London arrives at the top of Europe’s shopping list

It may be overcrowded, wet and playing host to tents full of anti-capitalists, but London has been named as the shopping capital of Europe!

The variety of shops, markets and the addition of Europe’s largest urban shopping centre have vaulted the capital above the more fashionable havens of Paris and Milan to top the list of 33 European retail destinations.

Affordability, transport, convenience, climate and culture were all taken into account in a year-long study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which rated Madrid and Barcelona joint-second overall, ahead of Paris and Rome. Geneva, Oslo and Belgrade were ranked as the least attractive retail destinations for tourists.

The study also highlights a 30 per cent increase in tax-free spending by tourists in London over the past year, despite the parlous state of the rest of the economy – highlighting the ever increasing importance of discount deals for London has for tourists.

While London’s high prices meant it ranked a lowly 24th out of 33 on affordability — well behind Sofia, Bratislava and Bucharest — it was considered cheaper than Paris, Moscow, Stockholm, Oslo and Geneva. The price of goods in London was less of a problem — it was the expensive hotel rooms, taxis, buses and refreshments that all helped to make its shopping trips dear.

As well as ranking best in the category that measured the range of shops available, London came top in the category for “hotels and transport”. Under “culture and climate”, London’s galleries and heritage sites gave it fifth place, but Paris topped the list.

Customers at the  Westfield Stratford City explained yesterday why they had been drawn to the centre’s 1.9 million sq ft of retail space.

Sarah Jareovich, 25, from Lithuania, who had spent £1,000 on her “retail holiday”, said: “We are here because we heard it’s the biggest in Europe.”

Also shopping in Westfield was Gemma Roig, a regular visitor to London, and her friend Blanca de Gispert “In Spain it’s cheaper but here there are more different kinds of shops and clothes,” Ms Roig said. “[But] Usually we go to Oxford Street because it is closer to the centre.”

Retail tourism is thought to be worth £3 billion a year to London, with tourists spending an average of £646 a transaction.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, welcomed the study, heralding London as a “beacon for shoppers from all corners of the world”.

In the absence of any guest posts over theweekend we thought we would take a look back at various shopping guides this site has published over the past two years.

First was this guide to Christmas markets in Europe – and checking the analytics it still attracts plenty of visitors to the site on the run up to the festive break.

Then we focussed on the emerging shopping culture of United Arab Emirates – looking at Dubai Airport followed by the amazing range of luxury shops in Abu Dhabi

Finally we returned to a Christmas shopping favourite – New York and of course London in winter.

Once again we urge guest posts about destinations throughout Europe & Beyond – share with us your favourite shopping cities – from mall to market.

http://www.europe-autos.com/new-york-christmas-shopping/

Wrap up your Christmas shopping in New York

New York is one of the most festive cities in the world at Christmas time, festooned with street decorations and elaborate shop window displays, making it a favourite destination for a Christmas shopping spree.

Until recently, the US dollar was fairly weak against the pound, but with the recent economic downturn the pound has weakened, closing the gap somewhat. So is it still worth packing your woollies for a Christmas shopping trip to wintry New York? Apart from the pleasure of visiting New York at its most colourful and festive, the massive bulk-buying power of the US market means things are often cheaper there anyway. You can certainly buy some US brand products, particularly clothes especially dresses and lingerie, cosmetics and skincare, at far cheaper prices than you’d get them in the UK. And you can also find reasonably priced places to stay and eat, so you don’t have to spend a fortune.

The real shopping frenzy starts a few weeks into November, which can hamper your shopping progress — so leave yourself at least a couple of dedicated shopping days to fight the crowds.

New York Shops

As a tourist, you can sometimes benefit from extra discounts by showing your passport.  Some big department stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s may offer 10% off on production of your passport, so it’s always worth asking at customer services.

Bagging a bargain

For good value high street goods head for Banana Republic for clothes; Walmart for discount products; Nordstrom for top clothing brands, shoes and accessories; Newegg, for computer hardware or digital cameras; Urban Outfitters for clothing, footwear and household goods; Old Navy for family fashion; and Dell Computers, where there is no customs duty on laptops or PCs. For cosmetics, skin care and fragrance try Sephora (which has 11 stores across the city) where you can stock up on American products such as Mac, Bliss Spa, Laura Mercier and Benefit at far cheaper prices than you’ll find in the UK.

For a real bargain, you could consider a visit to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, a discount shopping centre about an hour north of New York City (498 Red Apple Court, Central Valley – see  www.premiumoutlets.com). It’s home to around 200 shops selling mainly clothes plus shoes, handbags and other accessories, at clearance prices. Some but not all of them are from last season, including Burberry, Chloé, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gap, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Saks, and more. You can pick up some goods for around a quarter of the UK price.

Things to watch out for

Shopping Sales Tax in United States

Just remember when you look at price tags that in the US that the price shown doesn’t include Sales Tax, which is like VAT, and is only added when you get to the till.

