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Why Europe’s fika capital isn’t actually in Sweden

Swedes are crazy about coffee. They’re so crazy about it that they’ve even coined a special word for a simple coffee break.

Why Europe’s fika capital isn’t actually in Sweden
A delicious latte? Photo: Coffee Geek Espresso Beans

Fika – taking time to enjoy coffee and a bite to eat with a friend or colleague – is a cornerstone of Swedish culture. If the country offered a Swedish 101 course for newbies, fika would probably be the first subject taught in the curriculum. Followed by a mandatory break for fika

But what if we told you that there’s a European city where fika is taken so seriously that its coffee house culture is protected by UNESCO world heritage? If you’re as hooked on java as the Swedes are, an extended coffee break in Vienna is just the cultural pilgrimage that the barista ordered. Follow in the footsteps of some of Vienna’s most notable past inhabitants like Mozart, Beethoven, Klimt and Freud and soak in the gemütliche (cozy) atmosphere of the city’s famous coffee houses. 

Presenting four reasons why all coffee lovers should visit Vienna.

It’s bean around a long time

Coffee first arrived in Vienna courtesy of a failed Turkish invasion in 1683. Forced to flee, the Ottoman army left behind sacks of coffee beans, initially assumed to be camel feed. Allied military officer Jerzy Francieszek Kulczychi had spent time in captivity in Turkey and knew that the unidentified beans could be brewed into delicious cups of liquid energy. The beans were roasted, a drop of milk was added, and Viennese coffee culture was born.4:00am PDT

It wasn’t long before elegant coffee houses sprung up all over the city. Today, these establishments are still the cultural heart of Vienna — places to while away the day sipping high-quality coffee in (often palatial) built-for-purpose spaces. Austrian writer Stefan Zweig once wrote that the coffee houses are ‘a sort of democratic club, open to everyone for the price of a cheap cup of coffee, where every guest can sit for hours with this little offering, to talk, write, play cards, receive post and above all consume an unlimited number of newspapers and journals.’

There’s a latte variety

Swedes are big fans of a bryggkaffe (brew/filter coffee, often taken without milk) and are rarely seen without a cup of black coffee in hand. But one can’t claim to be a true coffee connoisseur without extensive knowledge of the many different ways coffee can be prepared. There are dozens of different varieties of Viennese coffee, from traditional styles to third-wave artisanal brews. You could argue that some ‘Viennese creations’ are suspiciously similar to varieties of coffee found elsewhere in the world, but there are also many which are wholly unique to the Austrian capital. 

Take the Einspänner, a shot of strong espresso topped with plenty of whipped cream, named after the one-horse carriage which required just one hand, leaving the other free for holding a cup of coffee. Then there’s the Cafe Maria Theresia, a traditional Viennese recipe prepared from black coffee with warming orange liqueur and a dollop of cream. Not forgetting the Verlängerter, an espresso with added hot water for when you want to prolong your espresso hit.

Nice buns

Napoleon and Josephine, Wills and Kate…coffee and cake. Some things just go together. And so naturally Vienna has a long tradition of baking some of the most decadent delights known to man. From cream-filled cakes and flaky pastries to slabs of chocolate cake slathered in shiny chocolate ganache, there’s a treat that caters to every sweet tooth. It’s no wonder that cake was the first thing Viennese-born French Queen Marie Antoinette thought of when asked what the peasants should eat instead of bread. 

Try a sugared violet, the favourite sweet of the beautiful but tragic Empress Sisi, at Demel, once the royal patisserie; indulge yourself with a Buchteln – a sweet Austrian bun served with plum jam – at the iconic Cafe Hawelka; and have your cake and eat it at classy Cafe Sacher (the birthplace of Sacher torte – the aforementioned chocolate cake which is, perhaps, the most famous cake of all time).

Use code CoffeeBreak19SE for 165 SEK off flights from Sweden to Vienna. Click here to redeem*.

Coffee in the clouds

Hop on an Austrian Airlines flight from Stockholm or Gothenburg and you can be in Vienna in just a couple of hours. The planes are designed to reflect the gemütliche ambience of a Viennese coffee house with premium cups of Julius Meinl coffee served onboard, so you can start your coffee odyssey precisely as you mean to go on.

 *Offer valid until 31st May 2020

Header image: Coffee Geek Espresso Beans

This article was produced by The Local Creative Studio and sponsored by Austrian Airlines.

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Eight unmissable events in Vienna in April 2024

April in Vienna is a busy month filled with exciting events to explore. Here, we list some happenings that you should not miss out on.

Eight unmissable events in Vienna in April 2024

April is almost here and offers a wide range of interesting events to explore in Vienna. You can enjoy anything from the Vienna City Marathon or a dance ball to different exhibitions and music festivals.

Run or watch others run Vienna City Marathon

On April 21st, this year’s Vienna City Marathon will take place. If you have not signed up for it yet, you can still put your name on the waiting list and maybe get a chance to participate in the run. If not, the event is a day of celebration in the city that you can enjoy anyway.

