Shopping in Moscow

1. 1

   Moscow GUM Department Store

   =In 1819 Catherine II of Russia commissioned Giacomo Quarenghi, a Neoclassical architect from Italy, to design a huge trade centre along the east side of Red Square. The existing structure was built to replace the previous trading rows that had been designed by Joseph Bove after the 1812 Fire of Moscow. Contained more than 1200 shops – once filled with Soviet-era goods of mediocre quality, it is now a mall with international labels and hyper-expensive boutiques. Even if you don't buy anything, it's highly recommended you go inside and look at the architecture. - With the façade extending for 242m along the eastern side of Red Square, the Upper Trading Rows were built between 1890's. The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great 19th-century railway stations of London. - The glass-​roofed design made the building unique at the time of construction. The roof, the diameter of which is 14m, looks light, but it is a firm construction made of more than 50,000 metal pods 743t, capable of supporting snowfall accumulation. Illumination is provided by huge arched skylights of iron and glass, each weighing some 740t and containing in excess of 20,000 panes of glass. The facade is divided into several horizontal tiers, lined with red Finnish granite, Tarusa marble, and limestone. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete.

   Red Square 10:00-22:00 Pricey Website
2. 2

   Detskiy Mir – Children's World

   Has lots of toys but other stores selling books, DVDs, and Peruvian souvenirs. Again, even if you do not buy anything, its worth going to explore this building. Now this building is subject to be closed for "renovation", which will probably kill the remnants of architectural and historical attraction of this building, equalling it to regular malls like Evropeiskiy or MEGA. Nevertheless, "Detskiy Mir" extended its network to almost Soviet-era scales, having outlets of different size (but vast choice of children's goods anyway) in many malls in Moscow and other major cities of Russia.

   Daily 10:00-22:00 Website
3. 3

   GOROD - The City mall

   Huge mall opened in late 2006. Situated in the former territories of Karacharovsky Mechanical Plant, offers standard range of "everything-consumer-needs", including Auchan hypermarket, fastfoods, boutiques, outlets, cinemas, ice-skating etc. Operated by Auchan group. - Consider significant traffic jams caused by the mall itself and intersection with the Third Ring.

   Ryazansky Prospekt (Рязанский просп.), 2 10.00-22.00 Website
4. 4

   Atrium shopping mall

   has a lot of very nice stores that sell anything from cosmetics to world-known clothing brands & there are plenty of Russian fast-food chains, like Kroshka - Kartoshka with their delicious potato dishes, Pelmeshkina and Cheburekos that serve Russian pelmeni, and Rostik's, which is basically a Russian version of McDonalds, although not a very successful one.

   ulitsa Zemlyanoy Val, 33 Website
5. 5

   Petrovsky Passage department store

   Built in 1906. The engineer Vladimir Shukhov, also responsible for the GUM and the Shabolovka tower, designed a covered arcade with two wide three-storey galleries covered with high-pitched semi-cylindrical glass vaulting. The second storeys of opposite galleries are connected by exquisitely designed ferroconcrete catwalks.

   Petrovka Street Very expensive
6. 6

   Moscow TSUM

   Built in 1857 by "Muir & Mirrielees" - a trading company founded by Scottish entrepreneurs. The building was itself a landmark - designed by the famous architect Roman Klein, it was the first store in Moscow with elevators. Today, the store sells more than 400 world brands of anything from apparel to perfume.

   Ul.Petrovka (ул. Петровка),2 M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 11:00-22:00 Website
7. 7

   Izmaylovskiy Market

   Grocery and storage market. But, here can get cheaper souvenirs, although the performing bears at the entrance of the market suggest that it is a tourist trap. Walking out in the middle of a bargaining session will most likely NOT get you the price you want. Instead insults will be hurled towards you.

   Izmaylovskiy Prospekt (Измайловский просп.), 3
8. 8

   IKEA chain, Mega Khimki unit

   – There are more two large Ikea stores in Moscow, all just outside the ring road, and located in large shopping malls ('''MEGA''', also operated by IKEA). They all offer free bright yellow buses from the nearest metro stations. Metro: Lyublino or Kuzminki (South-East), Tyopliy Stan (South).

   Khimki, microraion № 8, building 1 Website
9. 9

   Evropeiskiy shopping mall

   A new opened in 2006. Eight floors of many international brand-name shops e.g. Marks and Spencer, Next, Levi's, Calvin Klein, and Swatch can be found here. There is also a multi screen cinema, food gallery, supermarket, opticians, and probably everything else if you care to look for it.

   Ul. Kievskogo vokzala 2
10. 10

    Tretyakov Drive

    It is a short street with boutiques and shops with many luxury goods and known as one of the most expensive shopping areas in the world. The mediaeval-looking archway onto Theatre Drive was designed in 1871.

    Kitay-gorod
11. 11

    Dorogomilovsky Market

    Even if not buying anything just to see what for sale also a good time spending. There are tables full with fresh produce from green to fish.

    Mozhayski Val. (улица Можайский Вал), 10 10.00-20.00 Website

Travel tips by Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA 3.0). Verify opening hours before visiting.