Moscow
It’s a bookstore, but it’s also a gift shop, a music shop and a cafe. This is the place to shop for a quirky gift for your friend who (you think) has…
Must-see shopping in Eastern Europe
Arbat & Khamovniki
Elena Vassa is a Russian designer but was trained in New York City. Her designs reflect a classical and classy sense of style. Catering to modern Moscow…
Novi Sad
This century-old market – the city's largest – is often said to be even busier than the main street in Novi Sad. You can find pretty much anything here,…
Belgrade
Even if you're not shopping, this bustling fresh produce market – the oldest in Belgrade – is worth a visit; it's always buzzing and the colourful stalls…
Cavtat
In Dubrovnik's dialect, škatulica means ‘small treasure box’. Living up to its name, this little shop serves the best of local knick-knacks in an…
Lviv
Small shop and adjoining gallery specialising in high-quality modern twists on sacral art, including brightly coloured icons painted on glass and aged…
Sofia
This elegant market hall, opened in 1911, has three floors of shops and cafes. Stalls on the ground floor sell fruit, vegetables, pastries, wine and…
Kyiv
A paradise for vinyl lovers, Diskultura boasts one of the biggest collections of both used and new vinyl records in Ukraine. Set in a basement of a…
Lviv
Part of a chain, this excellent bookstore is of interest to foreign visitors thanks to its maps (Carpathians, other Ukrainian cities), better-than-average…
Lviv
Located opposite the Zankovetska Theatre, this quite large market is the place to head if you are in the market for some Putin toilet roll, hairy…
Kyiv
A small showroom that sells midrange-priced smart-casual clothes by Ukrainian designers, including good T-shirts, plus leather wallets and handbags. The …
Moscow
TsUM stands for Tsentralny Universalny Magazin (Central Department Store). Built in 1909 as the Scottish-owned Muir & Merrilees, it was the first…
Bucharest
A sprawling flea market operates here, southeast of the centre, on Sundays till 4pm. Come early to get the best deals on everything from antique jewellery…
Odesa
This is the Odesa branch of president Poroshenko-owned network of chocolate stores, found all over the country. Here you can buy Ukrainian candies,…
Sofia
The monumental former state department store, built in 1956, is now a confusing warren of stalls selling clothing, jewellery, perfume and candles. It's…
Belgrade
This well-established gallery in the heart of Knez Mihailova sells works by local artists, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, ceramics,…
St Petersburg
This historic department store is a temple to prestige fashion and beauty brands, most of them foreign. Even if you're not up for a pricey shopping…
Lviv
Lviv's first post-digital vinyl shop is a cool place with racks of used LPs from both abroad and the ex-USSR, Ukrainian CDs and a cellar where you can…
Lviv
The Lviv branch of president Poroshenko's signature chocolate shop is a carbon copy of all the others across Ukraine, complete with clockwork window…
Dubrovnik
This self-described 'charming shop for charming people' sells locally produced soaps, flavoured salt, rakija (grappa), neckties, objects made from Brač…
Lviv
This friendly souvenir shop sources Carpathian ceramics and embroidery direct from producers, meaning you get the real deal for a lower price. The range…
Bucharest
The little courtyard Strada Hanul cu Tei is a hidden passageway in the Historic Centre with a few art galleries and art supply and antique shops. Enter…
Sofia
This small boutique on bul Vitosha sells a range of locally made, rose-scented beauty products, including rosewater, perfume, colognes, soaps and shampoos.
Belgrade
Load up on Belgrade-themed art, clothes, books and fripperies at this souvenir store on the pedestrianised Knez Mihailova, all by local designers.
Odesa
With a small but proud collection of vinyl records and a fairly bigger choice of CDs, Odessadisc is one of the best music stores in the city.
Kyiv
A paradise for map wonks, this place stocks every conceivable map related to Ukraine plus many other places of the world and the universe.
Lviv
Elite-brand shopping mall housing a tranquil cafe and a better-than-average supermarket in the basement.
Kyiv
Some beautiful national-style threads here. The style is best described as high-end folk fashion, with high-end prices to match.
Odesa
Offering a wide range of titles of many genres, Britishbook is the best and biggest store for books in English in Odesa.
Belgrade
The Belgrade store of this famous fashion label has gorgeous colourful knitwear inspired by Serbian folk motifs.
Odesa
Attractive, brightly coloured T-shirts with signs and pictures making fun of international fashion brands.
Dubrovnik
Interesting printed T-shirts, bags, jewellery, ceramics and art, some of it made on-site.
Zagreb
Croatia's largest and most colourful flea market, a huge space packed with everything from car parts and antique furniture to clothes, records and…
Transylvania
Driving west from Cluj-Napoca towards Huedin, you can't fail to notice the famous 'souvenir village' of Izvoru Crişului (Körösfő to Hungarians). Shops are…
St Petersburg
Tatyana Parfionova was the first St Petersburg designer to have her own fashion house back in 1995, when New Russians turned up their noses at anything…
Western Estonia & the Islands
Run by an English-Estonian couple from their farm outside the village of Kaarma, about 15km north of Kuressaare, GoodKaarma makes organic soaps from local…
Odesa
It's like the grungy old-school uncle of European flea markets – there is nothing neat or touristy about Starokonny. It seems like every semi-intact item…
Golden Ring
This little crafts shop tucked away down a side street is perfect for browsing through gifts and souvenirs, handmade by local artists in a variety of…
St Petersburg
This extraordinary place has rather changed everything for shopping in St Petersburg – there are probably as many shops here as elsewhere in the entire…
St Petersburg
Designer Natalia Larchenko has taken the classic Russian nesting doll silhouette and transformed it into a tiny work of art in her attractive necklaces,…
