AUSTRIA

Halal-friendly holidays

For winter and ski holidaymakers there are some halal-friendly accommodations. Popular locations such as Salzburg or Tyrol offer families a wide range of leisure activities. Many shopping centres and children's play halls ensure a stay regardless of the weather.

Mozart's birthplace is located in Salzburg and is very interesting for lovers of classical music. Numerous inexpensive Mozart concerts take place throughout the city.

The inner city of Vienna is the best place for shopping in Austria. The popular shopping streets include Mariahilferstrasse, Schleifmühlgasse and Kärntnerstrasse. There are many shopping opportunities there for every purpose, from designer shops to fashion discounters.

Vienna is also known for its numerous museums. There is a museum for almost every art movement. In addition, the admission prices are very low and free entry is granted up to the age of 19.

Just like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Schönbrunn Palace, built 300 years ago, is the landmark of Vienna. The state rooms with original furniture give an authentic impression of the imperial lifestyle.

For chocolate lovers, the Chocolate Museum in Vienna is an absolute must-see. Here you have the opportunity to make your own chocolate bar according to your taste and learn everything about the history of chocolate.

Most prayers are held in smaller prayer rooms in former warehouses. These are always within walking distance and this ensures a carefree and halal-friendly stay in Austria. When you enter the mosques, you will always receive a warm welcome, regardless of your background or Islamic denomination. They are always well maintained and kept clean. You can also visit them outside of prayer times to make new acquaintances. There are more than 400 mosques in Austria, 3 of which have minarets. Here are a few examples:

Cuba Mosque - The Cuba Mosque in Vienna is the most famous in Austria. Thanks to its good location, it is one of the most visited mosques.

Islamic Center in Vienna - The Islamic Center is one of the few mosques in Europe that has a dome and a minaret. The interior design is also exceptional and is similar to the mosques in Istanbul. You also have the opportunity to take part in a guided tour of the mosque with an imam between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Atib Telfs Mosque - Located between the mountains with a small white minaret, the Atib Telfs Mosque is a beauty in itself. Due to its unusual location, it enchants visitors with its charm and, according to surveys, is a very clean and friendly mosque.

Many subjects of the Ottoman Empire settled in the Habsburg Empire due to the geographical location of the Danube Monarchy and nearby Türkiye. Thus, historically speaking, it was not Islam that came to Austria, but Austria that came to Islam. The Islam Ordinance in 1988 recognized, among other things, the official name of the Islamic religious community and set minimum requirements. ICCIÖ is the Islamic religious community in Austria and serves as a corporation under public law. It manages religious matters and officially represents the Muslims living in Austria.

Austrian cuisine offers numerous vegetarian dishes such as spinach dumplings or Kaiserschmarrn. Many original recipes have been replaced with vegetables due to the high demand for meatless dishes. There is therefore a meat-free version for almost every dish on every menu.

Austria is also very well known for its fish dishes. For halal-conscious travellers, fish is the perfect alternative to vegetarian dishes.

There are many options for meat lovers thanks to the international offering. Due to the high number of Muslim residents, it is easy to find halal restaurants in Austria. There are numerous Turkish, Arabic, Egyptian and Indian restaurants. The largest selection is undoubtedly in Vienna.

There are also many Turkish, Arabic and Indian supermarkets in Austria. This initially came about through requests from foreign residents. However, more and more Austrians are finding such markets to experiment with foreign ingredients. It is also not uncommon to find more Turkish products in Austrian discounters. The Austrian market has adapted to the high demand.

However, for halal poultry and meat, Muslims still use smaller Turkish shops as these are butchers who usually have halal certificates. Austrian companies are increasingly including halal-certified meat dishes in their range.