8 Xiushui Dongjie, Jianguomen Dajie
10/5169-8800
HOURS: Daily 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
METRO: Yonganli (Line 1)
Around 20,000 visitors step through the portals of Silk Street Market every day, swelling to 60,000 on weekends. If you’re here during the peak hours, you’ll feel like you’re rubbing shoulders with all of them.
Spread across seven floors and three basements, the market sells clothing, bags, watches, jewelry, fabric, electronics, and traditional (i.e., tacky) souvenirs. With 1,700 stalls and vendors to choose from, it can get confusing.
The market was built in 2005 to replace the old alleys of Xiushui Market that were razed for a new development. As well as shops, there’s also a branch of the Quanjude duck chain, a Subway, and a Lavazza café.
Expect to be fleeced, and don’t forget to haggle.