuristic dream. I am sorry you had such a negative experience. My classmates ended up all over the world, engaged in varied occupations. We all have very fond memories of AIS, Vienna and each other.
@@katewilliams4876 Ah, then maybe the AIS is much better than the VIS or i had the bad luck of meeting the wrong people and their quite similar friends. 😄
I’m from the US and just visited Vienna for the first time in July. Absolutely loved it. It was so easy to get around, the food was great, the architecture, atmosphere, infrastructure, and general vibe was leaps beyond what we have here in the US. There wasn’t a place where I felt unsafe.
Food prices where I live in the US are ridiculously inflated. I noticed the price of basic food and necessities were much more affordable compared to my mid-tier American city. I have no doubt it’s one of the most livable places in the world.
That's interesting, Austrian food prices are relatively expensive for European standards. Both in restaurants as well as groceries. There's a notable difference compared to most of Austrias neighbours.
@@kulak403 You are mistaking inflation and prices. While Austria has had the most inflation in the EU, cost of living in Nordic countries is still more expensive... But due to the high inflation we are closing the gap.
I was in Vienna a few years ago, & walked around the city at all hours, late at night. I had one incident, when a carload of young men stalked me. I hid in the shadows on Rauhensteingasse. Otherwise, I would not venture out in my own city in Annapolis, Md, late at night.
@@futurefox128 Scandinavia is no standard. Compared to every other Central European country, including Germany, the prices are noticeably higher.
Ironically enough, SCHOTTENRING literally means "Ring of the Scots" in German...
We do tend to get everywhere, it may not be ironic.
Funnily enough, "Scots" is not a reference to Scotland though but to Irish monks. Don't ask me why but it's how they were called here back in the day.
@@sagichnicht6748 “Scotti” originally referred to a people who inhabited Northern Ireland and Western Scotland (by the Romans). There’s some debate about whether it was their name or whether it was a generic term that meant “sea raiders” (similar words were used for pirates in the Mediterranean) but because it went into Latin, the only written language at the time, it stuck. But the key point was that they were “culturally Irish” - in language and religion. And it was those Irish-Scottish people that brought Christianity to Scotland and Northern England and they were great missionaries and travellers elsewhere (maybe some got to Austria). When those people merged with the Pictish people of north east Scotland around the 10th century their rulers called themselves Kings of Alba (which is still the Gaelic name for Scotland) but also “Rex Scotorum” - king of Scots - and that is what ultimately led to the country being called Scotland in English.
All Gaels were called Scottish, Ireland is from "Iar" meaning "western" ie the "Western Isle", cf "Na h-Eileanan Siar" = "Western Isles"= "the Outer Hebrides". Also etymologically linked "Hibernia" = "the west" ( where the sun sleeps) "Hebrides" = little western isles.
@@sagichnicht6748 Because the "Scoti" were an Irish tribe...they were originally from what´s today Northern Irland...and from there they settled on the today´s Scottish Westcoast and founded the Gaelic Kingdom "Dal Riata" (5th century - 9th century) which was today´s Northern Ireland + the Scottish Westcoast shore and from Dal Riata slowly but surely the Scoti went more and more East and at some point in time (=9th century) they took over whole "Pictland".... and "Dal Riata" + "Pictland" together then became the Kingdom of "Alba" which is the Gaelic name for "Scotland" till today...
The Christian Missionaries who arrived in Austria in the 6th century who were assigned to christianize today´s Austria were Scoti from monastries in Dal Riata´s Northern Irland region...that´s why they are called "Schotten" although coming from Ireland.
I have lived in Bregenz in the West of Austria for 8 years and have been very well accepted. You do need to put in the effort to integrate. Learning and becoming fluent in German is not negotiable. You cannot hope to integrate in any country without speaking the language and Austria is certainly no exception.
But they don't speak German there 😂
not true, especially in vienna with thousands of syrians/afghans. They do what they want. Scare people, annoying them, and most turn out to become criminals from an early age.
@@uberderek ofc we do. you dont want to talk to the people that only speak viennese anyway ;)
I have a lot of international friends living in Vienna finding it hard to practice German since most Viennese love to talk back in English to them.
@@ElachimArtist That can be a difficulty.
Yes, a month in Austria sounds like an adventure I would watch
I even would watch it as a Viennese myself. Just to see how he will fare and what he will experience here. xD
I love Vienna, but personally I think Graz, the second city, is vastly underrated. Great food, great culture and fantastic public transport.
I like Graz because people there are actually Germanized Slovenians (Slovenes by blood and genes) and I am Slovenian.
as someone born and raised in Graz, I was always slightly envious of the cultural offerings Vienna held, with its Musikverein, Konzerthaus, Staatsoper and Volksoper. But living there is costly compared to Graz, and I assume one gets used to the faint reminders of its imperial past fairly quick. Graz has nice, green areas with parks and trees, which makes it enjoyable to live here. What unites both cities is the lack of clean public toilets apart from the very center of each city. Sadly a quite Austrian/German thing in general.
@@florafeldner i guess it is an international thing
i live there. here is worse than Vienna.
and nicer dialect, although the gfeanzt Viennese is spreading to Graz as well.
Unfortunately the EU didn’t stop you living in Vienna; the vote to leave the EU did!
what if Scott can prove he wasn't one of the numpties that voted to leave ??
@@gsw007 What would it change? Should we split UK into an EU-part and a non EU part?
@@did9825 absolutely. You could call the EU-part something like "Scotland".
@@c4standard just needs to say he's Scott from Scotland and 62% of Scotland voted to remain. Think he'll be fine.
