Kuwait City
This waterfront shopping mall opposite Kuwait Bay began as a traditional souq and over the years morphed into a full modern shopping mall. It has a small…
Must-see shopping in Middle East
Saudi Arabia
This is the best place in town to grab a souvenir or local handicraft piece. Hail's traditional souq area is split into sections selling the traditional,…
Kuwait City
In central Kuwait City, this luxury mall has brands like Gucci, Mont Blanc, Hermes and Yves Saint Laurent. It's a mellower shopping experience compared to…
Mecca
These towers feature a prayer hall that can accommodate up to 10,000 people and – perhaps incongruously – a five-storey mega shopping mall. The 601m-tall,…
Saudi Arabia
This 167-year-old Saudi perfumer sells the premium smell of Arabia – the height of luxurious Arabian oud and musk. This little shop, under Royal Inn Al…
Dubai
This is the kind of shop where 'notebooks' are still made from paper. Indeed, here they come in all shapes and sizes, from cutesy to corporate, along with…
Tehran
Easily accessible from Tajrish Sq and one of the more modern and well designed of Tehran's new breed of shopping malls, Arg offers plenty of trendy local…
Bur Dubai
Old-style traditional Arab hospitality meant dates and camel milk. Now Emiratis offer their guests Bateel’s scrumptious date chocolates and truffles, made…
Tehran
Look for the green door next to the Tourism Bank and go upstairs to the first floor to find this mountaineering and trekking gear shop selling the basics…
Tehran
Established in 2014 this is one of Tehran's more ambitious contemporary art galleries with a focus on showcasing Iranian artists working outside of the…
Shiraz
This tastefully restored two-storey caravanserai, set around an attractive tree-filled courtyard with a pool and fountains, has become a meeting place for…
Nizwa
As with almost all gold souqs in the region, there are absolutely no fixed prices in the string of jewellery shops that line Main St (between the fort and…
Manama
Founded by Indian immigrants who arrived more than 200 years ago, the shops in the Gold Souq are still owned mostly by the families of those early…
Riyadh
It's perhaps not the first place you'd think of while in town, but if you need a break from Middle Eastern fare, the food here will transport you from…
Abu Dhabi
Make an appointment in advance through the website to view Julia Ibbini's complex, multi-layered artworks in her studio. Her pieces, which riff on the…
Doha
This enormous midrange shopping centre has a large food court that's good for those in the area looking for a cheap, quick bite. It also has a multiplex…
Manama
Pearl of Islands is the pick of this strip of 'antique' stores selling mostly ornate wood doors and quaint lanterns. That's not because the goods are any…
Wadi Rum
This is a good place to look for local souvenirs. Most items are made by local women to whom most of the profits are returned. It’s possible to visit the…
Tehran
Moses Baba, founder of this atmospheric old curiosity shop, is long gone, but his relatives (members of Tehran's small Jewish community) still run the…
Jerusalem
Personalised perfumes are't just for celebrities. After a thorough survey of your likes and dislikes as well as a short life history, Perfuniq's French…
Dubai
This 2000-sq-metre expanse of showroom is the exact opposite of a Scandi flatpack store and its sheer opulence makes it fun to visit. The furniture and…
Tel Aviv
A cooperative of 15 ceramic artists, Chomer Tov (meaning 'good material') is both a small gallery and a shop. A dynamic space, it features both functional…
Bur Dubai
Trade malls for stalls and look for bargains amid the piles of preloved stuff that’s spilled out of local closets at Dubai's cherished flea markets, which…
Doha
This particularly fragrant corner of Souq Waqif has little boundary between its two specialities. Vendors display large containers of herbs and spices…
Doha
This half-museum, half-shop boasts a remarkable collection of antiques, some for sale, others for viewing purposes only. It has old medals, pocket watches…
Beirut
Lebanon’s premier luxury department store, Aïshti is a draw for fashionistas across the Middle East. Come to browse international designers as well as…
Jebel Shams
Entrepreneurial carpet sellers have set up open-air shop at the bottom of Jebel Shams, capitalising on the fact that most people stop at Wadi Ghul to take…
Bahrain
This is the king among Muharraqi sweet merchants – just try to leave without buying something sickly sweet and sinfully delicious, like the Turkish…
Jerusalem
Yerevan-born Arman Darian might be the best-known ceramicist in Israel, having installed his designs in many public buildings. Skilfully decorated ceramic…
Doha
This shopping mall has the usual range of international retailers – Mango, DKNY, Clarks, Ted Baker, Adidas etc – as well as the FNAC department store,…
Downtown Dubai
With chic new quarters in the edgy Dubai Design District, this concept boutique pushes the boundaries when it comes to fashion and accessories. Look for …
Abu Dhabi
This small art gallery hosts exhibitions by emerging local artists. A good opportunity for fine-art fans to pick up a piece of original work. The gallery…
Riyadh
Although there are plenty of shopping malls in Riyadh, the Al Nakheel Mall is already a firm favourite of locals and visitors. It's spacious, with a…
Iran
An easily missed doorway leads into the internal courtyard of this historic, tile-roofed house where five craft shops sell woodcraft, copperwork, pottery…
Amman
This cooperative, west of Amman in the village of Iraq Al Amir, opposite the village caves of the same name, sells handmade pottery, fabrics, foodstuffs,…
Tehran
Founded by the painter Massoumeh Noushin Seyhoun in 1966, this is one of Tehran's longest running commercial art spaces showcasing contemporary Iranian…
Amman
A weekly open-air flea market run by the Jebel Amman Residents' Association selling a variety of handicrafts (though recently there's been a big influx of…
Doha
Housed in an attractive two-storey lantern-lit building that fronts onto Souq Waqif, this centre is filled with galleries and artists' studios. Artists…
Jeddah
For dates, nuts and nibbles at discount prices, head straight for the famous Khayyam Al Rabie Est. With its fairy lights and floor-to-ceiling rows of…
Downtown Dubai
A keen coffee radar is required to track down this boutique roastery, in a hidden alley amid the dusty warehouses of Al Quoz. The building houses not only…
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