Coronavirus: A City Without People

As many of you will know, the current situation regarding the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic is a very serious one, and is unfortunately set to continue for many months ahead...

The Coronavirus has impacted every corner of the globe. We live in a rare moment in time that history will have no choice but to remember. As our team self-isolates, we all send our condolences to everyone who has been already been effected.

At The City Works, our dedication lies with highlighting the best that places around the world have to offer. And in times like these, when the coronavirus has emptied cities worldwide, it is both a strange and challenging reality to face.

On the one hand, seeing some of the world’s most visited hot-spots quietly existing without human interaction is, at first, a pleasant sight to see. How we all secretly dream of having the city to ourselves. To take pictures all day on the Rialto bridge, or to be alone with the Colosseum for an hour, or two.

But as with many dreams that come true, the reality is different. In our native Vienna, seeing barely a soul drift across the normally bustling Stephansplatz is far from calming. It’s unsettling.

Deep down, as much as we dislike queues and crowds, tickets and waiting times, this difficult time reminds us why so many travellers descend on these special places every year.

Landmarks aren’t landmarks without the visitors. Art isn’t art without the artists. And a city is not a city without its people.

Although we may sometimes wish we had the city to ourselves, we can’t. The only reason cities exist at all, is because of the collective efforts of everyone. And now more than ever, we need to keep working together.

Places all around the world, are waiting for their people to return. Only then, will they be able to come back to life. Until then, our focus remains on the helping each other through the Coronavirus outbreak.

While we patiently wait for the world, we must remember. The world will be waiting for us.

The dangers of the Coronavirus are very apparent. These are simple steps you can take to fight it: Please wash your hands with soap regularly, avoid unnecessary contact, don’t panic buy and more broadly, don’t panic.

As many of the shops we work with are closing, or are experiencing hard times, please keep small businesses in mind when doing your ‘quarantine shopping’. Thank you.