The charm of shopping on a street is a far cry from the mall-trawling experience. We bring you our ten favourite shopping streets across the globe.Champs-Æ?lysÅes, ParisIt really doesn’t get much prettier than the gorgeous Champs-Æ?lysÅes in Paris. Starting at the Arc de Triomphe, it runs a stretch of about two kilometres up to the Place de la Concorde and is flanked by trees on both sides.The Champs has come a long way since its days as mere fields, to its current status as the ‘it’ street for all things luxe. The must-see flagship store of Louis Vuitton that opened after remodelling in 2005 is one of many French brands on the avenue. Not too far away from the main avenue is the very chic Le Printemps, a grand magasins for men, women, beauty and home products.Shopping aside, the boutiques are a world away from the mall-trawling experience and are artistic and aesthetic feats embodying the Parisian penchant for luxury.Al fresco dining on a glorious sunny day, sipping a glass of wine, after hours spent shopping in Hermes, House of Guerlain, and car-spotting in the Mercedes, Renault or Peugeot showrooms, is the perfect end to a satisfying shopping spree.Ginza, TokyoSony’s fortunes may not be as high as during the giddy days of the 80s, prompting gadget geeks to give its famous building a miss. Anyway, its location is still prime. Plonked in the glitzy and hip Ginza district of the Japanese capital, the free Playstation games are still a way to keep the children busy, while adults browse the store or chill out in one of the building’s Hi-Vision theatres.Ginza is Tokyo’s high-end shopping district. Long before the US$ 100,000 per square metre days, it was the site of the Japanese silver coin mint. Its modern-day avatar as a popular shopping destination began after the city was hit by a rather powerful earthquake.All the famous Japanese department stores-Matsuzakaya, Mitsukoshi and others-comfortably compete for attention. Ginza has developed into a thriving hub combining the shopping with a kabuki theatre, art galleries, entertainment, restaurants and cafes. From the US$ 10 cup of coffee to every known luxury brand on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.Grafton Street, DublinIt’s quite unlikely that Dublin attracts tourists for its shopping. However, since the Irish capital has shrugged off its stereotypical images ranging from shamrocks to U2 to emerge as a throbbing multi-cultural European city, it has attracted large volumes of tourists. Drinks, picture-postcard-perfect scenery and that warm Irish spirit are alive and well.Grafton Street is the smart pedestrian shopping area. Located between Trinity College and St Stephen’s Green, a walk along Grafton is much fun with a break at the Bewley’s Cafe, where James Joyce was a regular and standing by to hear the street musicians-no U2s in the making-as they churn out covers of Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens. The stretch is not particularly long, with an average walk-time of about 10 minutes. But it’s never that short as the street is home to stores such as Marks and Spencer’s, Brown Thomas (a department store with designer labels), HMV for an impressive music collection, book stores Hughes & Hughes and The Dublin Bookshop and even Dublin’s most exclusive jewellers, Weirs.Janpath, New DelhiNot far away from the magnificent colonial reminder, the Imperial Hotel, is the capital’s shopping heaven for tourists. Bargaining skills are always a plus in India and more so in Janpath, which stocks the must-take-back Indian memorabilia in plenty.Bronzes, brass, blingy textiles with loads of mirrorwork, Oms, Buddhas, slippers, bags, trinkets, T-shirts brazenly grace the surface. It’s easy to be worn out by the friendly salesmen trying to outdo your bargain pitches. Don’t be deterred, though as Janpath is amply kitted out with a number of cafes and Indian fast food restaurants.It is far from the world of malls and designer labels, but is an authentic bazaar with kiosks selling millions of handicrafts and artefacts. True gems can be found among the many objects, but a lot of patience and haggling is in order. Nevertheless, it’s a shopping experience unlike any other in the world.Las Ramblas, BarcelonaIn feisty Barcelona, where Gaudi stirs up passions, Las Ramblas is the first shopping stop for tourists. Pedestrians step over Joan Miro–well one of the artist’s creations anyway-as they soak in Catalan sounds and soul complete with human statue art, artist’s corners, and beautifully designed buildings sporting colourful facades.The shopping along Las Ramblas is all about ambience and