# Shopping Dubai is a shopping destination: the gold, spice and perfume souks of Deira, Dubai Mall with more than 1,200 stores in Downtown, and the Dubai Shopping Festival from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027. Tourists can reclaim the 5% VAT when they leave. In Morocco and Egypt, shopping means the souks of Marrakesh, Fez and Cairo. In Istanbul, people shop at the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar, the spice bazaar, in the old city. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/themes/shopping/ In Dubai, shopping can be the whole point of the trip: the old souks of Deira, where gold is sold by weight, Dubai Mall, billed as the largest mall in the world, and a winter festival devoted to shopping. What people mostly buy: gold and jewellery, spices, saffron and dates, perfume and oud, fabrics, and international brands. In Morocco and Egypt, shopping happens in the medina souks, ideally with a guide for the first steps. ## The souks of Deira, on the north bank of the Creek The traditional souks are clustered in Deira, a few minutes' walk from each other and from the abra stations, where the public boat crosses the Creek for AED 1 (UAE dirham). **The Gold Souk.** This is the city's most famous market, free to enter. Most shops open from 10 am to 10 pm local time; late afternoon is the most pleasant time, according to Visit Dubai, the city's tourist board. You will find gold, diamonds, pearls, platinum and silver, and the merchandise is regulated by the Dubai government. To buy well: - jewellers mostly use 22-carat gold for chains, bangles and plain rings, and the more durable 18-carat gold for stone-set rings; 24-carat gold, too soft for jewellery, is sold as coins and bars; - the price follows the daily gold rate, which makes up 80 to 90% of the final price, plus a labour charge depending on the design; the rate is published on the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group website, dubaicityofgold.com; - on request, the seller must provide, with the itemised invoice, a digital authentication certificate stating the carats, the weight of gold and stones and the labour cost; - bargaining is accepted, as long as you stay fair. **The Spice Souk**, a three-minute walk away, sells Arabic and Indian spices, saffron, dried fruit, teas and dates by weight or in packets; you can taste before buying, and vendors expect you to haggle. **The Perfume Souk**, on Sikkat Al Khali Street five minutes away, deals in perfumes, essential oils, incense and oud, the fragrant wood of Arabian tradition. You can have a personal fragrance blended here. **The Textile Souk**, across the water in Bur Dubai, is the tailors' market: choose silk, cotton or sari fabric and have a suit or dress made in a few days. The Al Fahidi Souk, in the historic quarter, rounds off the walk. Our [Old Dubai](/en/dubai/old-dubai/) page plans a day in these districts, including the Creek crossing. ## The malls **Dubai Mall**, at the foot of Burj Khalifa, presents itself as the world's largest shopping and leisure destination: more than 1,200 stores, two department stores, Bloomingdale's and Galeries Lafayette, over 70 high-fashion outlets, Fashion Avenue for haute couture and hundreds of restaurants, across more than one million square metres. It also has its own gold souk, the Dubai Aquarium, an Olympic-size ice rink and Play DXB, a virtual reality park. The Red Line metro station Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall is linked to the mall by a footbridge. Souk Al Bahar and Dubai Opera are next door. **Mall of the Emirates**, in Al Barsha, houses Ski Dubai, an indoor ski slope kept at -4°C; like Dubai Mall, it has its own jewellers. **Madinat Jumeirah**, in Umm Suqeim, recreates a small Arabian town with its souk, canals and abras, facing the Burj Al Arab. ## Shopping seasons - **Dubai Shopping Festival**, 32nd edition, from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027: 45 days of promotions across the city's shops, with concerts, drone shows and entertainment. See the [Dubai Shopping Festival](/en/events/dubai-shopping-festival/) page. - **Dubai Summer Surprises**, the summer retail festival, ran from 2 July to 30 August in 2026; the 2027 dates have not yet been announced. ## Tax-free shopping: reclaiming VAT The UAE has charged VAT (value added tax) at 5% since 2018. Tourists can reclaim it on goods they take out of the country, under the rules published by Visit Dubai: - a minimum spend of AED 250; - departure from the UAE within 90 days of purchase; - validation at the Planet counters, the scheme's only operator, found at every exit point: airports, land borders and seaports; - no refund on anything consumed, even partly, in the UAE, or on goods that do not leave with the tourist. Most stores take part in the scheme. Since December 2024, purchases from registered online retailers also qualify. ## Where to stay for shopping **[Palace Downtown](/en/hotels/palace-downtown/)**, on the edge of Burj Lake, is within walking distance of Dubai Mall, Souk Al Bahar and the Dubai Fountain. For the souks, stay in Old Dubai: **[XVA Art Hotel](/en/hotels/xva-art-hotel/)** in Al Fahidi, or **[Al Seef Heritage Hotel](/en/hotels/al-seef-heritage-hotel/)** on the Creek, about 3 km from the gold and spice souks. ## Morocco and Egypt - **In [Marrakesh](/en/morocco/marrakesh/)**, the souks begin north of Jemaa el-Fna square. Sabaro suggests a first half-day with an official guide, who gives you your bearings in the medina, then the souks in the late afternoon, when the heat eases. - **In [Fez](/en/morocco/fez/)**, mornings belong to the craftsmen of Fez el-Bali, and the terraces above the Chouara tanneries are best visited early. On Fridays, the day of the main weekly prayer, many souks close in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. - **In [Cairo](/en/egypt/cairo-and-giza/)**, the Khan al-Khalili bazaar lies on al-Muizz Street, in the heart of historic Cairo, between the Bab al-Futuh and Bab Zuwayla gates. ## Turkey: the bazaars of Istanbul On Istanbul's [historic peninsula](/en/turkey/istanbul-historic-peninsula/), between Beyazıt and Eminönü, lie the two great covered markets of the old city: the Grand Bazaar, a maze of vaulted lanes, and the Egyptian Bazaar, or spice bazaar, near the Eminönü pier, where the Bosphorus ferries leave. [AJWA Sultanahmet](/en/hotels/ajwa-sultanahmet/), between the Grand Bazaar and Sultanahmet Square, is within walking distance of both. ## Frequently asked questions ### When is the best time to shop in Dubai? During the Dubai Shopping Festival, from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, for promotions and entertainment. The Deira souks can be visited all year, ideally late in the day. ### How do I buy gold in Dubai? At the Gold Souk in Deira or in the jewellers of the big malls. The price follows the daily gold rate plus a labour charge; ask for the itemised invoice and the digital authentication certificate, which the jeweller must provide on request. ### How do I get a VAT refund in Dubai? Spend at least AED 250 in a participating store, leave the UAE within 90 days and have your purchases validated at the Planet counters at the airport or border. The refund covers the 5% VAT. ### Where should I stay to be close to Dubai Mall? At Palace Downtown, within walking distance of Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar, or at another hotel in [Downtown](/en/dubai/downtown/). ### Where should I shop in Istanbul? At the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar, the spice bazaar, in the old city between Beyazıt and Eminönü. AJWA Sultanahmet is within walking distance of both.