When you imagine your trip to London, you may be thinking in terms of the Tower, Big Ben, Buckingham Place, and the hallowed stones of Westminster Abbey˳ Hardly a street in London is without historical significance and a monument or two˳
London, however, has for centuries been one of the world’s great mercantile centers, and remains so today˳ No trip to London would be complete without a day exploring its legendary shopping opportunities˳ Here are just a few of them:
Harrods
Harrods is undoubtedly the best-known of all London’s department stores, and the one most appealing to tourists˳ Its seven floors contain over a million square feet of retail space, and is so large that shoppers are advised to pick up a Shopper’s Guide at any of its information booths˳ Don’t miss the Food Halls on the ground and lower ground floors, where you can purchase all sorts of delicacies from clerks garbed in Edwardian dress˳
If you’re touched by the story of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, you might appreciate the memorial to them by the Egyptian Escalator˳ If you have the kids in tow, ride the Escalator to the fourth floor, where you can find the toy department and child-sized Mercedes automobiles which actually run˳ Finish your day with a proper English High Tea at the fourth-floor Georgian restaurant, where you can munch pastries and finger sandwiches to music played on the world’s costliest piano˳
Harvey Nichols
It may not be Harrods, but Harvey Nichols was once the favorite retail establishment of Princess Diana, and it has prices to match˳ It’s still frequented by well-heeled Londoners, and its fifth floor contains a four-star restaurant, a gourmet grocery shop, and a fresh sushi bar˳ If the weather permits, do as Londoners do and order sushi to go for a lunch in nearby Hyde Park˳
The Portobello Road Market
If you’re a flea market lover, don’t miss two thousand-stall Portobello Road Market where you can find everything from the freshest of produce to the mustiest of antiques, separated by stalls of books, apparel, and assorted rummage sale regulars˳ Saturday is the day when antiques take center stage˳ The market is closed on Sunday˳
Hamleys
If you’ve brought the kids along on your visit to London, they deserve a trip to Hamleys in Piccadilly Circus˳ Hamleys is not only London’s, but Great Britain’s, largest toy store˳ Its staff of two hundred is in charge of more than 28,000 toys spread over seven floors˳ Kids of all ages will love the idea of having their very own Teddy Bear created on the premises as a “skin” they choose is filled and stitched together before their eyes at The Bear Factory˳
Waterstones and New Age Mysteries
When you’ve exhausted the possibilities at Hamleys, escape from the bustle of Piccadilly Circus by heading for the quiet of Waterstones˳ Waterstones, on Piccadilly Street, is the largest bookstore in all of Europe with seven well-organized floors of volumes on every conceivable topic˳ The fifth floor has sits own bar where you can relax with a drink while enjoying your purchases or the knock-out views of Big Ben and the Houses of parliament˳
If your taste in literature runs to the occult, head for Covent Garden and New Age Mysteries at 9 Monmouth Street˳ You’ll find plenty of reading material˳ If you’d like a glimpse of the future, you can arrange an appointment for a personal numerology, tarot, or crystal ball reading˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?Shopping-in-London—From-Harrods-to-Harveys-to-Hamleys,-and-More&id=2098060
