Nothing is better than coming home from a holiday and handing over souvenirs to friends and family. Except maybe unpacking souvenirs for yourself! Austria has so much to offer, from scrumptious sweet treats to quality interior pieces. For those of you wondering what to buy in Vienna, we have compiled a list of the 17 best souvenirs from Austria for you below. We have included some cheap Austrian souvenirs as well as some quality products made in Austria. In the end, you can also find some tips on where to find your souvenirs in Vienna 🙂
Budget-friendly Austrian Souvenirs
Souvenirs come in all budgets, but sometimes you just want something small to remember your visit by. That’s why we are starting this list with some budget-friendly Austrian souvenirs.
1. Snow Globe
You may think this is a cliche suggestion at first, but did you know that the snow globe was actually invented in Austria?! The traditional Austrian snow globes have been made by Perzy since the year 1900 and have enchanted us ever since. Typically they will depict a Viennese winter scene and/or a Viennese landmark, such as the Great Ferris Wheel or St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
You can find snow globes in many souvenir shops, but we recommend that you head over to the Snow Globe Museum where you can even see how they are made. Afterward, buy a globe from the shop. The smaller ones (25 mm) cost about 7€, the medium (45 mm) about 10€ and the biggest ones (120 mm) about 25€. The museum and shop are open Mondays to Thursdays from 09:00-15:00.
2. Mozart Balls
A Mozart ball is a small Austrian sweet made from pistachio marzipan and nougat, encased in dark chocolate. They have been made by hand by Fürst family since 1890. Today, many other chocolatiers produce Mozart balls throughout Austria. The most common one is Mirabell who dominates the market with their mass-produced chocolates.
The original Fürst Mozart balls are unfortunately only available in Salzburg, but you can buy the well-known Mirabell balls in nearly every supermarket. A 300g box of chocolates should cost you around 6€.
3. Zotter Chocolate
Speaking of chocolate, there are dozens of smaller chocolatiers throughout Austria, but one of the best-known is undoubtedly Zotter. Zotter is a chocolate manufacturer in Styria and well known for their inventive creations. If you ever wondered what cheese would taste like encased in chocolate, now is your chance to try! Their full range is available at their flagship store in Styria, but selected creations are available in supermarkets such as Spar. It may be worth checking out their bigger stores, such as Interspar. Alternatively, you can always order their chocolates online here.
If you absolutely cannot find any Zotter bars, don’t despair. Pick up a bar of good old Milka chocolate instead 🙂
4. Manner
If you’re not big on chocolate, but would still like to pick up something sweet, why not make it a pack of the iconic Manner wafers? Every Austrian and their mothers love it. Once you open a pack, you definitely have to finish the sweet treat (speaking from 27 years of experience here!). You can pick up a small pack from any supermarket for around 2€. Alternatively, you could visit their flagship store and really indulge in their wide range of sweets. We have highlighted the location of the store on the map at the end!
5. Schnapps
Although Austrians tend to drink a lot of beer, Schnapps (written Schnaps in German) has a very special place in Austrian culture. Schnapps may be distilled from a number of things, particularly fruits and herbs. The most popular kinds are apricot and plum schnapps, along with everybody’s favorite Jägermeister, a schnapps distilled from herbs. Both are available in most supermarkets where a 0.7 L bottle will run you approximately 15€.
This is obviously only for the adults as you will have to be 18 years or older in order to purchase Schnapps in Austria. They also sell smaller bottles in some souvenir shops as well as at the airport.
6. A Deck of Schnapsen Cards
The game of Schnapsen is the national card game of Austria (who knew this was even a thing?) and is often played in Austrian taverns. It is related to the game of Sixty-Six and consists of a deck of 20 cards in total. Although you can play the game with French cards (aka the cards that everybody knows), playing it with German card just gives it a special touch. Most people go for playing cards by Piatnik, a Viennese company dating back to 1824. They should be available in selected toy shops, but if you cannot find them anywhere else, you can head over to the Piatnik shop in one of the outer districts of Vienna. A pack shouldn’t cost you more than 4-5€.
PS: Did you know the game activity was invented by Piatnik? You may already have an Austrian souvenir in your cupboard 🙂
7. An Austrian Novel
Did you know that Austria was the home of 21 Nobel laureates, including one in literature? Austrian literature may be overshadowed by the many German writers, but Austrian writing is distinctly intriguing. Often dark and confusing, yet humorous, an Austrian novel is just what you need. If I had to recommend one, I’d go with “The Piano Teacher” by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek.
Larger bookshops should have certain Austrian titles translated into English. One of your safest bets may be Thalia on Mariahilfer Straße (see map below). The book should cost no more than 10€.
8. Staud’s Jam
A typical Viennese breakfast will always include a generous helping of fresh jam, particularly apricot jam. Although there are dozens, if not hundreds, of jam producers, Staud’s remains a favorite among locals. After all, this Viennese company has been around since 1883. Pick up a tasty jar of jam at most supermarkets for approximately 4€. Alternatively, visit their flagship store in Vienna’s outer districts.
