The Gold Souk in Sharjah is located in the Yarmouk quarter near the Khalid Lagoon (see the mark on the map). In essence, this is a modern shopping center containing more than 600 pavilions. There is no crowding, stuffiness, noise and other attributes of oriental bazaars. With the exception of stylization in the decoration of galleries.
In addition to the main focus - gold jewelry, coins and other products made of precious metals, there are pavilions with perfumes, clothing, carpets, household appliances and various souvenirs.
In Sharjah, as in the UAE as a whole, 18-karat yellow gold, which corresponds to 750 purity, is popular. White and red gold are less common. Lots of exclusive decorations. The fineness of gold in the Emirates is calculated in carats.
You should not expect that prices for high-quality gold items will be several times cheaper than in Russia. If you know the prices for jewelry in Russia, you will see an approximate correspondence. Here, of course, there is still a dependence on the regions, but overall it is not significant. But there is an opportunity to bargain. And those who master this skill perfectly can reap significant benefits. But bargaining should always be reasonable and knowledgeable. Do not forget that, without knowing the true price of a thing, bargaining for it is at least unwise.
Next to the gold market there is the famous hundred-meter fountain. Where light shows are held after sunset.
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I decided to spend my last vacation in the United Arab Emirates. Since the decision came spontaneously, and I was quite strapped for money, the choice fell on one of the cheap emirates, Sharjah. Well, I chose a fairly budget 3* hotel. Selection criterion - accessibility to transport, free bus to the beach and the beach is also free.
The hotel did not disappoint me. The closest attraction to it was the so-called Gold Market. Russian tourists firmly dubbed it “Locomotives”. Indeed, the photograph shows that the market buildings resemble trailers with a steam locomotive.
Russian tourists generally gave names to everything they could. High-rise buildings next to the hotel - "Pencils", on the road to Abu Dhabi - the buildings of "Hennessy" and "Enema", etc.
Let's return to our Engines. It looks like the market is nearby - just cross a couple of roads. In practice, everything is not so simple. There are very few pedestrian crossings in the United Arab Emirates. Hardly ever. When cities were built, it was not assumed that anyone would want to walk. There were 2 crossings near the hotel, the walk to each was about a kilometer. At first I was afraid, but then nothing - I learned to cross the roads along with crowds of local workers and tourists.
The market building itself is very beautiful both during the day and in the evening when the lights turn on. There is a fountain in front of the main entrance, which makes for beautiful photos. There is a park next to the Engines. People relax here both during the day and in the evening. Some people have picnics with the whole family, some run, do yoga, etc., and some just sleep. This is not our “Don’t walk on the lawns” (((And the lawn feels absolutely wonderful, because everything here is watered and irrigated automatically. Well, as for the fact that everything is clean everywhere - I’ll keep quiet.
The name of the Zolotoy market fully justifies itself. There are such display cases with gold... My husband said, “Come on..” Honestly, he didn’t believe that it was all made of gold))) It’s, firstly, yellow, unusual for the Russian eye, and, secondly, it’s all simple some kind of gigantic size) But beauty, expensive, gorgeous, so to speak))
And it should be noted that local customers came into these stores and not just to look)))
Apart from gold, it seems to me that you can buy whatever your heart desires here. My eyes widened. I only splurged on souvenirs and held on with all my strength.
On the second floor of one of the market buildings there are currency exchange offices, and even one of them has no commission. I don’t understand why the currency couldn’t be changed at nearby banks, but there were no exchangers there))) And since the currency was changed often, we often visited the market.
Further behind the gold market there was a certain bus station. We did not use such buses, and then there was a fruit market and a fish market. To be honest, we didn’t get to the fish part, we “broke down” on the dates in the fruit department.
In general, it should be noted that the Gold Market is a kind of landmark in the area. If you go left, you will get to the embankment, and there are fountains, and attractions, etc., etc.
In the vicinity of the Gold Market there are many different establishments where you can eat, supermarkets that sell everything you want, including Russian dairy products, and many pharmacies.
I definitely liked the Emirates. And even upon returning home, a certain melancholy attacked. I will definitely come back again. And maybe even to Sharjah.
We vacationed in Sharjah for a week from March 8, 2016. We chose the hotel 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 don’t remember the name. I’ll try to write here about something I haven’t seen in other reviews.
The hotel has 14 floors (the top floor is elite), not new, but neat and well-maintained. It has its own parking lot and territory.
The condition of the rooms is good, everything is well maintained. Any request is immediately responded to and serviced quickly. The staff is very friendly and tries to keep customers happy. There is a green and well-kept area around it 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 and a free sauna with jacuzzi nearby. We didn’t go to the beach, sunbathed and swam here.
All rooms have balconies, with views on four sides:
– part of the bay, mosque, palm park and fountains at the end of the bay);
– to the city and the central entrance (view of the avenue and beautiful glass-concrete high-rise buildings);
– part of the bay and the city (you can see the bridge, the Blue Sharjah Souk shopping center and a green area with Marbella Resort 4* villas);
– over most of the bay and a swimming pool with a large lawn.
In the morning, before sunrise (around 5-30 o’clock), a mullah from a nearby mosque reads the first prayer for about 10 minutes, which can be heard everywhere, even with a closed balcony. In the Emirates we have to put up with this, since all the mosques are within easy hearing distance of each other.
The location is very good. There is a beautiful embankment, a palm grove, and places 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).
The Parovoziki shopping center (Blue Sharjah Souk) - when exiting the hotel, it is located on the left in direct visibility, it takes 10 minutes to walk to them. There is a lot of gold and carpets, clothes, electronics and souvenirs.
