The country rightly takes pride in its abundance of exotic foods. Its markets are laced with the fresh scent of figs, mangoes and papayas, and by the additional  fragrances of saffron and cinnamon. Still, Austrian must-buys remain its local Styrian pumpkin seed oil, the world renowned  Zotter chocolate, as well as the classic Manner Schnitten hazelnut wafers. Austria's  Salzburg is the birthplace of the world famous Mozart chocolate balls (Mozartkugeln). Other culinary delights include a vast variety of local wines. Some of the most important local wines include the spicy dry Grüner Veltliner, the fruity Riesling (Rhine Riesling, Weißer Riesling), the soft Müller-Thurgau, and the Weisser Burgunder, a special pinot blanc. Other delicious wines include the Sauvignon Blanc, which was introduced in Austria about a century ago, the Vienna-grown Chardonnay (Morillon), and the nutty flavoured Neuburger. Austria also offers a vast variety of porcelain, glassware, wooden articles, handicrafts and home-made foods,while village shopping has recently grown  more and more prosperous.

The best city in Austria to spend your hard-earned cash is, undoubtedly, Vienna. Its Mariahilfer Strasse has the greatest number of shops and stores, featuring all major department stores selling clothes, furniture, accessories, books and stationery. The Landstrasser Hauptstrasse and the Rochus Market, set right on Landhauser Hauptstrasse, are also great places to shop and savour some fresh food. Linzer Landstrasse in Linz is the country’s second largest shopping street after Mariahilfer, starting at the city’s Baroque main square and  close to the Neuer Dom. Salzburg is perfect for antiques buffs, with the best shopping experience at the Getreidegasse, a Medieval street running through the centre of old Salzburg and featuring Prada, Gucci, Armani, Chanel and Swarovski, as well as folk fashions, leather goods, stationery and perfumes. Innsbruck,  world-famous for its crystal items, boasts the Maria Theresien-Strasse. A splendid shopping boulevard, it is also joined by the Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse, where Swarovski has its worldwide largest store.

When shopping, it is essential to know that some 20 to 32 percent value added tax (VAT), locally known as 'MwSt', is included in the list price of all sold items. However, a refund of VAT is possible for foreign tourists residing outside the EU. These refunds can be used towards  single purchases totaling over 75 EUR. The bureaucratic side of this includes completing several customs papers before leaving the country.. The appropriate custom form  is issued right at the store. Newly purchased goods must be taken out of the country within three months. Getting a stamp from the EU border customs office is a must. The VAT refund voucher guaranteeing your tax refund can be found at  stores bearing the signs 'Global Refund Tax Refund Shopping' and 'Premier Tax Free'.

The Euro is the local currency, in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Foreign currencies and traveller’s cheques are accepted in all banks, savings banks ('Sparkassen'), airport exchanges and railway stations at  official daily exchange rates. Larger cities accept payment in all major Credit and Debit Cards, while some smaller hotels and country 'Gaststaette' may ask you to pay in cash. Traveller's Cheques are widely accepted. You might want to carry traveller’s cheques in a major currency, particularly  Euros, US dollars or pounds sterling), if you wish to avoid additional exchange rate charges. Banks work Monday through Friday 8am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 3pm, while shops are generally open Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm and 12pm – 5pm on Saturdays.