At a time when most people start and end their day looking at their mobile phone screen, an unusual cafe has opened in Vienna that offers guests a complete break from the digital world.
It is a pop-up cafe called Offline Oida, which opened its doors on April 25 and welcomes guests every weekend looking for peace, conversation and time without notifications.
Upon arrival at the bar, guests are invited to turn off their cell phones, put them on silent mode or leave them in secure locked compartments. The goal is simple: to spend a few hours without scrolling, messages and the constant need to check something on the screen.
Instead, visitors are offered conversation, silence, books and board games.
What makes this concept special is the complete absence of digital content. There are no screens in the space, no internet, and no work atmosphere characteristic of modern cafes where people sit with laptops.
Instead, there is a simple offer of coffee, tea and homemade cakes, a reading corner in cooperation with the city library, and weekend socializing with analog board games.
A short common break for breathing and relaxation is organized every hour.
One of the initiators of the project, Christoph Thomann, stated that the idea arose as a response to the accelerated pace of life.
– Offline is the new luxury. We wanted to create a space for real meetings, mental relief and a sense of community, he said.
The café is already known for its modern interpretation of Austrian cuisine and relaxed atmosphere, which makes it an ideal place for the concept of a digital vacation, the Garda Vienna Office in Sarajevo announced.
