Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It was the capital of a culturally and politically leading empire in Europe until World War One. Now it is the capital of Austria, one of the smallest countries in Europe. Its abundance of ressources makes Austrians enjoy one of the highest quality of life in the world. You can walk around just about any part of the city at any time of the day. You never have to worry about being at a sketchy skate spot and having people jack your stuff. Sure it happens but crime is so rare that you find yourself putting your guard down a little bit, which can be a good thing from time to time.
Being home officially to over 1.7 million people, one of the best things about Vienna is how compact it still is. You can skate from one side of the city to the other in probably an hour or an hour and a half if you are hauling. Every street is appartment buildings and most are at least four if not six stories tall. There is a grocery store every couple of blocks and everything you need is right around your house. The public transportation is also fantastic. With subways, street trains and buses, you pay 15 Euros a week and ride all three unlimited. Or you can choose to not pay at all, just watch out for the controllers. They roll in packs of two and are usually wearing a small little bag around there shoulder with their little ticket machine in it.
My favorite thing about skateboarding in Vienna is how you can choose weather you want to skate from spot to spot or take the metro or a car. I love skating through the city with a pack of ten guys, everyone just pushing as fast as they can to get to the next spot. It’s so simple but such an awesome experience at the same time. The sidewalks in Vienna are as smooth as their beer and there is rarely a crack.
Matt
