Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck — these major Austrian cities have long been tourist meccas, rivalling Paris and Rome in terms of visitor numbers. Like a true gem, Austria does not reveal itself immediately to its visitors. But once you have visited, you will always be an admirer. Every traveller in Austria is welcomed and ready to amaze with architectural masterpieces, rich entertainment and souvenirs.
What to buy in Austria to please your family and surprise your friends? The choice of gifts is enormous, but Kidpassage will help you know what to look for and what souvenirs are necessary.
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What to buy in Austria: a list of popular souvenirs
Austria is the cradle of classical music and the heart of European social life. Good manners are in everyone's blood, and Made in Austria products are renowned for their originality and high quality.
What do tourists most often take home from Austria? There is no need to rack your brains. You need to familiarise yourself with the following list.
1. Gustav Klimt Gifts & Merchandise
Gustav Klimt deservedly occupies the first place in the list of famous Austrian painters. Engravings and copies of his works, postcards, booklets, fans, magnets, jewellery, cups and plates with the artist's work — are often taken out of Austria by tourists in their suitcases.
2. Porcelain
In Vienna, a city with an aristocratic culture, even everyday objects appear regal. For more than 300 years, Vienna's Augarten manufacturer has been producing porcelain of the highest quality. The unique tableware, sculptures, lamps, vases and caskets are traditionally hand-made and hand-painted, giving them an exquisite and luxurious appearance.
3. Swarovski products
Nowadays, unusual crystals have flooded the world, but few know that they come from Austria. Not far from Innsbruck is the Swarovski Crystal Museum. The museum also has a shop (the largest in the world) where you can buy individual crystals of various shapes and cuts and all kinds of finished products: jewellery, miniature figurines and even crystal chandeliers.
The creator of crystals is the Austrian violinist Daniel Swarovski. His first factory opened in 1895 in the Tyrolean village of Wattens.
4. FREYWILLE jewellery
The Austrian company of the same name was founded in 1951 and produces high-quality jewellery. The brand specialises in metal jewellery with enamel inlays. Many women are attracted to the fact that all the jewellery is produced in small batches and is traditionally handmade.
5. Underwear
Austria is famous for its underwear production. The most recognised brands in the industry:
- Wolford – manufactures underwear and tights;
- Palmers – specialises in lingerie and swimwear;
- Falke – produces thermal underwear and socks.
6. Clothing with a national character can never better capture this European country's flavour
A Tyrolean hat is a traditional souvenir from Austria. It is made of soft felt and traditionally decorated with feathers from poultry or wild birds. A wide-brimmed dirndl for women, leather trousers or a highland woollen coat for men, a pretty Tyrolean dress for a daughter or elegant suede trousers for a son — there are gifts for everyone in Austria.
Special children's gifts from Austria
Most tourists associate Austria with Mozart, opera, porcelain and other serious things. But the younger generation also has something to offer: Austrians love children and have always created and continue to create the best for them. What can you buy for a child in Austria? Here is a list of souvenirs for kids:
7. Model steam trains
The fascinating Roco factory in Salzburg, Austria, has operated since 1960 and specialises in manufacturing precise miniature replicas of steam trains, carriages and other rolling stock. The range includes all the accessories needed to run the train — tracks, semaphores and digitally controlled arrows. Otherwise, these toys are just like real steam locomotives! The only difference from the real thing is the size.
8. Wooden toys
The best gifts for children from Austria are wood-carved characters from the Grimm fairy tales. You can buy individual figurines and whole fairy tale pictures or find three-dimensional images (in 3D) of fairy tale illustrations.
9. A snow globe
Vienna is a fairytale city, and it's easy to take that fairytale with you in the form of a snow globe. Now one of the world's most popular souvenirs, it was invented in the Austrian capital in 1920. In the small workshop on the outskirts of Vienna, where the snow globes were invented, they are still made by hand. There are complete paintings inside each one, but you can also order your personalised globe.
By the way, the very first snow globe was only 45 mm in diameter.
10. Miniature horse figurines
During the Austrian Empire, a modern horse breed was the Lipizzan White. It was bred specifically for riding and hunting. Today, just as 400 years ago, these white beauties and beauties parade majestically at festive events, and souvenir shops sell many miniature replicas of the animals. You can and should buy them for children and supplement the gift with exciting stories about the horses of this breed.
11. A music box
Austria is the birthplace of Mozart. His name is everywhere: you can hear Mozart in the windows of houses, and desserts and alcoholic drinks are named after him (more on this below).
