One vicarious thrill that endures over time as a tourist is when we first visit a foreign street or district completely out of our price range. We know on instinct that a look in the shops is futile and utterly pointless – no sales rack here – yet out of sheer curiosity, we venture in.
From the designer boutiques to the restaurants to the real estate, there are some streets that are so posh, so chic and so luxurious that we just want to soak up the atmosphere. To say “I was there” is sometimes enough. These streets in Europe, unlike the U2 anthem, certainly do have names. Names that resonate across the globe and elicit more than a modicum of excitement.
By far the most famous and infamous street in Paris for that matter, the Champs ?lys?es is one of the major destinations in the city. Tourists who can barely afford a belt at the tony shops simply come to stroll and perhaps enjoy a leisurely sip of coffee on one of the outdoor patios. Rents here are astronomical and the prices certainly reflect that. Tenants of even small boutiques need to clear well over a million dollars a year if they want to stick around.
One of the main streets of note in London – Westminster to be specific – Oxford is the most frantic commercial strip in Europe. The street has over 300 shops alone and on a busy weekend, the crowds are enough to induce claustrophobia. Oxford is rather scenic however, with none other than Hyde Park in full view. If on a tight budget, the view is all you may be able to enjoy.
If ever there was evidence to suggest that London may be the most fashionable city in the world, at least as a tourist destination, Bond Street is it. The historic home of top art dealers and antique shops, as well as Sotheby’s auction house, the street now caters to more modern and upmarket tastes. Consequently, all the top designer houses can be found here.
Is there any doubt that London is the most expensive city in the world? Covent Garden is a district within Westminster where shops, performers and entertainment are rife. The Royal Opera house can be found here, along with a night market chock full of delicious treats. Numerous tube stations service the area and make it one of the most accessible in London.
To say that Brompton Road is within a wealthy London neighborhood is a major understatement. This is after all, the area where the Chelsea Football Club resides and as everyone knows, the team is not exactly popular with the labour class. Still, even if your wallet is light, the swish hotels and Michelin-worthy restaurants are worth a stroll by. The main destination here however, is Harrods department store.
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It may not elicit the awe of other main drags in Paris or London, but what it likes in size Faubourg Saint-Honor? more than makes up for in class. With a quaint and elegant architectural charm, the street has managed to lure the best designers and fashion houses in the world over the years. Herm?s may have been influential. The brand has a flagship store here, which tells you what you need to know about the prices on Faubourg Saint-Honor?.
As the Irish economy has gone into overdrive, so have prices and commercial real estate in Dublin. Still one of the most beautiful towns in the world, Grafton is one of the main drags in the city of James Joyce. A pedestrian street for the most part, many Dublin landmarks reside within the vicinity of Grafton, in addition to ritzy shops.
At over 2.5 km long, Boulevard Haussmann is one of the most impressive streets in Paris. Home to major department stores with chic shops and prices you would expect for luxury goods in Paris, the street nonetheless offers great views of the city. You can also take comfort in the fact that when Marcel Proust, the great French writer, lived on Haussmann, he was on a tight budget as well.
The most expensive city in Germany has perhaps the most exclusive street in Kaufingerstrasse. The beauty of the strasse? No cars. Not a single Volkswagen or Audi in sight. In addition to boutiques and major department stores, Kaufinger also boasts many historical sites as well, such as the Gothic Church of Our Lady.
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Tverskaya street in Moscow, the incessant new kid in the most expensive city club, is old. 12th century old. Yet to the dismay of purists, the street has become the symbol of new, capitalist Russia. Swanky hotels and ultra-luxe shops now line the historic boulevard, popularly known as Gorky Street for decades. If you want a peek into how far Moscow and indeed Russia has come since the fall of the Soviet Union and Communist rule, check out Tverskaya. Bring your credit cards.
Wow, amazing photos there. I’m going to London in November so looking forward to not being able to buy anything while I’m over there now.
Also a mention should be given to some of the streets in Cannes. I was there a couple of years ago and the prices for shoes and handbags was never less than 1000Euros and often considerably higher.
Istanbul’s Abdi Ipekci Street is also one of the most expensive and sophisticated streets of Europe.. What a big negligence on the list!
I lived for almost 2 years in Dublin and I had to laugh when I saw that the Grafton streets is amongst the most expensive streets in Europe – kind of ridiculous since the street is super small….