James Baquet

HOW would you like to visit “Europe” without leaving Shenzhen? “But,” you say, “I’ve been to Window of the World, and OCT East.”

That’s not the “Europe” I’m talking about; I mean the huge “European City” (欧洲城) shopping center in Nanshan.

Several European countries are represented, as well as stores with furniture, electronics, and home decorating items from China.

Let’s start with IKEA. The Swedish store has home furnishings that include assemble-it-yourself tables, chairs, beds, bookcases, and more. There’s also a popular cafeteria-style restaurant

The next store, moving north, is the French Decathlon sporting goods chain. In the same building is Nature Living and Sundan, with more home goods including electronics. Next to that is a building with the Heung Kong/Kinhom Furniture store, a major homegrown Shenzhen-based company.

A little further north is the mighty B&Q, a British home repair and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) store, which also has home furnishings. Upstairs, above B&Q, is Taiwan’s Hola, with many of the same types of items as IKEA and the other furnishing places. (In the south end of that building you’ll find a KFC, and next to it is the gateway to Dashahe Park.)

Finally, northernmost, is the German food store called Metro, with imported and local foods. (I get my Mexican food supplies there!)

So there it is: Sweden, France, Great Britain and Germany, as well as Chinese mainland and Taiwan companies.

Take Bus B681 from Window of the World Bus Terminal directly into the European City parking lot.