DUTY FREE SHOPPING IN EUROPE
 

I will be in several European airports in Apri-May. Can anybody tell me which airport has a good duty free shop? Are they really cheaper than buying outside? The airports I will visit are Paris (Charles de Gaulle), Copenhaguen, Rome, Moscow and St. Petesburg. <BR>Thanks Paco

1) All airports have "good" duty free shops <BR> <BR>2) You can only marginally save compared to what you would buy in town. Only exception: cigarettes, that can come 50 to 70 % cheaper that at a tobaconnist's. But, as an American, you are not likely to be interested... <BR> <BR>3) Anyway, since July 99, tax free shopping has been abolished when traveling within the EU. For instance, if you fly between Rome and Paris or Copenhaguen, no tax free available (there are still shops, though... ). Your only life saver would be Russia...

I have been nominated (I am a shoe-in, pun intended) to the Shoppers' Hall of Fame, so here's the scoop: <BR> <BR>The interesting things to buy in each country are best found in local shops (a beautiful picture frame from a Roman artisan is a better souvenir than a quart of Bailey's Irish Creme); if you buy a significant amount in one store, you can have the VAT reimbursed, which may be significantly more than duty; duty-free DOES NOT MEAN "DUTY NOT DUE" when you arrive home. If you are a U.S. citizen, and bring in over $400 worth of stuff, you WILL pay duty on the amount over $400, no matter at which sort of store you buy. <BR> <BR>I use the duty-free shop at my exit airport for 1) a couple of bottles of wine or local spirits - not for the price but so I didn't have to lug the stupid things all over Europe 2) last minute gifts 'oh I forgot to get something for Sally next door' like cookies or candy 3) Rothman cigarettes which I love (yeah yeah cough cough I've heard the lectures) but are 2 1/2-3 times the price in the States and 4) using up the little bits of foreign currency I have left and aren't enough to make it worthwhile to exchange back to $US - the Loons usually pool this and buy something to eat while awaiting the plane. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

I'm with Elvira, I usually shop in the duty free shops to use up any foreign currency that I may have left. Also, if there is a certain liquor (usually champagne) that I want, it's easier to buy it at the airport than lug it all around. Have found the liquor prices to be pretty good, especially in De Gaulle.

I found that my standard toilette water [out of which I had just convienently run...] was about $10 cheaper than in the US. Needless to say I snarfed up a bottle. <BR> <BR>And yes. I *will* post my London experience this weekend.