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Thanks to its unique mixture of old-world charm and eclectic creativity, Berlin is a shopper’s paradise. The city becomes a veritable fashion capital during the exquisite fashion shows and events of the biannual Berlin Fashion Week, and trade events like Bread & Butter regularly encourage local and international designers to highlight their work in showrooms and boutiques here. From extravagant designer shopping malls and high-end fashion boutiques to artisan handcraft producers, antique markets, and vintage stores, Berlin has something for everyone.
The city’s history plays an important part in its geography. Because Berlin was divided by the Berlin Wall for so many years, there is no pedestrian zone or single city center like in many other European cities. Instead Berlin has many different areas to explore and pockets of retailers are spread throughout its neighborhoods.
The city’s most glamorous shopping can be done near Mitte’s Friedrichstrasse and in the West Berlin promenade Kurfürstendamm, known as the Shopping Mile and home to the luxurious Kaufhaus des Westens department store, as well as many designer and big name international brands. But the charming side streets around Mitte’s Torstrasse and Hackescher Markt have become a much more popular destination for shopping in the city, with chic designers opening up ateliers and concept shops.
For the fashionable bohemian set, designer labels have less appeal here than elsewhere. You’ll see many of the young and trendy favoring high-end street wear paired with vintage items that appear to have cost not much more than a Brötchen (bread roll). The eastern neighborhoods of Kreuzberg and Neukölln are home to a growing number of vintage and secondhand shops, and the city has a wonderful collection of flea markets that operate year-round. You’ll see modern influences of Berlin’s Bauhaus architecture movement in many of shops, incorporated into the store displays or as part of the home decor items. Near West Berlin’s charming Savignyplatz, the Stilwerk interior design center and surrounding design and home stores on Kantstrasse have become the design hub for the city. For shoppers looking for more price-conscious home furnishings, Neukölln offers several vintage furniture shops featuring Danish and Scandinavian home decor.
One of the city’s best farmers' markets sits on the pretty Kollwitzplatz square in Prenzlauer Berg. During its smaller Thursday and bustling Saturday markets, you’ll not only find a superb selection of organic produce, meats, cheeses, and pantry items, but also an array of prepared foods and sellers offering handmade home goods and gifts.
This is a smaller Sunday market tucked on a neighborhood square in Prenzlauer Berg, but one that many locals say is Berlin’s best, especially for its wide selection of vintage and secondhand furniture, housewares, books, and records.
Most of Berlin’s flea markets operate year-round, regardless of the freezing winter temperatures, but this indoor hall offers some shelter inside an old warehouse near the Arena/Badeschiff complex on the Spree River. The weekend market features tables of kitchenware and rows of old bikes and mechanical parts, which can obscure the real treasures, so be prepared to spend some time digging.
The Sunday Grosser Antikmarkt am Ostbahnhof market is made up almost entirely of antiques and vintage treasures, so it takes little effort but a bit of money to find something truly special to take home. Pre-edited selections of antiquarian books, gramophones, jewelry, and kitschy East German items can be found here.
The enormous Sunday flea market at Mauerpark, a favorite among hipsters and tourists, is absolutely packed in nice weather, turning the intersection of Bernauer Strasse and Oderberger Strasse (where the unofficial market outside the market begins) into a veritable Times Square of fun- and sun-loving young people. Head out early to find the best pickings, as most of the selection here is junkyard mixed in with the occasional handmade or repurposed product.
Pulling on the cutting-edge spirit of Berlin’s young, hip inhabitants, this vibrant flea market's offerings place an emphasis on the “now,” with a trendy selection of vintage clothing, home goods, music, and original handmade pieces. The canal-side location, tempting food stalls, and live performances are great reasons to visit the bimonthly Sunday event (10–6). Every alternate Sunday you'll find the market at the always lovely Prinzessinengärten (Moritzplatz U-bahn) from 10 to 6.
On the edge of the Kreuzberg-Neukölln border, this market on Tuesday and Friday is a gathering spot for the local Turkish community, and offers many traditional products, including delicious delicacies (olives, cheese, dried fruits, hummus, and fresh breads) and a bazaar of house goods, including an extensive selection of fabrics
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