Maybe shopping is not the purpose of your visit to the city, but on any trip there always comes a moment when you need to go for gifts and souvenirs, as well as please yourself with your beloved brand new thing or just a colorful little thing. The city is known for its shopping opportunities. It is located on the border with Finland, therefore, import of high-quality and environmentally friendly goods has been established here. St. Petersburg is famous for its rich history and a large number of enterprises producing unique jewelry, porcelain, clothing and much more.
Where to begin
It is worth starting with the fact that the numerous shopping opportunities in St. Petersburg are divided into several categories that can satisfy the needs and requirements of every, even the most demanding customer. All trading establishments of the city can be divided into the following:
- Luxurious luxury shopping malls and boutiques. All the famous brands and luxury brands of world couturiers and fashion houses are collected here.
- Democratic shopping centers. These are all beloved shops, mainly youth fashion, not very high prices, quite good quality and a huge variety of things on display.
- Super-economical low-cost shopping centers in St. Petersburg. These are pleasant trifles, household goods and high-quality clothes at very low prices, which cannot but please the wallet.
- The most popular souvenir shops. They are worth a look in order to take home the memories of the Northern city and give them a piece of relatives and friends.
Elite Shopping
St. Petersburg is replete with the luxury of the former imperial capital, exquisite architecture and the seasoned style of trading establishments. Among them, elite shops and shopping centers stand out especially. Reviews of shopping in St. Petersburg guarantee that the opportunities for luxury holidays and luxury shopping are quite diverse and are of interest to both domestic travelers and foreigners.
House of Leningrad Trade, or DLT
A true stronghold of luxury where you can find everything. It is open not only to fans of new acquisitions, but especially to those who can spend money. In Soviet times, the shopping center was similar to the Moscow Central Department Store, where you could buy groceries, take a walk, meet friends, eat ice cream or buy things that were fashionable at the time. That was until 2005, when the building was closed for reconstruction. In 2012, a shopping center was opened under the leadership of Mercury LLC, whose profile is the sale of luxury goods.
At the Red Bridge
A relatively young trading establishment is open to visitors who are interested in rare unique global brands. The luxurious interior, the rich history of the Esders & Schewals trading house, exceptional service and a variety of goods: all this awaits the buyers of the department store. Prices can be compared with DLT.
Bolshoi Prospect (Petrograd side)
The city has a whole street dedicated to luxury shops and boutiques. You can go here for a walk or for clothes of the latest fashion trends. The street is fraught not only with shopping opportunities for owners of expensive cars and endless capital. Ordinary locals and tourists also drop in here, because in addition to boutiques, the avenue is dotted with beautiful and stylishly decorated pretty shops, as well as small profiled shopping centers. Including here, shops of Belarusian shoes or needlework can be caught. Do not confuse with Bolshoy Prospect, which is located on Vasilyevsky Island.
Worthy and democratic centers
Shopping in St. Petersburg is possible for everyone. The largest stratum of participants in this exciting process are middle-aged buyers. The largest shopping centers of the cultural capital of Russia work for them, where you can afford to get dressed upside down and “stock up” with all the necessary gifts and souvenirs of high quality and at reasonable prices.
Reviews of inexpensive shopping in St. Petersburg indicate precisely the mid-level shopping centers for the most popular consumers. This includes the Gallery and Stockmann, leading in popularity among tourist visits.
Shopping center "Gallery"
The largest shopping center in the city is located near the metro station "Ploshchad Vosstaniya" and is a spacious building, four floors of which are devoted to various shopping and entertainment venues. The first three floors are clothing stores, inexpensive for St. Petersburg. This includes the democratic favorite brands of Zara, H&M, Uniqlo and others.
The place is quite crowded, however, if you go after your favorite brands, then here. The building has a food court, some large restaurants and a supermarket "Okay Express". This building is hard to miss. Numerous reviews about shopping in St. Petersburg underline the popularity of the shopping center and the need to at least look here and feel the general mood of the joyful bustle that prevails among its visitors.
"Stockmann", or "Nevsky Center"
If the palace of democratic popular brands is too boring for you, you should cross the Uprising Square and go to the Nevsky Center shopping center, for the local population - Stockmann.
The shopping center is divided between Stockmann itself and boutiques with clothes, shoes and everything that a professional shopaholic can imagine. In addition to the brands located in the "Gallery", here you can find many fashionable shops of various kinds: from household utensils and products to exquisite brands that produce outerwear or molds for baking snails.
The shopping center is located in the city center, near the Moscow railway station, which makes it doubly attractive for those wishing to make purchases or wait for the train for a cup of coffee in one of the cafes near the place of departure.
