Sachertorte in Vienna

Sachertorte

Sachertorte · Vienna, Austria

Foto: Rizka · CC BY-SA 4.0

Vienna's most famous chocolate cake, over which two old houses fought legal battles for decades.

Antes de ir · Know before you go

  • Don't hurry the waiters in a Viennese café
  • don't squash a takeaway cake in your backpack (buy it boxed)

Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.

Stories & people

Historias y personajes

Historia

One layer of jam or two

The Sachertorte was created by the pastry chef Franz Sacher in the mid-19th century. In the 20th century, Vienna's Hotel Sacher and the confectioner Demel went to court over ownership of the cake and its trademark, and argued over how many layers of sponge the original had: Hotel Sacher insists on two, Demel on one. To this day their cakes carry round and triangular chocolate seals respectively.

Fuente: Wikipedia: Sachertorte

Culture

Cultura y costumbres

Contexto cultural

The Sachertorte was invented by the Austrian confectioner Franz Sacher in the mid-19th century. In Vienna, the Hotel Sacher and the Demel patisserie dominate the market for the cake. In the 20th century the two fought over the cake's ownership, its trademark and how many layers of sponge the original had: Hotel Sacher insists on two, Demel on one. Their cakes bear round and triangular chocolate seals respectively.

Costumbres locales

With a spoonful of unsweetened whipped cream and a Viennese coffee

Etiquette

Normas y tabúes

Normas que se aplican aquí

Línea rojaModales cotidianosAustria

Austria: be ready to show your passport

  • Carry your passport
  • Assuming your driving licence counts as ID

The law requires you to be able to show your passport at all times; Austria does not accept a UK driving licence as official ID.

Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Austria travel advice

Línea rojaConducciónAustria

Austria: buy a vignette before using the motorway

  • Stick the motorway vignette on the inside of the windscreen
  • Driving on motorways and expressways without a vignette

You will be fined.

Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Austria travel advice

No lo haga DON'T

  • Don't hurry the waiters in a Viennese café
  • don't squash a takeaway cake in your backpack (buy it boxed)

Lo que aprecian los locales DO

Viennese appreciate customers who eat slowly in the café and are in no hurry to leave.

Plan your visit

Información práctica

Consejos de viaje

  • The Hotel Sacher café often has a queue
  • you can also compare the two at Demel. Read it alongside 'Viennese coffee houses' in the city guide. Prices and opening hours are set by each shop
  • popular old places often have queues, so go outside peak mealtimes.
Fuentes y notas de verificación

Wikipedia: Sachertorte