- a great place in this ultra-modern city, where you can take a walk with the whole family or with friends to see the real colorful Emirates, as they were here everywhere a few decades ago.

Dubai is a paradise for shopaholics. This city has many boutiques and shopping centers. But if you want to go to a real oriental bazaar - welcome to the Sharjah Blue Market, there are all conditions for quality shopping.

The outside walls of this market are covered with blue tiles, hence its name. It was built relatively recently, but it combines modernity with traditional Arabic style. The result is a very original structure.

Tourists from Russia call this market a train, because. its design consists of sections connected in series with each other. To find what interests you, you need to go through all the trailers.

In total, more than 600 pavilions have been installed on the Blue Market, in which merchants offer their goods to customers. The choice is very wide, there is everything except food. Those. before us is a real Arab clothing market.

It is developing rapidly, new pavilions with amazing oriental goods appear in it. Every time you go to this oriental bazaar, you will definitely find something new and unusual and buy it for yourself.

What can be found in the oriental bazaar?

The Blue Market is primarily famous for its magnificent oriental carpets, made using technologies that were used hundreds of years ago by local Bedouins and other tribes. Moreover, these carpets are quite inexpensive.

In addition, it is known that Dubai is famous for its cheap gold and very high quality gold jewelry. Many tourists come here to buy such Arabic jewelry, and there is a very large selection of them on the market.

There are also jewelry and other items made of silver, various stones, antiques are widely represented. But it should be purchased after consulting with a specialist, because. And there are a lot of fakes here too.

At the bazaar you can buy national clothes, which you will definitely need if you decide to visit local mosques. There is a very strict dress code. And in the future, such clothes will become a wonderful souvenir for you as a keepsake of the East.

And what is the oriental market if they do not offer real Arabic fabrics of bright colors and extraordinary beauty? Arriving home in Russia, then from the selected fabric it will be possible to sew a magnificent dress.

Dubai keeps up with the times, so the market has a wide selection of modern electronics, and its dealers are qualified specialists in this category of goods.

The Blue Market has a huge department with souvenirs: porcelain dishes, real Arab daggers and other edged weapons, art objects, discs, household utensils, handicrafts, etc.

Don't forget to bargain

Remember that in the East it is customary to bargain. If you do this, then the cost of the goods can quickly decrease by several times, if not, the merchants will think that you do not respect local traditions.

Even if you don't want to buy anything at all, just walk among the magnificent carpets and jewels - you will truly enjoy and get to know Dubai and its people better.

What else is interesting there?

Here you can wander all day looking for gifts for family and friends. Modern air conditioners and traditional Arabic wind towers will help you. These two ways of freshening the air here work together.

Be sure to come here: as a result, you will please yourself and your loved ones with wonderful acquisitions and enjoy the architecture of the Blue Market, which perfectly combines antiquity and modern improvements.

But there are no places where you can have a bite to eat and relax after a long shopping trip. However, you can go to cafes, restaurants, cinemas located next to the Blue Market.

First of all, shopping in Sharjah attracts with its accessibility. After all, prices in this Arab emirate, located along the Persian Gulf, are relatively lower than in fabulous and luxurious Dubai. Because the cost of rent trading floors here below.

Typically, reviews of shopping in Sharjah begin with a mention of the main shopping street - Al Fahd. Here you can find a lot of goods: from shoes to furniture, from products worldwide famous brands to inexpensive brands of youth clothing. Other "trading" places are King Faisal and Jamal Abdul Nasser streets.

Best shopping malls in Sharjah

1. Sahara Center is not only one of the most popular shopping centers in the United Arab Emirates, but also included in the list of the main attractions of Sharjah. Under the dome of the building, which is shaped like a tent, there are more than 200 shops. Debenhams and Marks & Spencer are among the largest. It sells not only branded outfits, shoes and accessories, but also household goods and cosmetics. If you are going on a trip to Sharjah with your children, then when visiting the Sahara, we recommend that you look into Toys 'R' Us. Also in the entertainment and shopping center there are separate electronics, gold jewelry and books stores. And underground parking is designed for 1800 cars.

