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Many of Zürich's designer boutiques lie hidden along the narrow streets between Bahnhofstrasse and the Limmat River. Quirky bookstores and antiques shops lurk in the sloping cobblestone alleyways leading off Niedorfstrasse and Oberdorfstrasse. The fabled Bahnhofstrasse—famous because it's reputedly the most expensive street in the world—is dominated by large department stores and extravagantly priced jewelry shops.
Many city-center stores are open weekdays 9–8, Saturday 8–5. Most close on Sunday, with the exception of the shops at the Hauptbahnhof, the Stadelhofen train station, and the airport. Many smaller shops, particularly in the Niederdorf area, open later in the morning or the early afternoon and are closed entirely on Monday.
The main train station, Zürich Hauptbahnhof, and Niederdorfstrasse each host a Christmas market starting in early December. The newer Bellevue Christmas Market on Sechseläutenplatz features original Swiss designs, ice skating, fondue houses, and food trucks. But the highlight is the market around The Singing Christmas Tree on Werdmühleplatz, where choirs sing carols from a tree-shaped podium.
This cozy indie bookstore with a bar and coffee counter stocks a great selection of international magazines and features a stage for regular readings and literary discussions. No laptops are allowed on Sunday or bank holidays.
There's a flea market from 7 to 5 every Saturday from May to October on the lake end of Bahnofstrasse.
Popular with locals, this flagship COOP is cheap and cheerful. It offers the best value for cheese (often shrink-wrapped and luggage-ready) and chocolate.
Europaallee is a massive shopping complex that connects the city's Langstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse under and around the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). The complex, which includes Google's largest European offices, is chock-full of shops, hotels, restaurants, salons, and indoor and outdoor spaces.
Globus sells designer clothes and housewares. There is also a pricey but irresistible delicatessen in the basement.
Inhale tempting smells from around the world at this old-style, open-bin store where oak shelves are lined with coffee, dried fruits, nuts, and grains. It's attached to a small café that sells home baking.
This colorful tapestry of a boutique stocks second-season pieces from independent designers, as well as Zürich labels such as Kazu Huggler, the Japanese-Swiss designer whose eponymous collections are influenced by the Japanese kimono and ancient textiles.
For high-quality vintage clothing, go to the place where Zürich's well-heeled ladies sell their "old" things.
Teuscher is as famous for its extravagantly wrapped packages as it is for its amazing chocolates and candies. There are two other locations in town.
Trois Pommes is the central boutique of a series of designer shops scattered through the Storchengasse area. The racks are heavily stacked with such high-profile international designers as Jil Sander, Versace, Donna Karan, and Dolce & Gabbana. There are locations throughout Switzerland, including several others within Zürich.
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