Why can’t he live in Vienna? He has a passport! Apply for the correct visa and you are sorted! If you have no reason to be in a country for more than 3 months, then you shouldn’t be there!
Brexit stopped people living in another country without a reason, including Brits of course
Love the Ultravox plug @17:46 Scott. And yes, I think you'd enjoy a month in Vienna, and we'd all enjoy sharing your adventures.
I love my City Vienna and I welcome everyone here, no matter where they're born! Our city is about uniting people, not dividing them!
Supermarkets and Mini-Markets which are opened in sunday and on bank holydays in Vienna:
Filiale Öffnungszeiten Sonntag und Feiertag
Billa am Praterstern 06:00 - 22:00 Uhr
Interspar Pronto in Wien Mitte 06:00 - 23:00 Uhr
Spar Gourmet im Flughafen Wien 05:00 - 22:00 Uhr
U3 Supermarkt im Westbahnhof 07:00 - 24:00 Uhr
Merkur mini Markt im Westbahnhof 05:30 - 23:00 Uhr
OKAY Reiseproviant 05:30 - 23:00 Uhr
The EU didn't stop you living there as the EU did not vote to expel the UK. The UK voted to leave as a third country.
Please don't think that a rent of € 500-600 is standard. I work at a Real Estate company in Vienna. There are very few flats with this price on the privat market but a lot of people who want's them. You have better chances if you are able to pay ~€900 and more depending on the flat size and location. The statistics aren't good because we have a lot of social flats but you don't get one when you are moving to Vienna. You have to live in a flat there for 2 years and than you can ask for a social flat. Doesn't mean that you get one. We also don't earn a lot. If you earn €2000 and have to pay €900 for a cold flat it gets a little bit harder especially if you are single. Please take a good look into that before considering to move here. I have a lot of people who want to move here in a few months and thought that it would be easy to get a cheap flat here. It's not.
exactly ... much more like €1000/month ... if you are lucky
You don’t need to buy water in Vienna. The tap water is the best! It comes from the mountains.
So, you just need bottles. And there are fountains all over Vienna where you can fill up again.
If you're going to stay in Wien for a month, do it in the spring or autumn. It's too damned hot in the summer.
...unless you like the heat like I do. 😛
What is hot? I like 30 centigrade. In my wife's country it's more than 30 centigrade 365 days a year and I like it.
The reason why the Praterstern is so quiet is, that one of the major train lines there is closed during summer for track replacement. 👈🏻😉 It's annoying. I live only a few blocks away and this is a station a used very often.
Also it's one of the only places where drinking alcohol is prohibited in public. I wouldn't say it's quiet though... it's always very busy there whenever I'm there
Praterstern is known as a dangerous area, especially in darkness. Drug-dealers of foreign descent, who quickly become violent, also against each other.
Infrastructure repairs in summer are brutal; the poor tourists walking like a trail of ants between Schottenring and Schwedenplatz in 30° heat is painful to watch.
@@wernerschneider4460More likely against each other.
let me tell you a secret: in 3 years i´ve lived in the uk not a single german word was spoken to me. the whole country demanded me being able to speak english from the start. and you know what? never in those 3 years would i have expected anyone to speak german to me. that has to do with respect for the country you move to.
the immigration/visa topic is a bit more complicated though as what you have said. you were talking about visas (for short term stay). but there are also A LOT of different residence permit types. i´ve worked in immigration and i granted visas as well as residence permits to non-eu-citizens for years. the visa d you mentioned is not meant for people who want to stay in austria long term for working purposes. for that you need to apply for a residence permit. but to cut a long story short: everyone who wants to come to austria to work is able to do so. they just need to apply for the right permit.
amazing really. someone from very far away visiting another country and complaining that everybody doesn't speak their language! us/uk are really hanging onto imperial mindsets.
Still funny to me that so many channels are checking out my home country. I am from Salzburg but worked in Vienna for 14 years, a great great city. As an Austrian you take everything for granted and watching tourists talk about as they see it, gives you new perspective. Don't go to Vienna in the summer, it is too hot, come in spring.
Vienna in the summer is great - if you like it hot like I do (I just miss the humidity). The balmy evenings are so much better than in Munich where it gets chilly in the evenings even on the hottest of days.
Hi Scott, just love Vienna and Austria as a whole. It seems to have a certain class that you don't get anywhere else. The cities and mountain villages are just stunning. Quality of life is on a different level compared to the UK, I can see why Vienna is ranked number one in the world for living in. Definitely try living there for a few weeks next year. It would be a great experience and an ideal location for local and European travels.😊
Spend one day in the districts 10 and 11 and you would change your mind. You are not in Europe anymore there. Just somewhere in the center of Turkey or the Middle East.
@@wernerschneider4460The quality of life is still very high. It's not like there is lesser public transportation etc. in those districts.
I’m a Brit living in Vienna for going on sixteen years. It is a fantastic city, extremely safe and affordable with excellent public infrastructure. Incidentally I live in the 19th district near Heiligenstadt, where you went to look at the Karl Marx Hof and the U4 station there is my main link to town. It borders the vineyards (Heurigen) where you can sit in the green enjoying a ‘Sommer Spritzer’ and excellent local cuisine.
You are absolutely correct about the Viennese’
apparent unfriendliness to foreigners; there is virtually no small talk and they are famous for their ‘grantig’ gruff demeanor and dry humour. If you can speak the dialect then you can bypass this entirely and share in the ‘schmäh’.
Since Brexit there are far less Brits in town, something I actually don’t mind because I am generally only friends with Austrians through my work in the music and film scene. The necessity of learning the dialect cannot be underestimated if you want to be accepted here.
