Shopping · Victoria · Canada
Shopping in Victoria
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wpcpey, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Shopping is about independent shops in historic buildings, Indigenous art, local food and outdoor gear rather than big malls. Best souvenirs: Indigenous art, Smoked salmon and Loose-leaf tea.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Indigenous art
Where to shop
Government Street
Souvenir shops, the long-running Munro's Books in a former bank and classic tea and chocolate shops.
Lower Johnson Street (LoJo)
Independent fashion and design boutiques in colourful Victorian shopfronts.
Market Square
A restored 19th-century courtyard of small shops and cafés.
Oak Bay Avenue
Galleries, bookshops and homeware stores in Oak Bay village.
Markets
Moss Street Market
A Saturday farmers' and crafts market in Fairfield, outdoors in season.
Ganges Saturday Market, Salt Spring Island
An island market of local crafts and food, reached by ferry from Swartz Bay.
What to buy
Indigenous art
Prints, carvings and jewellery from galleries that work directly with Coast Salish and other Indigenous artists.
Smoked salmon
Vacuum-packed smoked or candied salmon from fish shops.
Loose-leaf tea
Blends from Victoria's tea merchants, a nod to the city's tea tradition.
Butchart Gardens seeds
Seed packets from the gardens' shop; check your home country's import rules.
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Smoked and candied salmon, Nanaimo bar, London Fog and Craft beer. Fish shops and specialty stores downtown; it travels well as a gift. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Inner Harbour and James Bay | $$$$ | Parliament, the Empress and seaplanes on the harbour, with heritage houses behind |
| Downtown and Old Town | $$$ | Victorian brick shopfronts, Chinatown and the LoJo boutiques |
| Vic West and Songhees | $$$ | Waterfront condos and hotels across the Johnson Street Bridge |
| Fernwood | $$ | Bohemian village square with a theatre, cafés and painted heritage houses |
| Oak Bay | $$$ | Tudor-style shops, tea rooms and sandy Willows Beach, a separate municipality to the east |
| Sidney | $$ | Seaside town of bookshops near the airport and the Swartz Bay ferry |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in CAD. Tip 15–20% on the pre-tax amount at restaurants and bars, about $1–$2 per drink, 10–15% for taxis, and $10–$20 per person for whale-watching guides if you are pleased.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February and November; the busiest months are July–August.
- August: Victoria Fringe Festival (late August to early September)
- September: Victoria Classic Boat Festival (usually Labour Day weekend)
- December: The Magic of Christmas at Butchart Gardens (usually December)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, shopping, nightlife and solo travellers
Downtown and Old Town
Victorian brick shopfronts, Chinatown and the LoJo boutiques
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Victoria?
Indigenous art, Smoked salmon, Loose-leaf tea and Butchart Gardens seeds.
+Where is the best shopping in Victoria?
Government Street: Souvenir shops, the long-running Munro's Books in a former bank and classic tea and chocolate shops.
+What are the best markets in Victoria?
Moss Street Market and Ganges Saturday Market, Salt Spring Island.