London Department Stores

London

It's impossible to resist the lure of London's famous department stores, even if you don't intend to spree.

Harrods (87 Brompton Rd SW1; tube Knightsbridge) is like a theme park for fans of the British establishment. It is always crowded with slow tourists and there are more rules than at an army boot camp, but even the toilets will make you swoon.

Harvey Nichols (109-125 Knightsbridge SW1; tube Knightsbridge) is London's temple of high fashion and is where you'll find all the names that matter in local and international design. There's a great food hall on the 5th floor, an extravagant perfume department and jewellery worth saving up for.

Fortnum & Mason (781 Piccadilly W1; tube Piccadilly Circus) is the byword for quality and service from a bygone area. It is steeped in almost 300 years of tradition, and is especially noted for its old-world ground-floor food hall where Britain's elite comes for their cornflakes and bananas.

Selfridges (400 Oxford St W1; tube Bond Street) is the funkiest and most vital of London's one-stop shops where fashion runs the gamut from street to formal. The food hall is unparalleled, and the cosmetics hall is the largest in Europe. It's what Harrods was before it became a self-parody.

Liberty (214-220 Regent St W1; tube Oxford Circus) is an enticing blend of contemporary styles in an old-fashioned atmosphere, and you can't leave London without some 'Liberty Florals' (printed fabrics).