For extra-budget tourists
If shopping in St. Petersburg interests you with a wealth of choices of also cheap goods, you have chosen the right city. There is a great variety of markets and shops with cheap, but solid and high-quality goods. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the markets, where inexpensive brands of clothes and shoes, appliances, household goods and much more are collected. Please note that all shopping addresses in St. Petersburg, which is economical, are located in the city center.
Market "Apraksin Dvor"
One of the oldest and most enduring markets of the city, which is not afraid of either a crisis or checks from the government of St. Petersburg. It was opened in the 18th century and is located in the heart of the city, not far from Gostiny Dvor, on Sadovaya Street. It was never closed and was a place of spontaneous trading, where you could buy anything. Today, nothing has changed. It is worth going to this place not only for the purchase of goods manufactured in Turkey, China and Vietnam, but also for the local flavor. It’s worth preparing for the trip here: keep an eye on your pockets and not take any particularly valuable items with you.
The market is very controversial and you should know its rules before heading here. Here you can buy quality clothes, shoes, household utensils and appliances. In addition to quality things, there are broken, poorly functioning or stolen goods. It is worth being careful and confident in your shopping quality control skills.
Lomonosov porcelain
The products of the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg are considered one of the best and are a solid and practical gift. The company has been operating since the 18th century. It was opened by decree of Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great. Since then, quality has not changed. The products of the plant not only reflect the luxury of the past, but also maintain the quality mark of one of the first enterprises in the world for the production of so-called white gold.
In St. Petersburg, sets, figurines, tea sets and vases can be purchased without extra charges and with a guarantee of quality. Addresses of stores in St. Petersburg:
- Nevsky Prospect, 60, metro station "Gostiny Dvor";
- Vladimirsky pr., D. 7, metro station "Vladimirskaya" / "Dostoevskaya";
- Nevsky Prospect, 160, metro station “Uprising Square” / “Alexander Nevsky Square”;
- Bolshaya Konyushennaya St., 10, metro station "Nevsky Prospect";
- Nevsky Prospekt 35, metro station Gostiny Dvor (Gostiny Dvor shopping center);
- Nesterova per., 9.
Advice
Any business has its own secrets, known only to local residents or avid travelers. Most often, all the best opportunities, discounts and unique things are right in front of your nose or around the corner, but we don’t learn from them without preparing for the trip. Here are some tips on how to make your vacation and shopping in St. Petersburg unforgettable. Follow them to get an incredible experience.
- Try shopping tours to Finland from St. Petersburg. Going on an unforgettable shopping tour to Finland is only because many cities bordering St. Petersburg are full of farm shops with milk and other organic products. Products of light industry and many other things are of legendary quality, and there is no need to talk about discounts and special offers. Countless bus companies and travel agencies offer those who wish a one-day tour of the best shops and shopping centers in Finland, where in a day you can buy everything you need, high quality and with stunning discounts.
- Ask for a shopping escort from a stylist. In St. Petersburg, as in the cultural capital, the service related to lifestyle and shopping is well developed. Every woman would like to change something in her wardrobe or dress style, and this is best done by updating clothes and shoes. In order not to make new mistakes regarding the style and introduce a new look at your appearance and clothes, it is worth contacting a stylist for advice. Numerous services offer their services to accompany the stylist at the time of shopping, including with the individual ability to choose a budget for purchases. Shopping tips in St. Petersburg - this is what will help make your stay in the northern capital unforgettable.
- For books, postcards and small second-hand souvenirs, head to the Book House, also known as the Singer House. It is located right on Nevsky Prospect and symbolizes a whole layer of the history of the city. Previously, the Singer company was located here , later the building began to be occupied by a bookstore, a coffee shop with a romantic look and the VKontakte office.
- Gourmet Petersburg begins with the Eliseev brothers' store. It sells the best delicacies, from black caviar to sweets. Ordinary travelers should come here only to enjoy the views, if your goal is the best delights, you are here for shopping. It is worth noting that the prices here are completely "not for children", but the quality also corresponds to the best traditions of tsarist Russia.
- For exclusive and expensive, typically stereotypical souvenirs, you should go to the Northway store. It is specifically designed for foreigners who arrive in the northern capital on cruise ships and stop at a nearby port, right on Promenade des Anglais. The main assortment of the store: amber jewelry and paintings, furs, black caviar, nesting dolls and jewelry.
- In the very center of the city, near the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, there is a souvenir market. Its main advantage is that you can and should bargain here. In addition to everything, purchases can be made near the city center, overlooking the famous landmark, and then go to one of the coffee shops in the city center, relax and celebrate successful purchases.
St. Petersburg is perfect not only for history buffs, but also for those who like to take a piece of the city with them from trips. Be careful and plan ahead shopping in St. Petersburg!