Ukraine Offers Great Shopping – in Small Local Stores and Big Shopping Centers
With a population of approximately 47 million people, Ukraine offers a big choice of stores to its residents and to its visitors as well. The selling outlets vary from small artisan stores to big modern shopping centers. In big cities such as Kiev, there are shopping malls that are just as diversified and modern as any shopping mall in the USA or Western Europe.
Among the differences of products offered in Ukraine versus countries of the west, the quality and choice of clothes is obvious. Whether it is local clothes or designer clothes, there are beautiful fashion clothes that virtually cannot be found anywhere else. The prices are also quite reasonable, compared to the prices in North America and Western Europe countries similar stores.
Ukraine stores also offer a wide choice of artwork consisting of quality paintings, ceramics and jewelry that are mostly locally made. Also, Ukrainian embroidery, weaving and lace-making may be purchased quite cheaply in many art galleries or directly from the artists on the street. Because of certain customs laws, it is wise to inquire about what can be brought out of Ukraine before making purchases.
Among Ukraine’s famous shopping malls, the Alta Center located in Kiev, was the first one built in the Ukrainian capital. If offers a wide diversity of quality stores offering beautiful local clothes as well as designer clothes, cosmetics and perfumes, souvenirs and of course, beautiful and affordable jewellery. The mall is also home to bid department stores, a big supermarket and several restaurants offering not only delicious Ukraine meals but also an international menu.
Shopping in Ukraine, whether in small local store or in the big modern shopping centers, is always a nice experience. The main reason is the difference in the products compared to
what most visitors are used to see in their local stores. Especially, when it comes to clothing, most tourists will go back home with beautiful clothes that are unique to Ukraine.
Before planning your trip to Ukraine, make sure you will have contacted your credit card company to inform them about your trip – to prevent their anti-fraud software to temporarily freeze your card due to unusual purchases. Ukraine stores usually accept the US dollar and the Euro.