A Brit who traded London for a European capital once notorious for its grumpiness has revealed why the city is actually amongst the most welcoming on the planet.

In Vienna, the surly disposition of residents is so legendary that there exist not one, but two distinct terms to characterise it.

The first is ‘raunzen’, which translates to grouch, crab, gripe, grouse or whimper fretfully, according to Langenscheidt.

The second is ‘Wiener Schmäh’ – Brit Becki Enright characterises as the distinctive form of Viennese sarcasm and wit.

“It can be hard to grasp and come across as blunt if you don’t quite get it,” the travel writer and guide explained. According to Becki, the gloomy atmosphere that previously shrouded the Austrian capital has disappeared, and its standing as Europe’s most cantankerous city is now obsolete.

Indeed, Vienna has just been crowned the most welcoming city in Europe by CNTraveller, which surveyed the views of half a million readers. Becki exchanged London for Vienna a decade ago and has become enchanted with the metropolis of two million inhabitants.

She contends that it merits the premier position due to its overall hospitability as a residential destination, rather than exclusively how the Viennese interact with visitors and each other.

“The general sense of friendliness comes from how clean, accessible, safe and culturally rich the city is,” she revealed. “Every city has its highlights, so it’s hard to compare. But Vienna’s quality of life is a stand-out factor. Rents are typically cheaper, with an emphasis on being outdoors and enjoying nature that’s on your doorstep. There’s great infrastructure and an affordable public transport system. The cuisine is based on farm-fresh and locally harvested ingredients, supporting local producers. The arts and music are a way of life; you are never short of cultural events to attend.”

Despite housing more than a fifth of Austria’s nine million residents, Becki has discovered Vienna’s pace of life to be remarkably relaxed.

“It’s not a chaotic metropolis; things move at a much slower pace here. This slower pace is a blessing in some aspects of life, though it may require patience in others.”

The Austrian capital is also environmentally conscious – both figuratively and literally. The public transport network is comprehensive and affordable for everyone. Youngsters under six travel without charge, whilst those up to 15 years old enjoy free journeys during school holidays and on Sundays.

A series of comparable initiatives has resulted in Vienna being crowned the world’s “greenest” metropolis. The city is also abundant with parks, which could be the key to its newfound welcoming reputation.

Research has shown that access to vegetation-rich parks enhances both happiness and productivity, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Half of Vienna is green space,” Becki continued. “There are free-to-enter palace gardens (Schönbrunn and Belvedere). In the centre, you have the Hofburg castle lawns and the city’s first public park, Stadtpark (which opened in 1862). Across the Danube, you have the largest recreational park, Prater (a former imperial hunting ground), best known for its Würstelprater fairground.

“Vienna is also the only European city growing significant amounts of wine in its city limits, so you can easily jump on public transport and be at a vineyard, or take one of the city’s 14 hiking trails, many of which track through the circumambient Vienna Woods.”

During the warmer months, particularly July when temperatures soar to an average daily high of 27°C, the waterfront becomes the ultimate destination.

“While you can’t swim in the Danube, Vienna makes the most of its waterside hangouts. The Danube Canal is lined with bars and boat restaurants and the beach bar (Strandbar Herrmann). The banks of the Danube tributaries are the warmer-weather recreational hangouts,” Becki continued.

“The Neue Donau (New Danube) riverfront has a sand bank recreational hangout Copa Beach. The Alte Donau (Old Danube) is where you can hire pedal and motor boats or SUP on the waters. It’s also home to the recreational island, Strandbad Gänsehäufel, with swimming pools, bathing lawns, a little beach area and restaurants. Then you have the Donauinsel (Danube Island), which hosts a free music festival each June, the Donauinselfest.”

As delightful as it is to unwind by the water and in the parks, come evening, it’s time to retreat indoors for a meal and a drink. Becki suggests Leopoldstadt, particularly the Karmeliterviertel area around the food market, for “casual-cool and indie hangouts” such as the recently trendy Beisl pub, modern restaurant Skopik and Lohn for schnitzel.

“The districts that extend from the well-known Naschmarkt are what I would describe as the grungy-trendy downtown areas, filled with boutique, upcycled and second-hand shops and a fantastic array of nightlife. The most famous neighbourhood here is the Freihausviertel in the 4th (next to the Karlskirche) – home to the city’s generational cafe concept, Vollpension,” she added.

“The 7th district is the most bougie and creative – one of my favourite bars is Atlas, a Beisl- turned-gastropub adorned with art, and which features an art-gallery space at the back. In the 9th district, the Servitenviertel neighbourhood is known as ‘Little Paris’ and is lined with food outlets – I’d start at the converted pharmacy turned bakery, La Mercerie for a coffee and pastry.”

There are two primary ways to reach Vienna from the UK. A train journey from London to the city typically takes between 13 to 17 hours and requires two changes, as there are, regrettably, no direct services.

The journey involves operators like Eurostar, TGV, and ICE or ÖBB, with services running from London St Pancras International to Vienna Hbf.

Direct flights are available from Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, London, Liverpool and Edinburgh airports, with journey times between two and two and a half hours, and fares starting from just £15 this month.