30 - Port Lotniczy Wrocław

die-hard bargain hunters begin arriving outside the
stores in the early morning hours. Then it pays to be
patient – the queues often resemble those we might
remember from communist times.
Where should you go shopping in London? The
most famous shopping address for brand names is
Oxford Street. You can buy luxury clothes on Regent
Street, while Bond Street is known for its shops by
well-known fashion designers. And for fans of shopping
centres, Selfridges department store and TK
Maxx are obligatory stops.
SOLDES in Paris
In France, the winter sale lasts six weeks. Each
region independently decides on its starting date.
The earliest sales start in Paris – just after Christmas.
On the Champs Elysees, the most famous shopping
haven in the French capital, some shops stay open
until late at night. Here you’ll find both the popular
“high street” names like GAP or H&M, as well as
more exclusive shops. Parisian women love cosmetics,
which is why the size and range of the local Sephora
is literally breath-taking. “For women, visiting
a beauty shop in Paris is like a child visiting a giant
candy store,” reports Martha, a 30-year-old Francophile
who visits Paris at least once a year. “Every
time I come back from a trip with a new bottle of
perfume. Paris is full of tiny, wonderful perfumeries,
which you just cannot pass by,” she assures.
Wandering the shopping route in the shadow of the
Eiffel Tower, you should be sure to also visit the massive,
luxurious Gallery Lafayette. Join the shopping
masses on the Avenue Montaigne, which is lined
with boutiques of top designers from the fashion
world. Brand names at much lower prices can be
found on the outskirts of Paris, near Disneyland Paris
– at La Vallee Village. It houses over 90 designer
outlets such as: Armani, Calvin Klein, Christian Lacroix,
Kenzo and Mexx.
SALDI in Italy
Italians start shopping for bargains on 7 January.
This is when their Christmas holidays end. Three
Kings’ Day is celebrated with a bang on 6 January,
which is a day off work, and the peninsula’s
inhabitants gorge themselves on sweets and drink
wine with friends. The shopping frenzy begins the
next day and lasts for a month.
For Italian fashion shopping one usually goes to
Milan – a real style mecca. All fashion lovers know
the address Via Monte Napoleone 26 – that’s
where the famous D Magazine is located, an outlet
for clothes, shoes and accessories bearing the
labels of most famous fashion designers: Prada,
Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Versace and
Fendi. Here, prices are up to 55 per cent lower.
In the centre of Milan the shopping routes point to
three squares: Piazza Duomo, Piazza Cavour and
Piazza San Babila, which form the so-called Fashion
District. But this is a place for the wealthiest.
The entrances of the most exclusive boutiques are
guarded by security teams, who have the right to
not let badly dressed people inside.
For more down-to-earth purchases, you can fly to
Italy for such brands as Sisley and Benetton or Intimissimi
and Calzedonia – lingerie brands that are
very popular with Polish women. You won’t be disappointed
with the selection of leather goods stores
– Italians are probably the biggest fans of beautiful
shoes and bags on the continent.
Verkauf in Germany
Our western neighbours have the shortest sales.
Most shops start theirs during the last week of January
and finish after just two weeks. Undoubtedly,
however, it pays to shop there. “Germans drop their
19
prices like crazy. You can buy an article of clothing
that cost 20 euros for 1 euro!” says Paulina, a
24-year-old whose family lives in Berlin.
If you choose to go shopping in the German capital,
there are three places you can’t miss. First, the
world-famous Kurfürstendamm street, which is home
to the most luxurious shops (such as Chanel and
Louis Vuitton). Second, the great Department Store
of the West – Kaufhaus des Westens – otherwise
known as the famous KaDeWe at Tauentzienstraße
21/ 24. And finally, Friedrichstraße street, the Berlin
temple of luxury that’s full of designer boutiques.
“Germans love good brands, and are ready to
spend really big money on clothes,” says our correspondent.
For those who are less demanding, a good place
for shopping is the new Arkaden shopping mall at
Potsdamer Platz.
“You also go to Berlin for alternative fashions,”
stresses Paulina. “Flea markets, called Flohmarkt by
the Germans, are a real riot. They’re phenomenal!
Once I spent all day riding the subway from one
market to the next. I bought a brand-new Converse
sneakers for 1 euro!”