Cafe Hawelka

Vienna

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DESTINATIONS austria vienna Cafes Cafe Hawelka

Cafe Hawelka

The long-standing reputation of this cafe as venue for artists and intellectuals dates back to the post-war period, when a great number of literary figures used to visit Hawelka regularly. The bohemian atmosphere of the thick layers of posters on the walls, the telephone booth and the worn upholstered benches is unique and worth experiencing. Try the Melange (white coffee) and the Buchteln: sweet rolls filled with jam, poppy seeds or curd.

Cafes

Since 2011, the traditional Viennese coffee house culture has been regarded as part of the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. Legend has it Vienna's café culture had its beginning back in 1683 when a sack of coffee beans was left behind by the retreating Ottomans. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, coffee houses became the go-to places for intellectuals and creatives, including the likes of Sigmund Freud, Gustav Klimt, James Joyce, and Leon Trotsky. Traditional cafes entice visitors with a wide variety of coffee-based specialities, heavenly pastry creations, and a unique cosy and friendly: Austrian gemütlichkeit. If you are in the mood for something more modern, there are hundreds of third-wave coffee places in Vienna.