Take an afternoon stroll around the innere-stadt (inner city) and you'll soon realise that, so far as quality European shopping experiences go, Vienna rates very highly. Narrow cobbled streets, beautiful arcades and hidden alleyways all combine to give an impressive array of stylish boutiques and designer shops, with the pedestrianized areas of Kärntner Straße and the Graben serving as the destination of choice for those in need of serious retail therapy!

That said, it may come as a surprise to learn that shopping malls are few and far between in downtown Vienna (simply because of the large number of well-preserved and historic buildings here). However, the Ringstrassengalerien, which mixes old with the new, offers a decent range of stores, some famous names, and the convenience of a location close to some of Vienna's most prestigious hotels.

Mariahilferstraße, which holds the accolade of being Vienna's longest shopping street, stretches from the Ring across towards Westbahnhof rail station. Here, you'll find almost every type of retailer, along with two popular department stores (Gerngross and the EuroCenter) and a wide-variety of restaurants, cafés and fast food outlets.