Shop till you drop in Dubai!
From markets till shopping centres and the best shopping streets!
Dubai is known for its beautiful weather and beaches, but Dubai is also a huge shopping paradise. The shopping centers are open seven days a week until late at night. During the day you can go to the beach and shop for hours in the evening. But you can also shop perfectly in Dubai during the heat of the daytime, because the shopping centers are all air-conditioned. In addition to huge shopping centers with hundreds of shops of famous brands, where you can shop until you drop, you will also find authentic markets in Dubai called souks. Because Dubai has a more favorable tax climate than in many other countries, items are often a lot cheaper than at home. There are tourists who come to Dubai purely and solely to shop around. Are you wondering what are the best places for shopping in Dubai?
Dubai has become a true mecca of shopping centers. These malls are so large that they are almost entire cities by themselves. The famous Dubai Mall at the foot of the Burj Khalifa is the largest shopping center in the world and is visited by most tourists. But apart from the Dubai Mall, Dubai has many other luxurious shopping centers, which are very popular. The Mall of the Emirates is not far from the Dubai Mall and is also huge with hundreds of shops. In addition, there are smaller shopping centers such as the cozy Mercato Mall, the richly decorated Ibn Battuta Mall and the Dubai Marina Mall. In the shopping centers you can get about anything you need and you will find mainly shops of the major international brands. Think of clothing, but also toys, electronics, shoes, home furnishings, perfume, jewelry and so on. Often you can not only shop in the shopping centers in Dubai, but also dine, go to the cinema and visit several attractions.
The most popular shopping mall in Dubai is the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping center in the world, which has a number of attractions besides 1200 shops spread over 4 floors. Dubai Mall is located in Downtown Dubai at the foot of the Burj Khalifa and next to the Dubai Fountain. In the Dubai Mall you will find all the major international brands, including the expensive designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss, Versaci and Armani. But also all other international brands such as Adidas, H & M, G-Star and Zara have a store here. And when you have finished shopping after many hours, there are plenty of other things to do in the Dubai Mall. For example, you will find an indoor ice rink, the largest aquarium in the world, a mega cinema and many other attractions in the Dubai Mall.
When you’ve had enough of the shopping centers in Dubai, go to one of the many souks in Dubai. A souk is a covered market that you often find in countries in the Middle East, where the local population does their shopping. On the souks you can mainly find traditional clothing, food and jewelry. It is therefore the perfect place to buy local products that they do not sell at home, so perfect if you’re looking for nice souvenirs. In Dubai you will find several souks, where the most famous are the Old Souk, the Gold souk and the Spice souk. These old and authentic souks are located along the Dubai Creek in the old centre. Note, that you have to negotiate the price on the souks. A good price to start with is about 50% of the requested amount. This way you will save a lot of money while shopping.
One of the more luxurious souks in Dubai is the Souk Madinat, which mainly focuses on tourists. This market offers the comfort of a regular shopping center, but with the authentic Oriental atmosphere. You will find a variety of shops that mainly offer souvernirs from the Middle East. You can also indulge yourself in this market if you are looking for real Arab products such as water pipes, carpets, art or traditional clothing.
Shopping is fun, but shopping with big discounts is of course much more fun! The best time to go shopping in Dubai is during the annual shopping event, the Dubai Shopping Festival. This usually takes place in the last two weeks from January to the beginning of February. Almost all stores in the large shopping shopping centers participate in this festival. During the Dubai Shopping Festival you will find big discounts and attractive promotions in stores. This way you can save a lot of money on your favorite items.
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