9. Demmers Tea
Although Austrians love to drink coffee first and foremost, Demmers Tea House is cherished as one of Austria’s best tea producers. Although it’s only been around since 1997, Demmers is an integral part of Viennese tea culture today. You can shop at one of their seven locations in Vienna and try to pick your favorite flavor among 300 unique creations. If you want to go 100% Austrian, pick up their “Organic Apple Balm” for 4.5€ per 50 g.
10. Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil
I had to put this on the list, even though it is not native to Vienna, but Styria (my home state, yay!). As the name would suggest, this is a vegetable oil pressed from pumpkin seeds. It’s dark green in color although it appears black, which is the reason why it is often called the “black gold of Styria”. It has a slightly nutty taste and goes in pretty much everything, but most people eat it with salad. Prices for the oil can vary a lot. You can pick up a quality product from the farmer’s market or make a quick stop at any supermarket and pick up a 100 ml bottle for 4€.
11. Austrian Dry Sausages
When you think of sausages, do you think of hot bratwurst with mustard? Well, that’s one kind. Another is the dry sausage which can be consumed cold as it has been cold-smoked. I probably consume my body weight in these whenever I go home because they are just that good. Think of a hard salami, but with Austrian flavors, yum! You can pick them up from butchers or farmer markets, but they are always available at supermarkets. Look out for the word “Hauswürstel” and you’ll be good. A 300 g pack should run you between 4€ and 6€.
Please note: You should check with your home country regarding the import of meat products. It may not be possible for you to bring these home due to import laws.
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12. Kaiserschmarrn Mix
Americans have pancake mix, Austrians have Kaiserschmarrn mix. Need I say more? Pick up a pack which will make two portions for as little as 2€. And maybe buy some nice Austrian jam along with it? Get jamming 😉
Quality Products Made in Austria
For those among you who would like to bring home something for the ages, you may want products made in Austria of slightly higher quality. You may not know it, but Austria is actually famous for ceramics and glass! Oh, and other nice things of course 😉
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13. Enzian Schnapps
We have already covered some of the most popular Austrian drinks. But one of the most unique bottles of schnapps you can buy in Austria is a bottle of Enzian schnapps. Enzian is the German word for gentian, a flower native to the Austrian Alps. While the blue Enzian flower is the national flower of Austria and strictly protected, Enzian schnapps is made of a relative of the flower. Actually, the spirit is made of Enzian roots rather than the flower and has a distinctly earthy taste. Only very few liters are produced every year. Finding Enzian schnapps in Vienna can be difficult, but we have highlighted one shop for you on the map below. A small bottle of 35 cl will cost you approximately 50€.
14. Austrian Porcelain
Porcelain has been produced in Austria for the royal court since 1718. Today porcelain is a traditional Austrian heirloom and very common wedding gift. Two of my very favorite manufacturers are Gmundner Keramik and Augarten. While Gmundner Keramik has its home in Gmunden, Upper Austria, Augarten is located in Vienna. You can take a guided tour of their manufactory or visit the porcelain museum. Be prepared to drop a pretty dime for their products. Their smallest vase costs 68€ and a full tea set can run you over a 1000€.
15. Austrian Glass
Apart from porcelain, the Habsburg court was also in need of quality glassware. Lobemayr was founded in 1823 and soon became the main supplier of glass to the Viennese court. Today you can feel like royalty by visiting their flagship store in Vienna. A simple water glass costs as much as 60€ and wine decanters as little as 400€.
Alternatively, you can get yourself a beautiful set of Riedel wine glasses. The company is located in Kufstein, Tyrol but was established in Bohemia in 1756. They don’t have a store in Vienna, but several retailers carry their wine glasses. A set of 8 red wine glasses costs about 180€ and is worth every penny. One easy way to find them is to look out for Wine & Co stores. We have highlighted one in the map below.
16. Swarovski
If you are looking for something timeless, why not buy a piece of jewelry which will remind you of your visit forever? Austrians tend to drape themselves in Swarovski for special occasions. Swarovski has been producing crystal in Austria since 1895 and you really can’t go anywhere today without finding one of their shops. A simple pair of earrings may cost you approximately 100€.
17. Freywille
Speaking of jewelry, if crystal is not your thing, how about enamel? Frey Wille has been producing enamel jewelry in Austria since 1951. What makes them special are their colorful abstract designs which you must simply adore. Their smaller bangles will cost you between 220€ and 370€ depending on the design and their larger bangles can easily cost 500€. You only live once, right? 🙂
Where to Buy Souvenirs in Vienna
Vienna is literally covered in souvenir shops, so you will always have a chance to pick up postcards or a small trinket. These shops are also generally open on Sundays. For the edibles, you should head to any of the supermarkets, although we have only confirmed that the products are available at Billa supermarket (at the time of writing). They are of course all over the city, but please note that many of them are closed on Sundays. If you want to shop on Sunday, head to one of the train stations where shops are open throughout the week.
For some of the specialized items we have mentioned above, you will need to head to the companies’ flagship stores which we have highlighted for you on the map below. Happy hunting! 🙂
Now, what do you think? Which of these Austrian souvenirs would you like to bring home from Vienna? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below! Let’s stay in touch!
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