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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

Where to find English-language books in Austria

It can be hard to find English books in Austria, but not impossible. Here are some top recommendations without having to resort to ecommerce websites like Amazon.

Published: 18 October 2022 14:09 CEST
Where to find English-language books in Austria
Finding English books in Austria is easier in the bigger cities. (Photo by Burst / Pexels)

For many English-speaking international residents in Austria, buying books in English often means ordering from places like Amazon. Especially for those that live outside of the main cities.

But for people that live in Vienna, Graz and Salzburg, there is a variety of places where you can find English books.

Here’s a selection of some of the top spots for English-language books in Austria.

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Book shops

In Vienna, a popular bookshop is Shakespeare & Company, which has been located on Sterngasse in the first district since 1982.

It sells a variety of books ranging from classic and modern fiction to science fiction and graphic novels. The store also stocks academic and children’s books. Plus, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, the owners are happy to order it.

Shakespeare & Company is open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm. 

Thalia is a chain of book shops in Austria, Germany and Switzerland with a large store in Vienna on Mariahilfer Strasse. 

This store has a section dedicated to English-language books, including top-selling novels, non fiction, thrillers and children’s books.

Thalia is open from 9am to 7pm Monday to Wednesday, from 9am to 8pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 9am to 6pm on Saturday. Thalia stores can also be found in Salzburg, Linz, Graz and several other cities across Austria.

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In Vienna, another popular shop selling English books is Morawa on Wollzeile.

Morawa is predominantly a German-language book shop, but does have a section of foreign language books (Fremdsprachiger Bücher), including books in English.

At the time of writing, their top ten English books included bestsellers like Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney, and Never by Ken Follett.

In Salzburg, The English Centre has a focus on educational reading material for children, but it also stocks adult and young adult books.

Additionally, The English Centre runs events like flea markets and roundtable discussions, as well as regular book clubs and English courses for adults and children.

The English Centre is located on Haunspergstrasse and is open from 11am to 5pm on Monday to Friday, as well as 9am to 1pm on Saturday.

Book fairs

The International Women’s Association of Graz (IWA) holds an annual English Book Fair. 

The next event takes place on Saturday October 22nd from 9am to 2pm in an event space next to Heilandskirche on Kaiser-Josef-Platz. 

The IWA says there will be a range of books from non-fiction novels to children’s literature and illustrated books.

Anyone wishing to sell books at the fair can drop them off at the venue before the event.

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Libraries

Most towns and cities across Austria have libraries with a section dedicated to Fremdsprachiger Bücher – even in rural areas.

And in Vienna, around 47,000 of the 1.3 million books in the city’s libraries are foreign language books (not just English).

Then there are honesty libraries, where residents leave books in phone boxes, at leisure centres or in other public places for other people to take. There are often English books available, so keep an eye out for them.

Book clubs and subscription services

Adventurous Ink is a book club and subscription service. It specialises in books written about adventures (hence the name) and offers subscriptions ranging from two months to one year.

Adventurous Ink is a British company but also ships books to the EU. However, expect to pay extra for shipping costs.

Hand Me Down Book Club is another UK-based club, but this one specialises in distributing second hand books to reduce waste. It has a variety of subscriptions including Surprise Me and Historical Fiction.

Although Hand Me Down Book Club is a British company, it ships to most of mainland Europe, including Austria. At the time of writing, the shipping fee was £11.99. 

Do you have any recommendations for finding English-language books in Austria? Let us know at [email protected].

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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

Labour day: What to do on May 1st in Austria

The Day of Labour, or Tag der Arbeit, is a public holiday in Austria and a great opportunity to join a demonstration, a parade, or explore some of the other events taking place on this specific day. Here is what is going on and what will be closed.

Published: 30 April 2024 09:29 CEST
Labour day: What to do on May 1st in Austria

The Day of Labour is a nationwide public holiday which celebrates and highlights the history of labour struggles and protests.

The movement for workers’ rights traces back to the US in the 19th century when conditions for factory workers were very poor and dangerous to their health. The poor conditions motivated the workers to gather and start fighting for improvement. This movement spread worldwide and reached Austria in 1886.

Nowadays, the 1st of May stands as a symbol of workers’ solidarity and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for fair labour practices and social justice. It honours the achievements of workers and the labour movement.

Group of female workers. Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash

What is happening in Austria on this day? 

In Austria, most people do not have to go to work or school as this is a bank holiday. In Vienna, just like in many other Austrian cities and towns, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) arranged Labour Day rallies to celebrate the occasion. In the capital, they gather at the town hall, Rathausplatz, to celebrate the day and promote their agenda for workers’ rights and social justice through speeches, presentations, and debates.

In most cities and towns, parades, demonstrations, and various events are being organised. In Salzburg, a parade under the motto “We walk together for peace” takes place, starting at 12 am at Residenzplatz, accompanied by music from live singers. In Graz, SPÖ arranged a parade starting from their pavilion at 08:45 am, and ending at the city’s main square, Hauptplatz. In Innsbruck, the SPÖ organises a celebration event at Rapoldipark starting at 11 am.

In general, May 1st offers a great variety of activities, no matter where in Austria you are. If you feel more like spending time in nature, a wide range of group outdoor activities are offered in different regions. For example, in Klagenfurt, you can participate in a family cycling event in the countryside. And if you are in Vorarlberg and in the mood for a market, you can visit the handicraft market, called “Wälder Markt”, with over 70 exhibitors presenting their handicrafts in the municipality of Hittisau in Vorarlberg, where you can also enjoy some snacks and drinks.

Maypole traditions

In addition, the maypole (Maibaum in German) is celebrated in different villages, which is one of the most important traditions happening on this day—though not connected to Labour Day but to the general start of the month of May (and the start of a nicer weather season).

The maypole celebration is a long-standing Austrian tradition where the locals of a village raise a maypole on the village square on May 1st as a symbol of fertility.

Maypole climbing, stealing the maypole, dancing around the pole, or maypole parades with brass bands are common traditions in most regions of Austria. The Maypole celebration is a very popular traditional event which strengthens the community spirit. 

 
 
 
 
 
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What will be closed?

Since May 1st is a public holiday in Austria, banks, post offices, supermarkets, and general medical practices will be closed. Most pharmacies will also be closed, except for those functioning as emergency pharmacies, which are scheduled to remain open during the holidays. In Austria, around 220 pharmacies function as “Notdienstapotheken” or emergency pharmacies. Find them listed here. 

Hospital emergency departments will remain open if you need medical care. Additionally, each region offers a holiday on-call service (Wochenend—und Feiertagsbereitschaftsdienst) if you prefer not to go to the hospital. You can call 141 for medical services during holidays, such as a doctor’s visit or to obtain certain medications.

Public Transport

On May 1st, public transport operates all over Austria, although sometimes with a reduced timetable, similar to that on Sundays.

In Vienna, trams, metros, and buses run with slightly reduced timetables. For information on the timetable for different lines, click here.

Mainline train services often run with a near-normal timetable during May 1st. You can check out the timetable for ÖBB here.

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