Shopping in Boston

Boston offers the usual plethora of chain stores, but there are still enough individual and idiosyncratic shops and boutiques to please all but the ardent purist.

Key areas

Newbury Street, which runs the length of the Back Bay district from Boston Common to Massachusetts Avenue, is the high end of the market with expensive and designer shops, art galleries, book and antique shops and cafés. Other good shopping areas include Downtown Crossing featuring a mix of department stores and street stalls, Beacon Hill and South End.

Markets

There are several fantastic farmers' markets in Boston offering locally prepared, seasonal produce. They include: Haymarket, City Hall Plaza Market, SoWA and Hyde Park.

Moving towards the middle of town, another popular spot is Faneuil Hall Quincy Marketplace. Originally built in 1826 as a meat and green grocery hall, it now contains over 100 shops, cafés and restaurants. The original Filene's Basement is at 426 Washington Street. The Basement is the place for committed bargain-hunters, while upstairs is a sensibly priced department store with the full range of products.

Shopping centres

The Prudential Center, Huntington Avenue, is jam-packed with more conventional shops and restaurants.

Copley Place, on Huntington Avenue, is also good for browsing if you're interested in upmarket, luxury retailers such as Jimmy Choo or Tiffany. Meanwhile, Wrentham Village Premium Outlets is New England's largest outlet center offering 170 stores with discounts of up to 65%.

Opening hours

In general, Boston shops are open Monday-Saturday 0900/1000-1800/1900, with malls and larger stores also open on Sundays 1200-1800. Different shops and areas will often have one late-night closing at around 2000.

Souvenirs

Boston is a great for New England regional products: cheeses, butters, maple syrup, breads, pastas, craft beers, and locally produced chocolates. Red Sox baseball merchandise is also popular for sports-lovers, while historical-related products to the American Revolution and Boston Tea Party are also popular.

Tax information

There is no sales tax on clothes under US$175 and only a 6.25% sales tax otherwise.