Shopping in the Czech Republic is called one of the reasons why many tourists come to this country. Almost all global brands and chain stores are represented here, and prices are slightly lower than in other European countries. People flock here for clothes, local beer, jewelry, cosmetics and Czech hand-made products. To save precious time on shopping trips in search of souvenirs and gifts, you should find out in advance what and where is the best to buy.
The Czech Republic is located in the central part of Europe, so shopping here promises to be not only exciting, but also quite profitable. A variety of goods, affordable prices, a large selection of authentic products - all this pleases the eye of shopaholics and those who just want to take away something as a souvenir.
But before you go shopping, it will be useful to find out how the stores work:
- weekdays - 9.00-18.00, in big cities until 21.00;
- Saturday from 9.00 to 13.00;
- the break most often falls on the interval from 12.00 to 13.00;
- large supermarkets are open every day until 22.00, many supermarkets - around the clock;
- Sunday is a day off.
Grocery stores open at 6 am and work until 6 pm, on Saturday the working day ends at 12 noon.
The best currency to take with you is euros, and already in the Czech Republic, change them to crowns. There are many exchange offices, the rate is not too different from the Russian one.
Sale seasons
Profitable purchases can be made if you find yourself in the Czech Republic during the period of discounts and sales. You can find out that the goods are sold at attractive prices by looking at the Sleva sign or by the% sign in the shop windows. At this time, you can buy things you are interested in 50-70% cheaper.
For those looking to save money, the 2021 sales dates will come in handy. Typically, these seasons are held four times during the year:
- after Christmas (from December 26);
- from mid-January to early February;
- from late April to mid-May;
- from mid-July to late August.
Sometimes "lucky days" fall at the beginning of October.
The exact time of sales is never set - each store decides for itself when the discounts begin. The duration of sales and pricing is usually dictated by the competition in one area or another.
Some malls announce sales regardless of the season.
You can buy everything cheaply during this period, from jewelry to fur coats and household appliances. Even supermarkets are trying to sell goods that are already on the shelves at very favorable prices for buyers.
What can you bring from the Czech Republic
To choose the right souvenirs, you need to know what the Czech state is famous for:
- crystal and glass are key export commodities. The greatest demand is for the products of the Moser plant, founded more than 150 years ago. Glasses or decor items in a modern or classic style will be an excellent gift;
- porcelain - the Thun 1794 onion-pattern items produced in Karlovy Vary are in great demand;
- beer mugs and glasses - they are presented in a wide variety: made of porcelain, glass, ceramics, with or without a lid, small and large;
- jewelry with garnet. This deep red stone is famous all over the world and is renowned for its exceptional purity. Its size does not exceed 5 mm, and its weight is no more than 8 grams. The largest manufacturer of garnet products is Granat Turnov. However, when choosing a gift, one should be wary of forgeries brought here from Asia;
- costume jewelry - its production is a centuries-old tradition in the Czech Republic. Jablonex products are in special demand;
- alcoholic drinks - most of all foreigners are interested in "Becherovka" or certain types of absinthe, produced only in the Czech Republic.
The best place to buy clothes and footwear is in Prague - the shops of the world's most famous manufacturers are concentrated here.
Cosmetics made on the basis of beer, wine and hemp deserve special attention. In Karlovy Vary, it is worth buying cosmetics based on mineral ingredients. The most popular brands include Ryor, Saloos, Botanicus, Manufaktura.
From products you can bring beer, horse meat sausage and various game. From sweet we can recommend "platki" - waffles, which are made by local confectioners by hand.
At the spa resorts (Marianske Lazne, Karlovy Vary and others) you can stock up on thermal salt and special cups that are used to drink medicinal water.
The larger the settlement, the more shops, supermarkets and trade centers there are. A short tour of the most popular retail outlets in some Czech cities will help you plan your shopping trip.
Shopping in Prague
The popularity of the Czech capital is due to the opportunity to combine walks in the old city with shopping. Shopping in Prague is very convenient due to the well-planned location of shopping centers and brand boutiques.
The competition between representatives of the trade sphere is extremely high today. This means that a variety of products can satisfy even the most discerning customer.
