The Viennese are renowned for being formal and for dressing smartly. Don’t attend a business meeting looking sloppy or unsuitably dressed. Be punctual, always shake hands, be polite, and attempt at least a 'Good morning’ in German before launching into English.

You’ll meet a lot of doctors in Vienna, but they’re not all medical doctors.

In Austria anyone with a higher degree or engineering qualification is known as Doktor or Diplom Ingenieur or another title. Err on the side of caution—find out the correct address for colleagues and stick to it, such as Herr Doktor or Frau Direktorin (just using the plain Herr or Frau is considered rude). Business cards are a useful hint here. Never call a grown woman Fräulein, even if you know she is unmarried. The word Fräulein is used only for girls. It’s most unusual for people to call each other by their first names in a business environment, even if they do outside the office. As an outsider, don’t use anyone’s first name unless they invite you to.

If attending the opera, theatre or a concert, dress up. A corporate event at the Opera House is likely to be black tie. If you’re attending a ball, expect everyone to know how to dance—it’s a genuinely good idea to get a few waltzing lessons in beforehand. The Viennese take their dancing seriously. It’s an obvious one, but avoid talking about the war, the Nazis or Hitler.