Discover Vienna’s literary side with 18 must-visit spots for book lovers—from grand, Gothic libraries to cozy bookstores steeped in history and charm.
Vienna has a long-standing literary culture, with many historic bookstores, bookstore chains, and libraries—plus a healthy number of shiny new indie gems, book cafés, and more.
Altstadt Vienna
This boutique hotel makes a point of filling its bright, stylish interiors with distinctive artworks, sometimes owned by the hotel, and sometimes on loan from museums. It also has a series of themed suites, a few of which come complete with their own personal mini libraries.
Even if you don’t book a suite, you can still enjoy the library in the hotel’s Red Salon—a sort of lounge/café where you can enjoy anything from tea and cake to whiskey and snacks. While much of the book collection is in German, there’s also a nice selection of art books that you can enjoy no matter what language you speak.
Address: Kirchengasse 41, 1070 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Check-in time: 2PM
– Check-out time: 12PM
Vienna City Library
Vienna City Library is the city’s official research library and archive, and being set on the fourth floor of Vienna City Hall, a grand and stately building in peak Gothic Revival style, its official status will likely never be in doubt. It has a long history behind it as well, having been founded in 1856 and moved to City Hall in 1886.
The library currently holds hundreds of thousands of books, posters, musical scores, and a host of special collections and archives. In more recent years, it’s also been working to digitize its collection.
Address: Felderstraße 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 9AM – 7PM
– Friday: 9AM – 5PM
– Saturday & Sunday: Closed
The University of Vienna Library (Universitätsbibliothek Wien)
With a whopping seven million items, the University of Vienna Library stands undefeated as Austria’s largest academic library. Housed mainly in the university’s historic main building, the library collection traces its origins to 1365 with Duke Rudolf IV’s publica libraria.
Of course, with a collection that massive, not all of it can be stored in one place—it’s actually divided up into 40 locations across the city. But even so, the main branch is well worth a look, with many antique volumes and a combination of stunning classical architecture and sleek, modern design.
Address: Universitätsring 1/Stiege 2, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9AM – 6PM
– Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Pickwick’s
This bookstore and café/bar seamlessly combines a love of reading with a small taste of Vienna nightlife. It specializes in English-language books, with a selection of new and secondhand titles, as well as international DVDs for film lovers.
On top of that, Pickwick hosts a slew of both weekly and monthly events, including karaoke nights, quizzes, games, and loads of live music events featuring jazz, Latin American guitar, and more. Its open layout is lined with bookshelves and movie posters, making for a fun and interesting aesthetic.
Address: Marc-Aurel-Straße 10-12, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Thursday: 4PM – 12AM
– Friday & Saturday: 12PM – 4AM
– Sunday: 12PM – 12AM
Shakespeare & Company Booksellers
Though not affiliated with the famous Shakespeare and Company located in Paris, this Shakespeare & Company was inspired by that store, opening the Vienna community to English-language literature since the 1980s.
It’s small but not cramped, with smooth, high ceilings and a cozy, open layout that makes it feel intimate and welcoming. It contains a wide range of both contemporary and classic works, plus plenty of Austrian titles translated into English—especially handy for those who want to know more about the country but don’t yet speak the language.
Address: Sterngasse 2, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 9AM – 8PM
– Sunday: Closed
Buchhandlung Frick
You want history? You’ve got it. Buchhandlung Frick is a Viennese bookstore chain that first opened in 1752. It was recognized by Austria’s Imperial and Royal Court in the 1870s and has only grown from there, experiencing especially rapid expansion in the 1990s.
Nowadays, it carries 14 million titles in multiple languages, including German, English, and Russian. It also sells stationery and various gift items. Its flagship store catches the eye with its arched brick ceiling and distinctive, historic architecture.
Address: Graben 27, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9AM – 6PM
– Saturday: 10AM – 7PM
– Sunday: Closed
Buchhandlung Herder
Though it’s gone through a few name changes in its time, including “B. Herders Verlag” and “Herder Zach-Buch GmbH,” Buchhandlung Herder has been around for a long time as both a publishing house and a bookstore.
The shop’s collection contains both fiction and nonfiction, mostly in German, with a decided leaning towards the subjects of theology, spirituality, and philosophy, plus a large children’s section that even comes with a colorful play area, complete with a slide and plushies.
Address: Wollzeile 33, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
September to June:
– Monday to Friday: 9:30AM – 6:30PM
– Saturday: 9:30AM – 6PM
– Sunday: Closed
July and August:
– Monday to Friday: 9:30AM – 6:30PM
– Saturday: 9:30AM – 1PM
– Sunday: Closed
Austrian National Library
The Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) may well be Europe’s largest Baroque library. With towering wooden bookcases decorated in gold filigree, Roman-esque statues posturing on pedestals, and a ceiling fresco to rival the Sistine Chapel, it’s no exaggeration to say its grand State Hall is absolutely dazzling.
The library holds eight million items across special collections, globes, papyri, and four museums, bridging local heritage with modern research.
Address: Josefsplatz 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday to Sunday: 9AM – 6PM
– Thursday: 9AM – 9PM
– Monday: Closed
phil – Café, Bookstore & Bar
For a taste of more contemporary style, slide on over to phil, a hybrid café, bookshop, and bar in the hippest retro chic design you’ll ever see. Opened in 2004, it carries around 4,000 books, with a focus on off‑mainstream titles, and hosts plenty of events, such as readings, book presentations, and even live DJ sets.
On the café side of things, there’s an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients plus coffee and a wide selection of beers, wines, and more.