The food court of the shopping center is represented by several restaurants, cafes and more than 30 establishments fast food. Tired of moving from one store to another, guests can look into the largest entertainment center in the UAE without leaving the Sahara Centre. There are more than 20 attractions, water slides, a cinema with 6 halls.

Address : Al Nahda St. Near Ramada Sharjah.

2. Sharjah City Center located on the main street of Al Wahda. Numerous stores (their number exceeds a hundred) have branded clothing for tourists of all ages from New Look, H&M and Borders, toys and the latest gadgets and furniture. Here you will also find traditional souvenirs that travelers buy in memory of visiting the colorful emirate. There are more than twenty restaurants on the territory of Sharjah City Center (including Starbucks, Cold Stone Creamery). On the second floor of a huge building is a hypermarket and an entertainment complex for the youngest visitors of Magic Planet.

Address : Al Wahda Road, Industrial Area 1.

3. Mega Mall, which every tourist who has visited Sharjah at least once knows about, impresses with its dimensions: 800 thousand square meters, 4 floors with all kinds of goods and even grocery store. This giant sells everything: branded outfits and accessories from Zara, Mango, Paris Gallery, Bhs, sporting goods, toys and electronics. On the territory of the mall there are 15 restaurants, a modern cinema hall and an entertainment center Antics Land, whose area is about 8 thousand square meters. m. Despite the pomp and scale, Mega Mall in Sharjah is focused on middle-class buyers. Although, of course, elite boutiques are also concentrated under its roof.

Address : Istiqlal Street, Al Bu Daniq, Near Immigration Office.

4. Al Fardan Center can compete even with Dubai boutiques. There are shops with clothes and shoes, jewelry, bijouterie, cosmetics, household goods, toys and many other goods. For children there is playground and an amusement park. There are also cafes, restaurants and even a hotel.

Address : Buheira Corniche Road - Sharjah

5. safer mall, which is not located in the city itself, but on the Sharjah-Dubai highway. This shopping center is designed for budget shopping. There are shops of low prices, electronics, furniture showrooms, a good choice accessories. On the top floor there is a wonderful entertainment complex Space City, designed in a futuristic style.

Best Markets in Sharjah

1. Gold Market familiar to true lovers of shopping in Sharjah. For the most part, the assortment is represented by original products made of yellow gold. In addition to rings and chains, you can find very unusual things in this market in Sharjah. For example, chain mail made of pure gold. The clothing market is also adjacent to the "pearl" of trade in Sharjah. It is located near the bay of Khor Khalid. And in the evenings, local onlookers and tourists can enjoy an unforgettable laser show.

Address : King Faisal St, Sharjah 61191.

2. Fish market in Sharjah- this, oddly enough, is a great place for an early morning walk. The covered bazaar is located right on the shore of the lagoon, and is a large rectangular building, over which rise two domes-spheres. Here you can watch how the fishermen unload their catch, and the buyers choose the fish. In the market, every fisherman will find something to profit from - from shark meat to the freshest shrimp.

Address : Al Jubail St.

3. blue market, dubbed "caravans" due to its architectural features, is a popular shopping destination in Sharjah. The market is divided into separate sections. For example, the part that "looks" at the lagoon boasts a wide selection of jewelry, traditional Arabic carpets self made, antiques and art objects, perfumes and cosmetics, furniture. And that part of the Blue Market, which faces the King's Mosque, is flooded with: clothes, lingerie, children's goods, leather goods.

Address : Al Majaz 1 King Faisal St.

We rested in Sharjah for a week from 03/08/16. The hotel was chosen based on reviews and price-quality ratio. Thanks to all those who wrote reviews. Special thanks to the person whose review I will quote in places. I took it from another site, unfortunately I do not remember the name. I will try to write here about what I have not seen in other reviews.
The hotel is 14 floors (the very last floor is elite), not new, but neat and well maintained. Has its own car park and territory.
The condition of the rooms is good, everything is well maintained. Any request is promptly responded to and serviced quickly. The staff is very friendly and goes out of their way to keep customers happy. Around there is its own green and well-groomed area with a swimming pool in the backyard. The water in the pool is heated. There are plenty of free sun loungers on the grass, free table tennis nearby and a free sauna with jacuzzi. We did not go to the beach, we sunbathed and swam here.
There are balconies in all rooms, their views go out on four sides:
- on a part of the bay, a mosque, a palm park and fountains at the end of the bay);
– to the city and the central entrance (view of the avenue and beautiful high-rise glass-concrete buildings);
- on part of the bay and the city (the bridge, the shopping center "Parovoziki" (Blue Sharjah Souk) and the green area with villas Marbella Resort 4 * are visible);
- to a large part of the bay and a swimming pool with a large lawn.

