Must-see shopping in Africa
Cairo
This colourful shop, perched on one of Zamalek’s busy intersections, can come in handy when your backpack is overflowing with dirty laundry. Cottonball…
Accra
Situated near the airport and easily reachable from all sides of the city, Marina Mall features 45 outlets across three floors, including designer fashion…
Johannesburg
A bustling collection of mostly Indian-owned stores selling everything from spices to cheap watches to cookware. If you need your mobile phone fixed, this…
Cairo
Cairo’s most lavish mall is the current landing spot for every new international chain, from Starbucks to Zara. There’s a kids’ theme park and a big…
Cap Bon
Bursting at the seams with vibrantly painted ceramics large and small, Société L'Artisan's selection extends into the basement, which also houses a…
Cape Town
Cape Town's first plastic-free grocery store is a haven for all that is vegan and organic. It's a good place to stock up on fresh veggies, plus they have…
Tunis
Located directly opposite the Marsa Plage train station, this bohemian bookshop stocks French and Arabic books and has a lovely kids mezzanine. A large…
Cape Town
Stocking a quality selection of pre-loved kids’ clothes, toys and furniture. The selection of stuff for newborns to 10-year-olds is impressive.
Tunis
Stocks a small selection of books on Tunisia, especially illustrated titles; also sells CDs, old books and photographs.
Kampala
The partially covered and hectic Nakasero Market near the junction of Kampala and Entebbe Rds, is all about fresh food.
High Atlas Mountains
This cooperative was formed in 2005 by plucky young women who secured EU funding to start cultivating organic walnuts, collecting mountain wildflower…
Dakar
For a slice of local life, put on your best 'don't mess with me' face and head over to this buzzing market, which sprawls for several blocks off Ave…
Cape Town
‘Ability rather than disability’ is the creed of this admirable organisation that creates meaningful employment for physically and mentally challenged…
Mauritius
Close to Moka and right by the M1 motorway between the airport and Port Louis, the Bagatelle Mall has international brand names, a good food court and…
Skoura
At this small space, Skoura residents sell items made with palm fronds, sustainably harvested without harming the trees. For travellers who’ve admired one…
Tunisia
This tiny hole-in-the-wall shop makes for a surprisingly wonderful pit stop for stocking up on gourmet Italian cheeses for a picnic at Dougga or in…
Rodrigues
This small bookshop has a handful of books about Rodrigues and Mauritius, including (while stocks last) the French-language flora and fauna guide to Île…
High Atlas Mountains
Honey that’s considered rare elsewhere abounds in the hills around Demnate, and this shop across from the O'Libya petrol station on the road towards…
Western Cape
Based in Rondomskrik, 3km north of the town centre, this community craft project serves as both a youth centre and a way for teenagers to earn some pocket…
Cairo
South of the Citadel, this sprawling weekly market is all the craziness of a medieval bazaar in a modern setting. Under a highway flyover, expect bicycles…
Zanzibar Town
For decades, Parvin Surti and his family have been shoeing Zanzibaris in beautiful, durable leather sandals (US$25 to US$35) in a range of understated…
Dar es Salaam
Set around a garden courtyard, this small shopping centre is the beating heart of upmarket Oyster Bay. Here you'll find an organic grocer as well as some…
Essaouira
You’ll find all manner of potions, powders and pyramids of freshly ground spices in this aromatic souq, including ras el hanout (top of the shop: a…
Abo El Hassan Alabaster Factory
Luxor
Mohamed Yousef's shop has a wide range of alabaster and other carved stone on sale. Unlike many other alabaster shops, he will admit that the stone doesn…
Ouarzazate
Opposite the kasbah, this sprawling complex of state-run showrooms (only of few of which seem to be open at any given time) features elaborately woven…
Cape Town
This long-running, community-based health organisation operates several projects in the townships, including a weaving factory in Khayelitsha’s Site C…
Nosy Be
On the northern side of Rue Passot between the post office and the BNI-CL bank are a number of souvenir stalls. They sell precious stones, crystals,…
Nosy Be
If you’d like to take a taste of Madagascar home with you, why not plump for a bottle of rhum arrangé (homemade rum with fruit inside)? There are more…
Luxor
This shop markets handicrafts from NGO projects throughout Egypt. It has well-priced hand-carved wood and pottery from the nearby villages of Hejaza and…
Hurghada
Hurghada's souq is a dusty sprawl of lanes crammed with shops selling silver and copper products, leather, papyrus and shisha pipes. This is the place to…
Cape Town
Browse the booths in this compact arcade, offering a range of antiques and bric-a-brac, and you’re likely to find something of interest, from dusty old…
Kampala
Sprawling around Nakivubo Stadium, Owino has everything from traditional medicines to televisions. It’s most famous for its secondhand clothing, but you…
- placement: fullWidth
- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
- possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
- targeting:
{ "position": "superzone" }