Under European Union (EU) rules, there is a goods allowance of £320 (excluding tobacco and alcohol), on bringing items back to the UK from countries outside the EU. This includes souvenirs, clothing, electrical goods and perfume. For anything above this amount, you’re expected to declare the goods at the airport and pay customs duty. The amount varies depending on the item, how much it costs and what it’s made from, as well as 15% VAT. Some shoppers walk though the ‘Nothing to Declare’ exit illegally, with goods well over this value, and get away with it — but there is a hefty fine for those who are caught. See http://www.which.co.uk/advice/duty-free-allowances/outside-the-eu/index.jsp for more information.

Also, both shoe sizes and dress sizes differ to those in the UK, so if you don’t already know them, find out your US sizes (or the sizes of those people you’re buying for) before you go. You can use an online converter such as http://www.onlineconversion.com/clothing.htm.

Other things to do in New York at Christmas

While you’re shopping, don’t whizz through department store doors without pausing to take in the impressive Christmas window displays, each competing with one another for the most eye-catching design. Across the city you’ll also find a number of different outdoor Christmas Markets to browse for handmade gifts and seasonal foods.

For some festive fun, head to the outdoor ice rink at Rockefeller Plaza, and pose for a photo in front of the imposing Rockefeller Center’s Christmas Tree, which is decorated with some 78,000 lights.

If you still haven’t had your fill of Christmas lights, head to Grand Central Terminal for the high-tech wintry wonderland visuals projected onto the Astrological ceiling of the terminal’s Main Concourse. There is show every half an hour, between 11:00 and 21:00, for six weeks over the Christmas period. See http://grandcentralterminal.com/ for details.

Fin dmany more suggestions about things to see and do while in New York at Travel Gems

Shopping in Abu Dhabi

A quick guide for partners of Formula 1 fans who are being dragged along to the final race of the F1 season – the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – and want to make the most of their visit to the UAE rather than watch speeding cars and drivers battling for positions in the 2009 F1 title – the running of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a little pointless some argue – the world title already having been claimed by Jenson Buttox when he ambled across the line in Brazil.

From manic local souqs to sprawling modern malls, Abu Dhabi is well-established as a shopper’s paradise — particularly for gold jewellery, perfume and designer clothes, dresses and even lingerie.

Abu Dhabi Airport Shopping

The award-winning Abu Dhabi Duty Free shop at the airport is the obvious place to look for big brand names. Spread over an area of 5000 square metres, the shop sells a huge range of perfumes at duty free prices as well as cosmetics, watches, jewellery, clothes, music, electronic items, toys and books.

For many tourists shopping is the main purpose of their visit, and they’re not afraid to run up an alarmingly large credit card bill in the process. But if you don’t have a bottomless supply of cash, is it also still possible to grab yourself a bargain, or are prices in Abu Dhabi no cheaper than in the UK or Europe?

Bargain shopping

If you’re looking for a bargain, you have to choose where you shop very carefully. The more traditional souqs in the Al Meena area are well worth exploring if you want to see local produce on sale at reasonable prices.

Al Meena is best known for its wide range of carpets and Persian rugs, alongside many other items such as antiques, colourful fabrics, spices, and traditionally-designed jewellery, with lots of small shops packed into the alleyways. If you plan to buy a Persian rug, make sure you do a bit of homework before you shop; there are machine made carpets alongside handmade ones, so you need to know what to look out for.

Traders will expect you to bargain over prices, so wear your haggling hat if you visit the souqs. And when you find yourself flagging, take a pew at one of the coffee shops selling robust Arabic coffee to recharge your batteries.

The Hamed Centre is another lower-budget shopping complex with a wide range of outlets selling cheaper items including Arabic music, jewellery and reasonably-priced casual clothes.

Luxury shopping

If like many visitors to Abu Dhabi you’re less concerned about price and more concerned about luxury and choice, head for the city’s more glamorous shopping malls such as the glitzy Marina Mall and famous Abu Dhabi Mall.

Abu Dhabi Mall

Abu Dhabi Mall is one of the city’s best known complexes, housing more than 220 outlets selling international and local brands of clothes, make-up, perfumes, books, household furnishings, electrical goods, gifts, health foods, and just about any other products you can think of.  There are plenty of places to dine, plus a a bowling centre, a cinema complex,  and a kids’ edutainment centre.

Marina Mall

The Marina Mall is another massive complex combining small boutiques, and outlets for international brands and major designer names such as Channel, Gucci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Versace and Yves Saint-Laurent.

Perfume shopping in Abu Dhabi

You can buy just about any perfume you can think of in Abu Dhabi, usually straight after they have been launched in their country of origin.

For a more unique Arabic fragrance, you could look out for the unique local perfumeries across Abu Dhabi city which will individually blend a distinctive scent for you using aromatic Arabic oils. A word to the wise, however: these fragrances tend to be far more intense than the average shop-bought perfume, so don’t drown yourself in the stuff!

