London Knightsbridge and Belgravia

Mostly posh shops and chains, Knightsbridge isn’t the most friendly place for shopping, price-wise. However, the spectacle of its famous department stores make browsing enjoyable.

Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Rd. ( 020 7730 1234 ; www.harrods.com) An ode to the shopping experience, Harrods is probably the most famous department store on the planet. Packed with faux-hieroglyphs, a room named "Room of Luxury" or its sequel, "Room of Luxury II," Harrods is just as much a sight to see as it is a place to shop. Especially entertaining are the prices and the people who pay them. Be sure to check out the toy section—it's hard not to rediscover your inner child. Also worth seeing is the candy section of the food court, which is where they sell chocolate shoes (£84 per pair). On the bottom floor, they sell "Personalised Classics" which enable you to insert names in place of the ones already in a given book. Who needs "Romeo and Juliet" when you could have "Fred and Agnes?" Knightsbridge. Take the Harrods Exit. Open M-Sa 10am-8pm, Su 11:30am-6pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.

Pandora, 16-22 Cheval Pl. (020 7589 5289; www.pandoradressagency.com) If you get tired of the prices at the more expensive department stores, come to Pandora and see the same designer clothes second-hand at lower prices! Clothe yourself in Chanel, Dior, Yves St. Lauren, and Gucci and be sure to save money for accessorizing. Knightsbridge. Turn left onto Brompton Rd., right onto Montpelier St. and left onto Cheval Pl. Open M-Sa 10am-7pm, Su noon-6pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.

Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge (020 7235 5000; www.harveynichols.com) Whoever was looking for the Fountain of Youth clearly never checked out the ground floor of Harvey Nichols. The entire level is packed with women arming themselves for the battle against age. In fact, four floors of the great department store are taken up by fashion, cosmetics, beauty, and accessories. After that, there's menswear, food, and hospitality. Most high-end designers are sold here. Foreigners can shop tax-free if they go to the fourth-floor customer services and fill out a form. The store is upscale, densely populated with women, and a little less of a scene than nearby Harrods. Knightsbridge. Open M-Sa 10am-9pm, Su 11:30am-6pm (browsing only 11:30am-noon). Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.

Clothes

Pandora, 16-22 Cheval Pl. (☎ 020 7589 5289; www.pandoradressagency.com), Knightsbridge, take Harrods Exit. Secondhand designer clothes at affordable prices. Marc Jacobs skirts from £35; Prada, Jimmy ...more

Department Stores

Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Rd. (☎ 020 7730 1234; www.harrods.com), Knightsbridge. In the Victorian era, this was the place for the wealthy to shop; over a century later, it is less of a provider of goods ...more