The biggest shops are located in St. John’s. To buy everything you do need and not really, go to High Street and St. Mary’s Street. This is where all the outlets are. The shops are usually opened from 8.30 a.m. till 4 p.m. six days a week. They usually close for a lunch break from 12 to 13 p.m., and on Sundays you most probably won’t find any opened shop. Keep in mind that real working hours can differ from those on the sigh – the locals are not really punctual. On Thursdays, for example, most of them already close their shop at noon.
When in big shops, remind a shop assistant about the duty-free system. Though Antigua is far from Britain, many advise buying fabrics here, especially wool and linen. Do you want to enjoy the local color to the maximum? On a Saturday, go to the Market Street, there is a food market in its southern part. Here you can find a black pineapple at a reasonable price, which doesn’t grow anywhere else in the world. If you don’t want the fruit to go bad on the way back home, ask a seller to find a little unripe one. They also sell here coconuts and papaya. On all the other days, there is a market at English Harbour, where there is also a large choice of exotic fruit and vegetables.
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