Shopping

A beautiful antique shop in Bucharest standing tall for 25 years is Thomas Antiques that has a huge collection of antique jewels, ornaments, furniture, books, watches and decorative items. With the popularity of antique collections on the rise, these pieces fetch a good price for their quality and the depiction of Romanian history. Tourists with the right taste for antiques throng Thomas’ for it’s uniquely designed collectable. Address: Str. Covaci 19 (Lipscani area) Phone: +4 0752 440 818‎

Men’s fashion apparel are designed with utmost care and attention is paid to small details at Caresse. This shop is well renowned around the city for its cut, colors and styles and it is committed to prove that fashion extends to men as well. With high quality clothes, the price tag is also substantial.

Nothing like some glitz and glamour to go with your stylish clothes, Cellini offers the best jewelry designs in town. The quality of gold, variety of cuts and the authenticity of designs are like no other jeweler in Bucharest. If you wish to attend some glamorous parties while in Bucharest, take your pick at Cellini.

Spur your appetite for antiques with the quality auctions organized here at good prices. The antique collection at Hanul is vast with all sorts of ornaments and artifacts that are in demand with locals and tourists as souvenirs. Piano and violin concerts are also held in the house to entertain guests and to keep a light atmosphere during auctions.

Excellent collection of ready to wear summer clothes that stand out from all others! DIKA prides itself for the new designs that it introduces to the market for skirts, shirts and casual dresses. The clothes are high in demand with the youth of the city because of stylish cuts and vibrant summery colors. Clothes collection is said to be Greek style.

An international chain of stores, Frey Wille jewelry shops are found in the most expensive blocks and neighborhoods around the world. The shop displays a breath taking variety of jewels for men and women that are available in various sizes and colors. The jewelry can be made to order or can be purchased at the spot. Frey Wille’s pen collection is something of a spectacle that comes with a hefty price tag!

Exquisite gold designs imported from Italy are exhibited at Marci Gold. You will hardly find such gold jewelry in any other shop across town and that is the reason why only the most tasteful jewel fanatics with heavy pockets visit the shop. If you like window shopping, Marci will leave you dazzled!

Local music lovers will have a lot to say about Muzica. One of the biggest collections of folk, classical, pop, rock and hip hop music is displayed at this store and visitors who want to give Romanian music a chance to prove itself are often found in this store. The staff is well versed with new releases and has a good taste in music selection. Composers and albums that one may find on the charts include Maria Tanase, Compact and Iris, La Familia, Paraziti and Bustaflex.

Another of Bucharest’s antique shops, Galeria de Arta has some good ornaments and antique jewelry that has to be dug in for. The shop has two stories full of antique goods and each has a unique stone or carving style to it. Make sure to bargain for the pieces you buy and get a bulk quantity price for the goods.

To spend a relaxing weekend in Bucharest, make sure to get a pile of CDs from Diverta that has a good collection of local and international music. The CDs are available in English and Romanian music as well. Besides this a limited collection of stationery and books adds a dose of variety to the small shop.

Looking for stylish traditional cuts? Croitorie has the finest tailors in all of Bucharest who are trained for sewing and designing dresses with a taste of Romanian culture. The tailors prefer you to provide your own material, however material can also be ordered at extra cost. Customize your cuts and designs at a bargain price! Opening times: 9am to 6 pm. Address: Str. Doamnei 3 Phone: (+4) 021 314 10 80

On the east side of the city, bargain hunters wait and watch as a huge flea market is set up at the Strada Mihai. Buyers can find everything such as antiques, decoratives, and clothes under one roof at a very cheap price. The flea market is so huge that one can even find used cars with just enough money to go with it.

The most popular market in Bucharest is the Rahiva. If you are looking for imported yet cheap items on sale, Rahova will not let you down. From produce to furniture to toys, all Chinese goods are kept on sale for people to buy in bulk quantities. The Rahiva market is always cramped and sweaty and not for the faint heartened!

A specialty bazaar for fruits and vegetable produce, Piata is a covered place that is open from 7am to 9pm for locals to buy everyday vegetables at low price and find tons of variety under one roof. This market is a little off to the center that’s why it has lower prices compared to regular supermarket rates. If you’re not interested in produce, visit Piata Norilor to see the Romanian style of doing business.

There can not be another place in all of Romania like the Targul Vitan Barzeti. Every Sunday the huge piece of land is used to sell stolen mobile phones, fake Armani and Ralph Lauren shirts and other apparel! Prices are rock bottom and locals visit the place in crowds to get the best out of that week’s stolen glory.

Targul Taranului [Peasants' Market] Famous all over Romania, the Peasant’s Market is held every Saturday and Sunday at the Calea Rahovei. Peasants bring their specialties like tuna, bacon, sausages and goat products to name a few and sell them off to the locals who have developed a taste for these varieties.

The best places to get affordable souvenirs are the shops located inside the Peasant and Village museum. These shops stock the best quality embroided clothes, designs, ornaments and hangings so that tourists can take home with them a true depiction of Romanian culture.

For traditional craft and locally made Romanian products, visit RomArt on Unirii Boulevard that has an excellent variety of souvenirs at a reasonable price. Collection includes woven rugs, traditional clothes, artifacts and antiques that can add beauty to any living room setting!

The first in a series of modern shopping complexes, the Bucharest mall was completed in 1999 and has since housed some of the most expensive and urban brands in the city. The mall is fairly large and has a wide assortment of goods available from toys to furniture to fashion apparel. Address: Calea Vitan 55-59 Phone: 4021 3276700 Fax: +40 21 3209209

Rich in the European style of shopping is the Afi Palace mall in Cotroceni. The mall has been built on modern architecture lines and stands tall with multi stories of branded shops, restaurants and cafes. It is one of the biggest shopping malls in Bucharest and true to its word of being one of the most expensive ones as well. Afi palace also has an in house cinema that features movies on regular intervals, ice skating rink that is open all year round and a paintball arena to give shoppers an exciting time. Address: SC Cotroceni Park SA Phone: +4031 425 75 10 Fax: +4031 425 75 13

Banease shopping city gives tough competition to other malls in terms of variety. It has 220 shops of all kinds of goodies, branded and local. The mall is huge with restaurants that are open from 10am to 11pm everyday. Given its corner location Baneasa Mall is visited by tourists and locals as an all day shopping spree so that the long trip is made worthwhile.

Lacking the necessary shopping experience that a mall offers, City Mall is not rated very highly by the locals and more so by tourists. The mall has a clean and decent outlook and has a number of shops with everyday items together with a play area for kids on the top floor. However, most people are put off by the poor air conditioning facility and the lack of a shopping environment. The underground parking facility is also an added advantage for the shoppers at City Mall.

Standing opposite to the IKEA store, Feeria shopping mall has some of the best brands available. It houses the department store Carrefour together with other shops for clothes, shoes, appliances, book stores and jewelry.

Liberty center is one of the most frequently visited malls by Romanians. Crowds of people are always found thronging the great shops found here looking for a good deal or bargain. The complex also has a seven screen cinema which is very fascinating so make sure you buy tickets in advance to avoid full houses! Liberty Center is also famous for the collection of food stalls and outlets that is a hungry shopper’s paradise!