Famed as a "Shopping Paradise" and an "Oriental Paris", Shanghai is famous for its great variety of fashion accessories, local arts and crafts such as distinctive porcelain, filigrees, jade and ivory carvings, to name but a few. Among them, the most famous is Shanghai's embroidered silk. Shanghai is one of China's most imported locations for silk production and export. Shopping in Shanghai is different from shopping in Hong Kong or New York, since not only famous brand name fashions are available, but also many local products that cannot be found anywhere else. Shanghai features many famous name designer boutiques. For those on a more limited budget, there are plenty of wonderful shopping areas that are fun to wander around and pick up less expensive, but equally fabulous items. "Four Streets and Four Cities": Shanghai has numerous shopping streets, but four of them stand out more than the others for their excellent merchandise. Nanjing Road, one of Shanghai's four main shopping streets, enjoys the reputation of being the No.1 Commercial Street in China. It has clusters of a wide variety of shops from those that are centuries-old, to specialized shops, and modern malls. Equally as famous as Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road is celebrated for its elegance. It features famous name designer brands from all over the world. North Sichuan Road offers good inexpensive merchandise and is always the first choice of ordinary people. The Middle Tibet Road, is the place to buy local food and local arts and crafts. Among the four cities (shopping areas) in Shanghai, Yuyuan Shopping City is the venue deals in specialized Chinese arts and crafts ranging from small articles, local crafts, jade wares and gold and silver jewelry. The newly-established shopping and entertainment plaza, Xujiahui consists of large stores where tourists can obtain both costly and mid-range priced goods. New Shanghai Shopping City is built on a grand scale and offers the best facilities and amenities. Located in the middle of Pudong Lujiazui Finance and Trade Area, it is surrounded by a variety of retail outlets. Facing the Shanghai Railway Station, Jiali Sleepless City, is a flourishing commercial area that looks as a bright pearl on the landscape. There are many other shopping streets in Shanghai available. For small souvieners and inexpensive clothing, the Hong Kong Famous Shops Street and the Dimei Shopping Center are the perfect place. In these locations, bartering is expected, and the price given is usually twice as much as will be expected by the shop owners.

1. Dong Tai Road Antique Market

• Description: Be warned, the word "antique" can apply to things made last year. • Address: Dong Tai Road, near Xizang Nan Road • Opening hours: Daily. Morning (in full swing by 9:30-10am) till sundown. • Comments: Dong Tai Road is a lot of fun, especially if you're in the mood to just wander and look at junk. You'll find every kind of Mao memorabilia to old records, photos, lanterns, porcelain, chopsticks and knick-knacks. Remember to bargain hard here and have fun treasure hunting.

2.Pearl's Circles, Wholesale Pearl & Stone Market

• Description: Wholesale freshwater pearls, sea water pearls, natural stones and crystals. • Address: First Asia Jewelry Plaza, 3rd floor, 288 Fuyou Lu v • Opening hours: Daily. 10am-6pm. • Comments: Let fantasy be your guide. For pennies, you can design jewelry to your heart's content. Every vendor will have loads of ready-made jewelry for you to look over but you can also design your own. Just wait a few minutes and they'll string everything for you as you watch. Remember the golden rule: bargain, bargain, bargain!

3. Hong Qiao New World Pearl Market

• Description: Same type of market as #2, but much bigger. • Address: Hong Mei Road on the corner of Hong Qiao Road • Opening hours: Daily. 10am-10pm. • Comments: The market is a little out of the way for the normal tourist who is staying downtown, but if you have time (hey, they're open until 10pm), make the trip out. Like Pearl's Circles, vendors have ready-made items for you to buy, but you can do your own designing. Freshwater pearls are a real value in China. Read more about buying pearls in China here.

4. Yatai Xinyang Fashion and Gift Market

• Description: Underground (literally) maze of vendors selling toys, clothing, jewelry and a lot of fake (read counterfeit brand) bags and watches. • Address: Science and Technology Museum Metro Stop (Metro Line 2), Pudong • Opening hours: Daily. 10am-6pm. • Comments: What happened to Xiang Yang market? After that famous "fake" market closed its gates in 2006, many vendors relocated to Yatai Xinyang. This is a great place to buy inexpensive souvenirs: Shanghai t-shirts, chopsticks, cushion covers and pashminas. Let the buyer beware: when it comes to fakes, you get what you pay for (and you probably paid too much).

5. Shanghai Longhua Fashion and Gift Market

• Description: Outdoor market full of stalls selling the same thing as #4 above. • Address: 2465 Longhua Road, near the Longhua Temple • Opening hours: Daily. 10am-6pm. • Comments: According to its local ads, the original Xiang Yang market is "now registered as Longhua Market". Well, indeed, after Xiang Yang, the famous "fake" market, closed its gates in 2006, many vendors relocated to Yatai Xinyang above and to the Longhua market. It sells the same items as #4, has the added value of being near the temple, so you could do a bit of sight-seeing before you shop.

6. Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market

• Description: Three floors of fabric and tailors.• Address: 399 Lujiabang Road (near the Bund) • Opening hours: Daily. 10am-7pm. • Comments: Here you can make your couture dreams come true. Great values are qipaos, cashmere coats and men's shirts. Almost every stall has its own tailor who can whip up whatever you want in about a week. Your best bet is to have something you like copied over in your new fabric. Clothing made from photos or descriptions yield mixed (mostly bad) results. If you can, bring a Chinese speaker with you. Some tailors do speak English.

7. Shanghai Shiliu Puhong Qixiang Cloth Market

• Description: Three floors of fabric and tailors. • Address: 168 Dongmen Road, not far from Yuyuan Garden. • Opening hours: Daily. 10am-6pm. • Comments: This market is very similar to #6, but is much quieter and has a lot fewer foreigners standing around looking confused. You'll find the same fabrics - cashmere, silk, linen, wool and cotton at similar prices. Many vendors speak a bit of English but if you're having something complicated made, it's best to take along someone who can speak a bit of Chinese.