Growing up, before I really started to get obsessed with maps and traveling, I always had a vague awareness of Vienna—not because of its geopolitical significance, or because it was the capital of an important European country—but because of the arts. In this article, we’re going to jump head-first into the world of classical art and culture that has become a calling-card for Vienna. I definitely did not have time to do everything that this city has to offer, but I was able to make the most of the time I did have thanks to my man on the inside.
Vienna. It has got a reputation for being one of the most beautiful and most “livable” cities not just in Europe, but in the whole world. And that reputation is very well-deserved! But to me, the geopolitical angle is much more interesting that the generic wiki-tourism preamble. So, why am I saying that Vienna is the “Spy Capital of the World”? Well, I can’t take credit for this designation; it’s a “thing.” If you look it up on YouTube, you’ll find all sorts of interesting explainer videos on this (here’s a good one from Versed). I actually think this is a really good segue into explaining Vienna as it stands today, so here’s the quick version…
