Record shopping getaways?

[pencilface]

I always enjoy researching and dragging my wife round local spots whenever we go away on holiday... Always come home with an armful, but i've never gone abroad specifically for this purpose.

Just curious if anyone on here does this regularly? "Lads on tour" but with vinyl instead of sex tourism (or whatever those buggers get up to)?

If so, (and without mentioning Utrecht) what are some great cities for a long weekend of vinyl hunting? I bet some of you lot who get to travel with work must have some favourites?

I've particularly enjoyed Paris, Barcelona, New York and Budapest - But they're pretty obvious i guess...

[Headless mermaid]

Currently I can't afford getaways strictly for record buying, but always make sure to hit the top 4-5 recommended spots when I go somewhere. Have enjoyed this in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Greece, Flensburg, Rotterdam and New York in the last couple of years.

[pencilface]

Copenhagen any good? I may be heading over there in summer...

[Brainbomb]

I think Copenhagen is pretty good - it has its ups and downs depending on what new stock the shopkeepers have gotten their hands on lately, but that's probably the case in most small and medium sized cities. It also has the benefit of being close to Malmo in case you feel like popping over to Sweden.

[Cacapo]

Berlin.
I'll show you.

[Little Jimmy Oddman]

I enjoyed record shopping in Brussels - a flea market with new stock every day, half a dozen shops within walking distance of each other, the musical instrument museum, beer, steak and EU infrastructure.

[pencilface]

Berlin.
I'll show you.

What an offer! I'll see what i can do...

[theeman]

like others on here, mostly go looking as part of another trip (work or leisure). berlin is good and the transport excellent. copenhagen is good for a smallish city (see the digging forum on here - mint records for example.)

[pencilface]

like others on here, mostly go looking as part of another trip (work or leisure). berlin is good and the transport excellent. copenhagen is good for a smallish city (see the digging forum on here - mint records for example.)

Cheers for the replies guys. It was more of a rhetorical question anyway (should have just asked "what's the best city for digging"), as i don't think i'd be allowed to spend money on a onanistic trip like this... But we can dream!

I like the idea of an Amsterdam trip for records though...

[llmod1]

I'd agree with most of the suggestions posted already.

Amsterdam and Rotterdam are well worth a visit.

Brussels and Antwerp are both great cities for vinyl.

Stockholm, although its been a few years since I was there last, had some cool shops with VG+ers to show you round.

Most medium to big German cities have a fair few record shops.

Thinking of taking my girlfriend to Lille sometime towards the end of Jan for her birthday. Has anyone been? Is it a nice place to spend a weekend away (record shopping or not?)

[theeman]

Thinking of taking my girlfriend to Lille sometime towards the end of Jan for her birthday. Has anyone been? Is it a nice place to spend a weekend away (record shopping or not?)

it's worth a weekend. pretty provincial northern french town just to hang out in, lots of good restaurants and bars. feels similar to, say, ghent. best time to go is the massive braderie (flea market) first week in sept, quite a lot of vinyl. hotels are expensive that weekend - book a year in advance! pm me mark if you'd like some hotel tips.

[theeman]

other weekendable-from-uk cities that have proved good places for records and for having a good time:

hamburg (gritty but great for records, flea markets, food and just hanging out)
berlin
tallinn (perfect weekend spot - beautiful, several good record spots and VG+ friendly natives)
paris (top spot - so many shops, stalls and flea markets)
barcelona (got worse for records each year though)
antwerp
stockholm
copenhagen (not much to 'see' in the guide book sense but fantastic for cafe culture, food, drink and records, and vg+ locals)
ghent (pretty, great food and drink, good records and vg+ contacts)
lille (grand braderie, 1st weekend in sept... insane!)

norway's great too, with vg+ locals/ex-locals:
oslo
bergen
stavanger

[tjh392]

Budapest has always been good to me. I'm heading back in Jan for the 3rd time in under a year, absolutely love the place.

[Headless mermaid]

copenhagen (not much to 'see' in the guide book sense but fantastic for cafe culture, food, drink and records, and vg+ locals)

Yes, we're a simple people who prefer good food and lots of rest and don't have much to offer in regards to architecture, design, furniture, art, literature, philosophy, infrastructure, bicycling, freetowns, music, film and quantum physics.

[babycart]

Yes, we're a simple people who prefer good food and lots of rest and don't have much to offer in regards to architecture, design, furniture, art, literature, philosophy, infrastructure, bicycling, freetowns, music, film and quantum physics.

Also whale murder, depressing movies, Barbie Girl and taking selfies at memorial services to world leaders