Young classical music lovers can enjoy a music box with snippets of tunes from the famous composer's works. If you are looking for unusual and original souvenirs, we recommend The World to Go at Josefsplatz 6/1. You are sure to find a gift for everyone in the family.
Sweets from Austria
What gifts can we bring back from Austria for food lovers? What can we get back for a sweet tooth? Austria is a wealthy country in this respect.
12. Mozartkugel
It is the nation's most crucial dessert. Mozartkugel (as the name translates) are traditionally made from marzipan balls covered in chocolate icing and wrapped by hand. They have a shelf life of about two months.
13. Sacher cake
This cake is one of the most important symbols of Austria. The recipe for this dessert is seemingly simple: chocolate biscuit, apricot confit and chocolate icing, but it tastes incredible! There are many cake shops and coffee houses in Austria where you can try and then definitely buy one. But only at Sacher and Demel, two famous Viennese cafés, is it made to a closely guarded old recipe.
14. Manner wafers
You can buy them on every corner in Austria, even in small supermarkets. It's easy to spot — it has a delicate pink wrapper. The traditional fillings are chocolate and hazelnut. Pastry chefs have expanded the range to include coffee, lemon and even coconut.
15. Staud's Konfitüre
If you've ever been to Austria and tasted this delicacy, you'll want to take a few jars home with you, especially for your children. Today, Staud's company produces over 200 varieties of savoury and sweet products. Unique flavours include barberry and pineapple-mango. The confit is particularly popular with Austrians and visitors to the country.
16. Candied violets (Veilchenblütenblätter in Zucker)
The Demel confectionery in Vienna sells this extraordinary delicacy, which you won't find anywhere else. The Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (affectionately known as Sisi) was once crazy about them. The Austrians adored their ruler, so they took a fancy to her favourite treat. The delicate petals, soaked in sugar syrup, are only available in Austria.
17. Coffee
According to UNESCO, Vienna's coffee houses are part of Austria's intangible heritage. For this reason, tourists often choose coffee as a souvenir of the country. The most famous Austrian coffee brands are Julius Meinl and Helmut Sachers.
Austrian gifts for him
What can you buy in Austria as a gift for men? What original souvenirs can you buy to pamper yourself and please your father, husband, grown-up son and brother, your best friend?
18. Alcohol
- Mozart chocolate liqueur is an authentic Austrian brand. It comes in three varieties: white chocolate with a vanilla flavour, classic gold chocolate with a rich milk chocolate flavour, black chocolate with bitter chocolate, and coffee and tobacco notes. The standard strength of the drinks is 15-17%;
- Ice wine is produced in only a few countries, including Austria's Donauland region. The secret is that the grapes are frozen while still on the vine. They are then harvested, and all winemaking stages occur at sub-zero temperatures. It gives the wine more sweetness and a more pronounced flavour;
- Austrian Riesling white wine is world-famous. It is characterised by an excellent combination of grape flavour and honey notes, with a pleasant floral aroma;
- Apricot moonshine or apricot brandy. It is excellent in Wachau. The schnapps belongs to the category of spirits (40%) and is not only made from apricots. The most common types are cherry, apple, pear and plum;
- Beer is a must-have gift from Austria. Austrians love it. There are about 150 breweries in the country. You can buy a mug to go with your beer. The most popular are the ceramic ones with metal lids, hand-painted with stories from the country's life.
19. The smoking pipe
Austria is an aristocratic country where worldly pursuits are still revered. Pipe smoking is one of them, and the pipe is a popular souvenir.
While Matzhold's pipes are world famous, the best pipes in Vienna, according to the locals, can be bought at Josef Ostermann's shop. There are large and small, wooden, porcelain, pumpkin, foam, with and without lids, classic and modern — plenty to choose from. The real connoisseurs can buy a replica of the famous Sherlock Holmes pipe.
Austria attracts thousands of tourists each year. Some come to enjoy the unique natural beauty, others are drawn to the country's distinctive culture and rich traditions, while others come for the shopping. But no one leaves Austria empty-handed.Traditionally, every trip abroad is accompanied by numerous requests from family members to bring back something exciting and perhaps even tasty.
The list of souvenirs tourists bring back from Austria presented in this article needs to be completed. The possibilities are endless. Here are some of the most original gifts that will surprise and inspire you to travel to Austria and experience its beauty. And while you're planning your trip, why not explore our collection of Austrian family activities? We're sure its diversity will give you another reason to visit the country.
