From hitting the malls to check out the latest outfit inspo to purchasing a gleaming watch that tempted you from its display box, what better pastime there is than shopping? If you prefer epicurean adventures over regular sightseeing, shopping is one of the most entertaining and favourite hobbies whether you’re in the city for the first time or just taking a stroll down the familiar streets.

Shopping does not just involve purchasing those fancy items over a sudden impulse. When you have a champagne taste on a beer budget, you can simply resort to window shopping because the thrills of a genuine shopper are more than just buying things.

However, remember that there are so many cities and towns in the world that are so colourless and boring, spending your time shopping there is not just worth it. So, if there is nothing more that turn you off than such a dreary city, then selecting the best shopping destinations to travel is as important as choosing a cool pair of jeans to add the perfect dash of style to your fancy t-shirts.

Not to mention, if you’re planning to take a trip to satisfy the shopaholic in you, don’t forget to take a look at this list of high-energy shopping destinations in the world which, you should, seriously, consider:

Tokyo

There is no doubt that Tokyo offers everything to meet all your shopping needs and expectations. With high-end shops of off-beat, fashionable, and traditional clothing, Ginza in Tokyo is home to the city’s most affluent boutiques and clothing marts, such as the Mitsukoshi and Dover Street Market. For souvenirs and gift shopping head to the low city of Asakusa. Roam around the alleyways and backstreets of this small town and find some interesting Japanese handcrafted culinary supplies and traditional ornaments.

Places like Kagurazaka, Daikanyama, Shibuya, and Harajuku are known to offer the best handmade fashion accessories like drawstring purses finished in the traditional kimono fabric and vintage finds. On the other hand, if you’re drawn to some quirky and artsy stuff, Shimo-Kitazawa wouldn’t disappoint!

New York

New York is home to the big names in fashion, such as Bloomingdale’s, Barneys, and Century 21. Plow through Madison Avenue or Times Square and you’ll find these stores as well as many other interesting places to shop your heart out. Taking shopping to a whole new level, the American Girl Place in Fifth Avenue, New York has created some doll shopping frenzy among female shoppers. Not only can you buy dolls here, but also get your existing dolls to try out some new doll hairstyles in the doll hair salons. Crazy, right?

Want to get a new iPhone or MacBook or simply take a look at the cool new gadgets from Apple? The Apple store in New York is the place to go. You can get all sorts of designer items in NYC as it has a whole array of huge company stores including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada. Shopping in New York doesn’t turn away anyone looking for cheap fashion either — there are a lot of indie stores scattered all over the place!

Moscow

If you’re in Moscow and ask a group of Muscovites standing in the streets for a good shopping place, they’ll start pointing in multiple directions, not because they’re unaware of the popular places but because shopping places are literally everywhere! Yes, Moscow is not just known for its amazing architecture and stunningly beautiful streets and alleyways, but also its shopping areas.

While anything from souvenirs to fashionable clothing can be found in the Red Street, there are other incredible shopping destinations that you should totally check out, such as the Arbat street and Gorbushka. While Arbat street is known for its incredible souvenir booths and crafts shops, Gorbushka is famed for its mind-blowing selection of electronic items, be it music players, computer games, legal and illegal software, and pirated stuff at the cheapest price. For an original shopping experience where you can get souvenirs from the artisans directs, you should visit Pyatnitskaya Street, south of Kremlin.

Milan

Being one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan needs no special introduction. The shopping places of this beautiful city are comparable to that of the best Parisian fashion streets like Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Milan may have been overshadowed by the popularity of Paris and London, but is surely one of the pioneers of top-notch fashion.

If you don’t understand Italian, just ask a taxi driver to drop you off at Quadrilatero d’Oro. From there, you can walk in any direction and satisfy your shopping frenzy. The name ‘Quadrilatero d’Oro’ itself means the ‘Golden Rectangle’, and it connects four incredible fashion streets. You can explore the best of the haute couture here, as this is the home ground for the biggest names in fashion, such as Versace, Armani, Roberto Cavalli, and Prada. Want to pick up some bargain? Head straight to Corso Buenos Aires — Europe’s longest shopping street.

London

With the mention of London above, you already knew London was about to be discussed, right? Well, yes. If you’re in London, there should be more room in your luggage or be ready to throw away some of your existing stuff. You can’t just be content with window shopping when there are mind-boggling offers from all four sides, wherever you’re standing.