Oh, and shops at the railway stations (like Praterstern and Franz Josef’s Bahnhof) are actually open on Sundays. Petrol stations too.
you don't notice the hordes of illegals on every corner? Maybe in your area this phenomenon is not clearly visible (yet). Vienna has changed a lot since 2015. Not to the better.
It's beautiful to hear you chose our city ⭐ we need non Austrians to our mix. I love a mix of nations.
Yes a month from Vienna would be great to watch. Great Blogs. Keep them coming.
Thank you Scot. Just try it for a month. Nothing to loose. Greetings from Rotterdam / The Netherlands.
I awaited the Ultravox reference. I wasn’t disappointed.
Don't blame the EU. It's GB that decided to exit, you weren't kicked out.
yes, this was just kinda stupid.
I grew up in Vienna and graduated from university there. Later, I worked in several countries and am now back to Vienna. I also worked in the UK (Cumbria) for about 8 years and in Finland and the Netherlands for another alltogether 9 years... Without knowledge of English things would have been rather difficult in Cubmria and even in places like London German would not have got me far. (and obviously I would not have been able to do the job (university lecturer) I was hired there for. As regards finding friends. Everywhere I lived I found friends through work related acquaintancies or freetime activities (e.g. sports). As regards the "having to leave" rule: This does not apply, if you have a job and are on a worker visa. Incidentally, EU/EEA citizens travelling to UK also have to leave after 6 months, so situation is not that much different.
Great video Scott
Thanks for your support, Elliot. It's greatly appreciated.
I am here in Vienna for 4 months this summer. I went to a meet up group for new residents and met the nicest folks. Here is a plug for Club Melange. A few of us made plans to meet again and I intend to go to their next event as well. Your best bet is to get to know other newcomers who are seeking out friendship like you are. Indeed, unless you are working with local people or engaged in regular activities, I have a feeling it is hard to melt into the established communities. I must admit, I find that to be true everywhere. I have not encountered rudeness, however. Everyone is gracious and seems to enjoy meeting me with curiosity about my home country, the US, even if for just a minute. Thanks for the tour!
I am an austrian myself and I can tell you, that viennese unfriendliness is only to be found in Vienna ;) The more you get to the western parts of Austria, the more friendly and welcoming the people are. I know that, because I was born in Tyrol and also lived in Salzburg. When I moved to Vienna and entered shops I always got the impression that I am disturbing and not welcome in there. It was a shock! Nowadays, when I visit Vienna for shopping and I got lost, I am always asking the turks or other immigrated people. Usually they are more friendly :)
This is one of the most interesting comments. I am Austrian too ( originally from Upper Austria) but I live in Vienna since 13 years. The not originally Austrian population I am surrounded by are very friendly and you can have anything from them. They are very nice neighbors. They do not seek fights with you! They are understanding if you want peace and also if you want fellowship.
I love the multicultural bustle in Vienna.
And if an Austrian is speaking hatefully about foreigners, I leave them in the middle of the road mid-sentence! 😅
I don't think you can be eligible for a work permit in Austria unless you are classed as a skilled worker (not that I doubt your travel skills!). Austria is nice (although some regions can be somewhat boring imho), and I've met many friendly Austrians, but like many Europeans, they are fatigued by mass immigration, and this can contribute to the lack of enthusiasm and patience to engage with outsiders. Graz is meant to have lower rental prices, and it's a popular student city as well as being near holiday resort areas such as Worthersee. My personal fave is Bregenz, because it's right on Lake Constance, which is a fantastic area. I also like Salzburg because of its proximity to places like Berchtesgarden (I've probably messed up the spelling there). Servus!
Used to be an amazing car event on in worthersee every year but unfortunately locals complained (about one day a year ffs) and that was that. They then missed the money they weren’t getting anymore and asked organisers to put it back on but it’s not half what it used to be and the police are right a******s with people
Greetings from Vienna. I think you should stay here for a while. Lots of good coffee, fine food, wineries, pastery shops, interresting local + international train and bus travel options. Finally thank you for all the effort your put into your presentations. Vienna will love you.....
Greetings from Vienna. It's true of you don't have to work and can lounge about with fine food, wineries, pastery shops in the inner districts - most of us can't, most of us live in a world where the cost of living crisis is a real thing, and Vienna doesn't love us, no.
Please please YES! 1 month in Vienna would be great. I love it there and have often wondered what it would be like to live. 🙂🙂
If you are not living in the center of the city or in a rich district, its like living in Afghanistan.🙄
@@robogal1Yeah, like you have ever been to Afghanistan. I guess he didn't ask about what some of the people are like.
@@josefsad1502Women with hijab and men with long beards, mostly in groups. Of course the people around you influence the way of living!
@@robogal1 My take is that you probably have no idea what it's like to live in Afghanistan. That's an awkward thing to say.
@@josefsad1502There exists internet today...people are traveling there, streaming videos and journalists show the situation there. I have been working with refugees from Afghanistan for years, so you can bet I have an Idea. But I am living in the hotspot of Vienna and it is really, really bad. When women dont dare to go outside in the evening alone and moral guardians are bothering girls here in Vienna, it has something of Afghanistan.
22:27 as an Austrian can explain this to the unbearable amount illegal immigrants (syria, irak, afghanistan etc) austria, especially Vienna has been flooded with for the last 10 years. Locals are fed up to the max with those people and have developed a pronounced rejection towards anyone from outside.
Absolutly!!!
thats not true. you are simple a racist
totally understandable
I'm in portugal and I feel the same
Great observation, so, what is we gonna do about it? I am also "European" same country as you... and as another commenter said, it's the same there... i guess it takes 3 days of darkness or some other divine intervention.
