• Shopping

• There are many fantastic shopping opportunities in this city, both in the many spectacular shopping centres, and in the many fabulous markets in the city. The enormous Gasometer, located on Guglgasse within four round shaped structures that were formerly used to store gas. In 2001 the buildings were converted into a huge complex of halls, apartments and shops. There are approximately seventy different shops selling a range of goods within the centre whose separate buildings are connected via glass passages. The upmarket Ringstrassen Galerien, located on Kärtner Strasse, is the most exclusive shopping centre in the city, packed with top-name designer goods, including clothes and jewellery as well as luxury food. Gerngross, located on Mariahilfer Strasse, is one of the city’s largest department stores, and stocks fashion spanning from top-of-the-range to more affordable items, as well as fashion accessories, and home furnishings. The top floor sushi restaurant and café on the top floor offer spectacular views over the vibrant city street below. Another major department store is Steffl, located on Kärntner Strasse, which is packed with designer goods throughout its five floors, such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, as well as perfumes, cosmetics and homeware. The Sky Bar on the top floor is a particular attraction due to its fabulous cocktails and amazing view over the city. The Galleria, located on Landstrasser Hauptstrasse is a three-storied shopping centre with a curved glass awning, selling items such as clothes, shoes, electronics, and jewellery. There is also a pharmacy, supermarkets, cafés and restaurants.
  
  The most famous market in Vienna is the Naschmarkt, located between the Karlsplatz and Kettenbrückengasse, and it is also the largest. The sight that greets you is a hive of colour made up of the hundreds of stalls which open at 6am selling all manner of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and flowers. The market expands even more on a Saturday when a flea market also takes place selling a range of antiques and retro clothing. The Kunst und Handwerks Markt, (art and crafts market) located in the magnificent Baroque Platz Am Hof, is almost as popular. The cobbled streets are the location for the antiques and second-hand books market which is held every Friday and Saturday. Another great market is the Karmelitermarkt which occurs daily in the square near the Im Werd, and sells a multicultural mix of Turkish food, traditional vegetables, fruit and groceries, as well as Austrian butchers selling fresh red meat, poultry and horsemeat. At weekends the market is even better when farmers from outside Vienna come to sell their goods.

Shopping Districts

The Karntnerstrasse, Graben, and Kohlmarkt pedestrian areas in the 1st District, Inner City, claim to have the best shops in Vienna, and for some items, such as jewelry, some of the best anywhere, and prices are appro­priately steep. The side streets within this area have developed their own character, with shops offering antiques, art, clocks, jewelry, and period furniture. Ringstrasse Galerie, the indoor shopping plaza at Karntner Ring 5-7, brings a number of shops together in a modern complex, al­though many of these stores have other, larger outlets elsewhere in the city. Outside the center, concentrations of stores are on Mariahilferstrasse, straddling the 6th and 7th districts; Landstrasser Hauptstrasse in the 3rd District; and, still farther out, Favoritenstrasse in the 10th District.

A collection of attractive small boutiques can be found in the Palais Fer­stel passage at Freyung 2 in the 1st District. A modest group of smaller shops has sprung up in the Sonnhof passage between Landstrasser Haupt­strasse 28 and Ungargasse 13 in the 3rd District. The Spittelberg mar­ket, on the Spittelberggasse between Burggasse and Siebensterngasse in the 7th District, has drawn small galleries and handicrafts shops and is particularly popular in the weeks before Christmas and Easter. Christ­mas is the time also for the tinselly Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz in front of City Hall; in protest over its commercialization, smaller mar­kets specializing in handicrafts have sprung up on such traditional spots as Am Hof and the Freyung (1st District), also the venue for other sea­sonal markets.

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 5 or 6 AM, and the pace is lively until 5 or 6 PM. Saturday is the big day, when farmers come into the city to sell at the back end of the market, but shops close around 3 PM. Also Satur­day there's a huge flea market at the Kettenbriickengasse end. It is closed Sunday.

Flea Markets
Every Saturday (except holidays), rain or shine, from about 7:30 AM to 4 or 5, the Flohmarkt in back of the Naschmarkt, stretching along the Linke Wienzeile from the Kettenbriickengasse U4 subway station, offers a staggering collection of stuff ranging from serious antiques to plain junk. I • TIP'" Haggle over prices. On Thursday and Friday from late spring to mid-fall, an outdoor combination arts-and-crafts, collectibles, and flea market takes place on Am Hof. On weekends in summer from about 10 to 6, an outdoor art and antiques market springs up along the Danube Canal, stretching from the Schwedenbriicke to beyond the Salztorbriicke. Lots of books are sold, some in English, plus generally better goods and collectibles than at the Saturday flea market. Bargain over prices.

Department Stores
Steffl (121 Kiirntnerstrasse 19, 1st District) is moderately upscale with­out being overly expensive. The larger department stores are concen­trated in Mariahilferstrasse. By far the best is Peek & Cloppenburg (121 Mariahilferstrasse 26-30, 6th District). Farther up the street you will find slightly cheaper goods at Gerngross (121 Mariahilferstrasse and Kirchengasse, 6th District).

Specialty Stores
ANTIQUES You will find the best antiques shops in the 1st District, many clustered close to the Dorotheum auction house in the Dorotheergasse, Stall­burggasse, Plankengasse, and Spiegelgasse. You'll also find interesting shops in the Josefstadt (8th) District, where prices are considerably lower than those in the center of town. Wander up Florianigasse and back down Josefstiidterstrasse, being sure not to overlook the narrow side streets.

Just around the corner from the Opera House, Gallery Dr. Sternat (121 Lobkowitzplatz 1 B:B 01/512-2063) is one of the most traditional art galleries, with a focus on fine Austrian paintings, Viennese bronzes, Thonet furniture, and beautiful Biedermeier pieces. Bel Etage (121 Mahler­strasse 15 B:B 01/512-2379) has wonderful works by Josef Hoffmann, Dagobert Peche, and other Wiener Werkstiitte masters, all of which en­tice onlookers to spend more than just time here. 0 & S Antiquitaten (121 Dorotheergasse 13 B:B 01/512-5885) has a striking entrance de­signed by Oskar Hoefinger; inside are rare Austrian clocks, 18th-cen­tury paintings, and beautiful 19th-century furniture. Set in a beautiful historic palais, the Oorotheum (121 Dorotheergasse 17 B:B 01/515-60-0 @)www.dorotheum.at) is a state institution dating from 1707, when Em­peror Josef I determined that he didn't want his people being exploited by pawnbrokers. The place is intriguing, with goods ranging from furs to antique jewelry to paintings and furniture auctioned almost daily. In­formation on how to bid is available in English. Some items are for im­mediate cash sale. Also check out Palais Kinsky (121 Freyung 4 B:B 01/532­42009) for paintings and antiques.