Of course, there are different places to shop: lots of shopping centres are being built in the cities and in the suburbs, offering every kind of store imaginable, huge parking lots, multi-screen movie theatres, and a wide enough variety of activities that you can spend the whole day there.

But what we’re going to talk about here are the famous department stores inextricably associated with certain major European hubs. In others cities, the tradition of temporary markets still prevails.

The big department stores have become institutions, and tourist attractions unto themselves:

They’re often in the very centre of town, which facilitates mixing shopping with cultural visits;

They are often housed in magnificent old buildings, which give customers a sense of exclusivity and privilege;

They bring together in one spot a vast number of designer labels, china, linens, jewellery, cosmetics, perfumes, toys, and often a gourmet grocery section which no one can resist;

The stores’ own brands have become a style phenomenon; shoppers want to be seen with logo-embossed bags from such and such a store – it’s très chic!

The stores offer advantageous tax refund schemes to foreign shoppers; you can get information at the National Tourist Offices or at the stores’ customer service desk.
In all cases, there are two events in the big department stores that mustn’t be missed:


The Christmas season, when capital cities rival one another with a profusion of lights, garlands, and fabulous decorations transforming the streets. In addition, the window displays are spectacles in their own right: fairylands bursting with marvellous, mechanized toys that mesmerize both children and adults, noses glued to the glass, breath fogging the window with each astonished breath.

The second event you mustn’t miss often happens twice a year, in January and July: the Sales! But here again, you mustn’t be afraid of a crush. Sales devotees queue up in front of the stores at 5:00 a.m., ready to dash through the aisles in search of that coveted item at a spectacular discount price.
There’s great shopping to be found in Great Britain, especially in London. Warm up your credit card and raid the celebrated counters at Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, trendy Selfridge’s or dependable Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street or the deliciously fantastic Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly. They are all in the centre of London, making these stores easy to reach on foot or by tube. You won’t leave empty- handed!

In Paris, France, delve into the very chic goods at Galeries Lafayette, under the enormous glass rotunda, or at Printemps, a bit less trendy and right across the street, both in the “place to be seen” area near the Opéra. In the neighbourhood around the Hôtel de Ville is BHV, a huge store to wander at will when you’re not rushed. On the Left Bank, tempt yourself at one of the oldest stores in Paris, le Bon Marché.
In Vienna, Austria, if you’ve had enough of culture, take a tour around Steffl. In this famous ‘grand dame’ of department stores, right in the centre of the city, you’ll find the highest and finest quality that Vienna has to offer, such as the Habsburg line of tradition clothing. The store is located in one of the primary shopping streets of Vienna. When you’ve completed your shopping, we suggest you take a break at the store’s restaurant, the Skybar, where you can enjoy an extraordinary view of Vienna.

In Brussels, Belgium just a stone’s throw away from the Grand’Place, sits the gorgeous, sumptuously glass-roofed shopping arcade of Galeries St. Hubert, built in 1847. Here you’ll find jewellery stores, chocolate shops, cafés, and magnificently decorated windows that make it one of the most elegant places to visit in Brussels.
In Sweden, in Stockholm and Göteborg, the Nordiska Kompagniet rivals the major stores in London and Paris. Located in the city centre, the store is easily recognizable by its huge neon sign, with the NK logo on one side and a giant 4-ton clock on the other.

In Finland, Stockmann is not only the premier department store of Helsinki, but of the entire country and in fact all of Scandinavia. An immense clock surmounts the principal entrance to the store.

In Denmark, in the centre of Copenhagen, you’ll find everything you can imagine, and more, at the Magasin du Nord, which is very large and well-stocked. Be sure to visit the gourmet grocery department.

In Berlin, Germany, the "Kaufhaus des Westens", better known as KaDeWe, is the biggest department store in Europe and where you can find absolutely everything. And as they say, if you can’t find it here, it probably doesn’t exist!
In Holland, in Amsterdam, it’s at Bijenkorf, a 5-storey department store on the Damsquare, where you’ll find an array of goods equal to those of the grand stores in London or Paris.

In Greece, don't miss doing some shopping at the large Attica department store. It has just been completely renovated in Art Deco style and will leave you absolutely speechless. The store has the added advantage of being located in the heart of Athens, in Ermou Street, aptly named after Hermes, the God of Commerce!

In Italy, the big stores to visit are La Rinascente, in the Piazza del Duomo in Milan or, just as bountiful, the major chain stores, Coin and Standa.

In Spain, El Corte Inglés is the biggest chain of department stores. Present in most big cities, here you can find just about everything you could possibly want, from the rarest gourmet delicacy to the latest designer outfit. It’s the best of all the brands gathered under one roof!