Best Shopping Streets Beijing

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Updated on 05/20/19

Wangfujing street, Beijing — Nggsc/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-3.0

Forget sightseeing, you could spend a week shopping in Beijing. From frenzied markets stacked on several floors selling everything, cheap clothing and pearls, lovely laid-back alleys full of quaint shops, and international retail, Beijing has it all. Read on for some of our favorites.

01 of 07

Panjiayuan Antiques Market

Beijing Antique Market (Panjiayuan Flea Market) — Anagoria/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-3.0

Address

VFG4+4J2, Hua Wei Lu, Chao Yang Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100164

Description: Everything you've ever dreamed of owning from China and more.
Address: Panjiayuan Market (潘家园旧货) is in the southeast corner of the Third Ring Road, just east of Longtan Park. In Chinese: 潘家园桥西.
Comments: Life-sized terracotta warriors? A scorpion encased in clear plastic and made into a keychain (or lovely pendant)? Seven-foot blue and white porcelain vase? They have it all as well as things you'd actually bring home (though kids love those scorpions). From pearls and beads to old Peking Opera costumes, this place is a treasure trove.

02 of 07

Liulichang Street

Wooden and paper souvenir figures on sale at a shop in a street in Liulichang, Peking, China. — Colin McPherson/Corbis/Getty Images

Address

Liu Li Chang Dong Jie, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100031

Description: Another quaint outdoor alley full of shops in an old neighborhood.
Address: Liulichang Street near Nanxinhua Street. Liulichang (“lyoh lee chahng”) market is near the Hepingmen Peace Gate “heh ping muhn why dah jee-ay”. Here’s the address in Chinese: 琉璃厂文化大街, 和平门外大街.
Comments: Similar in nature to Yandai Xiejie, Liulichang is a street chockablock with curio, books, tea and antique shops. An area where scholars and academics liked to congregate in Ming times, the shops are filled with related objects such as calligraphy scrolls, ink stones, Chinese brush art and old books. Famous shops include Rongbaozhai, Qingmige, China Bookshop and Haiwangcun.

03 of 07

Nan Luo Gu Xiang

View down Nanluoguxiang in 2011. — Dimitris Argyris/Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/CC-BY-2.0

Address

Nan Luo Gu Xiang, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100009

Description: Hip alley full of backpacker cafes, great eats, and unique shops.
Address: Address: Nan Luo Gu Xiang near Gu Lou Dong Da Jie. Here's the address in Chinese 南锣鼓巷.
Comments: This has been a very nice recent discovery. A pedestrian alley, this is a hip sister to Liulichang. There are cafes with open-air seating, cool restaurants, and some very funky shops to find great souvenirs for back home.

04 of 07

Sanlitun Village Shops

Beijing Sanlitun at night — DuKai photographer/Getty Images

Address

Sanlitun, Chaoyang, Beijing, China, 100027

Description: Modern development full of international name-brands.
Address: Courtyard 19, Sanlitun Road, Sanlitun Area. Chinese address: 三里屯路19号院，城市宾馆北面.
Comments: If you're looking for Chinese curios, then there's no reason to visit the Village. The Village comprises lots of familiar brands such as Adidas' flagship store as well as Apple's. Do go to see what your favorite stores back home have in the Chinese market.

Continue to 5 of 7 below.

05 of 07

Hong Qiao Pearl Market

Hong Qiao Pearl Market — stephenrwalli/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

Address

Hongmei Lu 3721, 长宁区 China, 201103

Phone +86 21 6262 6588

Web Visit website

Description: THE place to buy pearls in Beijing. But lots of other goodies to make it fun for everyone, not just Mom.
Address: Near the Temple of Heaven, Hongqiao Market (红桥市场) or “hong chow sheh chahng” is located at 36 Tiantan Donglu, Chongwen. In Chinese: 天坛东路36号.
Comments: Choose your floor based on what you want: the ground floor has watches, mobile phones, sunglasses and more. Fake? Yes! Whatever you do, don’t believe them. Nothing is real, so get ready to bargain hard. The second floor is all clothes, stall after stall of fake jackets, shoes, and bags. It’s cheap but you should check quality. The top floor is your pearl heaven. Go crazy, but find out how to buy pearls before you try your hand at bargaining to find the best deal.

06 of 07

Yandai Xiejie (Old Pipe Street)

West entrance of Yandai Xiejie Street — そらみみ/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-4.0

Address

Yan Dai Xie Jie, Xi Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China

Description: Outdoor alley shopping in an old neighborhood.
Address: Yandai Xiejie (烟袋斜街) near Houhai. (“Yandai Xiejie” is actually the name of the street and folks will know what you’re talking about.) Pronounced “yan die shee-ay jee-ay”. The address in Chinese is 烟袋斜街.
Comments: This street was originally the site of long-stemmed pipe vendors (thus the name). Located in an 800-year old hutong neighborhood that hasn’t been bulldozed for the Olympics or otherwise, you can get a feel for an ancient neighborhood while browsing through antiquities, minority shops and a, t galleries. There are plenty of cafés and bars to assist you should you need refreshment.

07 of 07

Xiushui (Silk Street Market)

Chinese silk fabrics — JayKay57 / Getty Images

Address

Xiu Shui Dong Jie, Chao Yang Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100020

Description: Shopping mall crammed with stalls selling cheap knock-offs, toys and Chinese crap.
Address: 8 Xiushui Dongjie, Jianguomen. In Chinese: 建国门秀水东街8号.
Comments: If you are looking for a relaxed, browsing-type shopping experience, DON'T GO THERE. This is dog-eat-dog survival-of-the-fittest type shopping. Hawkers will lure you in and will drive hard bargains. Keep your wallet safe from pickpockets. If you're after knock-offs, cheap clothes, toys (3F), and other Chinese crap, then this is it. You'll come out loaded down but keep your wits about you and bargain hard!

Best Shopping Streets Beijing