Shopping in Egypt
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A
Habiba
Run by an Australian woman who loves to travel in Egypt and who wants to promote the best of Egyptian crafts, this tiny shop goes from strength to strength. It sells an ever-expanding selection of Bedouin embroidery, jewellery, leather work, wonderful Siwan scarves, cotton embroidered scarves from Sohag, the best Egyptian cotton towels (usually only for export), mirrors and brass lights – and all at fair-trade fixed prices. A world away from what is available in the nearby souq.
reviewed
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B
Khan al-Khalili
Jaundiced travellers often dismiss the Khan al-Khalili as a tourist trap; there's no ignoring the fact that it's a favoured stop of tour buses and has all the associated annoyances (touts and tat) that come with them. But it's worth remembering that Cairenes have plied their trades here since the founding of the Khan in the 14th century - the buying and selling didn't begin with the arrival of the first tour group.
Today the market still plays an important role in the day-to-day commercial life of thousands of locals.
reviewed
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C
Sami Amin
Cool chunky brass-and-enamel jewellery as well as leather bags, belts and shoes, many imprinted with tribal patterns. And all at bargain prices – bags and sandals start at just E£35.
reviewed
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Citystars Centre
Cairo’s most lavish mall is the current landing spot for every new international chain, from Starbucks to Wagamama.
reviewed
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D
Caravanserai
This delightful shop, the only one of its kind on the West Bank, is kept by the friendly Hamdi and his family in a beautifully painted mudbrick house near Medinat Habu. He began travelling around Egypt and realised that making things was one of the few things poor people could do to earn money, so he decided to set up shop to encourage and help them, the women in particular. Hamdi buys almost everything people make, telling them what sells well, suggesting ways of improving their goods; above all he loves the people’s creativity. The shop has the beautiful pottery from the Western Oases, Siwan embroideries, amazing appliqué bags and lots of other crafts that can be found…
reviewed
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Sayed el Safty
Certainly the most fun, is Sayed el Safty, a 2nd-generation antiquaire who runs a small shop piled to the rafters with antique and reproduction Oriental furnishings in wood and metal – tables, chests, maps, bowls, beautifully inlaid backgammon sets, and more. The store itself is worth the trip alone, with graceful Arabic text carved into the stone walls. Sayed himself is enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable. The sign above the store says ‘Ibrahim el Safty’ (Sayed’s father).
reviewed
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E
Souq al-Gomaa
In the Southern Cemetery 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 new bicycles, live donkeys, toilets and broken telephones. Savvy pickers can find some great antiques and vintage duds. Go before 10am, when the crush of people can get overwhelming. You’ll need a taxi to get there (about E£12 from Downtown); tell the driver ‘Khalifa’, the name of the neighbourhood.
reviewed
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F
Souq Ibrahimiyya
Souq Ibrahimiyya is a favourite little market in town for peeking into daily Egyptian life as it goes about its business. It’s packed to the brim with bright fruits and vegetables, piles of still-wet seafood, and stalls selling all kinds of clucking poultry and meats, both before and after they’ve seen the butcher’s block. It’s best in the morning, when the vendors are at their most vocal and enthusiastic.
reviewed
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clothing boutiques
Hurghada has a good selection of clothing boutiques in the small malls along the resort strip, as well as the obligatory abundance of overpriced T-shirts, hookahs, Pharaonic memorabilia, stuffed camels, etc. However, please avoid anyone selling marine curios - stalls in the souq have been known to sell everything from stuffed sharks to lamps made from triggerfish - these are illegal, and quite frankly, would probably clash with your furniture anyway.
reviewed
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G
Nomad
This gem of a place specialises in jewellery and traditional Bedouin crafts and costumes, particularly from Siwa. Items include appliquéd tablecloths and cushion covers, dresses made in the oases, woven baskets, silk slippers and chunky silver jewellery. To find it, go past the Egyptian Water Works office to the 1st floor and ring the bell. There are smaller branches in the Cairo Marriott, Grand Hyatt and Nile Hotel.
reviewed
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Bedouin Market
Much livelier is the Bedouin market, held at the southern edge of town near the main market – note that it’s signposted in Arabic and in English as the Souq al-Hamis. It’s fascinating to watch as Bedouin come in from the desert in pick-up trucks or occasionally on camels, with the veiled women trading silver, beadwork and embroidered dresses, while the men sell camel saddles.
reviewed
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H
Dr Socks
It's a family affair. In the summer, Dr Socks takes wool from the neck and lower back of camels, spins it and knits. His sister makes sweaters, his uncle blankets, while he and his mother get on with the socks and scarves. Dr Socks and his wares can be found at Al-Badawiya Safari & Hotel and beyond. Count on around £E10 to around £E30 for socks, and up to £E400 for a blanket.
