12 Best Shopping in Vienna, Austria

The Dorotheum was the first imperial auction house, established in 1707 by Emperor Josef I as a pawnshop. Occupying the former site of the Dorothy Convent (hence the name), it has built up a grand reputation over the years. If you're looking for something truly special—an 18th-century oil portrait or a real fur, a Rococo mirror or a fine silk fan, a china figurine or sterling-silver spoon, an old map of the Austrian Empire or even a stuffed parrot—the best place to try and find it is Dorotheum, Vienna's fabled auction house. Have you ever wanted to see how the Austrian aristocracy once lived, how their sumptuous homes were once furnished? Well, don't bother with a museum—you can inspect their antique furnishings, displayed as if in use, for free, and without the eagle eyes of sales personnel following your every move.

The neo-Baroque building was completed in 1901 and deserves a walk-through (you can enter from Spiegelgasse and exit on Dorotheergasse) just to have a look, even if you only admire the gorgeous stuccoed walls and palatial interiors, or peek into the glass-roofed patio stocked with early-20th-century glass, furniture, and art. With more than 600 auctions a year, this has become one of the busiest auction houses in Europe. There are auctions held frequently throughout the week, though not Saturday, and it's closed entirely Sunday. And if you don't fancy bidding for something, there are sale areas on the ground and second floors where loads of stuff can simply be bought off the floor.

From early May to late September, an outdoor art and antiques market springs up along the Danube Canal underneath the Salztorbrücke. The merchandise, including a lot of books, is slightly better quality than elsewhere. It's open Saturday from 2 to 8 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm.

Emperor Franz Josef in his horse-drawn carriage, the infantry cheering him on, and the Prussian emperor to meet him at the battlefield—here at Kober you can find all the historic tin soldiers you'll ever need to relive the eventful last years of the empire. If you prefer something a little less military, go for the full Johann Strauss Orchestra.

With a roster of readings and presentations, and an offer of food and drink, Lhotzky's is a café and bookstore in one.

This concept store brings a touch of Hollywood to Vienna. With more than 60 trendsetting labels from which to choose (Dekker, Rare, Vic Beckham, Exoal, local designer Niko Fechter and many more), you can match your outfit with all the right accessories: shades, bags, perfume, and jewelry. Even the music is produced in-house.

Check out this auction house for fabulous paintings and antiques. There are only about six auctions a year, and viewings are just one week prior to sale, so keep an eye on its website for news.

Trendy women's clothing, handbags, accessories and home decorations are sold here, along with posters and prints.

Specializing in European furniture, lamps, and objets d'art from the 1940s to today, this superb gallery has a particularly eye-catching collection of sandy-colored African berber rugs and sleek Pierre Jeanneret mid-20th-century modern tables and chairs. Exhibitions held regularly.

If you have a shoe fetish, this is your store. You'll find just the right footwear—be it extravagant, chic, practical, or just plain comfortable—in all shapes and sizes. Alberto Fermani, Blundstones, Doucal's, and Vic Matié are among the international designers represented. Contemporary art exhibitions are held here regularly.

Fancy a collection of composers' busts? Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and the rest of the gang can be had at Souvenir in der Hofburg. While you're at it, you might want to go for a ceramic figure of a Lipizzaner stallion, too. It may not be an Augarten original, but it's certainly more affordable.

The name means toy box, and this shop is one of the better toy boxes in the city. Parents with a passion for educational games love this place, and there are also loads of all other kinds of games to choose from, many made of that rarest of 21st-century materials, good old wood.

This Austrian company is known worldwide for its yummy, trendy, well-crafted leather shoes for men and women.