Vienna has been a sleeping beauty in the last four weeks since the restrictions due to COVID-19 were set in place. Vienna has never been the fastest place on earth, but about four weeks she went into a strange kind of hibernation.
In the beginning, I stayed at home for around 8 or 9 days until it had been more than 14 days that I last saw friends who had felt symptoms. The first time outside felt very strange, I live right in the city centre and normally the streets are buzzing with people, lots of cafés and restaurants with sitting outside and suddenly the streets were empty and very quiet.
That didn´t change too much in the next weeks, it got warmer, but all the tables outside are still empty and on the squares normally filled with all the spring tourists you just see a few people walking (or running).
Usually, it is the Italians who announce that spring is here – their coming to Vienna is always the first sign of warmer times, this year they had to stay at home but spring still came. Blooming trees and bushes are everywhere and lighten the mood.
As do some sings like these from Cine Center, Gartenbaukino and Burg Kino:
It got warmer, people were sitting in closed café gardens enjoying the sunshine or just enjoying a walk.
About a week ago Restaurants and cafés were allowed to offer food pick up and one started to see lines of people waiting in front of them. There were 1 to 2 m between everyone and still people were talking and smiling, something the Viennese isn´t that much known for.
Last Friday I noticed some more indications that Vienna is slowly waking up again. Today a selection of smaller shops will open again and while doing a little walk on Friday I saw shop windows getting cleaned and decorated and just getting ready for costumers again.
Vienna will continue to be less crowded than usual, people are still asked to stay at home, schools are closed and it probably will take more time to get back to the usual buzz.
Vienna is waiting for you!
See you later!
