Smarter Shopping in Europe

Smarter Shopping in Europe

Part of traveling in Europe is enjoying the shopping. I still recall the beautiful shoe shop in Venice where my aunt bought a fabulous pair of shoes and matching purse – almost 40 years ago. And, I remember the frustrations of not relocating a “locals” shoe shop in Rome – I found several shoes I liked at great prices but decided to return with the other ladies in my group. Well, we returned to the area and could not find that shop again. So, when you see something you really want, buy it.
Part of traveling in Europe is enjoying the shopping. I still recall the beautiful shoe shop in Venice where my aunt bought a fabulous pair of shoes and matching purse – almost 40 years ago. And, I remember the frustrations of not relocating a “locals” shoe shop in Rome – I found several shoes I liked at great prices but decided to return with the other ladies in my group. Well, we returned to the area and could not find that shop again. So, when you see something you really want, buy it.

If you know where to go, Europe can be a bargain hunter’s paradise but if you stick to the tourist areas you’ll pay high prices. Buy what’s considered a good buy in the various locations you’ll be visiting – leather goods in Italy, wine in the wine regions of France, chocolate in Switzerland (Just don’t let your family snack on it before you get home.) In general, the smaller towns have better prices than the large cities. Don’t forget the duty-free shops at the airports. I bought terrific things at the duty-free shop in Vancouver several years ago – all at great prices.

You need to do some research before you go. Double-check how much you’re allowed to bring back with incurring any duty tax. And, check what restrictions on the type of items you’ll want to bring back.