Shop til you drop

The range and quality of shopping in Gdańsk has vastly improved over the last decade. Where once old-style Hala Targowa (Covered markets) were the main source of everything from food to clothing, the 21st century has seen an explosion in modern, air-conditioned shopping malls. The Tri-city ring road (Obwodnica) has either hypermarkets or shopping malls at most major junctions while the huge developments have sprung up in and around the city. Particular bargains appear to be shoes and electrical goods while it has been widely reported that Swedes buy up a lot of IKEA and building materials here. Recommended places are Madison, which is the only genuine shopping mall in the old town area; Fashion Outlet found outside the city which has a number of major brands selling their goods at knockdown prices and Alfa Centrum up in Przymorze which is the only one to incorporate a cinema and leisure activities on-site. The mother of all of them though is the latest to open – Galeria Bałtycka – which tips the scales at 200 stores and can be found a 10-minute tram ride away in the Wrzeszcz district.