When it comes to which city has the best shopping, it’s usually the likes of London, Paris or Milan that are first to spring to mind – especially since they’ve got their Fashion Weeks kicking off this month! But, there’s plenty of other places around the world that are stylish in their own unique way. From designer factory outlets and high-street staples to made-to-measure markets and independent boutiques, these are some of our best shopping destinations around the world…
Antalya, Turkey
Beyond its beautiful beaches and age-old sights, Antalya is home to some spectacular shopping scenes. Whatever your ‘style’ this place has something for every shopping addict imaginable. Starting with those high-street hunters — the TerraCity mall has you covered. Not only do you get your favourite fashion brands, there’s an impressive line-up of local restaurants to tuck into along the way.
Prefer something a little more authentic? The old town of Kaleici is as traditional as you’ll get. Amongst its original Ottoman-style houses you’ll find cobbled shopping avenues with stores selling some of the city’s best buys. Looking for local souvenirs to take home for your family? A unique antique that nobody else has? Some sophisticated, yet affordable boutique jewellery? You’ll find it all in Kaleici old town. The main streets to head to are Cumhuriyet, Gulluk, Ataturk and Isiklar.
Or perhaps you want to experience life as a local? Head to one of Antalya’s buzzing bazaars and you’ll do just that. Mostly found in the city centre, this distinctive shopping experience plays a pivotal role in daily Turkish life. It’s where you’ll find just about every consumer item you can think of and have the opportunity to put those bartering skills to the test and see what bargains you can bag. If you’re here on a weekend, the Lara Street Market is not to be missed! Taking place every Saturday, it’s the city’s biggest street bazaar where bargain-hunters will be in their element. Prepare to splash out on all things fashion, fragrance and food related!
Bangkok, Thailand
When it comes to shopping destinations in Asia, Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok is up there with the best. Partly due to the fact that it’s home to one of the largest shopping centres in the world and partly because it’s shopping scene doesn’t just happen in the day, it stays alive way on into the night. All in all, it’s one of the best budget-friendly retail spots you’ll find.
Bartering is the norm here, it is a general rule of thumb never to accept the first price and have a bit of fun with knocking the seller down a bob or two. One place in particular where you may want to try out a little playful barter banter is the Chatuchak market. Located in a relatively quiet part of Bangkok, this spot comes to life at weekends when it hosts what’s considered to be one of the largest markets in the world. Taking over almost 35 acres of land, you’ll need the full weekend here as there’s 8000 stalls to get through. Selling everything you can imagine including some authentic antiques and handicrafts that you won’t find elsewhere.
Your haggling efforts can even be stretched to the malls, depending on whether the items have price tags or not. And malls are something Bangkok certainly isn’t short on. There’s one to suit every kind of lifestyle and budget. Its megamall is CentralWorld and just to put it into perspective for you – it’s a seven-floor complex home to more than 500 stores including your favourite high-street brands like Adidas, Topshop and Zara, plus a whopping 100 restaurants.
Florida, USA
We all know everything in the USA tends to be bigger than what we’re used to in the UK – bigger cars, bigger houses, bigger burgers. The same applies to its shopping malls, it’s safe to say they’re super-size! Florida alone has over 700 retail stores and malls spread across its sunshine state, so if you’re planning a holiday here you might want to start by finding the biggest suitcase possible…
Stay on International Drive and you’ll be in your element. This 23km runway has souvenir shops, designer factory outlets and mammoth shopping malls dotted along its length. With too many malls to list on both hands, take our word for it that amongst its many centres, you’ll be able to find any garment you’re looking for. Whether that be some stylish new sunnies, a designer handbag or some bona fide Levi jeans, the chances are you’ll be returning home with a whole new wardrobe. And with the colossal discount outlets available, you won’t have that dreaded spending guilt!
Not only are the malls packed top-to-bottom in shops, they also have plenty of other fantastic entertainment facilities. So if the little ones start to get fidgety while the money-savvy mums and dads hunt for those bargains that they wouldn’t usually find at home, a milkshake from one of the many American-Diners might help. If not, then a pit-stop at the ice-skating rinks, splash zones or arcades should do the trick.
Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech is one of the few places in the world where you can shop almost any time you want. No matter how early you rise or how late you retire for the evening, the main market square Djemaa El Fna and surrounding souks will welcome you with open arms into their multi-coloured whirlwind of carpets, kaftans and loads of leather!
Often referred to as a maze of market streets — souks are a shopper’s dream. The main ones are Souq Semmarine and Souq el-Kebir and they don’t just sell those items mentioned above. They also have the likes of jewellery, spices, lamps – you name it. Furniture may not be the usual memento you bring home from a holiday, however during your Marrakech holiday it will be hard to resist. Especially when you see all of the stuff its magnificent Mustapha Blaoui store has to offer! Offering a shipping service to anywhere in the world, those worries about how you’re going to fit your newly purchased table and teapot set in your suitcase need not be there!
It’s not just about shopping ‘til you drop in the souks though, fashionistas flock to Marrakech to visit The Jardin Majorelle. These enchanting gardens were bought by the famous fashion designer – Yves Saint Laurent back in the 80’s and have since became home to one of the world’s most beautifully curated museums – Musée Berbère. Here you can admire collections of leather and wood to exhibits of textiles and metalwork – whatever the display, with an owner like YSL you know it’s going to be seriously stylish.
Palma, Majorca
Take a walk along Palma’s picturesque streets and you’ll soon realise exactly why it is often referred to as one of the go-to shopping destinations in Europe and Majorca’s glamourous capital. With high-end designer boutiques on one street and the renowned El Corte Ingles department store on the next. It truly is a shopper’s paradise.
Forget those run-of-the-mill shopping malls you expect to see on the outskirts of every city, the shops here are embedded within the ancient, atmospheric alleyways and tree-lined boulevards amongst landmarks, restaurants and buzzing bars. So, you can combine your retail therapy with sightseeing, socialising and soaking up the sun! Just another reason it’s considered to have the best shopping in Europe.
No shopping holiday in Palma would be complete without a stroll down Passeig del Born AKA the ‘Golden Mile’. This area and its connecting Avinguda de Jaume III is one of the most glamourous shopping strips you’ll come across. The likes of Louis Vuitton, Massimo and Mulberry light up the way along with some seriously stylish Spanish labels such as Desigual and Camper. But it’s not all about splashing out, the city is home to all of your favourite high-street classics too. To put it simply, it will be hard to resist getting your purse out during your Palma getaway.
In the sky!
No matter where you go on holiday, when flying with TUI Airways you’ll always have the opportunity to bag some brilliant bargains. The inflight shop brings all of your favourite brands directly to you up in the clouds! From touching down in your destination with some discounted designer sunglasses to returning home with a brand-new fragrance, splashing out in the sky is definitely worth doing. Plus, everything is duty-free, meaning you’ll be saving money against those high street prices!
Ready to shop ‘til you drop on a nearby beach in one of these stylish sun spots? We’ll help you get there. Find out how much you can SAVE with Holiday Hypermarket.
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