Page 118 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

116  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA
SHOPPING IN VIENNA

With a compact, eminently walkable city had in street flea and antiques markets, while
centre, and a variety of shops to suit any the side streets south of the MuseumsQuartier
budget and taste, Vienna is a great place to cry to be explored. There are several shop­
shop. The pedestrian shopping areas of ping centres in the suburbs, including Wien
Kärntner Strasse, Graben and Kohlmarkt in Mitte Landstrasse, Stadion Center and
the Old Town have a plethora of upmarket BahnhofCity West. These can all be reached
stores, as does Vienna’s longest shopping on the U­Bahn. Look out for glass ware,
street, Mariahilfer Strasse. Bargains are to be traditional crafts and, of course, sweet treats.
Where to Shop
H&M and Mango. A similar
The most elegant shops – and range of goods, but at lower
the most attractive window prices, can be found on
displays – are found within the Meidlinger Hauptstrasse and
Ring. Kärntner Strasse, Graben, Favoritenstrasse.
Kohlmarkt and the central
shopping passage con necting Opening Hours
Kärntner Strasse with Weihburg­
gasse, as well as the Goldenes Shops generally open at 8:30
Quartier on Kohlmarkt, are full or 9am and close at 6 or 7pm.
of designer brands and upmarket Almost all stay open till 5pm on
stores. As everywhere, these Saturday and close on Sundays
kinds of shops tend to be and public holidays.
expensive. Tastefully decorated The supermarket chain Billa A chest of drawers with chocolates from
smaller shops scat tered around is open on Sundays at the main Altman & Kühne
the Old Town offer goods of railway stations and Vienna
guaranteed quality that are airport. Most bakeries also open purchased in any one shop
often truly unique. Shoppers on Sundays. It is possible to buy exceeds €75. Take your pass port
will find an array of clothes, some items at petrol stations. when shopping and ask the
glass and porcelain, confec­ shopkeeper to complete the
tionery, books and decorative How to Pay appropriate form; keep the
items to choose from. receipts. The VAT rate is 20 per
The shops along Mariahilfer All major credit and debit cards, cent and the goods listed on
Strasse offer more variety; this is including Visa and MasterCard, the form must be unused and
where you will find many of the are widely accepted, though a available for inspection by
multi­national chains, as well as minimum purchase amount customs officers.
large shoe shops, book­ and may be required. Visitors
stationery shops, and a variety of normally resident out side the
food shops. There are a number EU are entitled to claim back Rights and Services
of chain stores on Graben and the VAT (Mehrwertsteuer – MwSt) If you have purchased goods
Kärntner Strasse, too, such as if the total value of goods that turn out to be defective,
you are usually entitled to a
refund, provided you have kept
the receipt. Some exceptions
include goods bought in the
sales or at street markets. Many
shops offer a free gift­wrapping
service; many will also ship items
anywhere in the world – for a fee.

Antiques and Art
A pawnshop established by
Emperor Joseph I in 1703 has
been transformed into Austria’s
largest auction house. Called
Dorotheum, it mainly sells
antique furniture and objects of
decorative value. Its vast store at
Dorotheergasse No. 17 is one of
The elegant interior of J. & L. Lobmeyr several branches throughout

116-117_EW_Austria.indd 116 12/09/17 2:45 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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Date 15th May 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm