Location: Chaoyang District
What to buy: silk, clothes and shoes in large size
The metropolis of Beijing has several shopping districts offering a mind-boggling variety of goods. The traditional shopping districts have been always Wangfujing Street, Qianmen Street, Dongdan and Xidan Commercial Street, but now it seems that Jianguomen Outer Street has surpassed them as the venue for the latest and most luxurious items.
Jianguomen Outer Street is a major street in urban Beijing. It forms part of the extended Chang'an Avenue. It runs from Jianguomen Bridge in the west through to Guomao in the east, through some remarkably commercialized areas. The Beijing Friendship Store is on Jianguomen Outer Street, as is Guiyou Market.
Shopping at outdoor markets remains a not-to-be-missed experience for foreign travelers. The Xiushui and Yabao open air markets, which enjoy great favor among foreigners, are also situated in the district. Xiushui Street has a silk market replete with some of the finest silk products, as well as an amazing array of name-brand clothes, bags such as Reebok, Adidas and Gucci. However, very few of these top labels are the real thing despite their uncanny resemblance. Xiushui Street is one of the few places in Beijing where foreigners can purchase clothes and shoes in large sizes.
