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Shopping

Shopping in Edinburgh is not something for the feint hearted and visitors will be in danger of shopping till they drop!

Princess Street is by far the most well-known and popular strip to do a spot of shopping. Here most people fight their way through the bustling crowds to get to some of the major UK chain stores, as well as a few independent shops. The slightly calmer and more exclusive George Street runs parallel to Princes Street but is somewhat pricier.

At the east end of the street, Princess Mall contains plenty of specialist shops and high-end boutiques, while the Royal Mile is a slightly more off-beat shopping destination with loads of quirky independent stores. Popular buys in Edinburgh include tartan scarves and kilts, whisky, Edinburgh Crystal and tweeds.

Shops in Edinburgh are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm, with late-night shopping on Thursday until roughly 8pm. Some larger stores open on Sundays. Many shops (especially those frequented by tourists) are part of the Tax-Free scheme and shoppers are advised to keep their receipts and fill out a claim form to have the 17.5% VAT refunded.