In the morning, before sunrise (around 5-30 o'clock), the mullah from the nearest mosque reads the first prayer for 10 minutes, which is heard everywhere and even with a closed balcony. You have to put up with this in the Emirates, since all the mosques are within easy reach of each other.
The location is very good. A beautiful embankment, a palm grove, there is where to take a walk in the evening. You can walk to the colored fountains (if you leave the hotel and move along the embankment to the right).
Shopping center "Parovoziki" (Blue Sharjah Souk) - when leaving the hotel is on the left in direct line of sight, walk to them 10 minutes. There is a lot of gold and carpets, there are clothes, electronics and souvenirs.
Sharjah Fish Market - go through the first shopping center "Engine", go further straight through the passage under the bridge and run into the market itself. You can buy groceries inside.
We bought most of the things we needed at the SafeerMarket Shopping Center - we leave the hotel, cross to the other side of the highway and go a little to the left (20-30 meters) to two identical high-rise buildings made of blue glass. At the first blue building, we turn inland along the driveway (the Marbella hotel will be at the back) and walk along it for 5 minutes to McDonald's - you will immediately see it as soon as you pass the high-rise building. We buy ice cream there for 1 AED and go right along the sidewalk along the avenue. In 10-15 minutes you will be at the Safir Market, which stands along the road. On the ground floor there are food products, on the second floor there is an exchanger, clothes, bags, and more. This store has good discounts on goods - up to 50%.
The room is quite cold. Probably in the summer it's good, but in March I would like it to be warmer. Attempts to set the air conditioner to heating mode did not end with anything. You can simply change the temperature to the maximum possible. But, if you leave the room, the system automatically starts to cool the room. Exit - when leaving, leave one key card in the block near the doors. Then the temperature is kept.
It was important for us to have internet in the room. An adapter for chargers was not required, there are normal sockets above the table and in the bathroom. On the table is an Internet wire with an RJ-45 plug for free internet, free wi-fi internet in the room catches periodically and mostly in the morning. But through wi-fi, you can only send SMS to viber, the rest is jammed. We took a laptop with us and connected to the Internet wire.
The restaurant is located on the first floor overlooking the pool and is open from 6-30 to 11 o'clock for those who took breakfast only (BB). We had breakfast at different times, there were never any queues, and there were no problems with places, utensils and food for the entire period of rest. The restaurant is cool with air conditioning, so sometimes you had to dress warmer.
Breakfast is typical for a 4* hotel. You won't be hungry. There are many fast food outlets around the hotel. Besides McDonald's there are Burger King and KFC to the left and right across the street from the hotel. They are visible. For us the best option It turned out to be Daniel's restaurant. If you leave the hotel and go to Parovoziki, then there is a shopping center almost next to them. Two pencil houses. On the third floor there is a large inscription in red letters DANIEL. Cross the road and take the escalator to the third floor. At the entrance we say "buffet". That's what they call a buffet. For 60 dirhams we get a chic lunch / dinner. Very varied and tasty, including soups, hot dishes of meat, chicken, seafood (2 types of shrimp, crabs, 3 fish dishes), side dishes, desserts, vegetables and fruits. Freshly baked cake will be served, it is included in the price. A bottle of water will be served - it is not included, you need to pay 3 dirhams for it. But if you do not open it, then when paying, we say “no water” and do not pay. Payment after the meal at the exit.
