Shopping - St Petersburg - page 69

Shopping
St Petersburg's shopping scene today still lags way behind Mo-
scow's glitzy capitalist paradise, but it's a massive improvement
on the past with something for everyone hidden in an ever-increas-
ing array of new shops. Recent trends have included Soviet chic
and retro fashions, a glut of high-class new shopping centres and
smart department stores as well as the perennials of Russian cul-
ture: plenty for curio hunters of all stripes.
Souvenirs
The city heaves with shops selling that most archetypal souvenir of Russia, the matry-
oshka (nesting doll). Most of these are overpriced and mass-produced: you have to
really know what you're doing to find a unique one. One obvious place to shop is at the
large Souvenir Market ( CLICK HERE ) next to the Church on the Spilled Blood. It's
certainly touristy, but the sheer number of sellers here means you can haggle and prices
remain competitive. Other good places for souvenirs include Staraya Kniga ( CLICK
HERE ) for topics, maps and postcards, Imperial Porcelain ( CLICK HERE ) for Rus-
sia's famous tea sets, Yakhont ( CLICK HERE ) for Fabergé-style jewellery and the
Mariinsky Art Shop ( CLICK HERE ) for a large selection of ballet- and opera-related
gifts.
Shopping Centres
Shopping centres, for so long considered something rather Muscovite and tacky in St
Petersburg, have finally become big business in the northern capital. First came some-
what central Sennaya ( CLICK HERE ) and then the somewhat grand Vladimirsky Pas-
sage ( CLICK HERE ), but very recently two massive palaces to consumerism have
opened up on either side of Pl Vosstaniya, right in the heart of the city. The sheer size
of Galeria ( CLICK HERE ) is something to behold, and with its international designer
names as well as local brands it's definitely the easiest one-stop shop for shopping in St