What is shopping like in the Mediterranean?

As is the case when someone goes on vacation, they usually feel the need to bring back home souvenirs to remember their trip. Such is the case with cruise ship passengers who sail the Mediterranean region seeking not only for rest and relaxation but also good deals for gifts, souvenirs and bargain items. The Mediterranean provides good opportunities to shop but knowing what and what-not-to buy along with where to shop.

One convenient place to shop, that is often overlooked, is right onboard your cruise ship. The shopping areas onboard each cruise liner provides passengers a secure and convenient environment to purchase duty free items along with clothing, alcohol, tobacco products, jewelry, perfume and other personal items. The cruise companies are competing against the local shops and vendors, at the various ports of call, and as such provide a variety of items although not usually at the cheapest prices. The shopping areas onboard are therefore a good place to shop when you are in need of a certain items, such as toiletries and casual clothing, but expect to pay more than you would at a local drug or department store.

Knowing where to shop throughout the Mediterranean region can be a daunting task but is made easier for passengers if they attend the shopping seminars that are offered onboard. These seminars serve to guide passengers about shopping trends for a particular region and also the shops, stores and areas that the cruise line would advise their passengers to shop. There are many countries, visited by cruise ships, within the Mediterranean hence providing many areas to shop for souvenirs, alcohol and high end products; ranging from the trendy shops of Nice, France to ancient feel of the streets of Jerusalem.

Let’s examine the more unique and popular shopping areas that someone sailing the Mediterranean, might encounter:

France: Situated on the south east coast of France, Nice is an ideal place to shop for high end fashion, jewelry and gourmet specialties. The places to be in Nice are the modern City Centre, the Cours Saleya and the Old Town; the main shopping street, in Nice, is Jean Medecin which is ideal for finding hig end items. There are sales which usually occur twice per year, for six weeks at a time starting during January and July. These sale periods provide an ideal opportunity to get great deals on a wide range of items. Stopping in ultra-modern Marseille also gives visitors the opportunity to do a bit a shopping. In Marseille one can expect to find fine handcrafts, wines and the latest fashion.

Israel: There is a distinct contrast between the shopping scene in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv has a modern vibe with design shops and department stores as opposed to the stalls on the streets of Jerusalem. Religious souvenirs are a very popular choice in Israel; from religious jewelry to books and posters. One can also find old roman coins and artifacts along with Armenian pottery. Be sure to also try the local cuisine which has been getting a lot of recognition in recent years.

Italy: One of the popular shopping spots in Italy is Venice. Venice is famous for its glass industry. If one intends to shop in Venice then picking up one or more of their glass collectables is a must. Rome and Florence are more great spots in Italy to shop for souvenirs. One can buy many different items during a visit to Rome, from gladiator statues, miniature coliseums to special made 8 Euro spoons. One can check out the local flower, food and general markets of Florence where one can find local made jewelry, local cuisine and beautiful flowers.

Turkey: The most popular shopping centre in Turkey is Kapalicarsi, is the Grand Covered Bazaar of Istanbul; presenting the opportunity for shoppers to pick famous Turkish rugs, jewelry. Antiques such as Ottoman engravings, ceramics, tile, needlework and silverware are also easily found here. Antalya also has markets and buzzards which are great for finding great deals on a wide range of items.

Spain: While in Spain be sure to pick up some Catalan crafts and artwork from Barcelona. Other popular items to shop for in Spain are wines and alcohols, olive oil, bullfighting paraphernalia, local t-shirts and hand crafted ceramics. Barcelona, a fashion centre, offers great deals for shoppers along the streets Passeig de Gracia, Las Ramblas and Portal de l'Angel. One should also shop at the cultural capital of southern Spain, Seville, where they are sure to find great souvenirs along Sierpes and Tetuán streets. These streets, along with adjoining areas, are where you can find jewelry store, bookstores and souvenirs store.

Greece: Shopping in Greece presents a great opportunity to collect souvenirs relating to the advent of western civilization. One should look to collect Cycladic sculptures and local hand built pottery. In Athens one can find, among others, great leather items, jewelry and souvenirs at very good prices at markets located at Syntagma Square, Plaka and Monastiraki. Voukourestiou and Mitropoleos streets are also ideal for getting good deals on souvenirs, men’s and women’s fashion and jewelry.

Original Article Written for www.mediterraneanfuncruises.com