"Shopping cities" is too broad. Each major European capital does something better than others. Here's the honest sort.
Designer fashion flagships
- Milan: The Quadrilatero della Moda. Italian fashion at the source.
- Paris: Avenue Montaigne, Saint-Honoré, Place Vendôme. The world standard.
- London: Bond Street, Sloane Street, Burlington Arcade.
- Madrid: Calle Serrano in Salamanca.
Affordable European fashion
- Berlin: Independent design boutiques in Mitte and Hackescher Markt.
- Copenhagen: Strøget plus Nørrebro for Scandi design.
- Stockholm: Gamla Stan and SoFo design quarter.
- Vienna: Mariahilfer Straße. Less famous than expected and excellent.
Vintage and second-hand
- Berlin: Mauerpark Sunday market, Kreuzberg vintage strips.
- Paris: Saint-Ouen flea market (Marché aux Puces) is Europe's largest.
- London: Portobello Road in Notting Hill, Brick Lane Sunday market.
- Amsterdam: IJ-Hallen flea market (twice a month).
Antiques
- Brussels Sablon: Sunday antiques market.
- Vienna: Naschmarkt's flea market on Saturdays.
- Madrid Rastro: Sunday flea market in La Latina.
- Lisbon Feira da Ladra: Tuesday and Saturday flea market.
Specific specialty cities
- Geneva, Zurich: Watches.
- Florence, Bologna: Italian leather.
- Porto: Cork products and traditional crafts.
- Granada: Andalusian ceramics, leather.
- Krakow, Vilnius: Amber.
- Bruges: Lace, chocolate.
Where shopping disappoints
- Most coastal Mediterranean resort towns: Generic tourist shops only.
- Brussels Grand Place area: Tourist-trap chocolate shops; Sablon is better.
- Most "shopping outlets" outside cities: Often outdated stock; rarely the savings advertised.
Strategy
Pick the city for the shopping you want. Don't try to do "shopping" generically — Milan's flagships are a different trip from Berlin's vintage. For broader budget context see cities by budget.