atmosphere. Shops and restaurants line the entire length of Las Ramblas, but the increasing popularity, especially with tourists has resulted in a steep rise in prices. It is the city’s most vibrant and lively site offering an excellent introduction to Barcelona action and the city’s vibe.The Mercat de la Boquria is a lovely market particularly during the summer months, when fresh fruit and vegetables set the pace for colourful market activity.New Bond Street, LondonEarlier this year, New Bond Street in London’s Mayfair shot past the British capital’s Oxford Street as the most expensive retail street in the UK. The who’s who in luxury retail such as Armani, Chanel, Bvlgari, Asprey, Burberry, Pringle of Scotland, Gucci, Chopard, Cartier, Jimmy Choo, Jil Sander and Mulberry-just to name drop a bit-are all out here. The street is also supposed to have the most number of Royal Warrant holders-suppliers to the British royal family-in London.The historic association of Bond Street with leading auction houses and art dealers continues, albeit in a slightly tempered form. Bond Streets–both old and new-are a good site to throw in celebrity spotting while indulging in gratifying retail therapy among the world’s most exclusive brands. Smart and elegantly turned out boutiques and the high-end department store, Fenwick, make for a most productive day of raising the international style quotients in that most cosmopolitan of all cities.Orchard Road, SingaporeOrchard Road is very popular with the local residents and tourists alike-making it ever-busy-but in that organised and clean manner it has become synonymous with Singapore.With pedestrian malls, cafes, nightclubs, hotels and upmarket restaurants, it is also where the Istana or the official residence of the President of Singapore is located.In terms of size, Ngee Ann City is the largest mall on the road. Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Books Kinokuniya, the second-largest bookstore in Southeast Asia are all within the mall.Other popular malls and shopping centres include: Heeren, which is aimed at younger hipper customers has a multi-level HMV store and local designer outlets; Centrepoint, which is one of the locals’ favourites, is home to the Robinsons department store, and not to forget, Paragon, Singapore’s centre for all things upmarket, nice and expensive. Read Givenchy, Versace, Jean-Paul Gaultier and YSL.Pitt Street Mall, SydneyNo relation whatsoever to the Hollywood hunk, the Pitt Street Mall is the pedestrian-friendly zone of Pitt Street and is Sydney’s best known shopping destination.It is basically one block, but hosts flagship chain stores and has concentrated more than 500 specialty shops within two of Sydney’s blocks. A major area of the street is taken up by the likes of Westfield Centrepoint, Glasshouse, Imperial Arcade, Skygarden, Mid City Centre and the Strande Arcade.The atmosphere is always vibrant with the presence of street performers and musicians providing live entertainment. Like other international shopping developments, the Pitt Street Mall also hosts a large variety of restaurants and cafes offering an impressive choice for taking a pit-stop during shopping sprees.Rodeo Drive, LAIt’s oh-so-easy to spend literally, hours, at Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive. And not have a single bag to one’s credit. Star gazing, people watching are perfectly accepted and time-honoured traditions for tourists.For sea-soned jet-setting shoppers though, the stores and shopping present an entirely different story altogether. The best time to do Rodeo Drive, really is December, when the Christmas festivities are in full swing. However, the actual breadth of shopping is limited to a mere three blocks. Barring the movie-set-styled Via Rodeo, the street is minimalist in decor with the who’s who of retail operating out of single-storey shop fronts.Hollywood staples such as Armani, Chanel, Gucci, Harry Winston, Tiffany and Cartier have a presence as do a number of couturiers, where a prior appointment is mandatory. Around Rodeo Drive are the American department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nieman Marcus as are streets filled with upmarket fashion outlets extending the shopping expeditions to much more than the original intended time.Via Monte Napoleone, MilanThe rivalry between Milan and Paris for title of Europe’s top fashion capital is legendary. Driven by finance, football and fashion, it’s easy to get lost in Milan with La Dolce Vita and of course, Dolce and Gabbana, among many other iconic and chic designer labels.When in Milan, it’s hard to miss the Via Monte