Gemütlichkeit

Drinking lots of wine as the epitome of Wiener Gemütlichkeit

Gemütlichkeit is a German abstract noun whose closest English equivalent is cosiness. However, rather than basically just describing a place as not too large, well-heated and nicely furnished (a cosy room, a cosy flat), Gemütlichkeit connotes, much more than cosiness, the notion of belonging, social acceptance, cheerfulness, the absence of anything hectic and the spending of quality time in a place as described above.

Queen Victoria is said to have been one of the first to use the adjective gemütlich in English. Today, the word is frequently used in descriptions of holiday destinations. Gemütlichkeit is usually not sought by young people though, who typically prefer excitement.