Shopping

Outside the city center, shops are generally open weekdays from 9 am to 6 pm and on Saturday from 9 am to noon. On the busy shopping thoroughfares, most shops stay open until 8 pm during the week and 5 or 6 pm on Saturday. Stores are closed on Sunday and public holidays. In the 7th District of Neubau, the boutiques often don’t open until 11 am.

Shopping Districts

The Kärntner Strasse, Graben, and Kohlmarkt—the latter is home to the so-called Goldenes Quartier (Golden Quarter)—are pedestrian areas in the Inner City that claim to have the best shops in Vienna. For some items, such as jewelry, they're probably some of the best anywhere. The side streets in this area have shops selling antiques, art, clocks, jewelry, and period furniture. A collection of attractive small boutiques can also be found in the Palais Ferstel passage at Freyung 2 in the 1st District.

Gumpendorferstrasse, in the 6th District, and the nearby 7th District, Neubau, are two of the hippest shopping destinations in town, with small boutiques, trendy hairstylists, and great eateries. On Neubaugasse, Kirchengasse, Lindengasse, and the quaint Mondscheingasse, fashionistas find unique clothing, jewelry, and footwear in lovely little boutiques. Also in the 7th District, on Spittelberggasse between Burggasse and Siebensterngasse, are small galleries and handicraft shops. In competition for the top neighborhood of them all is Praterstrasse in the 2nd District. From the city center toward the Praterstern U station, great boutiques, cafés, and restaurants have popped up.

Vienna's Naschmarkt (between Linke and Rechte Wienzeile, starting at Getreidemarkt) is one of Europe's great and most colorful food and produce markets. Stalls open at 6 am, and the pace is lively until about 6 pm. Saturday is the big day, though, when farmers come into the city to sell at the back end of the market. Also on Saturday is a huge flea market at the Kettenbrückengasse end. The Naschmarkt is closed Sunday. Christmas is the time for the tinselly Christkindlmarkt (Rathausplatz in front of City Hall). In protest of its commercialization, smaller markets specializing in handicrafts have sprung up on such traditional spots as Am Hof, the Freyung, and in front of the Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces.