Must see shopping in Abu Dhabi

Offering beautiful Medjool dates stuffed with pistachios, cashews, almonds or oranges; gorgeous marzipan, baklava and other Middle Eastern sweets; take…

Bright, spacious and hosting 370 shops, Yas Mall is the star of Abu Dhabi's shopping scene. Look out for the growing plant wall and the two 12m-high tree…

Henna application (on hands and feet) is a traditional ritual of local bridal preparation, though these days it's not limited to weddings and is…

The beautiful handmade carpets on sale here are the backbone of Sheikha Fatima Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed's NGO, which aims to support and enhance the…

This small mall's 21st-century take on the classic souq gets a thumbs-up for its appealing Middle Eastern architecture and waterfront location. The shops…

Carrefour has the best bakery and deli counter in Abu Dhabi, with barrels of delicious olives and local cheeses, good-quality fruit and vegetables, and a…

This vast wholesale market, partly open-air, is the exchange point for melons from Jordan, potatoes from Turkey and onions from just about everywhere. A…

British architect Norman Foster's immensely pleasant reinterpretation of the traditional souq is a stylish composition of warm lattice woodwork, stained…

Al Zahiyah's major shopping destination with plenty of international brand-names among its 200 shops, a cinema and kid's entertainment area, cafes and a…

In addition to more than 400 stores, this popular mall has plenty of entertainment options, including a multiplex cinema, Bounce, an indoor free-jumping…

A favourite family hangout on Thursday evenings; there's over 350 outlets in this mall. Most are international brands but there are a few more local…

Shopping for those with deep pockets: this flashy mall with its cathedral-high ceilings and sculptural roof is all about international couture brands …

The garrulous traders from Balochistan, Pakistan, here are good fun, though don't expect to encounter piles of beautiful jewel-toned hand-loomed carpets…

For a wide range of souvenirs (shisha pipes, camel-bone boxes, stuffed leather camels, carpets and cushion covers), head to the Khalifa Centre, across the…

For first-time visitors to a gold souq, the window displays of bridal necklaces, earrings and belts, the trays of precious stones and the tiers of gold…

If you've never been to a regional wholesale hardware market before, then this collection of stalls huddled around the harbour edge is a fun destination…

This Pakistani fashion brand fuses South Asian and Gulf traditional clothing styles to create colourful kurtas (traditional south Asian tunic-style tops,…

This boutique sources the latest accessories and homewares from young designers across the world. It's where fashion-forward locals head to source unique,…

A one-stop shop for quirky, fun and original gifts. Pick up colourful mugs and placemats stamped with Arabic phrases Yallah! (let's go!) or Ma fi mushkila…

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…