Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Sorry! We don't have any recommendations for St. Petersburg right now.
The vast majority of Russians are, by economic necessity, not big consumers. In fact, official figures suggest that only 10% of Russians earn more than $1,000 a month. You probably wouldn't realize this on a walk down Nevsky prospekt, lined with shops and, most noticeably, the city's big department stores and shopping arcades. While not all the goods are of the quality you might find in the big stores in New York or other European cities, plenty of jewelry, high fashion, and other luxury goods fill the shelves of shops that cater to those with the means to afford them.
For a distinctly Russian experience, try to seek out the fashion designs of Tatyana Parfinova, Sultanna Frantsuzova, Leonid Alexeev, and Larissa Pogoretskaya. Especially appealing to Westerners are typical Russian handicrafts, such as gzhel (blue-and-white and majolica pottery), shiny khokhloma tablewood (wood painted with flowery ornaments and imitation gilding), zhostovo metal trays (painted with elaborate enamel designs), and electric samovars—you'll find them in all the shops catering to tourists.
There are several things to keep in mind when shopping in St. Petersburg. For one, except for the Russian designers mentioned above, this isn't the place to stock up on fashion pieces. People tend to dress conservatively in St. Petersburg, often in plain dark clothes. Fashion as a means of self-expression hardly exists here yet except among the very young. When it comes to buying clothes, practical considerations hold sway, and that can make for a range of colors that doesn't go much beyond black, white, or gray. Also, most Western fashion brands sell for more than you'd expect to pay elsewhere in Europe and in the United States.
Don't be surprised by the number of supermarkets, pharmacies, and other stores that are now open 24 hours, seven days a week—they're fairly reliable and have emerged because of the hectic lives Russians lead.
If you want to take presents home, some of the best buys include fine porcelain, carved wooden goods such as toy soldiers or chess sets, and Russian-made silverware and linen. More than the goods on offer, one of the great delights of shopping St. Petersburg is the surroundings in which you'll find yourself, including 18th- and 19th-century shopping arcades, art-nouveau interiors, colorful food markets, and the other evocative settings of this romantically historic city.
What was once a dusty Soviet relic has emerged as one of the most glamorous department stores in all of St. Petersburg. With a focus on high fashion and rare perfumes, shopping here comes at a premium but it's worth it for the selection and service.
Containing 290 shops, this mammoth shopping center also has 24 cafés and restaurants, a 10-cinema multiplex including an IMAX screen, a supermarket, and a bowling alley. The fashion brands are primarily major European labels, such as M&S and Reiss from Britain, Lindex from Finland, and France's Cacharel. There is a good children's section and a wealth of cosmetics shops selling mainly foreign brands.
The city's oldest and largest shopping center was built in the mid-18th century. It has a few upscale boutiques and is also a good place to find souvenirs, such as matryoshka (nesting dolls), at some of the best prices in the city (look in the shops along Nevsky to the right of the metro entrance). The second floor houses a string of multibrand boutiques selling women's and men's clothes from famous European designers as well as housewares. Gostinka, as Gostiny Dvor is also known, also has some stores with cheaper prices; it can be a good place to buy winter clothing, such as fur hats. The store, open daily from 10 until 10, is in the center of town, and is easily reached by the metro—the station opening into the shop is named in its honor.
Reigning at the top end of the boutique market and serving shoppers with the deepest pockets, this temple to consumption carries Woolford lingerie, Escada dresses, and Trussardi suits as well as perfume and jewelry at impressively high prices. The café on the first floor offers irresistible desserts and a wide assortment of high-end teas and coffees.
Across the street from Gostiny Dvor, this mid-19th-century shopping arcade caters primarily to locals. The souvenir sections, however, are worth visiting, as prices, in rubles, are a bit lower here than in the souvenir shops around hotels and in other areas frequented by tourists. You can also pick up fine table linens at bargain prices. The antiques section in the center of the arcade is worth a look, too, and there's a reasonably sized supermarket in the basement.
One of the newest and largest department stores on Nevsky prospekt, this Finnish retailer specializes in quality clothes, lingerie, toys, kitchen gadgets, linens, and bathroom goods, much of it by Finnish and Scandinavian producers. A vast supermarket located on the lower level offers as wide range of hard-to-find delicacies (at least in Russia) from around the world and an extensive wine selection.
This modern and spacious four-story mall, just outside the Dostoyevskaya metro station, has numerous small boutiques selling jewelry, clothes, shoes, bags, lingerie, and cosmetics at less than exorbitant prices. The basement houses a large, 24-hour supermarket that offers a wide selection and there's a great bakery on the ground floor—an excellent budget choice for a quick refuel.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
