The most interesting
shopping locale in Vienna is in the inner city, with its narrow
streets and elegant façades. The large pedestrian zones on
Kärntnerstrasse and Graben
meet at the strikingly modern Haas Haus, the mirrored
façade of which seems to mock St Stephen’s
Cathedral, standing opposite. In addition to exclusive
shops, the Haas Haus has a platform on the top floor, for sightseers
who fancy a encounter with the cathedral. There are a number of
architectural gems in this area and small shops with façades
designed by some of Austria’s most famous architects. The
Ringstrassengalerien offers the convenience of
a shopping centre, a short walk from the State Opera House.
The traditional shopping street of the Viennese is Mariahilferstrasse,
which stretches from the Ringstrasse towards the Westbahnhof rail
station between the Sixth and Seventh Districts. This street is
home to major international stores selling clothing, music and other
familiar commodities, as well as the department stores, Gerngross
and the Euro-Center.
Among the many markets in the city, the most popular with locals
and tourists alike is the Naschmarkt, a colourful
array of fruit and vegetable stalls, shops and eateries, situated
between the Linke (left) and Rechte
(right) Wienzeile streets, near Karlsplatz. The
market is open within the normal shopping hours Monday to Saturday
and between 0800 hrs and 1200 hrs on Saturday, the Flohmarkt
(Flea Market) comes alive at the far end of the Naschmarkt.
Some incredible bargains in second-hand clothes and goods, as well
as more than a few unusual items, are on to be found here. There
are a number of Christmas and Advent
markets in the city and the most popular is the Christkindlmarkt,
which is held in front of the Rathaus.
Shoppers in search of souvenirs can choose from the many gifts that
bear an image associated with Vienna, St
Stephen’s Cathedral, the Giant Ferris Wheel
or the Lipizzaner horses. Something a bit more
distinctive, such as the Art Deco works produced by the artisans
of the Wiener Werkstätten, is available from
Joh Backhausen & Sons, Kärntnerstrasse
33.
Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten,
Europe’s second oldest porcelain manufacturer and once supplied
its hand-painted wares to the Imperial family. Nowadays, visitors
can tour the factory at Augartenpalais, in the Second District (telephone
number: (01) 211 2418, fax number: (01) 216 6833). Following strict
criteria, the Vienna Chamber of Commerce only allows
a limited number of companies to use the ‘Wien Products’
logo, a symbol of high quality craftsmanship (website: www.wienproducts.at).
Shops are generally open Monday to Friday 0800/0900–1800
hrs and Saturday 1200–1800 hrs.
The 20 per cent VAT can be reclaimed by visitors from outside the
European Union, on goods with a value exceeding €75. Visitors
can do this at the airport, if travelling to a non-EU country. Otherwise,
the claim must be made in the final EU country visited. To make
a claim, the tax-cheque must be filled in at the time of purchase.
After check-in at the airport, the purchased items and tax-cheque
must be taken to customs clearance. The customs official will provide
a tax stamp, which may be redeemed at any of the airport banks for
cash in a variety of currencies. The rebate is approximately 13
per cent of the purchase price. More information is available from
Global Refund, Zetschegasse 17 (telephone number: (01) 798 4400,
fax number: (01) 798 4044, e-mail: taxfree@at.globalrefund.com,
website: www.globalrefund.com).
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