Features

One of my favorite places to have lunch with a touch of elegance is Das Schindler. It is a low-keyed, modern restaurant bar, roomy and inviting with ...

The director of the Vienna-based International Press Institute shared the stage for the awarding of the first Peace Prize for journalism since 1935.

Dr. Herta Steinkellner’s work could lead to a new, effective treatment for COVID-19 – and demonstrates the power of plants to produce highly complex human proteins.

Regarded for ages as the modest cousin of the great Habsburg capital, Graz, despite its charm, was used to keeping a low profile. Thrown into the s...

The cabaret performer writes the music and lyrics for Pizzera & Jaus. He spoke to Metropole about black humor and the benefits of therapy – he also told a few dirty jokes.

Mouddar Khouja first came to Europe in 1981. In 1985, he moved to Vienna, where he has been helping the Austrian-Syrian business community thrive.

We take you on an enchanting journey to a city as it was before the war - bridging history and civilizations for more than 5,000 years.

From The Vienna Paradox to The Edge of Irony, the distinguished literary critic and professor emerita examines the seminal literature and thought of Austria’s interwar period.

It was for a place in the company of the Wiener Volksoper that Petar Naydenov came to Vienna from a theatre in Bavaria eight years ago.

Bulgaria is home to legends and myths, stories of centuries past, monuments of battles lost and won which all shape the landscape.

The two friends decided to join forces. And in 2016, they set up the non-profit organization Austria for Beginners.

When national governments closed borders and asked people to stay put at the beginning of 2020, Ivan Krastev and his family decided to go back to Bulgaria.

For those moving west from Bulgaria, Vienna has become a favorite destination - a "Bulgarian village" in its own right.

“Nothing is impossible for those you love”

“Politicians think we don’t like Vienna. In fact, the opposite is true: We’re critical because we love this city that much."

Language is our wealth, our tradition – and a tool to understand the world.

For Bojidar Kassabov, everything began in October 1999. An agreement between Austrian and Bulgarian universities gave him the chance to study medicine in Vienna.

The Bulgarian law graduate works for the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) and gives free consultations on labor and social security law in her mother tongue.

“Corruption will never be 100% eradicated. But it’s important to set parameters and structures that show people that in the end, corruption doesn’t pay.”

From the Finance Ministry to the World Bank and Transparency International, Economist Kurt Bayer sniffs out all kinds of corruption. Although sometimes, it just presents itself.

Viennese legend Susanne Widl discusses her Café Korb upbringing, her illustrious past and the future of how we spend time together – inside the 'Kaffeehaus' and out.

A fixture in the traditional 'Kaffeehaus' – the creation of German master joiner Michael Thonet became a legend of 19th-century design.

“Vienna has a great coffeehouse culture, but sadly – or in my case, fortunately – a bad coffee culture when it comes to quality.”

Actor Aleksandar Saša Petrović feels indestructible when he thinks in Serbian. A talk about movies, life and what it means to be Viennese.

From health and security providers to scientists and civil servants, these Serbians have become a key part of Austrian society.

A story of two couples and their children through the generations, with different histories and reasons for moving to and staying in Vienna.

From first coming to Austria as a child to being elected to Parliament, Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic has always been a fighter.

The shoe designer is blending the line between fashion and art with sculptural footwear.

The story of a man who extends boundaries, in more than one way.

“What you see in the pictures is not necessarily the reality. I don’t get flown anywhere in a private jet with a glass of champagne in my hand. In the end, it’s hard work.”

With a total area of over 100,000 km2, modern day Transylvania is the largest region of Romania, and, by itself, larger than Austria.

On the Enlightenment’s mixed legacy, European solidarity and lessons of the pandemic.

A picturesque medieval town, regional gourmet cuisine, hiking and idyllic scenery make Kitzbühel the perfect getaway.

The head of Lena Hoschek’s couture atelier, designer Thomas Kirchgrabner describes demanding clientele, recounts his rise in Austria’s fashion scene and how he met his boss.

To make it on the boards that mean the world, you need talent, passion and grit. Even more so, when you start out from a modest background.

The Austro-British filmmaker stretched the boundaries of documentary and film technique, exploring interactive storytelling and the application of virtual reality to the experience of art.

Families come in many shapes and sizes, but they share challenges. These Viennese are here to guide and inspire.

The pandemic could be the making of the EU, says the former ÖNB governor. On coronabonds,” the “frugal four” and the clever Mrs. Merkel.

“Understanding each child is like a puzzle that I piece together.”

No stranger to challenges, the general manager of the Vienna Business Agency, Gerhard Hirczi is placing the city’s assets front and center.

From jet setters to families, Carinthia's Wörthersee is the waterfront escape Austrians keep coming back to.

In the first installment of our new series of how expats built their careers in Vienna, we talked to Maurizio Poletto, the designer behind E...

Founder, Fund of Excellence, Erste Group “Human capital is the oil of the 21st century. Ten years ago, it was all about big data. Now it’s about ...

Director, Die Wiener Volkshochschulen “When the world is spinning faster than you are, you need help to keep moving forward – so ...

Stepping out to Warda Network's rooftop balcony reveals a panoramic view of Vienna's picture-perfect 8th district. This, apparently, is the city f...

The new director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York on diversity, connecting artists and putting discovery over instruction.

“In war, culture is anything but irrelevant. Destroying someone’s cultural identity is just as painful as any physical wound.” Friedrich Schipper o...

“Coffee culture is booming. Which also means that these days, we even have to compete with the fancy espresso machines people have at home.” Café W...

A stately gem in Lower Burgenland, Bernstein castle offers respite from modern living History has a way of drawing you in. Lords and ladies, knights ...

