Must-see shopping in Africa

  • Eko Hotel Gatehouse

    Lagos

    There are some good crafts on offer including carvings, calabashes and some unfortunate animals' skins.

  • Souq

    Tafraoute

    A lively weekly souq takes place near Hôtel Salama. Small dealers sometimes sell Berber carpets here.

  • Craft Market

    Stellenbosch

    This open-air market is a great place to haggle for African carvings, paintings and costume jewellery.

  • Sono Cairo

    Cairo

    In an arcade set back from Sharia Al Gomhurriya; stocks the classic Arab crooners on CD and cassette.

  • African crafts

    Rio Muni

    This small shack has a range of African souvenirs such as carved wooden figurines, masks and beads.

  • Balogun Market

    Lagos

    The rambling maze of Balogun Market is excellent for clothes and fabric from across West Africa.

  • Government Wharf Market

    Sierra Leone

    This small collection of stalls sells everything from second-hand clothes to cooking equipment.

  • Espace Othello

    Essaouira

    Interesting private gallery showcasing the work of established and up-and-coming local artists.

  • Hatfield Flea Market

    Pretoria

    This place peddles the usual flea-market paraphernalia, and has some handmade African crafts.

  • Librairie Al Kitab

    Tunis

    This bookshop sells a few maps and travel guides, as well as some English-language titles.

  • Tshaka's Den Complex

    Victoria Falls (town)

    A small complex of vendors selling Shona sculpture, handicrafts and other local souvenirs.

  • L’Orientaliste

    Cairo

    Find rare books on Egypt and the Middle East, as well as lithographs, maps and engravings.

  • Acacia Mall

    Kampala

    A modern shopping centre good for designer clothing, with a few eateries and a 3D cinema.

  • Souq Bab Al Luq

    Cairo

    Big indoor neighbourhood market with produce and meat; surrounding shops sell dry goods.

  • Oasis Mall

    Kampala

    Handy shopping centre to stock up on provisions, with restaurants, shops and a cinema.

  • Espace Loisirs

    Antananarivo

    A good selection of newspapers, magazines and books (all in French), as well as maps.

  • Nakumatt

    Kampala

    This all-round shopping centre is handy for food supplies and even camping equipment.

  • Grand Marché

    Cameroon

    A fantastic warren of stalls where you can browse a huge array of crafts.

  • Collectables

    Lesotho

    Souvenirs, sandals and other items including bags made by local weavers.

  • Shopper’s Plaza

    Dar es Salaam

    This shopping centre has a large supermarket plus many other shops.

  • Atul’s

    Nairobi

    Hires out everything from sleeping bags to folding toilet seats.

  • Kerop

    Cairo

    Vintage Cairo photos, from original plates, in a time-warp office.

  • Municipal Market

    Malawi

    Certainly chaotic, but with low prices and plenty of atmosphere.

  • Gallery Bookshop

    Zanzibar Town

    A large selection of books and maps, including travel guides.

  • The Boardwalk

    Port Elizabeth

    You'll find various craft shops inside the Boardwalk complex.

  • Murias Parque

    Melilla

    Large mall and supermarket with stores not found in Morocco.

  • Farmers' Market

    Western Cape

    A range of local foodstuffs and crafts is on offer.

  • Spar

    Cape Town

    The main supermarket in the De Waterkant.

  • LNDC Centre

    Lesotho

    Has a Shoprite supermarket and cafes.

  • Tangier City Mall

    Tangier

    Tangier City Mall became the first shopping centre of its kind in the city when it opened its doors in 2016, and it is home to Tangier’s only multiplex…

  • Ibn Batouta Mall

    Tangier

    Modern opulence may not be historically synonymous with once-seedy Tangier, but this shopping centre offers it in spades. Mirrored doors welcome you into…

  • Complexe d'Artisanat de Dakhla

    Dakhla

    This is less a complex and more a few dusty floors under continuous construction overseen by a bored security guard. At time of writing there was one…

  • Souq Berbère

    Taroudant

    Also known as the marché municipal (central market), this souq, on the south side of Place An Nasr, serves as the shopping centre for workaday Taroudant:…

  • Coopérative Souktana du Safran

    Anti Atlas Mountains

    Founded in 1979, the largest and oldest of Taliouine’s saffron cooperatives has 160 members (four are women). The centre is nothing much to visit itself,…

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