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Luxury retail therapy the best shopping outlets in the world.

Shopping on holiday can be both a luxurious and relaxing activity – if you find the right places. All around the world there are little pockets of retail heaven, which offer the best products as well as the most interesting surroundings. Whether you’re on a girly getaway or a family holiday, a trip to one of the world’s most luxurious shopping malls is an entirely different experience to visiting your local shopping centre, and there are often amusements to be found for everyone.

 

To start with, West Edmonton hall in Edmonton, Canada is more of a theme park than a mere shopping mall. With an adventure golf course, an ice rink, a water park, and Galaxyland, an all round amusement park. So not quite the same as going down to your local market to buy some groceries. A great place for all the family whilst on a Canadian holiday.

 

Harking back to some traditional retail therapy Maxfield, in Los Angeles is a good one for those hard core shoppers. Home to big name labels such as Dolce and Gabbana, Maxfield has become known as a hotspot for the likes of Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes. The building itself, full of clean lines, concrete and glass, may also be deemed architecturally interesting. A stay in Los Angeles might well benefit from a trip to Maxfield.

 

Another American outlet, Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas is great if you want to visit some iconic American stores such as Saks, Macy’s and Bloomingdales. It is an aptly named structure, with a runway for fashion shows, and the architecture is also particularly imposing and rather futuristic, with a large construction called ‘The Cloud’ hovering 128 feet above a plaza on the Las Vegas Strip. This provides shade during the day, and acts as a cinema screen at night.

 

Siam Paragon in Thailand has dubbed itself ‘the pride of Bangkok’, and it certainly does make an impression. Boasting to be the best in Asia, this retail world hosts a huge number of luxury and fashionable brands, as well as a food hall, gourmet market and even a large aquarium, ‘Siam Ocean World’ on the basement level floor.

 

Mall of the Emirates in Dubai was opened in 2005, and it boasts architecture of an impressive nature, with a huge glass dome ceiling. As well as the usual retail stores, a cinema and theatre, the Mall of the Emirates is also home to the Middle East’s first indoor ski slopes, ‘Ski Dubai’. So if you’re planning on visiting Dubai, make this shopping experience- complete with winter wonderland- part of your trip.

 

Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II in Milan was built between 1865 and 1877, and is a truly beautiful structure in itself, regardless of the retail delights it holds. Thisglass domed, nineteenth century arcade is home to an eclectic collection of stores, from the old to the new. As well as containing stores such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, it also holds some of the oldest shops in the city, including an art nouveau bar named 'Zucca's' and the 'Biffi Cafe', created in 1867 by the pastry chef to the royal Paolo Biffi. This shopping centre reflects the history of Milan as well as its progression in the fashion world, and is well worth a look, whether you're planning on shopping or not.

 

So, whether you are a determined shopper or more interested in culture, architecture and amusements whilst on holiday, all around the world there is something on offer in terms of retail attractions - and plenty of places to stay.

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