World's Best Shopping: Stores That Are Quintessentially Part Of A City (PHOTOS)

PHOTOS: Stores That Are Quintessentially Part Of A City
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Shopping is certainly one of a handful of travelers' favorite pastimes. Every Christmas--or every day of the year--tourists flutter about cities around the world looking to shop 'til they drop.

There are stores so identified with certain locations that they become required stops fro travelers looking to get a taste of a city's culture. Fred Segal has been synonymous with Los Angeles for over 40 years, while New York's Saks Fifth Avenue is an institution in its own right.

Take this as your guide to stores around the globe that any traveler (who is interested in shopping) should hit up on their journeys.

Have a favorite store that's easily identifiable with a city? Send us your photos.

World's Best Department Stores
Galeries Lafayette, Paris(01 of14)
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Galeries Lafayette first opened in 1893 and has since expanded to four locations (the New York extension closed). (credit:Flickr:leo_leibovici)
Harrods, London(02 of14)
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Harrod's has been in the same London location since 1849 and boasts over a million square-feet of retail space. (credit:Flickr:David Sifry)
10 Corso Como, Milan(03 of14)
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This arts-meets-fashion store in Milan was started by Carla Sozzani in 1990. (credit:Flickr:yisris)
Saks Fifth Avenue, New York(04 of14)
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The Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store was first opened on September 15, 1924 by Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel. There are now 46 stores in 22 states. (credit:Flickr:DebMomOf3)
Ikea, Älmhult, Småland, Sweden(05 of14)
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Ikea was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1953 in Älmhult, Sweden and was named in for his initials, the farm he grew up on (Elmtaryd) and his home parish in Sweden (Agunnaryd). (credit:MediaWiki)
Wako, Tokyo(06 of14)
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Wako sits in the heart of Tokyo's Ginza district, a popular shopping area, and was founded in 1881. (credit:Flickr:Yoshikazu Takada)
El Palacio de Hierro, Mexico City(07 of14)
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This Mexico City mainstay has been around for decades and is still housed in the iron and steel building originally constructed in the 1880s.Flickr: robinsonsmay
Fred Segal, Los Angeles(08 of14)
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Fred Segal opened as the world's first jeans-only store on Melrose Avenue. (credit:MediaWiki)
David Jones, Sydney(09 of14)
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David Jones is the world's oldest department store still trading under its original name. It first opened in 1838. (credit:MediaWiki)
Lane Crawford, Hong Kong(10 of14)
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Originally founded in 1850, Lane Crawford still sits in Hong Kong's Times Square. (credit:Flickr:antwerpenR)
Neiman Marcus, Dallas(11 of14)
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Neiman Marcus has been a Dallas institution since 1907. Its annual Christmas catalog regularly grabs headlines for its extravagant gifts. (credit:MediaWiki)
Harvey Nichols, London(12 of14)
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Harvey Nichols (or Harvey Nicks) has been located on London's Knightsbridge and Sloane Streets since 1813. (credit:Flickr:yisris)
Nordstrom, Seattle(13 of14)
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Nordstrom's flagship store and headquarters sits in downtown Seattle. The company was founded as a shoe store in 1901. (credit:Flickr:Colin_Eric)
Le Bon Marche, Paris(14 of14)
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Le Bon Marche, founded in 1838, is one of the most well-known stores in Paris. (credit:Flickr:erin & camera)

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