Shopping
The political transformations of 1989 were quickly reflected in the hundreds of new shops that sprang up all over Warsaw. Since then, shops have come and gone with surprising regularity, but there are some that have withstood the test of time. There are also licensed and illegal street vendors that offer wares ranging from cloth napkins, wooden sculptures, cookings pots and freshly picked mushrooms. The main shopping streets are the restored ulica Chmielna, elegant Nowy Swiat, ulica Marszalkowska and aleje Jerozolimskie. Shopping arcades, both in and outside of the city centre, have become very popular, including Galeria Centrum, ulica Marszalkowska 104/122 (website: www.galeriacentrum.com), and the newest and biggest shopping oasis in Warsaw, Arkadia, aleja Jana Pawla II 82 (website: www.arkadia.com.pl). These malls have both national and internationally known brands including H&M, Levi’s and Zara, and often house cinemas and restaurants.
Probably the best spot in Warsaw for souvenir hunting is in the Old Town, among the colourful façades and artists’ stalls. The Cepelia stores are also worth a visit for Polish handicrafts such as lace, dolls, amber and silver jewellery and leather goods. To pick up some wonderful Boleslawiec pottery, visit the outlet on ulica Prosta 2/14 (tel: (022) 624 8408).
Europe’s largest flea market (in the Praga district next to the Poniatowskiego Bridge) runs the entire circumference of Dziesieciolecia Stadium (the former national stadium). The variety of goods on offer is enormous, ranging from air guns and fur coats to (illegal) CDs, leather goods and trinkets from the former Soviet Union. It is worth visiting for the experience as much as for the goods on sale. There are also delicious refreshments on sale in little covered booths. Petty crime is rampant at the market, so care should be taken with all possessions and ostentatious displays of wealth avoided. The market opens at approximately 0600 daily (for the best buys, it is advisable for bargain hunters to arrive early) and begins to wind down at noon.
Shops are generally open Monday to Friday 1000/1100-1800/2000 and Saturday 1000-1300/1600. In the past five years, 30 shopping centres and hypermarkets of all the major European chains have opened in Warsaw. Often open seven days a week, these are the best places to stock up on Polish staples – such as pickled herring, preserved meats and, last but not least, vodka. VAT is applied at rates of 3%, 7% and 22%, depending on the goods or services bought. Tax-free shopping is available to nonresidents of the EU if a minimum of ZL200 is spent in one transaction at participating outlets that will issue Global Refund Cheques. Cash refunds are given out at airports on presentation of the tax free documents (website: www.globalrefund.com).
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