Shopping Breaks

When boho-chic style hit the catwalks, prices in Notting Hill's second hand stores soared - and they never came back down, crippled vintage shopping and forcing those looking for that particular to look elsewhere. So, when the affordability of weekend break to the other side of the Channel you can say 'bonjour' to Paris's Le Marais district - your wallet and wardrobe's new best friend.  Here taffeta cocktail dresses are in abundance, leather satchels are aplenty - and price tags are rock bottom.

With designer stores a plenty, vintage boutiques, fantastic food, art and grand architecture, Milan is the perfect place to enjoy a stylish weekend away.  Start your trip by checking into the Bulgari Milano Hotel, which many of the city's visitors are happy to call home during the Milan Fashion Week (September).

Housed in a very tastefully renovated 18th-century Milanese palazzo in the heart of the shopping district, it's an excellent base for exploring one of Italy's most liveable, and shopping friendly cities.