3 Best Shopping in Eastern China, China

Small clusters of galleries and stalls here sell a variety of jade pieces and antique bric-a-brac of varying levels of authenticity. Chinese scrolls with traditional watercolor paintings and kitschy Mao-era memorabilia make good souvenirs. Bargain hard; prices are inflated for tourists.

If you head east down Zhongshan Xi Lu to Gulou (drum tower) Pedestrian Street, you'll come to a row of restored buildings packed with everything from inexpensive DVDs to tea to ceramics. In between the busy shops, there's the odd restaurant and night club. The area can get pretty crowded on weekends, but it is a great place to soak up modern Chinese culture while shopping for souvenirs.

A combination antiques/curio/tchotchke emporium, this 20-year-old market is the place to come for souvenirs. Weekends see more than 200 venders selling their wares, with antiques ranging from coins to bronzeware. Jade jewelry and figurines, porcelain pieces, traditional Chinese furniture, and calligraphy supplies are also for sale. The authenticity of the antiques is questionable, so decide on a price ahead of time and then bargain with the seller until you reach it. Though weekends are when the market is busiest, there are enough stalls open on weekdays to make the trip worth it.