Ok here is a question to all you experienced Fodorites. Where is your favourite shopping destination.

Target.

Love this question! Never shop in America here but love to shop in Paris! <BR>

Paris, Paris and PARIS. <BR> <BR>Especially Fauchon and Hediard near Place de la Madeleine. I *always* bring home fench mustard and herbs... YUM.....

FRENCH mustard. <BR> <BR>Did I mention Paris?

Hamid, There was a long and infamous <BR>thread on this topic about 18 months ago <BR>that I suggest you try to find. Since then I have reinforced my basic premise <BR>that if you go to Europe to shop then you may be disappointed. The only real <BR>bargains we have found in our 15 trips <BR>is crystal in Prague and wine in Italy <BR>and both are hard to carry home. We have <BR>been in almost every ceramic shop in <BR>Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece and I <BR>still believe you can do better if you <BR>wait for the sale in the Pottery Barn <BR>catalog. We did find a Sergio Tacchini <BR>outlet near Gravonna Italy this past <BR>trip that was as good as the outlets in <BR>North Jersey, and we did find some unique ceramics in the factory outlet <BR>village of Nove where we bought about <BR>$80 of nice pieces---it only cost us $70 <BR>to mail them home. If you travel to shop <BR>then try Hong Kong or Turkey---there are <BR>not many bargains in Europe.

Paris, of course! In particular: the flea market at Vanves; BHV for hardware; the housewares dept. and hair doodads at Galeries Lafayette; the fabric stores in Monmartre; Samaritaine for inexpensive scarves, sox, purses; any and all pharmacies for shampoo, makeup and lotions. <BR>London for shoes (especially Bertie); Harrod's food court; the teapot 'factory outlet' at Covent Garden. <BR>In the U.S.: Bergdorf's

A second vote for Harrod's food court (plus Fauchon and Hediard in Paris, of course)! And other "must stop" for the dedicated food shoppers among us- Peck's in Milan.

Macy's on 34th Street on Wednesdays (one-day sales) and a town 2 hours south of Paris called Bourges on either April or early May. The stores and cosmetics shops on the main street practically give away designer clothes and cosmetics to open up space for summer wear. I did this two years in a row and was not dissapointed. <BR> <BR>BTW, Al is right. In Europe, shop for hard-to-find items, not for prices. Unless you happened to be at the right place, at the right time...

I've shopped all through Italy, and have found wonderful shopping in Florence and Venice. Especially ceramics, and clothing.

At home: Target <BR>Abroad: Florence

Without question: Florence. Great deals in the market. Bought two beautiful, beautiful leather jackets for (combined) $170, among other wares. <BR> <BR>Also, Rome, along Via Veneto and Via Condote (not that I could afford a single damn thing! I WILL buy something from the Prada store at least once in my life!)