@@AmadeuShinChan All it would take is our "dear leaders" to grow some hair on their testicles and ovaries and deal with it like normal, grown up people and not scream "Nazi!" immediately as the issue is brought up. Well, a hell lot of the population needs to change too, 'cause they are the ones screaming "Nazis!" even louder. The whole debate is so stupid, i mean everyone can see this is not healthy for anyone but due to some strange ideology and misunderstood past, so many still rather shut up and go along, just like with Corona and so many things. People here are cowards on insane levels.
Nothing will change unless we deal with this one issue, an issue that has been planned long ago and that is executed on levels we have no idea about.
All that is getting accomplished by their way of handling is strengthening the numbers on the far right and left and nobody in their right mind wants that, so......apparently Sweden and Denmark under Socialist Democrat leadership are finally doing something, probably all it will take is take away all the free money, 'cause we all know that is why so many are here and who can blame them?
Greetings from Vienna, from one of the districts with the largest immigration numbers....
one more little story...when i was in primary school, there was one boy from then Yugoslavia in our class, i still know his name, now, in over half of all the schools in Vienna, there is a majority of Muslim children, from many different countries, i heard from people i know and from media, in many cases there is now 1 Austrian boy, perhaps 2 in a class.....i grew up in the 70s and 80s.....that's all one really needs to know i'd say.
As a local it's quite interesting what catches your eyes compared to us living here. Thanks for sharing. :)
I subscribed to Daily Drop for you, Scott! Sounds interesting :)
Loving your videos, informative without too much chuntering.
Really enjoying these “would I live here” videos. We all wonder that when we travel, right? We have visited Austria a couple times and loved it. Our vote though, if you do a month there, is Innsbruck. It’s our favourite with Salzburg in 2nd. Hope you do more of these.
Great video Scott. It's always nice to be able to travel around and visit other countries but it's even better to get back home to your own bed. Thanks for sharing your travels in Vienna 😊
Went there as a humble tourist, last year, loved it. As you say, living there is a completely different animal, but visiting will always be great.
As a new subscriber we are enjoying your videos, and yes do the one month it would be so interesting for you and us.
I found Innsbruck to be much friendlier than Vienna. Although Vienna was much friendlier than Zurich and other Swiss cities.
This fully reflects my perception! The Swiss are on a totally different level. 😅
Switzerland 💀😷🥶 NIMBY-Land n°1 of this world
In vienna people don't want tourists to come here, in innsbruck they do.
@@plus_phase We don't? Thats news to me...
@@AeneaSXI Yes, tourists are annoying, especially the international NPCs
I am going to Austria next year, probably September and I am going to try the same cafe and dish. I let you know if I like it as well. Your videos are awesome and you are the BEST! Cheers. Mike
Believe me, you are very welcome in Vienna. Come here and stay for a couple of month and explore Austria. I am always happy to hear a nice british accent in Vienna. :-))
The title is totally misleading. He says 1. Tourists are welcome in Vienna 2. He is a tourist but 3. He's not welcome. Living in a foreign country takes effort if you want to be accepted. Even then, you will normally be "foreign" because you will have a (slight) accent. But I don't want to loose my slight accent. It makes me a bit different and defines who I am.
Always fancied trip to Vienna, weekend break. Looks lovely! Thanks for sharing.
I've subscribed to newsletter, Viv in Darlo x
If that was London,you’d have been mugged by now.
I don't think the chap wears a Rolex. Or if you're a teenager or in your 20s.
Certain areas in Vienna, not places he showed, that does happen to you too now on a daily basis. No, it's usually really peaceful here, but the tendency goes in that direction unfortunately.
Most of the muggings in London are not committed against tourists.
Oh you'll be mugged here, he's just not in the outer districts.
If you had a brain you wouldn't still being hiring rent boys.
Notice how clean & tidy everywhere is, Scotland please take note. Yeah flitt Scott.
Yes litter everywhere.
And for all the sneering shite you hear from Scottish people (I am one) about Sunday trading rules in England (I live there) - all I can say is that at least you can shop on a Sunday if need be. And the English Sunday trading rules only apply to stores over a certain size, smaller ones can open whenever they want and usually stay open really late. It's no problem for me at all.
Germany is slowly loosening up, but it's taking a _loooong_ time.
@@halfbakedproductions7887 Sunday is actually the busiest shopping day in England, even if the big shops are only open for 6 hours.
It did take a lot of getting used to when I first moved down here. Arrived down in England with all my stuff very late Saturday night. Woke up very late on Sunday because I was tired from the move, spent a bit of time unpacking some stuff, went out to the big Asda nearby, and found it was closed because it was after 4pm, whereas the big Tesco near where I previously lived in Scotland was open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
I was working in London in the 1990s and it was filled with litter. I flew into Toronto in 1991 and was picked up by a mate and was driven through the city centre. Something was missing, then it dawned on me there was no rubbish on the streets.
The UK is probably the filthiest country in Europe, by far
The 90 day rule only applies to visiting non-Europeans. We have residence in Portugal and I worked here for 15 years until my retirement and both the residency and work permit were easy to obtain. This means that we retain our U.K. citizenship but can travel anywhere for any time in the Schengen area simply on production of our residency card.
I am afraid you are wrong. The 90 day rule applies to EVERY third country citizen including citizens from the UK !
You had stayed in the EU long enough BEFORE Brexit to obtain your right or priviledge to stay.
So, please, do not raise hope where there is none !
Wrong ?? I did say 'non-Europeans' which includes U.K.! Anyone with 'residencia' can travel freely within Schengen. Permanent immigrants can still apply for resident status.