In total, there are about 10 outlets in Prague and the same number of shopping and entertainment centers. Connoisseurs of good clothes should start shopping in Prague from the city center - from Wenceslas Square and Na Prikope Street.
Must-sees:
- Palladium shopping center - there are almost 200 shops of footwear, clothing and jewelry. It also houses the largest seafood store in the Czech capital, Seafoodshop. If you like quieter places, then choose the shopping center "Kotva", which is on Republic Square;
- Parizskaya Street is the place where boutiques of all the world's most famous fashion brands are located. This is a real piece of Paris, harmoniously located on one of the ancient streets of Prague;
- Fashion Arena Outlet Center - unites 101 shops under its roof. Here, buyers can purchase footwear, clothing, accessories, perfumes, and goods for children at competitive prices. If you plan to go around the entire outlet, you will have to allocate 3 or 4 free days, since it will not be possible to do this in 1 visit due to its huge size;
- TC Novy Smichov - offers a large selection of pastries, meat, fish and sweets. Small boutiques of industrial goods are also located here. The center is open from 7 am to midnight.
The Prague markets - Havelsky and Holesovitsky - deserve special attention. Here you can buy farm goods, inexpensive clothes, antiques, just interesting things.
Christmas markets in the Czech capital are very popular with visitors. The largest of them are located on Wenceslas and Old Town squares.
Brno shops
Brno cannot be called the center of trade in the Czech Republic. But if you have to find yourself there, you will not experience the disappointment of the local shops. Three large supermarkets await gourmets: Billa, Paneria, Interspar.
But to get to know Moravia better, you can go to the Zelný trh market, which is 400 meters from the central part of the city - Freedom Square.
From shopping centers in Brno, you should pay attention to the following:
- Olympia - fashionable clothing and footwear stores, Albert grocery market, cinema, bowling center are located here;
- Galerie Vankovka - a large shopping center, a place where brand boutiques with a worldwide reputation are concentrated;
- Maly Shpalichek is a small trade center located near the Vegetable Market. Four of its buildings are built in the Renaissance and Gothic style.
- Avion Shopping Park is one of the three shopping centers of the chain (the other two are located in Ostrava and Prague).
Another must-see is the Blesitrhy flea market. You can come here every second Saturday of the month, except for July and August.Here you can buy antique jewelry, Bohemian glass from earlier years, antiques.
Where to go shopping in Karlovy Vary
Taking into account the great demand for the local health resorts, the infrastructure of Karlovy Vary was built in such a way that vacationers could buy gifts and souvenirs without leaving it.
Particular attention should be paid to locally produced goods. For example, in the Moser store you can buy crystal, which is produced at the factory of the same name, and in the Thun store you can find a huge selection of tableware from local craftsmen.
Shopping in Karlovy Vary is characterized by the absence of large shopping centers. Tesco is considered one of the largest. Under its roof there are about 30 shops of perfumery, footwear and clothing, accessories. And the Varyada shopping center is famous for its large leather goods store, which is produced in this region.
All other outlets are small shops, most often a family business, passed down from generation to generation for many centuries. What to visit:
- Royal Gold Jewelery - here you can buy items with the famous Czech garnet framed in silver or gold;
- Madonna - specializes in crystal and glass gifts, including lamps, chandeliers;
- Bata - a shoe and clothing store, especially popular with young people;
- KON is a place where you can buy leather and fur products.
Of the cosmetics, the products worthy of attention here, the production of which is based on the unique natural resources of the region. Thermal salt, which has been prescribed to patients since the 17th century, will be an excellent gift.
Other cities
Wherever you have to come to the Czech Republic, in every locality there is always something to buy as a memory of this country:
- in Olomouc it is best to buy souvenirs in the area of concentration of historical monuments. The local attraction is Olomouc curds - a dietary product without preservatives, made from sour low-fat cottage cheese. The history of the recipe dates back to the distant 1876. Among the shopping centers, Centrum Hana and Olomouc City deserve attention;
- Pilsen is the fourth largest city in the country, located in the western part of the country. It is a brewery town with antique shops, trendy boutiques and Bohemian glass shops. Large centers are located mainly on the outskirts. Shopaholics will be interested in promotions for clothes in Plze, which delight with their prices;
- Cesky Krumlov is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Here you should buy a beer mug and a magnet with the symbols of the local Eggenberg beer. There are a lot of museums in the city, and in each of them you can find a souvenir shop. For example, in the Puppet Museum, you can choose a doll as a gift. But the symbol of the city - a bear cub - can be purchased at a specialized shop located on the Lazebnicky most bridge.
