Second only to Oxford road in London, probably the most famed on-street shopping area in the Uk is Princes road in Edinburgh. categorically Edinburgh is one of the few cities in the world where a road name is most closely associated with shopping rather than an undercover and 'all-in-one' shopping mall. Edinburgh does have some shopping centres and sell parks, but many of the best shops are to be found as you walk straight through the streets of the city.
Built toward the end of the Georgian period, Princes road is one of three parallel streets laid out in a grid formation. The three streets run in a west to east direction from above the site of Edinburgh Castle, the other two streets are George road and Queen Street. At the west end of these three main streets is passage to Charlotte quadrilateral and to the east is St Andrew Square. It is at St Andrew quadrilateral that the Edinburgh subject of Harvey Nicholls is located. Not only can you visit one of the Uks most exclusive market but, if you wanted to, you can sample the 'Taste of Scotland' in the market restaurant. With a menu designed by Stuart Muir the £80 a head price tag is only in retention with the price tags on the clothes and gifts, but then this is an exclusive store. Around is the Multrees Walk, a walkway which connects St Andrew quadrilateral to the bus center and the St James shopping centre. If you can't find that exclusive designer label or outfit you're finding for inside Harvey Nicholls then take a few moments to range down Multrees Walk. Not only is their a Louis Vuitton store on the angle with the Square, but you could have your hair done at Vidal Sassoon's or, if that's not enough, there's Emporio Armani, Catamini for the younger ones and many more designer label market to choose from.
For decades the most famed store, or rather division store, in Edinburgh was Jenners. With entrances off Princes road and St Andrew quadrilateral it is situated in one of the prime locations in Edinburgh. Now part of the 'House of Fraser' chain it retains its popularity with visitors and the loyalty of Edinburgh residents, remaining one of the places to visit whilst in the city. The undoubted 'Harrods' of the north it has occupied the building since 1838 and has over 100 departments that are spread over its five floors. Also, the store has had a Royal guarantee since 1911. There is another House of Fraser store at the west end of Princes Street. Walking down Princes road in the middle of St Charlotte road and St Andrew road is, in my opinion, one of the best shopping experiences imaginable. Not only have you got a breathtaking selection of shops; apart from the big market there are others like Zara, Gap and H&M; but on the south side of the road you've got views up to Edinburgh Castle and the open spaces of the Princes road gardens and the Scott Monument - shopping can be a truly pleasurable business. If you should choose to walk along George road and, to a lesser extent, Queen road and the connecting roads - you'll find fullness of other shops including places like Lime Blue a jewellery and diamonds store.
Edinburgh is not without shopping centres. Probably the most necessary one is the St James Shopping Centre, at the east end of the city centre, overlooked by Calton Hill. The most largest store here is the John Lewis division store. One of only three John Lewis's in Scotland it was opened at the same time as the shopping centre in 1973. The shopping centre also has branches of Boots, Next and River Island - among many others. The Princes Mall is a small shopping centre in the middle of the Waverley Railway center and Princes Street; as such it has small branches of market likely to attract travellers passing straight through the center like Tie-Rack and Body Shop. The Gyle Shopping Centre is off the A8 just inside the city boundary on its western approach. Although it is very much 'out-of-town' it offers population living on the west side of the city the opportunity to passage some of the High road brand names without having to go into the city. market here contain the likes of: Boots, Body Shop, Monsoon, Next and Virgin etc.
Markets in Edinburgh these days tend to be rather formal roughly corporate events, rather than providing a 'cheap-and-cheerful' approach to sell selling. Every Saturday in the middle of 9am and 2pm there's an outdoor Farmers store of 70 stalls on the Castle Terrace, below Edinburgh Castle. On the second and last Thursday of every month on Castle Street, off Princes Street, there is the Eating Place store - which celebrates all that's best in local food production. Also, at dissimilar times of the year, there are touring markets at various locations in the city. Such markets contain a Christmas store in the Princes road Gardens and a German store over the Hogmanay period.
Retail Parks for Edinburgh contain the; Meadowbank, Fort Kinnaird and Straiton Park - which has an Ikea store. However, it is the Ocean concluding at the Leith Docks, to the north of the city, which is the most prestigious. 75 stores, restaurants, hotels and a 12 screen cinema make this one of the most spirited sell outlets in the country. Bhs, Top Shop and Debenham's are examples of the market and opportunities you'll find at this shopping complex.