@@Roy-r8hbut Uk don’t
@@minischembri9893 Misinformation. I live in Pori in Finland. There are Americans here, Russians, Indians, Kazaks, all sorts, and me, who is married to a Finn. All with permanent residency. Don't tell me that India, Russia, Kazakstan, Afghanistan, etc, etc are members of the EU because they are not!
Residency may be different to working, though.
I subscribed to the newsletter using your link. Hope you get the hoodie!
A month in Vienna next year would be great. Look for an Airbnb outside of center city but near public transit and maybe it would be less $$.
Funny you should mention the "Prückel" so early on. I worked in an office just around the corner, and I had lunch there every day for years. For the first couple of weeks I felt "Herr Joseph" (Mr. Joseph, honorific and then first name, yes, that's strange ), the head waiter, was actively ignoring me. After that, my favorite table had my favorite newspaper and my favorite drink waiting for me every day. People will, as a rule, be IMPOLITE, unless they think you are a tourist. That's the standard here, on the edge of more easterly Europe, where anybody that smiles in public will be pegged as a fool, or smirking, not smiling, at them. I don't think that's "unfriendly", but it does take some time to get used to.
Guten Abend, Scott. I've been to Austria including Vienna several times, mostly for work and have found no problems at all. I think one has to learn to speak some German, partly to tslk to others but also to understand what you are hearing/seeing.
You come to Austria, check out Austria, Bratislava, Slovenoea, Trieste, Venice, Ljubljana, Bregenz, Zurich, use Trains, and get to know Vienna. People are not so hard-shelled as reported 🙂
Yes, Hofer and aldi are the same. Hofer was once an austrian company.
Sold to the Aldi group for several years. Since the former Hofer store was very well known and popular in Austria, the name was left here.
From my experience there aren’t any locals living in the centre. The only people I saw there were tourists and people working in the service industry.
There are few. But there are. You must enter the small lanes. There are public primary and secondary schools and a public Kindergarten. Those are not facilities for rich expats.
There are locals in the city center BUT just lawyers, doctors and businessmen. You won't want to connect with them - not even "normal" citizen like to do.
@@Piusplac some high ranking social democrats lived also there. But you have also council flats (Gemeindebauten) in the first district. Not a lot, but they exist.
@@schurlbirkenbach1995 Did you ever notice that there are no curtains in windows of the inner city? Kinda strange.
There are actually many "normal" locals who live in the 1st district but you won't notice them, especially if you are just visiting the tourist hotspots.
Loved this video Scott .. thank you!! My husband and I would absolutely love it if you’d stay somewhere for a month .. it’s something we have thought about fairly seriously, although to date have not actually tried it! We are older than you and are former Brits living in Canada, but the call of Europe is beckoning, strongly !! Time to do it, possibly 😊
Please don’t use the word “Ex-pats” for Brits living abroad. They are migrants. Either immigrants or emigrants depending on which way you are looking at it.
They probably invented this term purposefully 😂 to justify they're never immigrants, but conquerors.
@@johnelius4361buffoon.
@@alangordon3283 tick!
all expats are migrants!
You can come by with only english in Vienna. The father of a schoolmate of me only ever spoke english and he was here for decades. Most Viennese speak english. They just didn't want to speak to you. (And yes some didnt practice english in a long time so some might be out of practice but everyone has to learn english in school. If you meet someone who doesn't speak english well enough just go to talk to someone else it really shouldn't be difficult finding someone who can speak with you properly)
Also its not like we don't like foreigners, we just generally don't want to be bothered by anyone. Native or foreigner. As others have commented, don't take it personally. The experience would be similar if you were a native.
And you are absolutely right, Vienna is a great base for travel. The flight prices to most european destinations are dirt cheap and you got alot of neighbouring countries as well you can reach by car or train easily as well. I think you should give Vienna a trial month, you seem to like it and you can test your hypothesis further if people were just friendly to you because you were a tourist. ; )
I hope you had a pleasant stay and enjoyed your time in Vienna and thank you for trying to be as objective as possibe in your video though the title is a bit missleading. Cheers!
I think it was Brexit that stopped you from living as an EU citizen in Austria and not the other way round.
I don't think he was debating that. He was simply giving the situation from a Brits point of view.
@@scottm9158 He said something like, 'The EU makes it difficult to live here' or something similar to that.
@@GregoryKodolanyiRitterHe indeed said the EU would stop him from living in Vienna, which is wrong because immigration is a national competency. He would have to apply under Austria’s immigration rules to be able to live and/or work there. Unlike some EU countries, Austria does not offer a “digital nomad” visa or residence permit so I think the answer to his question whether he could live there and pursue his youtube content creation business for a period is probably no (or at least not easily), but it would be informative to see him try to do it all legally. I rather suspect that filming videos for commercial gain is not technically within the scope of his Schengen visa waiver even on a short visit.
@@scottm9158the EU treats every third country the same. It’s a rules based system that is protective of it’s own interests. UK citizens expecting preferential treatment are in for dissapointment.
@@TrevorLink-v6o correct; and proof that the Brexiteers are liars and charlatans. After the global EU 90 day ruling, each individual country is 'sovereign' in how it deals with foreign immigrants and visa seekers. So funny how the UK needed to get its sovereignty back but Austria already has its own
Having just come back from staying in an Airbnb in the suburbs (well, Meidling), I love the place. Living in an Airbnb instead of a hotel meant that aside from having space with a 7 year old, we got privacy and that chance to get out and do what locals do; take the public transport, use the supermarkets, get the pfand back on the beer bottles etc.
I'd say give it a go if you can make it work. Also, even managed to get to the football whilst we were there. It's good value for money
Let’s get Scott that hoodie! Another great episode mate, Vienna looks beautiful!
