22 Best Places to Shop in Victoria, British Columbia

Background Illustration for Shopping

In Victoria, as in the rest of British Columbia, the most popular souvenirs are First Nations arts and crafts, which you can pick up at shops, galleries, street markets, and—in some cases—directly from artists' studios. Look for silver jewelry and cedar boxes carved with traditional images and, especially around Duncan (in the Cowichan Valley), the thick hand-knit sweaters made by the Cowichan people. BC wines, from shops in Victoria or directly from the wineries, make good souvenirs, as most are unavailable outside the province. Shopping in Victoria is easy: virtually everything is in the Downtown area on or near Government Street stretching north from the Fairmont Empress hotel.

Antique Row

Downtown
Fort Street between Blanshard and Cook streets was once the place for antiques, curios, and collectibles. The "Antique Row" street signs are still up but the number of antiques stores there is lean, having given way to outlets selling artisanal food and eco-friendly fashions.

Artina's

Downtown
Canadian-made jewelry—all handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces—fills the display cases at this unique jewelry shop.

Bastion Square Public Market

Downtown
Crafts vendors and entertainers congregate in this historic square Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from May through September. On Sunday, area farmers join the mix, selling local produce, homemade baked goods, cheeses, jams, and other goodies.

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Bay Centre

Downtown
Downtown Victoria's main shopping mall has about 100 boutiques and restaurants.

Chinatown

Chinatown

Exotic fruits and vegetables, children's toys, wicker fans, fabric slippers, and other Chinese imports still give Fisgard Street a distinctive Asian flair, but increasingly lifestyle stores are adding a different feel, as in Scandinavian housewares and a schnitzel haus next to dim sum buffet. Fan Tan Alley, a narrow lane off Fisgard Street, has even more nouveau-hippie goods, with a record store and yoga studio tucked in among its tiny storefronts as well as a tiny museum on the area's Chinese-European influences.

Victoria, BC, Canada

Cook Culture

Downtown
A hive of foodie activity, this upscale kitchenware store in the Atrium Building is also a cooking school, offering workshops on topics like knife skills and how to make sushi or Indian street food.

Cowichan Trading

Downtown
First Nations jewelry, art, moccasins, and Cowichan sweaters are the focus at this long-established outlet.

Haven Spa

Aesthetics, massages, and facials are the focus at this full-service spa on the Saanich Peninsula. A pretreatment steam room and posttreatment lounge add to the pampering.

idar

Downtown
This tiny Tudor-framed shop on Fort Street (look for the three brass honeybees in the sidewalk) houses the workshop of one of the few goldsmiths in North America still forging gold by hand. All the pieces here, in gold, silver, and platinum, are made entirely by hand in original designs reflecting Northwest, Celtic, Nordic, and other traditions.

Irish Linen Stores

Downtown
In business since 1917, this tiny shop has kept Victorians in fine linen, lace, and hand-embroidered items for generations.

James Bay Community Market

James Bay
Organic food, local produce, creative crafts, and live music draw shoppers to this summer Saturday market south of the Inner Harbour. Look for it behind the Parliament Buildings.

Limey, The British Shop

Downtown

There's lots of new development happening in this corner of Downtown and with it are conversions of heritage buildings into trendy apartments and new stores. Limey is in the heart of it, with British-centric—even eccentric—foodstuffs and treats. Oddities include Malty Biscuit aromatic tea and Marmite peanut butter.

Lower Johnson Street

Downtown

This row of candy-color Victorian-era shopfronts in LoJo (Lower Johnson) is Victoria's hub for independent fashion boutiques. Storefronts—some closet size—are filled with local designers' wares, funky boutiques, and shops selling ecologically friendly clothes of hemp and organic cotton as well as outlets for BC's now-legal "bud" (marijuana); just don't take any purchases across the border. Market Square ( www.marketsquare.ca) is especially eclectic, particularly during the summer when the open courtyard fills with local vendors.

Moss Street Market

Fairfield

"Make it, bake it, or grow it" is the rule for vendors at this street market, held 10 to 2 on Saturday from May through October. The market continues November to April at Fairfield Community Centre ( 1335 Thurlow St.) making it a year-round affair, come rain or shine.

Munro's Books

Downtown
Move over, Chapters-Indigo: this beautifully restored 1909 former bank now houses one of Canada's best-stocked independent bookstores. Deals abound in the remainders bin.

Murchie's

Downtown
You can choose from more than 90 varieties of tea to sip here or take home, plus coffees, tarts, and cakes at Victoria's oldest tea purveyor (the company's been around since 1894). The café is a bright stop for a latte, biscotti, or a cup of tea.

Rogers' Chocolates

Downtown
The staff at Rogers' has been making chocolates since 1885, and they're getting pretty good at it. Victoria creams, in 19 different flavors, are a local favorite. The richly decorative shop dates to 1903.

Ship Point Night Market

Downtown

Music, jugglers, local crafts, and food vendors are spotlighted at this night market, held Friday and Saturday evening in summer on the Inner Harbour.

Sidney Thursday Night Market

More than 100 vendors of food, arts, crafts, and more take over the main street of this town, a 30-minute drive north of Victoria, each Thursday evening from June through August. It's very much a festive family outing.

Silk Road Tea Store

Chinatown

Tea aspires to new heights in this chic emporium at the edge of Chinatown. Shelves are stacked with more than 300 intriguing varieties; some you can enjoy in flights at an impressive tasting bar, and others have been restyled into aromatherapy remedies and spa treatments, including a green tea facial, which you can try out in the tiny spa downstairs. Or check out Silk Road's afternoon teas at Hotel Grand Pacific (reservations:  250/380–4458).

Studio 106

James Bay

Representing only BC artists, many from Vancouver and the Gulf Islands, this contemporary gallery and gift store features everything from glass salmon statues, dogs made from driftwood, jewelry, metal sculptures of birds, watercolors, and oil paintings. The gallery also hosts book launches and themed exhibits.

Trounce Alley

Downtown
Art Galleries and high-end fashion outlets line this pedestrian-only lane north of View Street squeezed in between Broad and Government streets.

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