It’s that time again. Every year around this time all the shops at Kärntner and Mariahilfer Straße prank themselves and attract their customers to have a look on their offers. At the middle of November at the latest you recognize that Christmas comes up. Mostly the pre-Christmas period then passes by so quickly and just a few days before Christmas you then realize that you still need some small gifts for your friends and relatives and you hectically start your final shopping tour through the shopping malls of your home town. To save yourself from this and to make your shopping a bit easier this year we want to betray you some of Vienna’s shopping hot spots.

 

The classics – Mariahilfer Straße & the golden U

If you come to Vienna for shopping you can not miss out those two places. No matter if you walk along Mariahilfer Straße or you stroll around Kärnter Straße, Graben or Kohlmarkt those four streets give you endless possibilities. The easiest way to reach the Mariahilfer Straße from our hostels is by taking the metro. In the big shopping malls of the Mahü – that’s how Mariahilfer Straße is called in the vernacular – you can find every famous brand. No matter if you search for a small gift or something bigger you’ll find it at the Mariahilfer Straße. Because at the 2 kilometres long shopping stores and shops line up next to each other and you can find everything which fits under the Christmas tree from clothing, books to electronics.

The golden U however is the place to be if you search for something more expensive and elegant The three pedestrian zones Kohlmarkt, Kärntner Straße and Graben create in the centre of Vienna the golden U. Here you can find the most famous shopping boutiques, restaurants, hotels but also affordable stores. Here you can find nearly every brand. If you want to spent a bit more this year you can also visit the boutiques of Gucci, Armani and other high-end brands. Really close to the Graben you can take a break during a long shopping day. At the Café Central – one of the oldest and most traditional Viennese Cafés of the city – you can have a traditional coffee break – coffee, maybe a typical Viennese Melange and a piece of cake – and recover yourself for the rest of the day. For your shopping trip to Vienna the Palace Hostel Vienna has put together a great package including a coffee break, the ticket for the public transport and much more.

 

Trend shopping – the small boutiques aside the mainstream

If you have passed by all the big shopping malls and you still need some small, extraordinary gifts then you should find yourself at the small side streets of the Mariahilfer Straße. Not far away from Mariahilfer Straße you can find the Kirchengasse. Here you find a huge collection on a small area. No matter if you search for young fashion design, streetwear, rarely sneakers or something unusual for kids the small shops here offer you nearly everything aside the mainstream. At SIGT and at Disaster Clothing you can find young fashion design from Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Spain. If you search for extraordinary sneakers you have to go for Zapateria. Beside of the massive collection fans of sneakers also love it because of the seldom items you can find. The fair trade collection of Göttin des Glücks is also located at Kirchengasse and if you are still searching for something for your kids you have to go to Herr & Frau Klein. Here you can find unusual baby clothes and cool romper suits.

Also at the trendy Gumpendorf you can find many small shops which are worth to visit. In the small sidestreets between Mariahilfer Straße and the Naschmarkt you can find nearly everything like furniture, fashion or cosmetics. If you search for modern furniture das Möbel is the place to be but if you like retro furniture from the last century you should take a look at the Lichterloh. At Gumpendorf you can also find organic and fair trade fashion. If you particularly search for that you have to visit Vivendi, Anukoo and Anzüglich. Beside of fashion and electronics one can also find cosmetics underneath many Christmas trees. If you are sceptic about the cosmetics in the mainstream shops you should take a look at St. Charles Apotheke and St. Charels Cosmothecary. Here you can find high quality natural cosmetics made of domestic herbs and plants.

 

Culinary from the Naschmarkt and the Brunnenmarkt

Not far from Gumpendorf you can find a real culinaric institution in Vienna. The Naschmarkt exists since the 16^th century and countless stores, restaurants and stands line up on a length of 1.5 kilometres. If you search for some extraordinary herbs, teas or other temptations for Christmas this is the place to be.

The a bit less touristy alternative is the Brunnenmarkt in Ottakring. Only 20 minutes away from the Palace Hostel Vienna you feel like you would be in another world. At Brunnenmarkt you can find Turkish stands and specialities from the Balkan Peninsula but also Austrian delicacies. But the atmosphere is totally different in comparison to the Naschmarkt. Here you feel like you would stroll around one of the many markets of Southern Europe. The offer is huge and you can find many delicacies from all around the world. If you are tired of all the hustle and bustle after a while you can relax at one of the many cafés and restaurants at Yppenplatz directly at the end of the Brunnenmarkt.