Shopping – Leipzig

Whether it’s business or pleasure that brings people to the city, everyone enjoys a good look around the shops, and where better to shop than in Leipzig? Leipzig has a long tradition as a centre of trade: located at the intersection of the famous trade routes “via regia” and “via imperii”, Leipzig soon grew into the “marketplace of Europe”. Today’s visitors can once again experience Leipzig in all its former glory.

If they feel so inclined, visitors can start their shopping spree the moment they step off the train: Leipzig Central Station, Europe’s biggest railway terminus, was extensively refurbished after German reunification. Between 1995 and 1997, 142 shops were created on three floors below the main concourse, offering everything from fashion, cosmetics and jewellery to consumer electronics, home accessories and fine foods. The PROMENADEN mall and its two inexpensive multi-storey car parks are open until 10 pm. And best of all, most of the shops are also open on Sundays.

From the Central Station it’s an easy walk to the nicely compact city centre - just a few yards and visitors will find themselves on Nikolaistraße, one of Leipzig’s many shopping streets. Famous department stores like Breuninger, Karstadt, Galeria Kaufhof, Peek & Cloppenburg rub shoulders in Leipzig with popular names in fashion, such as H&M, Zara, Mango, Marc O’Polo and Levi’s, and exclusive designer labels, including Aigner, Lacoste, Lloyd, and Wolford. Impressive trading houses and exhibition buildings, passageways and arcades still give Leipzig’s city centre its historic character. Many features have been extensively restored over recent years to reflect the wealth and influence of trade through the ages, with many historic details sensitively retained. A self-contained network of around 30 arcades, 20 of them originals, can be found within the inner city area, which spans approx. 1 km², and is completely unique in Germany. And there’s one more reason for the popularity of the arcades: they are covered, so no amount of rain will dampen visitors’ shopping spirits!