212 Best Places to Shop in Germany

For an upscale shopping experience, visit the many stores, boutiques, galleries, and cafés of the Fünf Höfe, a modern arcade carved into the block of houses between Theatinerstrasse and Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse. The architecture of the passages and courtyards is cool and elegant, in sharp contrast to the facades of the buildings. Along with outposts devoted to well-known international brands, there are German brands such as S. Baumeister (shoes and accessories) and Friendly Hunting for cashmere.

Across the seven floors of this mid-priced department store, you'll find everything from cosmetics, fashion, and jewelry to greeting cards, office supplies, household items, and toys. The end-of-season sales offer true bargains.

Anchoring Alexanderplatz, Galeria Kaufhof is the most successful branch of the German department store chain, with six floors offering more than 600 brands and a gourmet food area. You can find pretty much everything you need here, though expect wardrobe staples, rather than the latest fashion trends.

One of Germany's biggest and most popular department stores, the Galeria Kaufhof carries clothing, jewelry, sports equipment, cosmetics, toys, and more. The Frankfurt branch has a food hall on the lower floor; the restaurant on the top floor has great city views.

At the corner of Französische Strasse (it means "French Street" and is named for the nearby French Huguenot cathedral) is the French department store Galeries Lafayette. French architect Jean Nouvel included an impressive steel-and-glass funnel at the center of the building, and it's surrounded by four floors of expensive clothing and luxuries as well as an excellent food department with eateries offering Breton cuisine, Greek-French fusion, and sushi, plus a wine bar; there's also a market with some of the best French delicacies around.

A food-lover’s paradise, this epicurean shop sells a wide range of products, from gourmet, artisanal pantry ingredients and kitchen tools to an extensive collection of cookbooks and food magazines. Handmade breads, pastries, and chocolates are available to satiate your appetite. There's also a nice selection of cheeses, as well as fine wines and craft beer. A second outpost is in Charlottenburg, at Wilmersdorfer Strasse 102/103.

This chocolate shop and café serves chocolate every which way, from delectable chocolates to hot chocolate, as well as seasonal treats.

The Sunday Grosser Antikmarkt am Ostbahnhof market is made up almost entirely of antiques and vintage treasures, so it takes little effort but a bit of money to find something truly special to take home. Pre-edited selections of antiquarian books, gramophones, jewelry, and kitschy East German items can be found here.

Tucked behind the tourist-heavy streets of Hackesche Markt, this labyrinth of small galleries, boutiques, and shops offers a wide range of fashion. The outdoor shopping mall links Rosenthaler and Sophienstrasse with big brands like H&M and MAC Cosmetics, as well as independent boutiques and small gift shops.

Step into this "medieval mall," in the tower at the Old Town gate (Am Königstor) opposite the main train station, and you'll think you're back in the Middle Ages. Craftspeople are busy at work turning out the kind of handiwork that has been produced in Nuremberg for centuries: pewter, glassware, basketwork, wood carvings, and, of course, toys. The Lebkuchen specialist Lebkuchen-Schmidt has a shop here as well.

This iconic record store is run by music veteran Mark Ernestus, who handpicks all the vinyl and CDs with a heavy focus on techno, electronic, and dubstep. On the third floor of a heavily graffitied building, it’s the true essence of Berlin grunge and totally worth a visit for music lovers.

If you want a taste—or rather, a smell—of old Berlin, head to Harry Lehmann. The shopkeeper will greet you in a white lab coat, helpfully explaining the origin and inspiration of the expertly mixed perfumes, which fill large apothecary jars along a mirrored wall. This is definitely old-school—the shop was opened in 1926.

Fine tailored suits and everything else you need to look like a true gentleman are sold at this elegant and ultrahip store on the vintage-clothing paradise of Marktstrasse.

Spanning six floors, Hirmer has Munich's most comprehensive collection of German-made men's clothes, with a markedly friendly and knowledgeable staff. International brands are also here, such as Polo, Vilebrequin, and Levi's.

The city's largest downtown shopping mall is next to the Holstentor and is filled with stores selling clothing or home accessories.

You'll find this master goldsmith's studio near the city's Franziskanertor.

This multistory bookshop has a good-size English-language section, with fiction and nonfiction selections. There are also nearby outposts at Marienplatz (Marienpl. 22) and close to the Residenz (Theatinerstr. 11). 

Rödental, northeast of Coburg, is the home of the world-famous M. I. Hummel figurines. There's a Hummel Museum devoted to them, which also has 18th- and 19th-century porcelain from other manufacturers. Besides the museum's store, there are several retail outlets in the village.

Michael Zeller organizes the celebrated International Bodensee Art Auction, held four times yearly. Visit the website for the catalog and dates of upcoming auctions.

The sleek, minimalist flagship store of German designer Jil Sander carries the newest collections from this iconic, understated brand, including fashions for men.

The Jünemann family has owned this basement shop on Torstrasse for more than 100 years, producing their quality handmade felt hausschuhe, or slippers, for four generations. The shoes come in a variety of colors and two simple styles, a classic backless version or the full slipper. Either is the perfect way to bring a piece of German tradition back home.

One of Germany's biggest department store chains, Karstadt is known for both its upscale brand-name designer offerings, including popular German designers Betty Buckley and Gerry Weber (for women), and its splendid food and drink department, with plenty of opportunity to sample the offerings.

Germany's leading department-store chain isn't as posh as the Alsterhaus, but it still has a good and varied selection of clothing, perfume, watches, household goods, and food.

The Christmas Village part of this store is a wonderland of mostly German-made toys and decorations, particularly traditional ornaments. The Christmas museum, with a full history of the traditions over the centuries, is inside the store.

With a name that translates to "Shop yourself happy," this inviting store—one of two in the Schanzenviertel—sells clothes and shoes for men and women, as well as sunglasses, jewelry, scarves, hats, and other accessories.

With an odd assortment of retro furnishings, this ice-cream café and waffle shop takes over the entire corner of a Prenzlauer Berg sidewalk, especially on sunny days. Head to the second story and you’ll find a shop that captures young Berliner style, with vintage pieces, bold prints, and skinny fits, as well as shoes and jewelry. There's a second outpost on Oderberger Strasse as well as one in Mitte, plus outlet shops in Wedding and Neukölln.

Smart boutiques and cafés line this 230-foot-long glass-roofed passageway that connects Kaufinger Strasse to Fürstenfelder Strasse.