London

Burlington Arcade is an historic place. It was supposedly Britain's first shopping Arcade, opened in 1819. It takes the form of an indoor shopping street and one has to say that it is a beautiful and elegant setting in which to make your purchases. I first went there as a small boy with my Great aunt who would always pop in to look at the antique jewellery.

Many of the shops offer all kinds of luxurious goods designed by expert craftsmen and the service tends to be first class with plenty of specialist knowledge on offer. There is a wide range of goods available including exotic antiques, the finest cashmere, Victorian watches, delicate perfumes and leather goods of the finest quality.

Personally I would recommend a visit to Map World and the Old London Gallery where you can purchase framed 16th - 19th century antique maps depicting different parts of the world. Other interesting outlets include Royal Selangor, the worlds largest pewter manufacturer, Hancocks finest period jewellery & silverware and the splendid Antique Enamel Company that offers a range of 18th and 19th century antiques including rare pieces by Fabergé.

I would recommend a visit during the week as on Saturdays it can be really busy and you usually find some German tourist standing in your way. Even if you only intend to go window shopping, this would be a worthy place to venture.