Europe Up Close

Vintage Heaven in Budapest

Published/Revised July 3, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

We’re just going to cut right to the chase on this one. If vintage fashion makes your heart beat a little faster, if you’re a treasure hunter, if you’re crazy for antiques, Budapest is THE shopping destination for you. What is a rarity in other parts of Europe, what takes painstaking research and relentless digging, is an overflowing fountain of vintage goodness in Budapest. Clothes, ... Read Full Article

A Fashion Road Trip through Eastern Europe

Published/Revised November 19, 2017 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Americans love road trips. Americans love shopping. So, it seemed only natural that we fashionistas would combine our two favorite pastimes and plan a mini road trip through Eastern Europe, all in the name of shopping. The plan was to start in Prague, travel through the Czech Republic into Austria, then Slovakia and end up in Budapest. As usual, we wanted first class accommodations ... Read Full Article

Treasure Hunting in Praha

Published/Revised January 31, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

­Praha (Prague) is arguably the most charming city in Europe. Small, cobblestone streets make way for sprawling renaissance squares and ornately sculpted buildings in creamy hues leading to dramatic bridges that link two sides of the city together. What could make a day strolling on the Charles Bridge followed by a decadent lunch of crispy duck, sweet cabbage and pillowy knedliky better? Well, ... Read Full Article

Budget Savers When Traveling in Europe

Published/Revised April 7, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Even with the value of the dollar approaching that of the euro, Americans traveling in Europe on a budget still need to be creative and mindful. The following suggestions can help any traveler, but especially those who prefer traveling independently. Airfare Finding the lowest airfares to Europe can be incredibly time-consuming. I turn to a reputable travel agent who may charge a fee but ... Read Full Article

Barcelona: The New Mecca of Shoes

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

For shopping addicts, there is no fix as satisfying as finding fabulous shoes at an attainable price. These days, sadly, if you’re craving a fashion forward style in luxurious material that won’t leave your feet looking as if they’ve been through Chinese binding, the price tag is upwards of $400. In Barcelona, however, shoes are a right – not just a privilege for those who can afford ... Read Full Article

On the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris

Published/Revised February 15, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

If there is one street that epitomizes Parisian chic, la Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the 8th arrondissement, is it.  Curiously, the 2km-long rue did not integrate the French capital until 1860, after the city’s limits were redefined. Back in the 18th century, it was known as a mere country road outside the capital's gates. An extension of the rue Saint-Honoré, (1st arrondissement) it led ... Read Full Article

Stopping by Hermès in Paris

Published/Revised June 14, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Have you ever walked by the Hermès Paris flagship store? If you haven't  and, whether or not your budget allows you to shop there, you should make it a priority to drop by. If only to see the the windows. Each season, Hermès' window designer, the legendary Leila Mencharin, creates fantastic displays that are usually the stuff of fairy tales. With her magic wand, she stages bags, scarves, belts or ... Read Full Article

Berlin’s Kreuzberg Kultur: Shopping and Eating

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Bordering the Berlin Wall, Kreuzberg borough was home to students, artists, leftist radicals and a large Turkish population throughout the 1960s-1080s. When the wall fell, the area became, once again, the center of Berlin. Though Kruezberg is still an eclectic area, rising rents are making it increasingly difficult for alternative businesses and artists to survive in the area. Kreuzberg is home ... Read Full Article

Browsing the Finery at Fortnum and Mason in London, England

Published/Revised June 13, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

When our tour guide in London said “Ah yes, and to your left is Fortnum and Mason, where the queen does her grocery shopping,” I saw my foodie husband’s ears perk up and knew we’d be spending the afternoon there. Man, am I glad we did! Though this may not be somewhere you’re inclined to spend hours at during your first trip to London (so many other sights to see!), it is the perfect, relaxing ... Read Full Article

Why I’m “Soldes” on Shopping in Paris

Published/Revised June 14, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

When I was living in France, I used to count down the days (and save my centimes) to two exhilarating periods of sales in the winter and summer. Winter soldes typically begin in Paris the second week in January and last through the first week in February. Summer soldes usually begin the third or fourth week in June and last through the first or second week in July. In France, retail sales are ... Read Full Article