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Vienna loses its shine: HBO says to cancel White Lotus” shoot!
Vienna loses the title of most livable city to Copenhagen. HBO withdraws filming of “White Lotus”.
Vienna loses its shine: HBO says to cancel White Lotus” shoot!
Vienna has suffered a severe setback: according to current reports from World The Austrian capital lost its long-held top spot in the ranking of the most livable cities to Copenhagen. Ironically, the popular pay-TV channel HBO has decided not to film the next season of the hit series “White Lotus” in Vienna, which is dampening the anticipation of many fans. This is largely due to the Fisa+ film funding application freeze, which caused the project to fail.
The decision not to choose Vienna is all the more unfortunate given that White Lotus creator Mike White had previously stressed that he was tired of beach towns like Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand. Vienna could have benefited enormously from the new season and the associated tourism boom that has occurred in other filming locations.
The loss of quality of life
But the setback for the city goes beyond the loss of a filming location. The current “Global Liveability Index” shows that Vienna is not only slipping in the rankings, but is also being accused of being a destination for “over-tourism” and “over-wealth”. These are topics that have recently come up in public debate. An example of this negative perception was the cancellation of the Taylor Swift concert due to terrorist threats last year, which also contributed to the city's devaluation.
Copenhagen has established itself as the most livable city in the world, followed by Geneva and Zurich. The ranking is based on a comprehensive evaluation of various indices that take into account criteria such as stability, healthcare, education and infrastructure. A look at the results shows that Copenhagen is particularly convincing in the areas of stability, education and infrastructure. The evaluation by the Economist Intelligence Unit has clearly demonstrated the values.
The new rankings and their effects
Rankings in the top ten most livable cities in 2025 look like this:
| rank | City | country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Copenhagen | Denmark |
| 2 | Vienna | Austria |
| 2 | Zurich | Switzerland |
| 4 | Melbourne | Australia |
| 5 | Geneva | Switzerland |
| 6 | Sydney | Australia |
| 7 | Osaka | Japan |
| 7 | Auckland | New Zealand |
| 9 | Adelaide | Australia |
| 10 | Vancouver | Canada |
Vienna ended up in shared second place in the ranking, together with Zurich. However, the city is struggling with a decline in stability ratings, increasing concerns about its future position. The development also shows that Copenhagen's top ranking is supported not only by the quality of life, but also by sustainable urban development and a balanced relationship between work and leisure. In Vienna, the pressure could lead to the need to find other creative solutions to promote stability and quality of life.
A look at possible alternative filming locations shows Kassel, which has come into play as the next option for film productions. This city was highlighted by the SKL city ranking 2025 as the home of the happiest city dwellers in Germany. A look into the future shows that Vienna's reputation as an attractive location for international film events could potentially be disguised if the city does not take countermeasures.
Vienna is at a turning point. The challenge of finding the balance between tourism and quality of life is more urgent than ever. A city once celebrated for its beauty and quality of life now has to be careful not to lose its position in the global rankings.