The Vienna City Marathon is a lively event taking place all over the city. People from Austria and all over the world gather to watch the runners pass by, and at various locations in the city, you can enjoy live music or food and drinks from different stands set up for the occasion.

The run is for everyone, from elite runners to beginners who just want to reach the goal and do not care about time. The start is at the Reichsbrücke, which crosses the Danube River, and the finish line is on Ringstrasse, between the Burgtheater and Rathausplatz. The full route is on the website. 

Sign up for the waiting lists here.

The entry fee for the marathon is €145, and for the half marathon, it is €115.

Thousands of runners cross the Reichsbrucke bridge over the Danube river during the Vienna City Marathon. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Enjoy Argus Bike Festival

On April 13th-14th, at Rathausplatz, Austria’s biggest cycling event takes place.

Here you can explore the latest bike trends, test different bikes, and enjoy bike shows with brave bikers performing all sorts of tricks in the air.

Some of the two-day program highlights include the bike flea market, where you can find bargains, the kids’ bike world, where children can explore biking, e-bike testing possibilities, and many different shows where stunt cyclists perform.

You can enter the festival for free and read more about the program here

 
 
 
 
 
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READ MORE: Train travel in Austria: The best day trips from Vienna

Check out the climate festival Klima Biennale Wien

This year’s climate festival takes place from April 5th until July 14th at various locations all over Vienna. The festival explores how art, design, architecture, and science can contribute to creating a sustainable and liveable future while also considering the impacts of climate change.

The festival pushes for significant changes to make our planet better for living. It highlights the idea of working together, sharing ideas, and raising awareness as the main tools for more sustainable co-living.

The three-month-long festival offers a wide range of performances, exhibitions, talks, concerts, and workshops.

If you want to participate, you can buy a festival pass at various locations, for which you pay as much as you like. You can, for example, buy it at the Museum Hundertwasser.

 
 
 
 
 
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Dance to support cancer research

The Dancer Against Cancer Ball is an annual cancer charity event in Vienna. This year, it will take place on April 13th at 7:30 p.m. in the Palace Hofburg. The event aims to raise funds for cancer research and support those affected by the disease.

Here, you can support a good cause while enjoying dancing and watching professionals present a variety of styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, and ballroom.

The event is organised by various dance schools, companies, and charity organisations and is famous for bringing together the local dance community and supporters of cancer research and awareness.

A standard ticket costs €115, and for students, it is €70. You can buy them online.

READ ALSO: 4 beautiful lakes you can easily reach from Vienna by public transport

Explore the Salam Music and Arts Festival

For more than two decades, this festival has been a lively celebration of music, art, and film from Middle Eastern cultures. This year, the event takes place from April 12th to April 21st at various locations in Vienna, such as Flex and Sargfabrik.

Here, you can explore different cultures and art forms presented by innovative artists. You can choose from a wide range of performances, such as concerts, films, dialogues, and exhibitions.

The festival is a platform for both international and local artists who want to connect with and engage people through their art. It sees itself as a bridge in a diverse society, creating a common identity through art and culture.

You can buy a ticket to the different performances here.

 
 
 
 
 
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Check out the rock festival Echoes of Erebos

On April 27th, the rock festival Echoes of Erebos will take place for the second time at METAStadt in Donaustadt.

If you enjoy rock music, ranging from stoner and doom to psych and everything in between, this is the place to be. Seven bands from Austria, such as Motorpsycho, Bismuth, 24/7 Diva Heaven, and Bikini Beach, will be the entertainment of the day.

The festival also offers a cosy beer garden where guests can enjoy food and drinks, and there will be an after-party after the bands finish playing.

A standard ticket costs €66 and can be bought online.

Visit the parliament and learn about it

You can visit the Austrian parliament and enjoy a guided tour for free. During the tour, you will explore the inside of the parliament and learn interesting facts about its architecture, history, and renovation. 

You will see and learn more about the historic chamber, the Federal Council chamber, and the newly designed National Council chamber.

The guided tour takes 55 minutes and is available on the following dates:

Monday to Friday: 11:45 am, 1:45 pm, 3:45 pm.

Saturday: 11:45 am, 3:45 pm.

Reserve your tour here.

An inner view shows the Austrian Parliament in Vienna.(Photo by VLADIMIR SIMICEK / AFP)

Visit the exhibition Climate.Knowledge.Action!

You can learn more about climate change through a new permanent and detailed exhibition at the Technical Museum Vienna.

The exhibition presents the causes and connections of the climate crisis. It brings up important new ideas and innovations in areas such as agriculture, energy supply, mobility, urban planning, and land use.

You can experience the exhibition through different senses, with things to see, experts to talk to, detailed information to explore, and big interactive screens to play with.

A standard ticket costs €16 and can be bought here.

READ NEXT: Everything that changes in Austria in April 2024

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