Santa Monica

Santa Monica is one of the best known places in Los Angeles, along with Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It too is an independent city known worldwide for its beach thanks to films and television which have immortalised it and introduced it to Europeans.

However, in addition to its beach and high waves, making it a heaven for surfers, Santa Monica is famous in L.A. for its Third Street Promenade. In a city where people mainly have to get around by car, Third Street Promenade, running parallel to the beach, is a very long pedestrian street filled with shops, small bars and restaurants. This place is not to be missed if its shops you're after. Here you can find all of the regular brands while enjoying the pleasure of being both outdoors (instead of being confined inside a shopping centre) and right next to the ocean.