The Viennese cafe is not just somewhere to grab a quick coffee – cafe culture is a massive part of life here and the hub of social, business and networking activity.  Take your newspaper and immerse yourself in the relaxed surroundings of these chic eateries – some of them have a rich history and unique charm that you’ll want to be part of. Or, take your laptop and work while you lurk – for many execs, the cafe is the key to a successful day’s deals.

Wander around Vienna and try them all. Once you’ve found your favourite (try the famous Cafe Central at Herrengasse 14, once the favourite of Leon Trotsky) you won’t want to leave.

1. In Saudi Arabia, the production, importation and consumption of alcohol is completely banned – don’t even think about it. If you do, and you’re caught by the very vigilant religious police, expect fines (at the very least) to a spell in prison or even a public lashing!
2. Kuwait has a complete ban on the production and serving of liquor. However, there is a thriving black market and in some areas you may be offered a ‘special’ kind of tea. Beware though, if you’re caught drinking or supplying alcohol then the penalties can be severe.
3. You’re pretty safe if you’re planning to travel to Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. Here, alcohol consumption and production is permitted for those above the legal drinking age, which is 21.
4. In Bahrain, Qatar and UAE, alcohol is available in hotels or licensed venues that have been granted a permit to supply alcohol.
5. Across Iran, prohibition has forced a thriving underground trade and some supermarkets even supply booze under the counter. If you’re really desperate, wander around the narrow alleyways where you’ll find rebellious youths peddling beer from under their padded jackets. Always one step behind though are the religious police, determined to put a stop to the illicit back-street dealers and it’s not worth the risk.
6. In the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, alcohol had been discretely available since 2008, but more recently a complete crackdown was implemented by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and the sale of alcohol is restricted to licensed stores, private clubs and hotels.
7. Alcohol is banned in Muslim north Sudan and under the Islamic Sharia law you can expect to be given 40 lashes if you’re found guilty of the consumption or supplying of alcohol.

Religion plays a very important role in all the countries of the Middle East and in the main, alcoholic beverages are strictly forbidden throughout. In known ex-pat areas, local police are more relaxed but anyone caught smuggling or producing alcohol can expect jail, public flogging, and deportation. And you won’t get any support from the authorities. Be warned.

Historically, coffee was a popular aid to staying awake for prayers during Ramadan. Today, traditional Arab or Turkish coffee is renowned across the globe for its wonderful taste and it’s really worth a try. In the Middle East tradition is to add cardamom to coffee, which gives it an unusual piquant flavour. Turkish coffee gets its unique flavour from the way it’s prepared (there’s no magic beans). Arabic coffee can be bitter and sugar can help – it’s added during the preparation and not after the coffee is served so make sure you ask for it correctly:  for black coffee without sugar ask for ‘awha sada’; for a little sugar, its ‘ahwa ariha’; for a little more sugar you’ll want ‘ahwa mazboot’ or if you prefer your coffee really sweet then you’ll want ‘ahwaziyada’.

Turkish coffee is made in a special pot, called a ‘cevze’ and served in a porcelain cup. If you don’t take sugar in yours, ask for ‘sade’ (without sugar) or, for lightly sweetened ask for ‘az sekerli’. If you’re a sugar monster, ask for it served ‘sekerli’. Turkish coffee contains grounds of coffee, so drink it slowly, savouring the deep flavours and aromas as the grounds settle to the bottom. You’ll know it’s the perfect cup if it’s topped with thick foam (known as köpük). Served piping hot, along with a glass of cold water to increase the flavour, you’ll also get some delicious Turkish delight on the side.

In the Middle East it’s really popular to have your coffee grounds read to find out what the future holds. Look for shapes; if you see a fish, that’s lucky, a dog indicates fidelity; a snake shows betrayal, a cat means selfishness. It’s a bit of fun and a big part of the Turkish culture.

Coffee in the Middle East is amongst the best in the world, so no matter where you are you’ll find a restaurant or coffee shop that serves a perfect cup. Coffee shops are becoming more and more popular in the Middle East as places to socialize and escape an otherwise lonely existence.  Nescafe? No thanks.

In most cases, coffee is very strong and bitter.

P.S. When given a choice, I would normally refuse coffee. However, during my travels, I have learned to accept hospitality in the form of coffee (or tea) drinking.

Coffee drinking in Italy has a number of rules about what to order and when to order. Social rules which are frequently broken by most tourists.

See, ONLY tourists drink cappuccino in the afternoon. Since it is milk based (hence, heavy for the stomach), one should only drink a cappuccino before 11am. Cappuccinos should never be ordered after a meal. Espressos, on the other hand, are completely different. You can drink it any time of the day, even after a meal.

If you want to drink coffee like the Italians, check this out…

To help the traveller choose the coffee, here are my tips: when you order a coffee or “caffé”, don’t expect a 20 oz. cup. “Caffé” is the equivalent of an “espresso”. You don’t even need to call it espresso – if you ask for a coffee, you’ll get an “espresso”. It is seriously strong and served in a tiny cup (a demitasse). The ristretto is an even tinier cup of coffee, but because it’s “stopped short” of a “Caffé”, it’s not as bitter. On the opposite, the caffé lungo is a tall caffé.

If you crave for coffee, you can order a “caffé doppio”, a double shot of coffee, or a “caffé americano”, which is basically a shot of coffee with more water added afterward so you have a bigger cup.

“Caffé macchiatto” or stained coffee is a coffee with a little bit of milk, while “caffé con panna” has cream on top instead of milk.

The “caffé latte” is quite popular amongst the tourists too. It’s a shot of coffee with a lot of steamed milk and topped with a little bit of foam. While people pleaser cappuccino is a coffee just topped with steamed milk without holding back the foam (tourists add cocoa on top).

Little known “Caffé coretto” has a little bit of alcohol (grappa, whisky for gentlemen, amaretto for the ladies, but you can choose what you want) in it.

Coffee is usually drunk on the spot without even sitting. You’ll see a lot of Italians in the morning on their way to work stopping at the bar for a quick fix. But even tiny bars have a couple of chairs, if you want to take your time.

If you are confused and don’t want the tsks tsks thrown your way, just go to the nearest tourist trap… there’s a 99% chance that the people inside would also be slowly sipping their hot cappuccinos at 4 in the afternoon.