Austrians like to show off their serious appreciation of classical music. But if you want them to erupt into joyful singing, you’ve got to play them s...

With the platform Own Austria, founders Martin Foussek and Thomas Niss aim to help people make better investments through trust and familiarity Few Au...

“When I go back to my buildings and see how people interact with it – that’s the best present I could ask for.” In 2002, blue stickers began to a...

“Some of the most famous architects in the world – Zaha Hadid, Kazuyo Sejima – are non-Western, non-European women. That says a lot about how ‘emancip...

We spoke to Wolf Prix, one of the founders of the Deconstructivist movement. At Coop Himmelb(l)au, Wolf Prix’s 5th district Architecture studio, the w...

The director and general manager of the Schönbrunn Zoo, Dagmar Schratter, spoke to us about activism, animal husbandry, why some frogs wave and the tr...

It is said, a cat has nine lives. But Shawnee, a 10-year-old Maine Coon living in Floridsdorf, seems pretty happy with just the one. His home is Zen...

“The relationship with the horse is often even better than the one with a spouse. We have to both work together and have fun together.” The packe...

Ahead of his state visit to Austria on June 5, the first since his reelection, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave ORF news anchorman Armin Wolf an ...

The rector of the Danube University Krems on education reform, collaboration along the river and the benefits of studying in the countryside. I...

"We lead the world in organic standards because we're a small country. The agricultural infrastructure is still on a small scale, so farmers can still...

"Our children might graduate from school with the knowledge of how to fly to the moon, but they don't have a clue about how important food production ...

“If time is supposedly money, try buying some more of it once your time's up. Quality of life is about enjoying it right here and right now. Gin ...

Art can be a solitary craft, but for inspiring masterpieces to reach us, they need to go through many hands. “A museum director I invited here rais...

Light artist Waltraut Cooper’s installations have broken ground for decades. We spoke about digitizing the UN, the Biennale and world peace. He...

They have made democracy their business, whether as a software developer, university professor, museum director or in the parliamentary administration...

For Heinz Fischer, loving his country means caring about peacekeeping, education and reviving the lessons of history. Not many people know wher...

We talked to four guardians of our collective consciousness in the world of photography, hospitality, urban history and children’s books...

We talked to four guardians of our collective consciousness in the world of photography, hospitality, urban history and children’s books...

We talked to four guardians of our collective consciousness in the world of photography, hospitality, urban history and children’s books...

Growing up with a diverse cultural background can be a challenge, but also a gift. These four people have made diversity their ally A T-shirt...

Baumhaus Lodge reconnects you to nature through cutting-edge architecture When I was younger, I loved climbing the trees in grandpa’s...

Wine, food and music are essential ingredients for the good life, but so are a roof over your head and people who care about you. With our fou...

Wine, food and music are essential ingredients for the good life, but so are a roof over your head and people who care about you. With our four interv...

Design is not just a profession, it’s a way of life. Whether it’s on the runway, backstage, on the go or online, these designers both live and love wh...

Whether it’s the official “I do”, or playing games with gender and sexuality, her life’s work celebrates love, sexuality and femininity Ingrid M...

She gets high on people daring to say “I do”. This bubbly expat has dedicated her livelihood to capturing celebrations of love Michelle Mock, Weddi...

Julian Wiehl is the mind behind Vienna’s “progressive men’s magazine”, Vangardist, showcasing the savoir vivre of the gay community In 2015, Va...

Whether she's playing games with gender and sexuality, or just celebrating love, music, fashion, this drag queen is an expert on being ...

Aside from manual dexterity, facility with numbers and a polished appearance, croupiers need skill with people and a mix of both ease and rese...

We spoke to the Austrian-born serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist Hermann Hauser about betting on the market, reading a team and digging into...

Vienna’s most prominent cancer specialist, Christoph Zielinski, on precision medicine, unhappy doctors, and why social equality is the key to succes...

News Anchorman, ORF Roman Rafreider, 47, finds the idea of identifying what his dream job was a little odd, since the keyword is the “dream” part...

Whether they’re uncovering drug cartels, teaching how to protect secrets, improving the image of the police department or fighting corruption, skeptic...

Nychos is a rising star of the Viennese and international graffiti scene. He gave us a look into his life as a street artist from a beach in Maui, bec...

During the holiday season, the Wolfgangsee turns into a paradise for lovers of all things Advent. With the Christmas season starting earlier each...

Sofia-born artist, Plamen Dejanoff lives and works quite comfortably in Vienna Since 1995, he has exhibited his artwork in galleries, trade fairs...

As we enter or leave this world, there are those seldom-thanked individuals that accompany us. We spoke to people who think and talk about living and ...

As we enter or leave this world, there are those seldom-thanked individuals that accompany us. We spoke to people who think and talk about living and ...

Austria has a new chancellor and with him comes a new minister. Thomas Drozda is in charge of Arts and Culture, and while he is new to the job, we ask...

We met Sharon Booth, an inpirational Canadian-born, Juilliard-educated dancer who found her way to Vienna, now teaching contemporary dance at the Staa...

In our May issue, we teamed up with AustrianStartups to ask twelve Austrian founders to pick their local hero from the startup ecosystem. Today w...

In our May issue, we teamed up with AustrianStartups to ask twelve Austrian founders to pick their local hero from the startup ecosystem. Today w...

We asked the director of the Belvedere Museum, Agnes Husslein-Arco whether she thought museums are primarily a bridge between times and cultures, or a...

A prominent historian and Vienna expert gives insight into what Vienna owes to outsiders in a treatise that dips and weaves from the present to the 19...