Cheapflights.com Kicks Off the Holiday Shopping Season

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - Nov 7, 2012) - Each year, as soon as Halloween ends, an amazing retail transformation begins -- and, voila, the holiday shopping season is upon us. Finding the perfect gifts for your loved ones can be overwhelming, particularly in the midst of the dreaded crowds and mayhem of department stores. So, this year the travel experts at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, have ventured beyond the big-box stores to share with you their Top 10 Shopping Experiences Worldwide featuring streets, districts, markets and experiences around the world that make holiday shopping a treat.

Below are six famous shopping streets in six different countries around the globe to make the list:

• Bond Street - London, England - The West End of London is a pedestrian's delight. Add in Bond Street and you've got a little taste of consumer heaven. The most luxurious shops in the world are slotted between Oxford Street and Piccadilly, giving visitors a chance to explore the city's impressive history and retailers at the same time. Sotheby's auction house, an icon for more than a hundred years, still stands today.
• Fifth Avenue - New York, USA - Is there a better time of year to visit New York City than the holiday season? (Answer: no.) The city comes alive as Rockefeller Center lights up, ice skaters get in line at Bryant Park, and New Yorkers and tourists alike scour the city -- block by block -- for gifts galore. The ultimate New York Shopping experience: Fifth Avenue. The most luxurious boutiques on the globe cram into a few blocks of prime real estate on this Manhattan stretch. And for those unwilling to spend a bundle, there are the holiday window displays -- a destination in themselves.
• Strøget - Copenhagen, Denmark - Europe's longest pedestrian shopping area offers a wonderful spectrum of stores (from high-end boutiques to souvenir shops) and people (from street performers to magicians to eager-to-buy tourists). Linking Town Hall Square in the west with King's New Square in the east, the car-free streets include everything from international luxury brands -- including Prada, Louis Vuitton and Hermès -- to local, more affordable retailers.
• Bahnhofstrasse - Zurich, Switzerland - Bahnhofstrasse is one of the most exclusive shopping streets on the planet. Home to luxury heavyweights like Burberry, Dior and Salvatore Ferragamo, the 1.4-kilometer-long street, translated as "Station Street," is a paragon of high-end shopping. Sophisticated shoppers put their no-limit credit cards down for jewelry, designer clothes and -- of course -- chocolate.
• Boulevard Haussmann - Paris, France - One of the City of Light's widest avenues, Boulevard Haussmann is home to magnificent department stores, including Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps. Decked with lights inside and out during the holiday season, the blocks-long buildings are architectural wonders -- and fantastic one-stop destinations to shop for the entire family. Find everything from jewelry to men's and women's clothing to gourmet food at these Parisian establishments.
• Orchard Road - Singapore - The two-kilometer-long shopping hub is one of Singapore's biggest tourist attractions. Dozens of malls line Orchard Road, offering every type of shopping option a buyer could imagine. After window browsing Gucci, Prada and Coach, consider resting your aching feet at one of the mall's many luxurious spas or movie theaters. And, when your credit card is maxed out, head east to Bras Basah Road, where some of Singapore's top museums -- including the National Museum of Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum -- are situated.

To read Cheapflights.com's complete list of Top 10 Shopping Experiences Worldwide, which also includes the renowned Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles -- along with famous markets such as: Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand; Masai Market in Nairobi, Kenya and Panjiayuan Antique Market in Beijing, China, visit http://news.cheapflights.com/top-10-shopping-experiences-worldwide.

About Cheapflights Media
Cheapflights Media is an international media network helping over 11 million visitors a month find top travel deals. Our Cheapflights brand was launched in 1996 and pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users. Today, users compare a wide range of deals from hundreds of partners including online travel agents, consolidators and airlines to find the very best flight deals. With a mission to be the starting point for travel, Cheapflights works to deliver the industry's best airfare bargains, expert tips and inspiration. There are currently Cheapflights sites in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Germany, Australia & New Zealand, France, Italy and Spain. For more information, visit www.cheapflights.com. Our newest brand, momondo, is a leading travel search engine for finding comprehensive worldwide pricing and availability on airfares. Winner of several awards, the site is ideal for users on specific travel schedules. For more information, visit momondo.com.