Vienna is a typical Central European capital: from beautiful historic monuments and great restaurants to walking areas and shopping malls, you can always find something to do in the City of Dreams.
The shopping scene is well represented, as the Austrian capital features many malls and shopping areas, where you can find a wide variety of fashion and accessories stores.
The city also features one of the most exclusive shopping areas in the region. The Gold Quarter, Goldenes Quartier in German is the city’s own luxury area. The area, now located in the city center, dates back to Roman times, when it was a legion outpost. Today, it is placed between Tuchlauben, Bognergasse and Am Hof and is an extension of the already famous and elegant Kohlmarkt, which connects two of the city’s must-sees the Hofburg and the Graben.
Anyone with an interest in fashion and a great sense of taste will enjoy the high-end flagship stores of international labels that can be found here. From Prada, Brioni and Bottega Veneta to Emporio Armani, Saint Laurent and Gucci, all the major luxury labels have beautiful stores expecting their customers.
This area is still quite new, as the expansion of the Kohlmarkt was completed in 2014. But with it, Vienna is looking to join Paris or London as a go-to shopping destination, as every European city with a claim of finesse has a truly luxurious area where people can shop, chat and also discover some of the other jewels of the city. The First District of Vienna, which is where the Golden Quarter is located, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thus, besides the newest trends in terms of clothes, visitors can also see some of the pasts beauties: from the St. Stephens Cathedral, which is the city’s most-known landmark, to the Hochholzerhof building (which dates back to the 13th century when it was called “Zum langen Keller”) located in the Tuchlauben area. The Kohlmarkt, which is the epicenter of the Golden Quarter, is also one of Vienna’s oldest streets. The name of the street translates to “The Coal Market” and the region has not always had a glamorous history, but it often attracted high-status businesses, as it was closely located to the Hofburg, the seat of power of the Holy Roman (and then later the Austrian) Empire. As the main road leading to the palace, many businesses catering to the court settled at this prestigious address – some of the older storefronts of today still talk about their former status as imperial suppliers.
The expansion of an area where people can check out top boutiques draws many tourists each year, especially from Asia, the Arab world and Eastern Europe, as many countries in the latter region don’t really have high-end shopping areas.
Vienna is in many ways a fashion attractions for many: over the last decade, the city has also hosted its very own Fashion Week, which is still a rather small event compared to other similar endeavors, but which brings together not just local designers to showcase their collections, but also guests from countries such as neighboring Slovakia, but also from Romania, Ukraine and Thailand.
Vienna is indeed what you expect: lots of schnitzels, lots of concerts and many galleries and museums, but it is also a great city for shopping from some of the greatest brands you can think of and can thus be considered a great shopping destination.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
Vienna Fashion Week on Attire Club
Dream brands: Which one’s yours?
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