Latin Quarter
Enchanting nooks and crannies overflow with new and secondhand English-language books. The original shop (12 rue l’Odéon, 6e; closed by the Nazis in 1941)…
Must-see shopping in Western Europe
Paris
Grande-dame department store Galeries Lafayette is spread across the main store (its magnificent neo-byzantine stained-glass dome dates from 1912), its…
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Paris
With some 3km of forest-green boxes lining the Seine – containing over 300,000 secondhand (and often out-of-print) books, rare magazines, postcards and…
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Montmartre & Northern Paris
Spanning nine hectares, this vast flea market was founded in 1870 and is said to be Europe’s largest. Over 2000 stalls are grouped into 15 marchés …
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Latin Quarter
Kids and kids-at-heart will adore this sugar-fuelled tour de France. The school-geography-themed boutique stocks rainbows of artisanal sweets from around…
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Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
A Fiat Cinquecento marks the entrance to this unique concept store, which donates all its profits to a children’s charity in Madagascar. Shop for fashion,…
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Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
A flashback to the late 19th century with its high ceilings and polished cabinets, this former warehouse and perfume factory lures nostalgics with its all…
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Aix-en-Provence
Run by committed oenophiles Francois and Vincent, this trove of rare and delightful bottles aims to cover the many French styles and terroirs, paying…
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Bastia
Run by Bastia’s famous distillery, this iconic boutique has the look and feel of a grocer from the 1900s. The enticing array of bottles naturally includes…
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St-Germain & Les Invalides
The magnificent food hall of department store Le Bon Marché sells 30,000 rare and/or luxury gourmet products, including 60 different types of bread baked…
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St-Germain & Les Invalides
Built by Gustave Eiffel as Paris’ first department store in 1852, this is the epitome of style, with a superb concentration of men’s and women’s fashions,…
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Brussels
For amazing vintage finds, try eccentric, elegant Gabriele. There’s a gorgeous jumble of cocktail dresses, hats, Chinese shawls and accessories; only…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Garish and stylish in equal measure, perennially crowded Harrods is an obligatory stop for visitors, from the cash-strapped to the big spenders. The stock…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Steeped in literary charm and a perfect antidote to impersonal book superstores, this three-storey bookshop in an 18th-century premises inhabits its own…
Paris
If you only get to one open-air street market in Paris, this one – stretching between the Bastille and Richard Lenoir metro stations – is among the very…
Oxford
The most famous bookshop in the most studenty of cities, Blackwell’s is, with its vast range of literature, treatises and guilty pleasures, a book-lover’s…
Brussels
This stylish bookshop located down an alley has a small but classy English-language section. Check the website for forthcoming literary events, many of…
Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II
Paris
Blooms have been sold at this quaint flower market since 1808, making it the oldest market of any kind in Paris. On Sunday, there's also a cacophonous…
Place du Jeu-de-Balle Flea Market
Brussels
The quintessential Marolles experience is haggling at this chaotic flea market, established in 1919. Weekends see it at its liveliest, but for the best…
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Friesland
No drink is more traditional to seafaring Sneek than beerenburg, a local herb-infused gin originally drunk by sailors to warm their cockles at sea and…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
The Sunday Upmarket (also open on Saturday) sprawls among the beautiful brick buildings of the Old Truman Brewery, on both sides of Brick Lane between…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Mismatched vintage reading lamps spotlight the floor-to-ceiling canary-yellow shelves at this delightful indie bookshop, where titles are arranged…
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Friesland
A mooch around the workshop and boutique of Hindeloopen's oldest furniture maker is a highlight. Founded in 1894, the family business is run today by…
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The Pyrenees
In the village of St-Girons, a massive market spreads along the riverbank every Saturday throughout the year. If you're in the area, it's well worth…
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Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
What appears to be a gallery is on closer inspection a fascinating temple to tinned fish (or conservas as the Portuguese say) – the result of an industry…
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La Rochelle
Vinyl collectibles and beautiful objects for the home, many handcrafted in the region, fill this small concept store. Design posters inspired by local…
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Utrecht
Whichever side of the lens you prefer to be, if you love pre-digital, black-and-white photography, this specialist shop-gallery will probably be your…
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Montmartre & Northern Paris
As if fashionistas needed any confirmation that northern Paris' 'nouveau quartier' Clichy-Batignolles is the place to be: iconic fashion brand Sézane has…
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Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela
Take an exquisite 19th-century neo-Moorish palace and fill it with fashion, design and concept stores on the cutting edge of cool and you have one of…
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Amsterdam
Not a hotel, but a local design house. Droog means 'dry' in Dutch, and these products are full of dry wit. You'll find all kinds of stylish versions of…
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North & West Coast
Amid the harsh beauty of the coastline, it's quite a surprise to come across this beautifully designed modern 'sculpture croft', where the resident artist…
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North London
Connected to the Camden Lock Market, the Stables overflows with antiques, Asian artefacts, rugs, retro furniture and street clothing. As the name suggests…
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Le Marais, Ménilmontant & Belleville
Living proof that Parisian fashionistas are increasingly green: every Saturday and Sunday huge queues snake outside this 2019-opened store, much-loved for…
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Aix-en-Provence
No spot in Aix revs up your taste buds more than the city’s premier food market, where trestle tables groan each morning under the weight of marinated…
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Northumberland Coast
Coal fires, velvet ottomans, reading rooms and a cafe make this secondhand bookshop in Alnwick's Victorian former railway station wonderfully atmospheric…
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Bordeaux
Romantic and youthful, this delightful 'cabinet de convivialité' inspires bags of instant feel-good factor. After several years in Paris, Claire…
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The Lake District
A prodigious selection of Lakeland goodies are available at this farm shop, just outside Kendal on the A590. There's also a farm trail and woodland walk…
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Paris
A favourite with chefs and locals, this chaotic street market's stalls are piled with fruit, vegetables and seasonal delicacies such as truffles. Behind…
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Montmartre & Northern Paris
On stall-filled foodie street rue Poncelet, heady fromagerie Alléosse has its own cheese-ripening caves (cellars) spanning 300 sq metres with four…
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Carvoeiro
Watch artists hand-painting traditional azulejo tiles at this pottery stocking a vast array of ceramics, from fridge magnets to plates, bowls, vases,…