Based on the summer Scotland's having, I could probably do with a hoodie!
I’m in.
Done it 👌🏻
Done 👍🏻
Done, good luck 👍
subscribed for you pal great video as always
I'm originally from London - But I've been living here for 20 years - I have a love/hate relationship with this city and when I visit London I'm surprised how polite and friendlly people are. They know how to queue and say excuse me! Yes Vienna is really unfriendly and it's famous for that in the rest of Austria!. I enjoyed your video - And yes I think you should come and be based here for a month - There is so much more to see and you're close to many midlle and eastern European countries!
Go back home, thank you very much!
I agree. I’ve been many times to both cities and have the same experience. Every place just has its downsides. People usually tend to see the place they visit as a tourist either too positively or too negatively.
In which part of London do people still queue and say excuse me? Not in any part I know. That London is mostly gone.
@@simonh6371 Most parts
@@simonh6371 I usally stay in Walthamstow - But of course we're making vast generatlizions - in comparisson to Vienna -people appear to be better at queuing...
yo, first video i have watched from you. i´ll definitely watch more hehe :D
Immigration of third country nationals is regulated by each country, not the EU. The scope of economic activities which may be performed while visiting under a Schengen visa waiver is also determined by each country, not the EU. For economic activities which cross the line, a national visa is required. The types of national visas available also vary by country.
Yup. Same as if anyone else would go and move to the UK (or most other countries to be honest). Of course, if the UK hadn't brexited moving anywhere else in the EU would be a non-issue.
If you google “professional activities not classed as economic activities/work” you should get a very helpful list published by the German Embassy in London of what may be done in Germany when visiting under a Schengen visa or visa waiver. It is not obvious to me that the making of youtube videos for commercial gain is covered under any of the provisions eg journalism or cultural activities. Other Schengen countries’ rules are likely to be similar but may differ in detail as this is a national competency, but those rules are hard to find so the relevant embassy should be consulted. Also when entering the Schengen zone, the purpose of the visit should be correctly stated.
@@dsracoon You completely misunderstood his comment, did you even read it?. Also it's clear you never lived in the EU before Brexit. If you did you know that moving anywhere else in the EU was not a non issue even before Brexit. I lived in Austria just before they joined the EU. To get an Aufenthaltsgenehmigung I had to show my contract of employment, proof of residence (rental contract) and medical insurance. After Austria joined EU citizens had to get an ''Anmeldebescheinigung'' (certification of registration) for which the criteria were...contract of employment, proof of residence (rental contract) and medical insurance...exactly the same, only the name had changed. Failure to fulfil those criteria within 3 months means an EU citizen there is illegal.
Now we are not in the EU, moving there would now be just like it was when I did (1994)...and just the same as whilst we were in the EU.
It was never the same in other EU countries as for EU citizens moving to the UK, the UK authorities and people like you were just so insular that they assumed that everywhere in the EU worked like the UK, because were in the EU. Such ignorance, not even bothering to check up.
@@simonh6371 EU citizen cannot be "illegal" for failure to register, one can only get a fine. (which btw even Austrians can get for not registering their address in time) You cannot be deported for failing to register. You don't need to show medical insurance if you work in the same country. Rental contract is only for proving you actually live where you say you live. Non EU citizens are not allowed to work AT ALL unless they already posses a Work Visa / residence permit. In this case unlike the latter its not just a formality and you CAN very much be refused for any reason at any point. If you actually did some research than you would also know that third country nationals (including UK) have quotas for red white red cards, can only be hired if a no EU/EEA/CH candidate is available for the job + in addition, non EU/EEA/CH are not allowed to ever own property in Austria...
@@poulhnilica8987Registration of the place of stay (Meldegesetz) indeed applies to all equally and failure to register may be sanctioned by a fine. EU/EEA/CH citizens wishing to stay more than 3 months need to go through an additional process to confirm they are entitled to freedom of movement rights: employed or self-employed and therefore socially insured; studying with medical insurance; or economically self-sufficient with medical insurance. Those who do not qualify may be expelled. This is the process which the UK chose not implement in relation to FoM!
Land ownership is regulated by the States (Länder) eg Vienna is liberal but Land Salzburg is restrictive. But the States should not discriminate in this regard against EU/EEA/CH citizens exercising FoM rights or indeed UK citzens with Withdrawal Agreement rights in Austria.
I've been living here for 15 years. It's quite a mixed bag. On the one hand, I've met some lovely Viennese people (young and old) who have been an absolute pleasure to know. On the other hand, I've met some absolutely loathesome types, too.
I still remember the shock I had when I greeted one lady with "Servus" during our school excursion. She turned, in a very offended manner, and said "Servus? SERVUS? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?? SERVUS??" I was so taken back as she walked off.
A colleague of mine explained the situation to me. Basically, she was a PhD in her field. Austrians absolutely LOVE their titles. Probably more than their kids! (Joking...but not really). With these titles, comes a level of respect expected from those around you. For example, when you sign for something, as a PhD or Master, you would write your qualification before your name (My wife has a masters degree but refuses to use her title in her name as she thinks it's cringe worthy). So me saying 'Servus', which is kind of an informal "hello", maybe like a "alright mate" in English, is extremely offensive to those with degrees.
As a Bosnian who lives in Vienna for more then a 3 decades I am so tired of hearing that Viennese people are unfriendly.
Please don`t be so childish and grew finally up.
Nobody will cuddle you as a grown man. Nowhere. Not in Melbourne, not in Paris and also not in Vienna.
Be active, find some bubbles according to your hobbies and you will find enough interesting people and maybe later good friends.
...u r so correct! If friendliness is a factor for anything than I recommend to start with one's own attitude! Kindness begets kindness etc...
