St. Petersburg has a growing number of stores offering a variety of goods and services including everything from hand-made arts, crafts, and souvenirs to fresh fruits and vegetables. Shopping along the city's festive main thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospekt makes you feel more like a native Piterbyrzhets (Petersburger), and offers the best variety of stores in the city. Bolshoi Prospekt on Vasilyevsky Island also offers a comparatively good selection of stores.
Many stores accept credit cards, and all stores accept only rubles that you can buy at a number of conveniently located currency exchange points (obmenni punkti) throughout the city. You're likely to get the best exchange rates on Nevsky Prospekt, but be sure to bring along your passport. Without a passport you can not change money. Most obmenni punkti charge about 50 cents to change money.
Finally, before you do your shopping, have a look our handy list of stores, markets and galleries and plan you're shopping destinations to save time and money. Good Luck!
 | | Art & Antiques - Largely because the city was the capital of a vast empire, and has two prestigous art academies, it is endowed with a number of galleries and antique stores where you can find rare antiques or an original artwork by a number of talented artists ... |
 | | Bookstores - Whether you are looking for collector's editions of Russian literature or contemporary paperbacks in English and other foreign languages, you'll have a good selection of books to choose from in St. Petersburg's bookstores. Click here for more information. |
 | | Department Stores - You'll find a variety of goods and services at the city's department stores. Like any other major city, St. Petersburg has items from Russia, Europe, and around the world which decorate its store shelves. Click here to find out more. |
 | | Grocery Markets - Want to save money on food and other items, and see how most Russians shop? Visit a bustling open-air grocery market, where you can find fresh fruit and produce, and a variety of other items. Click here for a listing of grocery markets in the city. |
 | | Souvenir & Gift Stores - Find a gift for a friend at one of the many souvenir stores in town where you can find everything from an original painting by a talented local artist or traditional Russian gifts of Khokhloma, Dzhel, amber, and much more. |
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