Napoleone or Montenapo, as the Milanese say. It can safely be said the Montenapo and its surrounding streets have the highest concentration of luxury fashion-Italian and foreign-furniture stores, and antique dealers.Armani, Brioni, FerrÅ, Missoni, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino and Versace, occupy prominent positions of glory and pride. Dotting the street are also boutiques stocking upcoming labels, concept stores, and every bargain-hunter’s dream–discount stores selling samples, seconds and the previous season’s cast-offs.advertisementadvertisementadvertisement 10 more…Streets that are hotspots for bargains from chic to cheap.Club Street, Singapore: Formerly the hub of Chinese community clubs, the hip street is now popular for its extensive choice of wining and dining outlets and vibrant nightlife. From shops selling pop art prints to frivolous baubles, this is the place for funky buys. As they say, Club Street is where you can truly satisfy your style cravings.Oxford Street, Sydney: No relation to London’s Oxford Street, but as popular. Come here for a selection of stunning local and international design boutiques, special lifestyle products, homeware and exclusive accessories. Take a stroll down Oxford Street, one of Sydney’s most elegant. It is packed with cafes, nightclubs and has some of the best restaurants in the city.Kalverstraat, Amsterdam: Loads of shopping–mainstream and high end brands to charming Amsterdam gift stores–all lead to the Flower Market at the end of the street. The highlight of this street is the profusion of bookstores; Waterstone’s and De Slegte are the biggest names in that league. It is near famous sites such as Madame Tussaud’s and the Royal Palace.Knightsbridge, London: Harrods, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik and Harvey Nichols. There’s little else that needs to be said about this shopping mecca, which draws everyone–from serious spenders to camera-toting tourists. The true blue English tearooms around the street deserve special mention as do their unbeatable scones and clotted cream.Linking Road, Mumbai: Fun mix of street stalls selling fashion–bizarre to bohemian–and regular department stores. That’s Bandra’s Linking Road in a nutshell. There’s hardly anyone who has returned without pairs of smart, strappy sandals from the long row of shoe stalls on Linking Road. Cloth jholas and leather chain bags are the other some of the things you must buy at Linking Road.Nanjing Road, Shanghai: Claims to be world’s longest shopping streets-6 km–and certainly the world’s busiest. It boasts an open market for digital media and electronics and some of Shanghai’s oldest department stores.Newbury Street, Boston: High-end labels on one end, free-spirited independent stores (Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Armani, Donna Karan, Burberry, Cartier, Loro Piana, Kate Spade, Bang & Olufsen, Valentino and Marc Jacobs) on the other as well as loads of gorgeous renovated brownstone buildings throughout. That is Boston’s most popular shopping street for you.Oxford Street, London: The famous Christmas Lights made everyone want to go to Oxford Street. Running from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road, it is one and a half miles of retail paradise. Must-stops include luxury department store Selfridges and the four-storey Top Shop. A short distance from Carnaby Street and Soho, the street even has its own website: www.oxfordstreet.co.ukPetaling Street, Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s original Chinatown has been refurbished and spruced up. Complete with noise and crowds, it’s best enjoyed at night time. Be prepared to sift through jostling crowds to take a peek at the fake watches, wallets and clothing available at rock bottom prices. Don’t leave without tasting some noodle soup from the stalls in the area.Sendlingerstrae, Munich: The Little Italy of Munich, this fashionable street, for reasons unknown, sells everything Italian-clothing, shoes and jewellery–in the vibrant German city. The restaurants around the street guarantee many foodie breaks. The Christmas Market here is one of the most colourful in all of Europe.Plus saysJanpath is a great place for people-watching. Most of the time you can spot backpackers and hip youngsters and haggling with shopkeepers. After the shopping spree, eat at any of the restaurants in Connaught Place.Plus saysPitt Street Mall in Sydney is all set for a posh revamp. The shopping strip will get a new paved path, seating and lovely blue lights are going to be installed near the water fountains in the area. read more