Esfahan Shopping

  1. Abbasi Hotel Bookshop

    Expensive, but has big range, including many out-of-print works on Iran.

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  2. Aladdin Carpets

    Small shop, interesting range of carpets, experienced salesmen, underwhelming nomad tours.

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  3. Bazar-e Honar

    Esfahan has probably the widest selection of handicrafts in Iran. The best buys are carpets, hand-painted miniatures on camel bone (many of the artists run the stores themselves and are happy to give demonstrations), intricate metalwork and lacquerware. Prices can be higher than elsewhere but there's more choice and it's certainly more pleasurable to shop here than in Tehran. For gold, head directly to Bazar-e Honar .

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  4. Bookshops

    Bookshops in the complex opposite the Abbasi Hotel also sell a few English-language books on Iran.

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  5. Carpet Shops

    Several carpet shops around Imam Sq let you check email for free in exchange for the opportunity to bend your ear about carpets, including Nomad Carpet Shop and Aladdin Carpets .

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