Page 118 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

116  VIENNA AREA B Y AREA
SHOPPING IN VIENNA

Since Vienna is a compact city, it is a selling anything from produce to trinkets.
pleasant place to shop. The main shopping The pedestrian shopping areas of Kärntner
area is pedestrianized and you can browse Strasse, Graben and Kohlmarkt have
around at a leisurely pace. Austrian glass­ more expensive shops. There are also
ware, food and traditional crafts are all several shopping centres in the suburbs,
good buys. However, the shops tend to including Wien Mitte Landstrasse, Stadion
cater for fairly mature tastes and full Center and BahnhofCity West. These can
purses. Vienna has a number of markets all be reached on the U­Bahn.
Where to Shop
All of Vienna’s shopping
The most elegant shops are areas can easily be explored
found within the Ring, and by public transport.
the most attractive window
displays can be seen in Kärntner Opening Hours
Strasse, Graben, Kohlmarkt and
the central shopping passage Shops generally open at 8:30
con necting Kärntner Strasse or 9am and close at 6 or 7pm.
with Weihburggasse. The shops Almost all stay open till 5pm on
here are also the more Saturday and close on Sundays
expensive ones. You will find and public holidays.
smaller shops, tastefully The supermarket chain Billa
decorated, offering goods of is open on Sundays at the main
guaranteed quality and which railway stations and Vienna
are often truly unique. This airport. Most bakeries are also A chest of drawers with chocolates from
applies to clothes, glass and open. It is possible to buy some Altman & Kühne
porcelain, as well as to confec­ items at petrol stations too.
tionery, books and decorative appropriate form; keep
items. On Graben and Kärntner How to Pay the receipts. The VAT rate is
Strasse, you will also find a 20 per cent and the goods listed
number of chain stores such In Vienna, most stores accept in the form must be unused
as H&M and Mango. major credit cards, including and available for inspection
The shops along Mariahilfer Visa, MasterCard and American by Customs officers.
Strasse are more middle­of­the­ Express. Debit cards are also
range; this is where you will usually accepted, however, it Rights and Services
find many of the multi­national is still wise to carry some cash.
chains, as well as large shoe Visitors normally resident out­ If you have purchased goods
shops, stationery and book­ side the EU are entitled to claim that turn out to be defective,
shops, and a variety of food back the VAT (Mehrwertsteuer – you are usually entitled to a
shops. A similar range of goods, MwSt) if the total value of goods refund, provided you have kept
but at lower prices, can be found purchased in any one shop the receipt. This is not always
in Meidlinger Hauptstrasse, exceeds €73. Take your pass port the case with goods bought
and even less costly ones are when shopping and ask the in the sales – inspect them
on sale in Favoritenstrasse. shopkeeper to complete the carefully before you buy. Many
shops in Vienna will pack goods
for you – and often gift­wrap
them at no extra charge – and
send them anywhere in
the world.

Antiques and Art
A pawnshop established by
Emperor Joseph I in 1703
has been transformed into
Austria’s largest auction house,
Dorotheum, one of the best
known in the world. Items
auctioned here include mainly
antique furniture and objects
Opulent glassware in a shop on Kärntner Strasse of decorative value. Its vast

116-117_EW_Austria.indd 116 03/09/15 5:42 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
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Date 15th May 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm