Archive for category World and Travel

Milan is one of the major fashion capitals of the world, and if you are headed on a shopping holiday to this exciting metropolis, here are some tips.

Modern and chic Milan is a shopper’s paradise.

Whatever new addition to your wardrobe you dream of purchasing, you can find it here among the many design emporiums, outlet stores, funky boutiques, and second hand shops. This city in Italy is a popular shopping stop for the rich and famous, and this fact is easy to see from the glittering and ostentation designer shops displaying the luxury goods of the chic lifestyle. As you walk down the streets of Milan, you will see so many gorgeous and impeccably dressed locals sauntering by that you will feel like you have walked into a fashion shoot for Italian Vogue.

However, if a pair of Prada shoes cost more than your monthly rent, there are also shopping opportunities for a more modest budget.

The Quadrilatero d’Oro

Some of the most glamorous boutiques in Milan can be found all within a small square known as the Quadrilatero d’Oro, or the “Rectangle of Gold”. Treat yourself to some decadent window shopping along the four streets of Via Sant’Andrea, Via Montenapoleone, Via Della Spiga, and Via Borgospesso. Even if you are not planning to buy, it is still fun to wander through these hip boulevards and hope that some of the Italian stylishness will rub off on you.

Second Hand Shops

Because Milan is such an epicentre of the world’s fashion trends, styles come and go at breakneck speeds and most items are out of date almost immediately after leaving the runway. This can be great news for the budget shopper, because the super trendsetters will often cast off their clothes to second hand stores on a regular basis so that they can grab the newest trend. You can pick up almost-new and very stylish clothing, and since Milan is approximately a year ahead of the UK and North America when it comes to fashion trends, you will still be on the cutting edge when you return home!

For the best second hand shopping, check out Navigli, which is an area of Milan that holds many excellent second-hand shops such as Eliogabaldo, Biffi and Floretta Coen Musil.

Street Markets

For a totally different shopping experience, why not check out one of the numerous open-air markets throughout the city of Milan? You can find clothes, as well an antiques, jewellery, and even fresh food. Try the Mercato de Viale Papiniano, the Mercatone dell’Antiquariato, and the Via Armorari.

Milan, Italy is an excellent place for a shopping holiday because you will be able to find a wide selection of high quality designer clothing as well as other cheaper options as well. When visiting Milan be sure to leave extra room in your suitcase, because you will want to bring back many chic new additions to your wardrobe! Make sure you book extra space on your flights from Milan for all the extras!

Any visit to Tokyo should include a wander around Harajuku, the shopping and entertainment district, and marvelling at the colourful and bizarre fashions of Tokyo’s hippest teenagers.

One of the most interesting areas of the massive metropolis of Tokyo is the hip and funky Harajuku district. It is the ultimate hangout for the young people of the city, and the entire neighbourhood is jam packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, and stores that all cater towards the youthful and trendy vibe.

If you are wandering through the streets of the Harajuku area of Tokyo and see a young Japanese girl with bright purple hair dressed as a French maid, or a guy with a Mohawk, tartan kilt and furry boots, don’t assume they are on their way to a fancy dress party. This is actually how the trendy youth of Tokyo dress every day! You will see all sorts of bizarre hair colours, jewellery, accessories and costumes here, from guys dressed as cowboys to girls in nearly pornographic school uniforms. Many magazine photographs will hang out around the area just to snap fashion shots of the youth dressed in their rainbow garb.

How to Get There

The Harajuku District of Tokyo is located in the western part of the city, between Shinjuku and Shibuya. The most popular shopping street in the area is the Omote-sando, which is considered the Champs-Elysees of Tokyo because of its chic cafes and upscale boutiques. To get there, take the train to JR Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line, which will take you right to the beginning of Omote Sando. If you are coming from central Tokyo, it is easier to take the subway to Meiji-jingu-mae Station. To get to Tokyo itself you have many choices depending where you are coming from but the easiest would be to get flights to Tokyo or if you are exploring the whole country and coming in on a general flight to Japan you can hop on one of the high speed trains available.

Things to Do in Harajuku

• Watch the people with greased 1950s style hair dance to rockabilly music while wearing vintage jeans. They usually hang around the entrance to Yoyogi Park.
• Check out the street performers at the south end of the park. Usually it will be a singer belting out folk-pop songs, but there are also hip-hop dancers and street theatre.
• Walk around Meiji Shrine. This is one of the grandest shrines in Tokyo and was built for the Emperor Meiji in 1920. It is a popular location for Japanese weddings, and you have a good chance of seeing one in progress if you visit on the weekends. The shrine is also a very busy and exciting place to celebrate the New Year.
• Observe the beautiful cherry blossoms in Yoyogi Park.
• Shop in any of the funky stores which line the boulevards of Harajuku. The four storey Oriental Bazaar is a great place to get all of your souvenirs, such as foreigner-sized kimonos and other quirky clothing. Kiddy Land is an enormous toy store where you can find a fun treat for the little one in your life.
• Eat a Harajuku crepe. This fresh treat can be filled with just about anything, including whipped cream, strawberries, entire slices of cheesecake, and even tandoori chicken!

Have fun exploring this unique and hip district of Tokyo!