Address: Gumpendorfer Str. 10 – 12, 1060 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday: 2PM – 9PM
– Tuesday to Thursday: 9AM – 10PM
– Friday & Saturday: 9AM – 11PM
– Sunday: 9AM – 9PM
COMIC Treff
Comic Treff is a veteran comic book chain in Vienna with three locations, but they don’t only sell comics, manga, and graphic novels in German and English. Their shelves are filled with basically anything one’s geeky heart could desire: merchandise, Funko Pops, action figures, costumes, and trading cards from Marvel, DC, Panini, and more.
The chain has been in operation for decades now, and stocks weekly U.S. releases to keep its eager regulars up-to-date on the latest.
Address: Barnabitengasse 12, 1060 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Wednesday & Saturday: 10AM – 6PM
– Thursday & Friday: 10AM – 7PM
– Sunday: Closed
Thalia Wien
Moving on to Austria’s largest bookstore chain, Thalia Wien is part of the Thalia group, which has over 350 stores across multiple countries. Its flagship store in Vienna is especially massive, spanning several floors with loads of books in German and English, offering enough variety to satisfy even the pickiest of readers.
The top floor has a café with a view overlooking the city streets below. The menu has a range of coffees and cakes on offer. There’s even an elaborate play area for kids to enjoy.
Address: Mariahilfer Str. 99, 1060 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Wednesday: 9AM – 7PM
– Thursday & Friday: 9AM – 8PM
– Saturday: 9AM – 6PM
– Sunday: Closed
Library of the Austrian Chamber of Labor
The Library of the Austrian Chamber of Labor is Austria’s premier specialized library for social sciences. Founded in 1921 to support workers’ education and the labor movement, it holds roughly 500,000 physical items and 25,000 digital materials (e-books, audiobooks, etc.) on politics, economics, sociology, labor history, and related fields.
It’s clean-cut and well-organized, freely accessible to the public, and provides important resources to locals.
Address: Prinz-Eugen-Straße 20-22, 1040 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 10AM – 7:30PM
– Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Buchcafé Melange
This book café is decorated more like the inside of someone’s home than a shop or eatery, complete with vintage furniture and lacey doilies on small tables. Coming here doesn’t feel like a quick stop and shop, but a warm, cozy visit with a long-time friend.
The book collection is mainly German with a small English-language section. The café has very limited seating, but a delicious offering of coffees and sweet treats. It also holds book readings roughly once a month in a close-knit environment.
Address: Mariahilfer Str. 215, 1150 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Friday: 11AM – 1PM & 2PM – 6:30PM
– Saturday: 11AM – 5PM
– Monday & Sunday: Closed
Book Flea Market in Rudolfsheim (Rudolfsheimer Bücherflohmarkt)
If you’re looking for a more freestyle, outdoor shopping experience, no worries. Vienna has its very own book flea market. Positioned in front of Rudolfsheim Parish Hall, around 40 booksellers gather almost every Saturday morning to peddle used books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, and even games.
This book flea market draws collectors and casual browsers alike to its outdoor stalls. The proceeds for the sales also go to a good cause—specifically, to charitable projects run by the parish itself, some of which you can see here.
Address: Meiselstraße 1, 1150 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Saturday: 9AM – 1PM
– Sunday to Friday: Closed
Buchkontor
Buchkontor is an independent neighborhood bookshop opened in 2009. The interior is bright and welcoming, its walls a calming shade of green and a colorful corner set aside for regular readings. Its book collection is also a bit unique for the area in not only offering German titles, but Spanish ones as well.
The store is especially friendly to children and young readers, and was even named Austria’s “Bookstore of the Year” in 2019. Its reading club and story times alike make it a beloved community icon.
Address: Kriemhildpl. 1, 1150 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Wednesday & Friday: 9:30AM – 6PM
– Thursday: 9:30AM – 7PM
– Saturday: 9:30AM – 2PM
– Sunday: Closed
Hartliebs Bücher
Founded by bookseller Oliver and Petra Hartlieb, this independent shop is filled to the brim with books: lining shelves, stacked on tables, and filling up rotating racks posted outside. However, it never gets to the point of overflowing, and there’s a decided neatness that’s appealing to the eye and makes searching easy.
The bookshop also hosts quite a few events throughout the year, including author signings, book discussions, a regularly held literature circle, and more.
Address: Währinger Str. 122, 1180 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9:30AM – 6:30PM
– Saturday: 9:30AM – 1PM
– Sunday: Closed
Buchhandlung List – Internationale Literatur
As you might’ve guessed from the “Internationale” in this bookstore’s name, its specialty lies in spotlighting international literature and titles across multiple languages, particularly German, French, Italian, and English. Even the staff is multilingual—perfect for both travelers and local ex-pats.
The interior has an eclectic sense of style, stacking books high on miniature shelves along staircases, setting a moped behind a glass display case, and hanging a Harry Potter-inspired paper mural from the ceiling.
Address: Porzellangasse 36, 1090 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 10AM – 6:30PM
– Saturday: 10AM – 4PM
– Sunday: Closed
o*books
o*books is an independent bookstore that focuses on queer, feminist, intersectional, and diverse literature in German and English, including children’s books. The decor is a mix of this and that—both wooden and metal bookcases, a variety of houseplants placed on shelves and tabletops.
The area in the back is especially nice for reading, with large windows that let in plenty of natural light and a comfy sofa perfect for settling in.
Address: Bruno-Marek-Allee 24/1, 1020 Wien, Austria
Opening hours:
– Monday to Friday: 9AM – 7PM
– Saturday: 9AM – 5PM
– Sunday: Closed
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K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
