Vienna is considered to be on par with the best shopping destinations of Europe. This cultural capital of Europe has something for everybody. There are flea markets and bazaars that are a throwback to the time when Vienna was a melting pot for Eastern and Western European cultural influences. You can spend many a pleasant day visiting the several stand-alone showrooms as well as the huge malls that have come up in Vienna.
If department stores and brand-name shops are to your taste, then a visit to the Mariahilfer Strasse is in order. This one-mile street is lined with shops and has been compared to Oxford Street in London.
If you wish to experience both the ritzy boutiques and the standard departmental stores, then head for Ringstrassengalerien. You can also take in the beauty of the architecture in this area because many of the buildings here are heritage structures.
Old Vienna comes alive at the Naschmarkt. Here you can buy exotic spices from far corners of the world; fruit from Turkey and India and nuts and pastries from regions that once answered to the call of the Hapsburg Empire. The eating joints here serve a smorgasbord of dishes that have something for everybody’s palate. Come early on Saturday mornings if you wish to pick up some real good bargains at the flea market here or head for the flea market near the Kettenbrückengasse subway station. This one is a throwback to the earlier days and if you are a souvenir hunter you are spoilt for choice given the wares on display by gypsies, vendors from China and India.
Do visit the Gasometer even if all your shopping has been done and you do not intend to buy anything. The Gasometer came into being when four massive gas towers were converted into a shopping complex.
The brand-conscious types can head for the Generali-Center which has thirty stores spread over two floors and houses stuff from the topnotch brands around. In case, you wish to buy traditional Austrian wear, head for Loden-Plankl, this landmark of a shop has been around for more than 175 years.
Readers of Business Traveler Magazine have chosen Sofitel as the “Best Hotel Chain in Europeâ€. Sofitel, which has more than 200 hotels all over the world, edged out Marriott and Starwood hotels.
Sofitel has long stood for high standards in service and gourmet cuisine. Amenities provided by the hotels of this chain reflect the thought that has gone into selecting the amenties. Sofitel has a presence in the major business locations of Europe, including London, Paris, and Brussels.