Lexi Webster
Austria is a great place to visit if you're looking to buy unique souvenirs. From Mozart Balls (Mozartkugel) in Salzburg to Linzer cookies, there are many delicious treats to choose from. If you're looking for something stronger, you can try Schnaps, a fruit brandy produced by local farmers. For those with a sweet tooth, Vienna offers beautifully packaged chocolates and the famous Sachertorte chocolate cake. The Christmas markets are a great place to find handcrafted items, and you can also buy traditional Austrian condiments, mustards, and flavoured mayos. If you're looking for something more unique, you can purchase snow globes, which actually originated in Austria, or porcelain items from the Viennese Porcelain Manufactory.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Confectionery | Mozart Balls, Manner wafer cookies, Linzer cookies, Sachertorte chocolate cake, Demel Konditorei cakes, Austrian chocolate |
| Alcoholic drinks | Schnaps (fruit brandy) |
| Condiments | Mustards, flavoured mayonnaises |
| Tableware | Augarten porcelain |
| Christmas market items | Hand-crafted, hand-painted, wood items |
| Miscellaneous | Snow globes, Easter eggs, Christmas eggs, postcards, t-shirts |
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What You'll Learn
Austrian chocolates and confectionery
Austria is a treasure trove of chocolates and confectionery, with a range of unique treats to discover. Here is an overview of the Austrian chocolates and sweets that you should consider buying during your visit.
Mozartkugel (Mozart Balls): These chocolate confections are an iconic Austrian specialty. Created by Paul Fürst in 1890, Mozart Balls feature a marzipan centre, surrounded by pistachio and nougat, and encased in chocolate. The "Original Salzburger Mozartkugel" is only available in Salzburg at Fürst Konditorei locations, distinguished by their blue and silver foil wrapping.
Manner Wafers: Manner is a renowned Viennese company, famous for its delicious wafers. The Original Neapolitan Wafers, invented in 1898, are a must-try. They feature delicate layers of wafers and hazelnut cocoa cream. Manner Shops can be found in several Austrian cities, including Salzburg, Vienna, and Graz.
Sachertorte: This famous chocolate cake was invented in Vienna by Mr Sacher in 1832. The "original" Sachertorte from the Sacher family is a true Viennese specialty, and it comes in various sizes and beautiful packaging. You can also find a delicious interpretation of the Sachertorte at Demel Konditorei, a renowned upmarket confectionery in Vienna.
Ildefonso: This brand has a long history, dating back to 1880 when master confectioner Victor Schmidt created a seven-layered nougat cube. Ildefonso specialises in classic Austrian nougat confections, including the Ildefonso Bonbonniere, Ildefonso Eggs, and Ildefonso Nougat Cubes.
Casali: Casali, which began as a spirits and liquor brand in 1792, now offers a range of chocolates. Their Schoko-bananen, featuring a banana centre with a chocolate coating, are particularly popular in Austria, despite some mixed reviews.
Heidi Chocolat AG Niemetz: This brand offers a delightful selection, including the Heidi Winter chocolates in praline and amaretto variants, as well as the Heidi Moments range with flavours like hazelnut, cherry, and Florentine.
Zotter: Zotter is another popular Austrian chocolate brand, known for its unique creations.
In addition to these brands, you can explore various Konditorei (café-confectioneries) in Vienna, such as Konditorei Oberlaa and L. Heiner, which offer beautifully packaged chocolates and sweets. You can also find traditional Austrian cookies like Linzer cookies, especially during the Christmas season, at Christmas markets and specialty kitchen stores.
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Local spirits and liqueurs
Austria has a long tradition of crafting spirits, with a history that dates back to the Middle Ages. The country's monks were among the pioneers in developing distillation techniques, transforming medicinal herbs into potent elixirs. Over time, distillation became widespread, with local farmers producing fruit brandies using their surplus harvests. Today, Austrian spirits showcase a blend of traditional and modern techniques, with a focus on craftsmanship and quality.
One of the most popular spirits in Austria is Schnapps, a fruit brandy typically made from apricots, pears, or apples. Austrian whiskey and gin are also gaining popularity, reflecting the country's innovative approach to distillation. For those seeking a unique taste of Austria, Austrian herbal liqueurs offer a distinctive flavour profile that showcases the country's botanical richness.
When it comes to specific liqueurs to try, Zirbenlikör and Zirbenz are two options that are highly regarded. These liqueurs are produced using traditional techniques and showcase the country's natural bounty. Another well-known Austrian liqueur is Mozart, which is widely available and recognised for its quality.
Austrian spirits and liqueurs make excellent souvenirs or gifts, offering a taste of the country's rich cultural heritage. Whether you're a fan of fruit brandies, herbal liqueurs, or something in between, Austria's diverse range of spirits is sure to have something to cater to your palate.
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Traditional Austrian cookies
Austria is famous for its traditional cookies, which can be found in almost every Viennese coffee house. Here are some of the most popular traditional Austrian cookies:
Linzer Cookies
Linzer cookies are a type of sandwich cookie filled with tart-sweet homemade jam. They are a must-have at Christmas, but they can be enjoyed all year round. The dough is typically made with flour, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla or vanilla sugar, and egg yolks. Linzer cookies are often cut into cute shapes and can be found in various sizes. They are a labour of love, but the result is a tender and buttery shortbread cookie that is well worth the effort.
Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
These crescent-shaped shortbread cookies are infused with vanilla and made with ground nuts, traditionally walnuts, but also hazelnuts or almonds. They have a high butter content, which gives them a delicate, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth. Vanillekipferl are popular throughout Austria and are especially enjoyed during the Christmas season.
Manner Wafer Cookies
Manner wafer cookies are a famous Viennese confectionery created by Josef Manner. While these chocolate treats can be found all over the globe, it's worth visiting a Manner store in Austria to discover some unique and hard-to-find varieties.
In addition to these traditional cookies, Austria also offers a variety of other delicious treats, such as the famous Sachertorte chocolate cake and the Mozart Ball (Mozartkugel), a chocolate confection with a marzipan centre, originally created by Paul Fürst in 1890.
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Handcrafted souvenirs
Austria is a great place to shop for handcrafted souvenirs. Here are some ideas for unique, handcrafted items to buy in Austria:
Wood carvings are a traditional handcrafted souvenir option in Austria. While many wood carvings are now machine-made, they are typically hand-finished and hand-painted, maintaining a level of craftsmanship. You can find wood carvings at Christmas markets or specialty shops.
For foodies, Austria offers a variety of handcrafted culinary delights. Visit the Schoko Company kiosk at the Naschmarkt food market in Vienna to sample inventive chocolates from the Austrian chocolate company, Zotter. You can also find unique chocolates and confections at Konditorei (café-confectioneries) throughout the country. Demel (Kohlmarkt 14), Konditorei Oberlaa, and L. Heiner have shops across Austria and offer beautifully packaged chocolates and cakes, including the famous Sachertorte. Manner wafer cookies, available at Manner shops in Salzburg, Mauthausen, Graz, Wolkersdorf, and Vienna, are another classic Austrian treat.
If you're looking for something savoury, Schnaps, a fruit brandy produced by individual farmers and locals with fruit trees, is a great option. These small bottles are easy to pack and make a unique souvenir. Keep an eye out for local farmers selling Schnaps and other liqueurs at Christmas markets or farmers' markets.
Porcelain items are another handcrafted souvenir option in Austria. Augarten, the Viennese Porcelain Manufactory, is famous for its vases and tableware, as well as figurines and other porcelain items, all stamped with a blue-striped shield as a sign of authenticity. You can find Augarten products at their flagship store in the centre of Vienna (Spiegelgasse 3) or at the Porcelain Museum (Obere Augartenstraße 1 in the 2nd district).
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Condiments and packaged foods
Austria is a great place to buy condiments and packaged foods. The mustards and flavoured mayos in tube packaging are popular items. You can also find unique chocolates and confectionery in beautifully packaged boxes, such as the Mozart Ball (Mozartkugel) in Salzburg, which is a chocolate confection consisting of a marzipan centre with pistachio and nougat. It is the only place in the world where you can buy an Original Mozart Ball, wrapped in blue and silver foil.
Another famous sweet treat is the Sachertorte chocolate cake, which was invented in Vienna in 1832 and is now sold in various sizes and beautiful wrapping. The Demel Konditorei also does a boxed version of their own interpretation of the cake. The Schoko Company kiosk at the Naschmarkt food market has a large selection of inventive Austrian chocolates.
If you're looking for something savoury, Manner wafer cookies are a must-buy when in Austria. Although they are exported globally, there are some hard-to-find varieties available in-store. There are Manner Shops in Salzburg, Mauthausen, Graz, Wolkersdorf, and several in Vienna.
Linzer cookies are another traditional Austrian sandwich cookie, often made during the Christmas season but not limited to this holiday. You can find Linzer cookie cutters at Christmas markets and specialty kitchen stores in Austria, although they can also be purchased online.
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Frequently asked questions
Some unique food items you can buy in Austria include Mozart Balls (Mozartkugel) in Salzburg, which are chocolate confections with a marzipan centre, pistachio and nougat. You can also find beautifully packaged chocolates and cakes in Konditorei (café-confectioneries) across Vienna. For condiments, mustards and flavoured mayonnaise in tube packaging are popular. Lastly, Schnaps, a locally-made fruit brandy produced in small batches by farmers, is a great alcoholic beverage to bring back.
Vienna has many souvenirs specific to the city, including snow globes, which were invented there. These can be purchased directly from the original manufacturers, featuring various Viennese landmarks. You can also purchase drinkware, chandeliers and lamps from J. & L. Lobmeyr, a glassmaking company that has been operating since 1823.
Austria is known for manufacturing fine crystal, including glassware, lighting, fashion and jewellery. The world-famous Swarovski crystal is manufactured in Innsbruck, and their products can be found at retailers across the country. Waldviertler shoes are also a popular buy in Austria.
Manner wafer cookies are an edible souvenir synonymous with Vienna and can be found in supermarkets and flagship stores across the city. Altmann & Kühne is a traditional confectioner that makes its own chocolate and pralines, which come in unique packaging such as miniature chests and drawers.
Yes, Austria is known for its wine, and there are many wineries across the country where you can purchase bottles to bring home.
