Having a Viennese whirl of a time

Once grumpy Vienna certainly earns its title as the world's greenest and friendliest, finds MILO BOYD

- 

A Brit who swapped London for a European capital once known for grumpiness has explained why the city has become officially one of the friendliest in the world.

In Vienna, the surly mood of locals is so well known that there are two special words to describe it. One is “raunzen” - to grouch, gripe or whimper fretfully. The other is “Wiener Schmäh”, which Brit travel writer and guide Becki Enright describes as the unique brand of Viennese sarcasm and humour.

“It can be hard to grasp and come across as blunt if you don't quite get it,” she explained.

According to Becki, the dark cloud that once hung over the Austrian capital has lifted, and its reputation as Europe's grumpiest city is outdated. So much so that Vienna was just named the friendliest city in Europe by CNTraveller, which surveyed the opinions of half a million readers.

Becki moved from London to Vienna 10 years ago and has fallen in love with the city of two million people. She believes it deserves the top spot, not just for how locals treat tourists, but because it is such a welcoming and liveable place overall.