Things You Can Buy Only in Austria

This option isn’t the most transportable, but if you are determined enough, it is well worth the hassle. If you’re worried about it turning your suitcase into a chocolately mess, however, you can always get a tea towel with a picture on it instead, to make you nostalgic for the rich Austrian goodness. The Sacher Hotel, where it is a status symbol, sells a variety of merchandise related to the dessert.

Hat-maker Julianna Mühlbauer opened a small shop in the Viennese suburb of Floridsdorf in 1903 and went on to conquer the hat world. Fans of the Austrian brand include Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Madonna and Yoko Ono, and the brand is renowned around the world for its distinguished quality. Although many styles can be found in shops around the world, some exclusive pieces can only be picked up in Vienna.

A speciality of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, oil pumpkin seeds were used in Styria as far back as the 1600s. The oil is used in a variety of dishes, including pumpkin soup and many traditional Austrian desserts. You can find it in most good Austrian supermarkets.

Inspired by the Vienna’s cube-shaped clocks, Fredi Brodmann created this watch in a similar design. It has since become a iconic Austrian product, and many exclusive versions are only available in the flagship store in Vienna.

The Willy Wonka of Austria, Zotter, is a chocolatier like none other. His ethical fair-trade practices and unique attitude to the creation of the world’s favourite sweet treat have made him a national treasure in Austria. The packaging is as dainty as the contents inside, and he has experimented with highly unusual combinations for the brave and foolhardy to sample, including cheese, tequila with salt and lemon and raspberry, coconut and trout. If those exotic flavours don’t float your boat, there are more conservative choices available – the marzipan is exceptionally good. Zotter is widely available at most good supermarkets around Vienna, including SPAR and Denn’s Organic Supermarket.

Julius Meinl’s is Vienna’s answer to London’s Harrods, an elegant department store in the heart of the city selling a sleek spread of Austrian gourmet food and treats. Meinl’s fruit preserve is one of many exclusive Austrian goods that the store sells, and among the finest and most sought after. It’s created using natural sun-ripened fruits, supplied by the best farms throughout Europe and carefully selected, picked and processed. Flavours range from traditional apricot to tangy cranberry. Be sure to pick up a jar when you visit.

Austria is unfortunately, and unfairly, not universally recognised for its wine-making culture. Taverns in the vineyards surrounding Vienna sell a wide variety of whites and reds. Pick up a bottle and impress your friends back home with your knowledge of Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s most popular dry white wine.

These green- and white-striped ceramics can be found all over Austria. They are manufactured in Gmunden, a lakeside town in Upper Austria; the company that produces the earthenware dates back to the 1400s. The company continues to produce the ceramics to the original design, and they are extremely proud of their heritage.