Many people like to go shopping for fun. It lets you buy things you need and things you want, as well as treats for yourself and other people. But there are places in the world where shopping is only possible for the rich. Here are five such high-end shopping spots:
5 Luxury Shopping Paradises
1. Bond Street
Bond Street has been a happy hunting ground for the rich and famous since the 18th century. If you want to spend your time in London in style, go there. In this trendy part of London, you can find everything from incredibly expensive and stunning jewellery to cutting-edge interior design, as long as you have a lot of cash on hand. On and near Bond Street are also some of England’s most famous restaurants, such as the Dorchester, the Ritz, and Claridge’s.
2. Fifth Avenue
You could spend a lot of money very quickly in the area around Fifth Avenue. New York is a great place to shop in general. Designer shops like Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada have good locations in this part of central Manhattan.
There are also many famous department stores, such as Saks Fifth Avenue. When you’re done shopping, you can unwind in one of the nice bars or restaurants, or you can go to the top of the Empire State Building, which is right on Fifth Avenue, and see the “Big Apple” in all its grandeur.
3. Champs-Elysees
The shops that line what is probably the most famous street in the world make it easy to fall in love in the city of love. For the chance to eat, shop, or sleep on the Champs Elysées, you can expect to pay a fortune. In this famous area of Paris, many high-end watchmakers, including Cartier, have their own stores. The area is right next to the Arc de Triomphe and other famous sights in the city.
4. Causeway Bay
It is said to be the second-most expensive place to shop in the world, after New York’s Fifth Avenue. It is the centre of Hong Kong’s buying scene. With a new luxury mall coming in 2012 that will be the size of 12 football fields, those prices could go up even more. Not that Causeway Bay doesn’t already have a lot of small shops selling high-end clothes and electronics. There are more than 200 shops in Time Square, which is also part of Causeway Bay. The shopping mall has 16 floors.
5. Grafton Street
Even though it’s not as wealthy as some of its global competitors, Grafton Street in Dublin has a lot of urban charm and character, and right next door to the standard high-street names are some very fancy shops. It’s not even close to as cool as these buskers.
Damien Rice used to play on the side of Grafton Street to try to make a little money from people walking by before hits like “Cannonball” made him famous. Grafton Street was the fifth most expensive place to shop in the world in 2008.