Have you lived in any other country other than Bosnia and Austria? the answer is NO
I am sorry for you if you really think that way. It is not about people "cuddling you as a grown man," but showing some minimal politeness, respect for other people, and willingness to interact socially in a way that minimizes attrition (which usually means being at least polite and, ideally, friendly). Most people in Vienna are unnecessarily passive aggressive, purposefully unpleasant, and sometimes even brutish in a myriad of social interactions, not to mention the fact that they are often racist/xenophobic. If you lived in other cities and saw how much more pleasant life can be when people talk respectfully to each other, presume good will, don't make faces for even the tiniest thing, and don't judge everyone immediately based on their nationality and appearance, maybe you'd change your mind. Social interaction doesn't need to be dreadful, you know?
@@henriquemendes7938 Sounds like Vienna isn't the city for you. I will tell you though on the note of "minimizing attrition" that I do find the fake and superficial politeness and cheerfulness exhibited by people of some other cultures exhausting, so to each their own I guess.
@@kiddaedalus Indeed, it probably isn't. I came here to perform a specific task that has a start and an end date, and I must say I am glad I am approaching the latter.
Let's do it Scott, using Vienna as a base for a month does sound like a TH-camr's dream. I can't wait to see what you get up to!
Go for it. Vienna is a great city. I've been there twice and may be going back this autumn.
I'm 70% sure I might try a month, but maybe not Vienna. I'm swaying towards Innsbruck.
@PlanesTrainsEverything also a good choice.
@@PlanesTrainsEverything for innsbruck, you absolutely need to have a towel.
and don't panic, they are mostly harmless.
@@PlanesTrainsEverything Innsbruck seems an unorthodox choice for staying a month. Have you been there? What made you consider Innsbruck rather than, say, Graz?
Why? (I am from Vienna.)
Stumbled across this channel a week ago and ... curiously absorbing! Now working through the back catalogue and thoroughly enjoying every one!
as a scot who has lived in austria for over 33 years, i have to say that the best thing about vienna is the train to graz
this was a bit evil, but I accept it, being a styrian living in vienna.
lol. Typical scottish git ;). *cuddle*
haha, brilliant! And even that is ugly these days. Man i used to love riding in the old trains, the ones we had up until the late 1990s. You would have a whole compartment to yourself late at night, was able to switch the light on and off, open the window.....comfy seats in orange and brown...yes, even smoking was allowed then, so i don't care about that anymore, but the other things are what made train rides home, after a day or evening in Vienna so special. Now you can't even see outside with the ugly neon lights glaring and reflecting in the windows.
🤭 aint that the truth!
I for one would love to see that adventure . Loved the video Scott
My local architecture guide says Rosemount Square in Aberdeen is "based on Viennese workers' housing". Having now seen the Karl Marx Hof I realise this is true, although our version is quite a bit smaller.
We thought the same thing too, Colin.
Been to Vienna once. We took a city tourbus out to Schonbrun. The bus route back took us through residential areas. Where it was wall-to-wall grafitti.
I'm wondering how many people in the UK now regret BREXIT?
Also UK passport holders in other countries like Australia who can no longer settle and work in the EU without bureaucratic hurdles. Fuck them anyway.
The 2019 General Election was won by a party with the slogan "Get Brexit done." During the 2024 election none of the major parties campaigned on a manifesto of cancelling Brexit. The British haven't changed their minds.
Thank you for your Video! Very well done! :) I was very much interested in your point of view about the city. I was raised in Vienna but does not directly live here anymore. In my opinion Vienna nowadays is overcrowded included all the problems which come with it, not as clean anymore as it was serveral years ago and currently the public transport is quite annoying because of the track works which are going on. If you come to Vienna again I highley recommend to visit lower austria, especially the little town "Baden bei Wien". I gues you would really love it ;-). So I send you warmhearted regards!
I'm a local for 35 years now, born and raised here. It's absolutely true what you're saying at the end of your video. Most Viennese aren't exactly sociable. The few times I attend big public events around here I usually try to stick to expats or tourists because they tend to be more interested in talking to strangers. But I'm also fairly sure this incommunicative behaviour is showing less in locals younger than me. I'd say there's hope after all ;)
so true, your best bet to get to speak with some random person in Vienna is to pick out the expats.
@PlanesTrainsEverything I think it would be a wonderful idea if you tried to live in Vienna for a month or so! I literally just did the same where I was staying in the 5th district for just under 2 months very close to the Margareten Gurtel U4 station and only returned home just a few weeks ago. Besides tourism, my purpose was to see if I could make a home there.
So please allow me to share some of my thoughts with you on some of the road blocks you might encounter.
As a disclaimer, I want to tell you that even though I was born and raised in America, I did recently get Austrian citizenship and this was my motivation for investigating living in the Vienna area since my barriers are lowered in terms of not needing a visa or work permission but I still have some barriers to jump over.
First and foremost, as you said, once you are outside the tourist bubble, having command of the German language will get you much further. The AMS (Austria's unemployment office) is not even supposed to talk to you unless in German (when I showed my Austrian ID card showing I was a citizen, they relaxed about that) but still told me to go and get German classes then come back before they would help me find a job.
If you go looking for work, even if the company speaks English for day to day operations, your work contract (and any other legal stuff) must be in German. This will also be true of any rental contracts. I did rent an actual apartment as opposed to an Airbnb where I was able to file my Meldezettel (registered as a resident with the local authorities). Legally, you should do this within 3 business days of renting your place. Also, you should de-register before you move out.
2nd (and this is a big concern for me as an American) is access to healthcare. Ideally, you want to have a job lined up as your employer will take care of getting you healthcare access. Austria may have nice healthcare, but it will be very expensive if you do not have insurance.