London has mainly four different shopping areas offering you choices from high-end luxury items to cheap bargains. Run to Mayfair for luxury goods, satiate the quirkiness in you by getting anything from Covent Garden, shop for a whole day at Harrods and Westfield. Then there’s ‘the’ Oxford Street — the heart of London’s shopping areas, which was quite intentionally kept for the last so that you don’t faint halfway through the paragraph. With around 500 designer shops and shopping landmarks, the Oxford street is home to famed departmental stores like Selfridges, Debenhams and John Lewis departmental.

Dubai

Dubai is not called the Shopaholic’s paradise for no reason. You wouldn’t go to Dubai for anything other than shopping. Yes, there are scenic beaches or stunning desert landscapes, but shopping in Dubai is something more than any of those! Not sure if Dubai is also called the ‘Land of the Malls and Souks’, but there sure are a heck of a lot of luxurious malls and souks there, which a true shopper can’t afford to miss. Name a few? Here you go; Wafi Mall, Dubai Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall, Deira City Center, and Mall of the Emirates. As for souks, some of them are Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Perfume Souk, Textile Souk, Meena Bazaar, and much more. Dubai, being a duty-free country, everything seems to be cheaper than what you get elsewhere! Apart from the aforementioned places, you can find electronic goods at stores like Better Life, Eros Digital Home, Axiom Telecom, and Fono and fashion & decor items at Chanel, Hugo Boss, Bebe, and Burberry.

LA

Luxury shoppers and window shoppers name Los Angeles as their choice destination not because it simply satisfies the shopaholic in you but also gives you a complete retail therapy! Begin your shopping experience starting from the Fashion District in Downtown and shop at Beverly Center, Third Street Promenade, or Rodeo Drive if you’ve got deep pockets. While those are for high-spenders and window shoppers, if you’re really looking to hunt for a bargain, LA doesn’t leave you stranded at any cost. You might want to check out Desert Hills, Camarillo, Ontario Mills, or the Citadel for anything from vintage finds to fashionable attires at a bargain price.

Paris

Want to get high on shopping? Visit Paris. The gods of impeccable fashion are right there waiting for you with the right dose of shopping till your eyes get all droopy and your hands get tired of picking shopping bags. The perfectionist Parisians have got everything to satisfy major discount hunters and luxury shoppers alike. Sexy boutiques, little shops, gigantic Parisian department stores, and concept shops can be found on just about any corner. While Avenue des Champs-Elysées and Avenue Montaigne could be the ultimate fashion confluence, getting lost in the dreamy world of Paris is quite easy with shopping districts like Louvre and Tuileries, Boulevard Haussmann and the Grand Boulevard, the Marais quarter, and so on. While the right hand of Paris is for fashion lovers, the great city extends its left hand for the gourmands. It’s imperative that you’ll get lost, but that’s what Paris is all about, right?

Rome

Once the headquarters of the Holy Roman Empire and now the capital city of Italy, Rome doesn’t fail to charm anyone with its incredibly beautiful tourist spots and its immaculate fashion destinations. While fashion seems to be an Italian thing, with big names like Armani, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, and so on just around every corner. However, there’s more to Rome than just fashion. If you’re not shopping for dresses, you can shop for souvenirs, antiques, or just anything in a bargain. Via Condotti, Via del Corso, and Via Cola di Rienzo are all mainstream shopping centres in Rome, while there are a lot of flea markets and markets of antiquities, such as Via del Babuino, Via Giulia, and Via del Governo Vecchio. All you need to remember is, don’t freak out seeing all these incredible shopping places. Instead, as they say, ‘be a Roman while in Rome’!

Madrid

Madrid is quite an intriguing city for shopping and is a lot different from most of the cities mentioned above. It’s not about the things you get, but about all the ‘spanish’ touch to everything you see. While regular international shoppers would be expecting something along the lines of Paris or Milan, Spanish shopping destinations are true to itself. From the upscale towns of Salamanca District that offers expensive and luxurious shopping experiences to the open-air flea markets and bargain shops of Ribera de Curtidores, Chueca, and El Rastro, shopping and window shopping in Madrid is definitely fun.

So, serious shoppers, as for how to travel to these amazing shopping destinations on a budget, well, houseoftours.com is your best companion! From guiding you to the best shopping hotspots at the right time of the year to making personalised holiday packages for your next international trip, we guarantee awesomeness at the best prices. So, get your quote instantly by contacting us right away!