4 Best Places to Shop in Ningbo, Eastern China

Small clusters of galleries and stalls here sell a variety of jade pieces and antique bric-a-brac of varying levels of authenticity. Chinese scrolls with traditional watercolor paintings and kitschy Mao-era memorabilia make good souvenirs. Bargain hard; prices are inflated for tourists.

If you head east down Zhongshan Xi Lu to Gulou (drum tower) Pedestrian Street, you'll come to a row of restored buildings packed with everything from inexpensive DVDs to tea to ceramics. In between the busy shops, there's the odd restaurant and night club. The area can get pretty crowded on weekends, but it is a great place to soak up modern Chinese culture while shopping for souvenirs.

Ningbo's crème de la crème shop for luxury items at posh Heyi Avenue stores such as Gucci, Dior, Armani, Montblanc, and Swarovski. There's plenty of riverfront dining and nightlife, too.

Just east of the Tianfeng Pagoda is the Tianyi Square shopping-and-entertainment complex, a popular local meeting point, thanks to plentiful outdoor seating around a central fountain. There's also a slew of electronics and fashion outlets and a wide selection of fast-food and low-key local restaurants (don't miss the Ningbo dumplings at Gang Ya Gou). If you need a break from the crowds, look for the enormous Yaohang Street Catholic Church just outside the square.