Yes, there is more to shopping in Prenzlauer Berg than vintage. Not everything is retro. There are plenty of contemporary new products too. The neighbourhood boasts brilliant concept stores specialising in cool ‘made in Berlin’ products from local graphic and product designers, visual artists, illustrators, and self-publishers. Here are a few of my favourite stores to … Read more
Krakow foodie souvenirs include traditional Polish treats to take home such as beautifully packaged honeys, preserves, syrups, teas, coffees, confectionary, and of course, chocolate, along with homemade local liqueurs you won’t find outside Poland. Here are our recommendation for the best edible souvenirs to buy. Sipping gluhwein at Kraków’s Christmas markets, taking in midnight mass on Christmas … Read more
There are two markets in Zakopane, a small market of wooden shops in the main pedestrianised street in the heart of the old centre, and another larger market that sprawls along the route to the funicular that goes up to Gubałówka hill. Here are my tips to shopping for Zakopane folkloric souvenirs Most of the … Read more
It’s rare that I devote an edition of Take-Homes to one shop. In the eleven months of our grand tour, I’ve done it just three times before, in Ceret (La Boheme, a shop keeping traditional Catalan fabric alive), Bali (Threads of Life, a fair-trade textiles and crafts co-op), and San Miguel de Allende (Ave Maria, … Read more
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, or Kapalı Çarşı in Turkish, at Beyazit, near Sultanahmet, is undoubtedly touristy, so it’s going to have to be my guilty pleasure on this ‘living like locals’ grand tour of ours. Because as much as I love the brilliant shops at Beyoğlu, nothing beats shopping the Grand Bazaar. Why Go to the … Read more