5 Best Shopping in Moscow, Russia

A series of shops and boutiques inside a 19th-century arcade, this shopping emporium sits on Red Square, across from the Kremlin. GUM, which stands for Gosudarstvenny Universalny Magazin, or State Department Store, now stocks only a handful of Russian brands in the upper-level stores. On the first floor you will find an arcade of upscale boutiques, including MaxMara, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, and La Perla. Also here is the elegant Bosco restaurant, which overlooks Red Square and has a summer terrace. Cheaper eats are available at fast-food outlets on the top floor. A "historic toilett," with pre-revolutionary interiors made of marble and Murano glass, is located at the first floor (Lane 1).

Founded in the 18th century by the order of Queen Elizaveta, daughter of Peter the Great, this firm (also known as Lomonosov) sold porcelain to the Russian royal families before the revolution. Dining tableware and collectible sculptures come in styles that include a classic cobalt fishnet design as well as prints inspired by Malevich, Kandinsky, and other members of the Russian avant-garde.

Specializing in traditional Russian linen, this old store stocks beautiful embroidered christening gowns as well as table linens, rag rugs, and fine cotton lace collars and cuffs from different parts of the country.

What was once a central market selling food and utilitarian household items is now an upscale mall, offering everything from furniture to fashion to imported gourmet delicacies. Upper floors house fashion collections from Vivienne Westwood, Helmut Lang, Elizabeth and James, and others; you may want to keep an eye out for offerings from such Russian designers as Alexander Terekhov, Alena Akhmadullina, and Andrei Artemov. The food market on the fifth floor is especially enticing, with organic vegetables sitting alongside such rarities as lavender chocolate from France and Japanese wasabi-flavored chewing gum.

Historic, sumptuous, upscale—this turn-of-the-20th-century grocery store is the star of ulitsa Tverskaya, and even if you're not feeling hungry, the spectacle makes it well worth a visit. An art nouveau interior in a late-18th-century classical mansion sparkles with chandeliers, stained glass, and gilt wall decorations. Among the fine products here are cognac, Armenian berry juices, Russian chocolate, and candy of all sorts. This is one of the best places to buy freshly baked goods, caviar, and sturgeon. You'll find favorite Russian rye breads and a wide variety of croissants, brioches, and seven-grain loaves. A separate souvenir department offering traditional crafts such as lacquered boxes and toys is located at the back of the store.