Although you can pay SVS for private healthcare, there is a ridiculous 6 month wait for it even though you start paying almost 500 a month (depending on medical questions about your health)! So you shell out about 3000 euros and wait 6 months for coverage to start. But what if something happens to you within that 6 months? What if you are on maintenance medication or a diabetic or something? You might need the healthcare right away so this is a BIG problem. If you come from another EU country, your EHIC card might save you but there are no agreements with America so that is a show-stopper for some people. I also hear there may be pre-existing conditions you might not get coverage for but I did not confirm that with SVS, only with traveler's insurance like Cigna. I was unable to find out the costs for doctor visits and prescription drugs as a non insured person but the unknown of what those prices could be sounds scary!
Finally, (and this only affects people in my situation), the ÖIF has a program where you can sign up for German language classes. But the catch is they will only help migrants and refugees (which is not a bad thing) but someone forgot that it might be important to help actual Austrian citizens integrate. Since I have the citizenship, they told me they had no program to help me integrate with German language classes. Going from zero to B2 or higher is going to cost a lot if you want something more than Duolingo.
It seems silly that the Austrian government does not have integration programs in place for people who are citizens that never lived in Austria until now. Hopefully someone will change that someday.
Those were some of the challenges I faced even as a new Austrian citizen. But as you already know from your travels there, on the bright side, the place is very beautiful and can be great place to settle and perhaps raise a family if you have decent employment. There is also a good work / life balance and plenty of holidays. But again, unless you have sufficient passive income for SVS and can pay out of pocket for the first 6 months for healthcare, if you think you need healthcare, it would be very good to line up employment before moving there. That will be a little easier to do if you already know some German language especially since all the job postings are in German as well. In my estimate, if you could live and work there for a little over 3 years, you should be well integrated by then and you might even crack that outer shell for finding friends and start to be able to have a social life with the locals.
Good luck!
It's worthwhile to try it for a Month or two, Scott. It is so wonderful and very tidy as well.😊
We stayed in Austria awhile ago now, Our Hotel fresh ,modernised and a gorgeous wood smell,just lovely place, we had good and tasty food, and lots of Tea ,they couldn't do enough for us, 😊
I moved to Vienna 15 years ago, married an Austrian man, speak German fluently. Austrians need time to open, if they don’t know you they will not make an effort first. Very often the friendliness is only the surface to pass by and not to be rude.
Always look forward to your videos you going to places i probably would never see myself.
Guess I must have missed you by a few hours when you had been exploring Heiligenstadt.
Living in Vienna is not that much more difficult than living in Rome or Warsaw. If the only language you can speak is English you will stay in an ex-pat/tourist bubble, if you can speak the proper language of the country you're staying in, you will be able to get in touch with more and more people.
Definitely would love to watch a month in vienna. Great video btw
Moving there for a month sounds a good idea Scott. I'm sure that you could use Vienna as a base for your TH-cam videos, as you suggest. See if you can make friends with the locals?
Hello Scott, I came across your video by chance. I'm a 32-year-old German living in Austria and have lived in Vienna for 24 years. You really have to like Vienna, the Viennese are very peculiar. I'm married to a Viennese and to be honest he doesn't like the city of Vienna himself. Our circle of friends is very multicultural, you can hardly build a real friendship in a big city. Vienna has its beautiful sides but also very ugly ones. I live in the 10th district of Favoriten, Reumannplatz is called little Istanbul here. There is a Turkish shop and kebab stands next to each other. But my family and I live in Oberlaa near the U1 Oberlaa and it's very quiet here. Oberlaa and Unterlaa have village charm. It's very nice to live here. You can get to Stephansplatz in 15 minutes on the U1. I haven't been to Vienna's city center for years. We Viennese tend to avoid the city center, there's just too much tourism at once. Yes, the prices are very high here. For shopping, I would recommend going to Hofer, Penny or Lidl. Billa, Billa +, Interspar, Spar, Eurospar, Hofer, Penny and Lidl are open until 8pm on weekdays and until 6pm on Saturdays, but there is a Billa at Praterstern that is also open on Sundays, very crowded with people. Otherwise, you can still get groceries at the gas stations, which usually have a Billa or Spar shop. I wish you the best of luck if you try to live in Vienna for a month next year.
He should have come to Favoriten (Reumannplatz), to see the real Vienna....
Subscribed! Love your channel! Keep it up😊
Yes I want to see you living in Vienna or Innsbruck for a month! You said 1000€/month was expensive, have you looked how much they want for a wee place in Angus in the summer!! I lived in Innsbruck a long time ago whilst studying german. Loved every moment.
Scott, that was an amazing report. come to Vienna in Spring to rent a short term flat for a month, i don't have the extra space, but i am sure you get a good deal. spot on👍
Hahahaha, "Austrians are very friendly people"^^
As an Austrian I can tell you, even we find the Viennese “different”
1:06 People with passports more than 10 years old would be denied entry to _any_ country, not just the EU.
Germans and Austrians take a while to befriend. I was born and raised in Germany but have now lived many years in the United States where people tend to think that friends are formed instantly.
Speaking the native language or making the effort to learn is definitely beneficial to living in a foreign place.
I've been to Vienna, Innsbruck and Salzburg. You might want to consider making your base in one of the latter two.
Salzburg has the highest rents in Austria, the city centre is overrun by tourists, and traffic is a nightmare. I think that Graz would be a much better option.
I just looked up the recipre for Eiernockerl, Austrian Egg Dumplings, easy to make and they do indeed look fantastic...well that's me experimenting this week, I'll let you know the results next Sunday