Beijing

Beijing’s top shopping centre boasts 120,000 square metres of shops and a modern ambience. It consists of shopping areas with different themes and the biggest music fountain in the city centre. It is home to well-known Western and Asian brands and houses a Sony Science Museum and a cinema.

Liulichang Street is great for antiquities and has been a long-time favourite among scholars and calligraphers. Shops here sell ink sticks, ink paste and other cultural goods, as well as some jewellery. If you think about taking up calligraphy, the sophisticated Chinese writing art, pay a visit to one of the stores on Liulichang to choose the most suitable equipment. The bargain is necessary to get a great deal.

One of the most famous shopping streets in Beijing is located in the Dongcheng District. It is 1.8 km long. Apart from some grand shopping centres like Beijing Department Store, APM, The Malls at Oriental Plaza, you can also find historic shops and curious snack vendors who sell scorpion skewers, silkworms, and deep-fried starfish, but there are mainly for attracting tourists and the locals do not eat. Also, do not forget to take a look at traditional crafts and souvenirs.

Joy City is the only shopping mall in the Xidan area. With international brands and more than 40 local Beijing brands selling fashion-forward outfits, digital gadgets, and a dazzling sky screen, this spacious place is one of the best places to shop in the area.