reviewed
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Green Plaza Mall
Slightly older but still a big hit with locals is Green Plaza Mall, out beyond the suburb of Smouha on the Agricultural Rd to Cairo. It is as kitsch as things get, a local shopping version of Disneyland, with shops and shops and shops plus a noisy funfair, snooker hall, bowling alley, food court, cineplex, Hilton hotel, and a gaudy 'Roman temple' housing a conference and marriage centre.
reviewed
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I
Sharia al-Muski
Congested and fabulous, the market street known as Sharia al-Muski begins in the khan (where it's formally called Sharia Gawhar al-Qaid) and runs parallel to Sharia al-Azhar to Midan Ataba. It's the 'real life' counterpoint to Khan al-Khalili's touristy maze, lined with carts selling cheap shoes, plastic toys, bucket-sized bras and some truly shocking lingerie.
reviewed
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J
Fair Trade Centre Luxor Outlet
A nonprofit shop that markets handicrafts from NGO projects throughout Egypt. It has a good selection of well-priced hand-carved wood and pottery from the nearby villages of Hejaza and Garagos, aromatic oils from Quz, beadwork from Sinai and hand-blown glass, Akhmim table linen, beading from the west bank in Luxor, recycled glass and recycled paper from Cairo.
reviewed
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K
Mobaco
Not as interesting as Mix & Match in design, but inexpensive and with a great range of colours. There’s always a flattering long cotton or linen skirt available, and men can choose from a rainbow of polo shirts sporting a camel logo. There are stores throughout the city, including at the Nile Hotel and the Semiramis (both Map pp120–1).
reviewed
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L
Beit Sherif
Zaki Sherif is responsible for the décor of some of Cairo's trendiest bars. Here he recreates his Ottoman dreams, mixing old furniture and objets d'art with his own designs and artfully displaying the result on three floors of an attractive old house. The glass-and-brass light shades are lovely, as are the richly embroidered cushions.
reviewed
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M
Said Delta Papyrus Centre
A spin-off of Dr Ragab (the father of quality papyrus painting), Said has a vast selection, from ancient Egyptian scenes to cool Cairo skylines. He’ll do a cartouche with your name in about half an hour. Prices are negotiable and quite reasonable, provided you arrive without a tout. (The shop is up two flights and down a dim hallway.)
reviewed
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Arkwrights Gourmet Food
Amazing food store with fresh fruits and vegetables, freshly made breads and a large selection of Egyptian and imported food products. The quality of the produce is high, and this is the place to stock up for a more sophisticated picnic, as they recently started doing packed lunches, freshly made sandwiches and salads to take away.
reviewed
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O
Horass Handcraft
Sells some locally made crafts, including hand-decorated pouches cleverly marketed as ‘mobile phone holders’ or, our favourite, ‘guidebook holders’. It also has standard adorned traditional Bedouin costumes and camel-hair socks. If the shop is closed, knock on the door directly across the street.
reviewed
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P
Abd El Zaher
Cairo's last working bookbinder also makes beautiful leather- and oil-paper-bound blank books, photo albums and diaries. Free gold monogramming is included in the prices, which are heartbreakingly low, considering the work that goes into them. Getting your own book bound starts around £E15 and takes a few days.
reviewed
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Q
Tawfiqiyya Souq
For fresh fruit and vegetables try Tawfiqiyya Souq. It's open late, and there's an exceptionally good dairy store for ricotta-style cheese and rice pudding (around the corner on Sharia Talaat Harb) plus numerous ba'als, the all-purpose grocers where you can stock up on yogurt, crackers and drinks.
reviewed
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R
Hassan Fouad
This tiny and incredibly tidy market offers beautifully displayed produce, like grapes from Lebanon and tasty Egyptian mangoes, and a good selection of imported staples like digestive biscuits. There’s no sign in English, so look for the place with artfully stacked fruits and a bright-red sign.
reviewed
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S
Oum El Dounia
At a great central location, Oum El Dounia sells an attractive range of locally made glassware, Bedouin jewellery, cotton clothes, bags, embroidered shawls and light fittings. It also stocks a small range of maps, postcards and English- and French-language books about Cairo and Egypt, as well as CDs.
reviewed
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Tukul Craft Shop
This charity store next to the Marriott Hotel was established in 1988 and sells an attractive range of cotton bags, aprons, tablecloths and teatowels silkscreen printed with original designs by displaced Sudanese refugees. The Ma'adi store (tel: (02) 525 0348) is just opposite the metro station .
reviewed