World's 12 best cities for shopping

This New Year if you are travelling abroad for a vacation, here are list of 12 cities where shopping is define as a 'serious sport'.

These are destinations where you find shops that sell goods for a great bargain as well as the most expensive luxury boutiques.

Let’s check out some of the best cities for shopping in the world.

Source: CNN

Seoul

Country: South Korea

Rank: 12

Getting around: 4

Value: 7

Variety: 4

Experience: 6

Total: 21

Seoul, has many shopping area and markets throughout the city. These include the fashionable Myeong-dong, the luxury market of Cheongdam-dong, the vintage shops at Hongdae area, and the wholesale sellers at Dongdaemun and Namdaemun. Take your pick.

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Milan

Country: Italy

Rank: 11

Getting around: 5

Value: 5

Variety: 4

Experience: 8

Total: 22

The city is one of the world's most important fashion capitals along with Paris, New York and London. The city has one of the oldest shopping malls in the world - Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

You should also check out various famous shopping streets including Via Manzoni for bargains and the high-end markets at Via Monte Napoleone, Via della Spiga, and Corso Venezia.

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Madrid

Country: Spain

Rank: 10

Getting around: 6

Value: 6

Variety: 4

Experience: 7

Total: 23

First, you can go to Madrid Xanadu to experience shopping in one of Europe’s largest shopping mall and entertainment centre. It has with over 222 shops, eateries, and a 15-screen Cinesa Movie Theatre.

If still longing for more, you can check out shopping streets such as Gran Vía, Calle Fuencarral, or Calle del Carmen.

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Dubai

Country: United Arab Emirates

Rank: 9

Getting around: 6

Value: 6

Variety: 8

Experience: 4

Total: 24

Dubai is one city that celebrates shopping. The most famous one is the Dubai Shopping Festival. During this, visitors from all over the world head to the city to get expensive goods at a discount.

The country also has over 70 shopping malls.

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Vienna

Country: Austria

Rank: 8

Getting around: 6

Value: 8

Variety: 3

Experience: 8

Total: 25

The 7th-largest city in the European Union, it has whole host of option for shopping options starting with The Graben - one of the most famous streets in Vienna.

You can also check out Carinthian Street, most famous shopping street in central Vienna, Kohlmarkt and explore Neubaugasse area.

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Buenos Aires

Country: Argentina

Rank: 7

Getting around: 6

Value: 8

Variety: 6

Experience: 7

Total: 27

You can start with the neighbourhood of Recoleta in Buenos Aires, where the most important French and Italian designers have shops. Then, move to Florida Street, which is an elegant shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires.

Florida Steet is also one of the city's leading tourist attractions. According to Wikipedi, the area bustles with shoppers, vendors, and office workers alike because of its proximity to the financial district. By evening, the pace relaxes as street performers flock to the area, including tango singers and dancers, living statues, and comedy acts.

You can also check out Avenida Santa Fe, which is considered one of the main shopping and strolling areas of the city, its many boutiques range from elegant to edgy, which has led it to be dubbed the 'Avenue of Fashion'.

There are whole host of other shopping places such as Avenida Cordoba and Palermo Chico and Barrio Parque.

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Hong Kong

Rank: 6

Getting around: 10

Value: 5

Variety: 6

Experience: 7

Total: 28

Shopping in Hong Kong is referred to as a 'serious sport', and the shopping experience that you get in Hong Kong is difficult to re-live anywhere else.

Custom tailoring is popular and affordable here. Customers can draw out a design for clothing and have it made in a few days, according to Wikipedia.

Electronics from Japan and Europe are also available here for a bargain. Hong Kong is also one of the largest exporter of jewellery.

You can check out shopping areas such as CausewayBay, Central District, and Admiralty in Hong Kong Island. On Kowloon Peninsula, there’s Nathan Road, Canton Road, Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mong Kok.

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Paris

Country: France

Rank: 5

Getting around: 6

Value: 6

Variety: 8

Experience: 9

Total: 29

You can enjoy shopping in whole of France whether you go to Bordeaux or Cannes, or Marseille. But Paris does have its own charm.

Avenue des Champs-Elysees is one of the most famous and most expensive strips of real estate in the world where you can enjoy luxury speciality shopping.

Close to Champs-Elysees is Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, which is cited as one of the most fashionable streets in the world, thanks to the presence of virtually every major global fashion house.

And then, you can head to nearby avenue Montaigne, a street that has been consistently dedicated, throughout its length, to high-fashion stores and other exclusive establishments.

You can never have enough of shopping when in Paris. There are numerous other streets that you can check out including Avenue George V, Rue de Castiglione, Rue de la Paix, and Boulevard Saint-Germain.

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Kuala Lumpur

Country: Malaysia

Rank: 4

Getting around: 6

Value: 10

Variety: 8

Experience: 6

Total: 30

Kuala Lumpur is reputable for its vibrant shopping scene. For colourful batiks, souvenirs, and traditional Malay dressing, there’s Central Market. The market also sells sarees and cheongsams among other cultural legacies of Malaysia's diverse ethnic minorities.

It also has Night Markets such as Petaling Street, Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Brickfields, and Bukit Bintang. Kuala Lumpur also has whole host of shopping malls targetted towards tourists visiting the city.

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London

Country: UK

Rank: 3

Getting around: 6

Value: 6

Variety: 10

Experience: 9

Total: 31

You can easily call London as one of the shopping capitals of the world. The West End area of central London contains many of the city's major shopping streets including Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Bond Street.

These places have been famous for its shops for over two centuries. For example Bond Street as been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high-price fashion shops.

Not far from West End is Savile Row, which is known for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, which have seen customers such as Lord Nelson and Winston Churchill.

Similarly, London has many famous shopping streets, some of which have their specialities. You should check out Jermyn Street (shops exclusively aimed at the gentlemen's clothing), Piccadilly (has some of world’s famous shops), Sloane Street, and King's Road (one of London's most fashionable shopping streets).

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Tokyo

Country: Japan

Rank: 2

Getting around: 8

Value: 8

Variety: 9

Experience: 9

Total: 34

For shopping head to central Tokyo and explore Aoyama, Omotesando, and Daikanyama area. These three places have small shopping centres and restaurants, as well as a relaxed atmosphere.

To experience one of world’s most luxurious shopping districts, head to Ginza, which has numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants, and coffee houses.

You can also explore areas such as Ikebukuro the commercial and entertainment district of Tokyo, visit malls is Toshima, and Omotesando that features a multitude of fashion flagship store.

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New York

Country: US

Rank: 1

Getting around: 8

Value: 7

Variety: 10

Experience: 10

Total: 35

Even if you have never been to New York, there are chances that you have already heard of the best shopping districts in the city. For example, Fifth Avenue that has prestigious boutiques and flagship stores and is consistently ranked among the most expensive shopping streets in the world.

You name a top designer and you would find his or her boutique here, some of these include Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Fendi, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bvlgari, and Ermenegildo Zegna.

Then there’s Madison Avenue, 57th Street (Manhattan), SoHo, Manhattan, and South Street Seaport.