Egypt Shopping
The range of Egyptian craftwork is vast. From jewellery made of gold, silver and semiprecious stones to blown glass or Sinai Bedouin embroidery, cotton household linen, papyrus, carpets, backgammon and chess boards incrusted with mother-of-pearl, copper items and basketwork, oriental spices and perfumes sold in little glass tubes… A complete range of goods sold in the bazaars, in boutiques or in galleries.
Whether you're after souvenirs or spices, sequins or shishas, you can give your wallet a workout in Egypt's traditional souqs or modern-day malls.
In its bustling bazaars, you can pick up everything from exquisite jewellery to hand-woven carpets, papyrus paintings, pipes and perfumes.
Herb shops serve up ancient remedies like licorice powders and other mysterious medicines.
But there's plenty to satisfy contemporary tastes with the sprawling western style-shopping malls in the major urban centres, catering for fashion victims and die-hard spendaholics !
Modern Shopping
Cairo's seen an explosion of western-style shopping malls over the past decade with the average mall boasting up to 500 local shops and international chains. You can shop for your favorite brands or be daring and try something completely different.
Egyptian malls aren't just places to shop, they're places to socialise with friends and families. At weekends, families from Cairo often meet up in one of its many malls. There are plenty of places to stop off at and recuperate like coffee shops and full-blown food courts.
Opening times
Bazaars and boutiques normally open around 9:00 am or 10:00 am and close at 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm in the evening, with no break. In Cairo, boutiques stay open all day. On Friday, shops close in the afternoon at prayer time.
Payment
Credit cards are more and more widely accepted; travellers cheques less frequently. Payment in cash can be usually done in main foreign currencies in hotels and bazaars, but for small shops, during visits and in supermarkets, payment in cash has to be done by Egyptian pound.
Good addresses
Craftwork and clothing in all the bazaars and in specialised boutiques:
• in Cairo: Khan el-Khalili bazaar, Kerdasa bazaar, Marketing Link Programme (organisation that supports ancient craftwork traditions) and shops like Nomad, Egypt Craft Centre, Al-Khatoun, Dr Ragab Papyrus Institute, Safari and Senouhi…
Take a look too, at the shopping malls in the town centre: World Trade Centre, First Residence Mall at Giza, Horreyya Mall at Heliopolis, Ramses Hilton Mall, City Stars…
• Luxor Bazaar: spices and fabric.
• Aswan Bazaar: Nubian baskets, embroidered shawls…
• in El Arish: Bedouin craftwork, jewellery…
• in Alexandria: El-Attarine bazaar, specialist in old objects and bric-a-brac (Real antiquities may not be exported).
