48 hours of shopping in Manhattan, New York

An undisputed fashion capital, New York is the mall that never sleeps. Filled with every spending opportunity under the sun, this vibrant city is the place to be, whether it’s for high-end glamour, quirky finds or everyday items. And with its spectacular January sales approaching, what better excuse to make a whirlwind visit?

But where to splurge? Sandwiched between Central Park and Rockefeller Center, iconic Fifth Avenue remains the sparkling jewel in Manhattan’s Upper East Side’s affluent crown, with revered Tiffany and Co. and Cartier jewelry stores nestled alongside opulent Bergdorf Goodman department stores and Henri Bendel.

For those with lighter pockets, Midtown Manhattan, encompassing the blinding lights of Times Square, draws the masses, with Macy’s department store drawing crowds from the region. If 10 floors of merchandise doesn’t appeal to you, be sure to check out the store’s housewares section, The Cellar, widely considered the best in town.

However, head west for a real bargain and a taste of New York’s gritty charm, to Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market, a rapidly expanding fair featuring 170 vendors selling everything from clothing to furniture to antiques. Located near the Hudson, the area was once home to various members of the Irish American mob, though it is now more likely to house the city’s actors, due to its proximity to Broadway.

Another trendy gentrifying area, SoHo embraces the young and trendy. Having experienced a thriving art scene in the 1970s and 1980s, the once “industrial wasteland” and neighboring Tribeca now cater to the creative tastes of its residents and visitors alike, with a plethora of art galleries and bookstores. Dive into The Mysterious Bookshop for a fantastic read, or visit OK Harris to experience artist Ivan Karp’s surreal work in one of SoHo’s oldest galleries. For a retro-cool SoHo piece, try much-loved vintage store What Comes Around Goes Around, a favorite among magazine stylists.

Home to an avant-garde music scene during the 20th century, the West Village (or Greenwich Village) remains a relatively progressive part of town: music stores, posters, and T-shirts denote the Village’s colorful history. While you’re here, you can have a bop at House of Oldies, a vinyl-only record store, or pop into Generation Records, which sells new and used music, focusing on hardcore, metal, and punk. On a completely different note, a Saturday visit to Murray’s Cheese Shop will give you a free tasting of some of the shop’s impressive 300 cheeses.

And there is, of course, a veritable encyclopedia of world-famous stores in the city, from Bloomingdales to Saks, Century 21 to Prada. And if that’s not enough to whet your appetite for a bite of the Big Apple, just think of the January reductions.