Jewellery shopping

The gleaming gold jewellery shops in and around the Madinat Zayed Gold Market are said to sell 24-carat gold at the cheapest prices in the world.

You can pick up Arab-style gold bracelets and bangles, watches, necklaces or earrings in yellow or white gold, plus pearls and semi precious stones.

You need to hone your bargaining skills to get a good price, and if you visit a couple of times on different days, don’t be surprised if the prices have changed: they fluctuate according to the daily international gold rate.

Getting there try to fly to Dubai Airport

Because of the increased demand for flights to Abu Dhabi for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and associated events (including the opening of the amazing Yas Hotel) you might choose to fly to nearby Dubai International Airport on one of the many frequent flights to Dubai available from many UK and European Airports – see this previous post about Dubai flights

With such a big focus on shopping in this modern city, it’s hard to resist parting with your cash — but with such a great choice of outlets for a wide range of budgets there is something to suit every pocket in Abu Dhabi.

Christmas shopping at Europe’s Christmas Markets

Every year, new Christmas Markets spring up across Europe, expanding the age-old ‘Christkindlmarkt’ tradition that emerged in the Middle Ages in Germany and Austria.

If you’re saving your money to spend on presents, there are plenty of Christmas markets to be found close to home in the UK, including well-established markets in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow and Bath — but if you fancy splashing out on a festive holiday you could combine a city break with a spot of shopping at some of Europe’s best Christmas Markets.

You can expect to find lots of hand made gifts, such as locally-produced arts and crafts, and many of them make unusual Christmas presents. Although the stalls vary from one market to another, and particularly from country to country, at many of them you’ll find handmade greetings cards, candles, scarves, pottery, wooden children’s toys, framed photography, and original paintings.

Street entertainment, decorations and live music add another dimension to many markets, as do food stalls selling delicious festive snacks and warming mulled wine – a crucial ingredient at outdoor markets in colder destinations such as Poland.

With hundreds of markets to choose from in many countries across Europe, it’s hard to know which to visit. Here we’ve selected three that offer a bit of everything.

Tips for visiting Christmas Markets

As attractive as all of this may sound, some Christmas Markets get horribly overcrowded and you have to battle to see any of the stalls or get a bite to eat, leaving you feeling less than festive.

While markets that have been established for many years can be incredibly popular, they are also often better organised because they know how many visitors to expect and how to cater for them. Try to find some user-generated reviews of the markets you’re considering visiting before you book your trip.

If possible, avoid going to any markets at the weekend when they are at their busiest, and try to make at least one visit during the evening when the market is lit-up and looks its most festive.

Another tip is to make sure you visit virtually empty-handed, or at least not armed with stacks of bags after a morning’s shopping elsewhere – otherwise you’ll feel harassed within minutes. Carry as little as possible and you’ll be able to enjoy some seasonal food and buy a few bits and bobs without feeling like a pack horse.

Top Christmas Markets in Europe

France and Germany

Nuremberg Christmas Market

In Germany, Nuremberg‘s internationally-renowned Christkindlesmarkt is one of Europe’s oldest Christmas markets, dating back more than 400 years, and it keeps alive many of the original traditions. It is immensely popular, attracting around two million people each year to the city’s Old Town, which is festooned with lights and decorations. For a real taste of Christmas, sniff out the food stalls selling sugar-coated toasted almonds, traditional Christmas gingerbreads, and stollen – all great additions to christmas gift baskets and stocking fillers. And if you’re travelling with children, explore the attached Kinderweihnacht (Children’s Christmas Market) which features old steam-powered Merry-Go-Rounds and festive activities aimed at a younger crowd.

For variety, head to the Alsace region of France, which has a heavy German influence and a strong Christmas market tradition. If you have your own transport, you could visit several local Christmas Markets during your trip as there’s one in nearly every town.  You might even choose to leave your cars in England when they collect a rental vehicle from the many van hire companies that are associated with the Channel Tunnel to make the most of the shopping opportunities.

Lille Christmas Market

Also in France, Lille‘s Christmas Market is very popular amongst British tourists thanks to the Eurostar link. Located in Place Rihour in the city centre, this is quite a big market, attracting some 900,000 visitors each year. Centred around a reproduction snow-covered village, the market features craft stalls, a big wheel, an ice skating rink, street theatre, visits by Father Christmas, and groups singing Christmas carols.

See http://www.noel-a-lille.com/ for more information.

Prague Christmas Market

In the Czech Republic, Prague’s Christmas Market in Wenceslas Square has established itself as one of the best outside of Germany. The market area is surrounded by beautiful buildings and the stalls sell some unusual handicrafts including Czech puppets and other toys, and lots of jewellery and candles and other gift ideas. The city is home to several other smaller Christmas Markets, too, if you fancy exploring.

For details of hundreds of other Christmas Markets, visit http://christmasmarkets.com