We went on an excursion to Abu Dhabi individually with a guide. The guide's name is Alexander, we found it via the Internet, we were very satisfied. We wrote off via WhatsApp (+971506964517 /+971558200306)/
The program was agreed upon according to our wishes, during the day we saw those sights that we wanted, with a visit to the Emirates Palace and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which is the largest mosque in the Emirates and the sixth largest mosque in the world. Along the way, we learned a lot about the country and customs. The tour was led by Alexander very interesting. Stopped where we wanted to take a photo. In addition, the price ($ 250 for two) included lunch in a buffet restaurant.
We traveled to Dubai on our own. A free shuttle bus departs from the hotel at 10:00 and 16:00 daily. On the way to Dubai, he drops off everyone at the local Sharjah City Center shopping center and drives on to the Deira City Center shopping center in Dubai.
The road lasts 30-50 minutes and depends on traffic jams. You can return to the hotel on it exactly at 13-30 and 21 hours, from the place where you were brought (come early, the bus is not waiting for anyone). We left in the morning and returned in the evening.
From Deira City, where the bus brought you, you can already take the metro to any place. Metro stations can be seen immediately, they have golden roofs at the entrances. By metro, you can take the red line to Dubai Mall - Burj Khalifa, where the singing fountains and the tallest building are located. You sit down at our Deira City Center station (16th station), and get off at the ninth Dubai Mall - Burj Khalifa. There is a metro map in the car itself (only 2 branches), follow it for the trip. You can pay for travel immediately in both directions to Dubai Mall (you can pay for each trip, it will be a little more expensive). The cashier needs to name the station where you will get off. Payment by zones, in other zones the turnstile will not let you out or will charge a certain amount from your card, the balance of money on the card will be shown on the turnstile monitor (the card on the turnstile is scanned both at the metro entrance and at the exit, so do not lose it). Go through the turnstile and go down the escalator immediately to the red branch of the line. Here you need to check the direction of movement to Burj Khalifa. The first car is Gold, the second one is for ladies only, and everyone can sit in the other three cars indiscriminately. Follow the labels. There are no partitions between the cars, just a line on the floor. So I rode in the "women's carriage", and my husband was next to me in the "men's". For the entry of a man into the women's carriage, a fine of 100 dirhams. In general, we follow the inscriptions and do not violate. The train is without a driver, but the stations are announced and shown on the monitor in English. We get off at the ninth stop at the Burj Khalifa station (drive 20 minutes) and follow everyone further through the tunnel to the Dubai Mall along a moving lazy path (another 10 minutes). We get to the 4th floor of this store (there is a huge aquarium on the 2nd floor) and follow the signs in the store to go straight to the fountains. If possible, then look at the YouTube video, where this entire route is filmed.
On each floor of the Dubai Mall there are signs and an electronic scoreboard with a search engine. On it you can see where you are and how to get to the right place.
Tickets for Burj Khalifa bought online in advance. No problem, they exchanged the printed voucher for real tickets at the box office. You can arrive 30 minutes before the time written on the ticket. Likewise with the aquarium. It is multi-storey, and with the purchased ticket we pass both into the tunnel and further along the floors. We played almost the whole day.
Fountains start working from 18:00 and then turn on every half an hour. The performance of the musical fountain show itself lasts 3 minutes. To see four fountains at once, you need to go outside from the store, go to the right along the embankment until the Burj Khalifa tower is right behind you, there are much fewer people and a better view.

