The 10 best places to go shopping in Vienna

Dating back to the sixth century, the historic Naschmarkt is a destination for locals and tourists alike. It’s primarily a food and drink market during the week, but the real fun comes on Saturday, when a flea market takes over the car park on the Kettenbrückengasse side, with more than 300 stalls selling antiques, furniture, clothing and homeware.

Based on a secret recipe passed down from Vienna’s last soap boiler Fredrich Weiss, these dainty square soaps make the ideal Viennese souvenir. Cold-pressed using coconut oil and made using entirely natural ingredients, they’re also pretty darn ethical. Wiener Seife’s flagship is in the 3rd district, but the branch in the city centre also stocks their whole collection.

Another highlight of the Neubau district, We Bandits has caught on to Vienna’s love affair for sleek Scandinavian design. As well as pieces from Sweden and Norway, they stock a wide range of womenswear from South Korean designers, who, like the Scandinavians, are renowned for their clean-cut shapes and elegant stylings. The shop is temporarily closed during the pandemic, but click and collect is still available. 

Green fashion is all the rage right now and this innovative store has taken thriftiness to the next level, transforming trash into useful household items. Think a bowling pin turned into a vase, that sort of thing. It’s also worth having a wander along the rest of the street, Schleifmühlgasse, where you’ll find many of Vienna’s coolest art galleries.

Long established as one of Vienna’s ‘trendy’ districts, Neubau isn’t exactly short of independent boutiques, but Burggasse 24 must be one of the most eclectic. Unusual, hand-picked men and women’s pieces are the name of the game at this store, which stands out for abandoning the prim style that dominates the city’s fashion scene. There’s also a café with a decent vegetarian menu that’s ideal for a post-shopping pick-me-up.

This family millinery has been going since 1903, with Yoko Ono, Brad Pitt and Madonna among its celeb-heavy clientele. Unusual and chic in equal measure, their collection includes classic velvet caps, winter hats created using lambswool and woven straw summer designs. All are handmade in their workshop in Vienna.

Stocking women’s fashion ranging from the 1880s to the 1980s, this retro store offers everything from dainty flapper dresses, crocodile handbags and oversized sunglasses to jumpsuits, kitten heels and pearls. Prada, Gucci, Chanel and Valentino are just a few of the names you’ll find on the rails. Prices are more reasonable than you might expect.

From Apfelstrudel to Sachertorte, Vienna and ‘sweet treats’ are pretty much synonymous. And these days this extends to confectionery, often in the form of dainty chocolates and pastel-hued boiled sweets. Visit chocolate artist Michael Diewald at his workshop in Mariahilf where you can sample delicacies such as lime and elderflower marzipan in turmeric and chamomile flower chocolate.

Formerly a designer for luxury brand Chloé before founding her own fashion house and footwear label, Rani Bageria opened her flagship store on Zieglergasse in 2019. Her collection of avant-garde studded ankle boots and velvet mule slippers are very distinctive. They also sell bags.

Located at the trendier end of Gumpendorferstrasse, a side street between Mariahilf and Neubau, this elegant and airy boutique stocks furniture and women’s fashion from European designers, including Véronique Leroy, Tim van Steenbergen and Florian Ladstätter. Prices are on the higher end.