How to organize your trip
To be able to buy popular brands of the Czech Republic, as well as goods from global manufacturers, you need to be well prepared for the trip. This can be done in two ways:
- with the help of an intermediary firm;
- on one's own.
In the first case, the company will select a suitable shopping tour based on your requests and wishes. Usually the route includes only trade points and does not imply acquaintance with historical monuments. Most often, the list includes outlets located in the suburbs. In this case, the mediator takes care of travel and accommodation issues.
The format of the trip is a bus tour lasting 4-5 days.
Tips for those who want to start organizing the trip on their own:
- write a list of what you want to buy in the Czech Republic;
- specify where is the best place to buy these products;
- make a route;
- book hotels in those cities where you will have to stay for more than 1 day;
- decide on the method of travel if you do not plan to drive your car;
- order a visa.
Visa permission should be requested from the Czech consulate in your home country. A regular short-term tourist visa of category C will do. If your passport contains a Schengen visa, which has already been used to enter Europe, you can use it.
Tax-free registration
Tax free is a system for refunding money that the buyer has paid as VAT. This option is not available for the following products:
- weapon;
- precious stones, if they are transported separately from jewelry;
- transport;
- products purchased from online stores.
The purchase amount for a refund must not be less than 2001 kroons in one check (approximately 78 euros).
You can get a document for registration of a tax-free only in those stores where you will see a Global Plus Tax Free or Premier Tax Free sticker in the window or near the cash register.
The store employee should give you a form indicating the amount of the refund. It is very important to keep the tags and packaging on the goods. You can issue a refund of the money spent at the airport at special counters. You need to have your purchases with receipts, a passport with a visa and a request form issued in the store.
FAQ
What can be bought cheaper in the Czech Republic than in Russia?
Almost everything, if you come here during the season of discounts, which sometimes reach 70%. Clothes, interior items, and souvenirs can be a profitable purchase. The peak "fall price" in this country falls on Christmas. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Economy, 80% of the annual profit Czech stores receive during this period. The prices for cosmetics and perfumes, which are also distinguished by their quality, will be especially pleased.
Are things more expensive or cheaper in Berlin than in Prague?
You can buy branded clothes in the Czech capital for less money than in Germany. However, it should be borne in mind that the difference will be negligible, and the choice of brands is not as wide as in Western Europe. But locally produced goods and an assortment of inexpensive chain stores always delight the eyes of Russian shopaholics.
Where can you order garnet earrings?
If you do not know where to order pomegranate earrings, look for the branded shops of the Turnovo factory. There are 7 such outlets in the country, and you can recognize them by the Granat sign. Not every city has such a store, but this does not mean at all that you cannot buy these jewelry there. So, in Karlovy Vary, products with pomegranate can be purchased in the Atrium shopping center, in Plzen - in the Plzen Plaza shopping center.
What can you buy for 1000 CZK in the Czech Republic?
There can be quite a few options. For example, the cheapest Czech porcelain set "Madonna" will cost just 1000 CZK. Single meals or tureens - 300-400 CZK.
Prices for gold and silver items start at 50 euros. For one thousand crowns, you can afford jewelry made from the famous Czech garnet. On sales for this money, you can buy branded models of shoes, Levi's jeans. You can also replenish your cosmetics stocks, which will cost 12-80 CZK per unit (depending on the brand and name).
Finally
Travelers bring from the Czech Republic not only a lot of vivid memories, but also unique souvenirs that can be found only in this country. It can be jewelry made of silver with pomegranate, Czech porcelain, Bohemian glass products, cosmetics based on useful substances from mineral springs. The best times to shop are the discount seasons.