Back to the train, follow the signs of the shopping center. Going down to the line branch, make sure that the train direction indicator shows a decrease in the number of stations (the arrow is drawn where they are already landing), otherwise you will leave in the other direction. After 7 pm, a lot of people ride on the train, so we do not recommend staying at the fountains for a long time so as not to be late for the hotel bus, leave at least an hour and a half on the way back.
We did not use taxis in Sharjah, we walked. Although the city is clearly not for pedestrians.
They were satisfied with the trip, but, of course, a week to visit the country with excursions is not enough. All good and interesting holidays!

The markets in Sharjah are not inferior to the markets of Dubai in terms of their atmosphere and quantity. The Sharjah markets are mostly visited by locals, but tourists also often appear here. Still, the markets in Sharjah not only offer a large selection of goods on low prices but are also interesting places to visit. For example, Souq al-Arsah and the Old Market near Al Boorj Avenue still retain their traditional charm. The same can be said about the Blue Market. In the old days, the markets were a meeting place for merchants and Bedouins who came from the desert to buy rice and other goods imported from Iran and India and sell some of their goods.

The most famous market in Sharjah is the Blue Market, also known as new market or Central Market. Built in 1979, the market is still one of the most striking buildings in the emirate. The two rows of vaulted, blue-tiled structures are connected by bridges and cooled by small vents that catch sea breezes from the nearby lagoon. This market is filled with a variety of goods, including carpets, as well as silk and wool products brought from Iran, Pakistan and India.

This market is part of the Blue Market. The Sharjah Gold Souk offers a huge selection of gold and other jewelry. Although this market is inferior in size to the Dubai Gold Souk, it is always very crowded here. As with other markets in Sharjah and the UAE, you can bargain in the Gold Souk. True, you should not hope that you will be able to bring down the price much, since initially almost all jewelry is offered at reasonable prices.

Located close to the Blue Market, the Sharjah Fish Market guarantees an exciting experience. Every day, local fishermen bring their catch to the fish market, so it is always sold exclusively fresh fish. You can often see how the fish is still moving in the baskets. Not only local residents come to the fish market in Sharjah, but also restaurant workers who buy seafood in bulk for cooking. The variety of fish and marine organisms at the fish market is amazing, but tourists are most often stopped by stalls with small sharks, which are only a few tens of centimeters long.

This market is located near the fish market, so you can visit both of these interesting places during one walk. Locals often visit the fruit market in Sharjah first, and then immediately go to the fish market, where they buy fresh seafood. The fruit market in Sharjah offers a very large selection of seasonal fruits from the UAE and other countries in Asia and Africa. Even the most exotic fruits can be bought at this market.

Often tourists are interested in where the spice market in Sharjah is located. But in fact, there is no market in this emirate that specializes mainly in spices. However, you can find a large selection of spices in the Iranian market, as well as in the Blue Market.

Iranian market in Sharjah

Historically, the Iranian market, located near the lagoon, was a place where you could buy only clothes, carpets and gold. But today it sells mainly spices, herbs and textiles. This market is not very popular among tourists, as it does not have any architectural appeal and a wide variety of interesting goods.

Friday market in Sharjah

This market is located between the villages of Dhaid and Masafi on the way to Fujairah. Originally, as the name suggests, the market only opened on Fridays for local traders and shoppers, but this roadside market has now become a favorite stopover for tourists heading to the UAE's east coast. Therefore, the Friday market, despite its name, works every day. Carpets, ceramics, plants, fruits, vegetables and other household goods are sold here in the open air.

Korfakkan Market

On the east coast of the emirate of Sharjah, one of the most beautiful markets in all of the UAE is located. Overlooking the Gulf of Oman, the traditional arched market of Khorfakkan is the region's most famous attraction. This market is aimed mainly at locals, so textiles and household items are sold here.

Might be interesting

Al-Arsa Market is one of the oldest markets in the UAE. It is rightfully considered the heart of old Sharjah. This market is also known as Al Masduf or the Coal Market. From ancient times, here, among the oases, local Bedouins traded coal with overseas merchants. Coal was exchanged for rice and other various goods brought by merchants from India and Iran. Nowadays, in the quiet alleys of the old bazaar, you can buy anything you want. Walking in the shade of the palm roofs of the malls is a real pleasure.

The decor of the Al-Arsa market is also impressive - coral walls, huge wooden doors, hanging lanterns, a massive roof made in the traditional style of wooden "arisha" poles entwined with palm leaves. All this creates a fantastic and unforgettable impression. In total, there are more than 100 trading shops on the territory of Al-Ars. The owners of shops are always happy to welcome guests, offer them their help and can tell a lot of interesting things about their business and craft over a glass of spicy Suleimani drink or mint tea.

Almost everything can be bought at the Al-Arsa market: various handicrafts, beautiful souvenirs, silver jewelry, daggers, traditional items. Especially popular with tourists are wooden Arabic chests for dresses and jewelry boxes, painted shawls, silky carpets, palm leaf baskets, copper coffee pots, knitwear handmade, medicinal herbs, perfume and incense bottles, musical instruments, antiques and much, much more.

There is a cozy coffee house in the Al-Arsa market, where, according to established traditions, everyone rushes to drink a cup of aromatic coffee before going home.

Today, Al-Arsa Market is not only an amazing place for shopping, but also one of the historical sights of Sharjah.