Sharjah Fish Market - go through the first Parovozik shopping center, go further straight through the passage under the bridge and end up at the market itself. You can buy groceries inside.
We bought most of what we needed at the SafeerMarket Shopping Center - we leave the hotel, go to the other side of the highway and walk 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 deeper into the city along the driveway (the Marbella Hotel will be behind) and walk along it for 5 minutes to McDonald's - it will be immediately visible 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 is located along the road. On the first floor there are food products, on the second there is an exchange office, clothes, bags, etc. This store has good discounts on goods - up to 50%.
The room is quite cool. This is probably good in the summer, but in March I would like it to be warmer. Attempts to set the air conditioner to heating mode were unsuccessful. You can simply change the temperature to the maximum possible. But, if you leave the room, the system automatically starts cooling the room. The solution is to leave one key card in the block near the door when leaving. Then the temperature is maintained.
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 there is an Internet cable with an RJ-45 plug for free Internet; free Wi-Fi in the room is available periodically and mainly in the mornings. But via wi-fi you can only send an SMS to Viber, the rest is jammed. We took a laptop with us and connected to the Internet cable.
The restaurant is located on the ground floor overlooking the pool and is open from 6-30 to 11 o'clock for those who took only breakfast (BB). Had breakfast at different time, there were never any queues, and there were no problems with seats, dishes or food during the entire vacation period. The air conditioning in the restaurant is cool, so sometimes we had to dress warmer.
Breakfast is normal for a 4* hotel. You won't go hungry. There are many fast food outlets around the hotel. In addition to McDonald's, there is 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 the restaurant "Daniel". If you leave the hotel and go to the “Locomotives”, then almost next to them there is a shopping center. Two houses like pencils. On the third floor there is a large inscription in red letters DANIEL. We cross the road and take the escalator to the third floor. When entering we say “buffet”. That's what they call a buffet. For 60 dirhams we get a luxurious 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 flatbread will be served, it is included in the price. They will serve you a bottle of water - it is not included, you need to pay 3 dirhams for it. But if you don’t open it, then when paying you say “no water” and don’t pay. Payment after meal upon exit.
We went on an excursion to Abu Dhabi individually with a guide. The guide's name is Alexander, we found him through the Internet and were very pleased. Contacted via WhatsApp (+971506964517 /+971558200306)/
The program was discussed according to our wishes, during the day we saw the sights 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. Alexander led the excursion in a very interesting way. We stopped where we wanted to take a photo. In addition, the price ($250 for two) included lunch at a buffet restaurant.
We went to Dubai on our own. A free shuttle bus departs from the hotel daily at 10:00 and 16:00. On the way to Dubai, he drops off everyone at the local shopping center Sharjah City Center and drives further to the Deira City Center shopping center in Dubai.
The journey lasts 30-50 minutes and depends on traffic jams. You can return to the hotel by 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. The metro stations are immediately visible; they have golden roofs at the entrances. By metro you can take the red line to the Dubai Mall - Burj Khalifa, where the singing fountains and the tallest building are located. You get on at our Deira City Center station (16th station), and get off at the ninth one, “Dubai Mall - Burj Khalifa”. The carriage itself has a metro map (2 lines in total), follow it along the route. You can pay for travel in both directions at once to the 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 is by zone, in other zones the turnstile will not let you out or will charge a certain amount from your card, the remaining 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 take the escalator down straight to the red line. Here you need to check the direction of travel to Burj Khalifa. The first carriage is Gold, the second is only for ladies, the other three carriages can be boarded by anyone indiscriminately. Follow the inscriptions. There are no partitions between the cars, just a line on the floor. So I was traveling in the “women’s carriage”, and my husband next to me in the “men’s” carriage. For a man entering a women's carriage, the fine is 100 dirhams. In general, we follow the inscriptions and do not violate them. The train has no 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 (20 minutes ride) and follow everyone through the tunnel further to the Dubai Mall along a moving lazy path (another 10 minutes). Let's get to the 4th floor of this store (on the 2nd floor there is a huge aquarium) and following the signs in the store we go straight to the fountains. If possible, watch a video on YouTube where this entire route is filmed.
On each floor of the Dubai Mall there are signs and an electronic board with a search engine. On it you can see where you are and how to get to the right place.
Tickets for Burj Khalifa were purchased online in advance. We exchanged the printed voucher for real tickets at the box office without any problems. You can arrive 30 minutes before the time written on your ticket. It's the same with an aquarium. It is multi-story, and with the purchased ticket we go into the tunnel and further along the floors. We walked almost the whole day.
The fountains start working at 18:00 and then turn on every half hour. The musical fountain show itself lasts 3 minutes. To see four fountains at once, you need to go outside from the store and go to the right along the embankment until the Burj Khalifa tower is right behind you, there are much fewer people there and a better view.
Back to the train, follow the signs for the shopping center. When descending onto a branch of the line, make sure that the train direction indicator shows a decrease in the number of stations (the arrow is drawn where they are already boarding), otherwise you will go in the other direction. After 19:00 there are a lot of people 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 for the return journey.
We didn’t use taxis in Sharjah, we walked. Although the city is clearly not for pedestrians.
We were pleased with the trip, but a week is, of course, not enough to visit the country with excursions. Have a nice and interesting holiday everyone!
First of all, shopping in Sharjah attracts with its accessibility. After all, prices in this Arab emirate, located along the Persian Gulf, are comparatively lower than in fabulous and luxurious Dubai. Because the cost of renting retail spaces is lower here.
Typically, reviews of shopping in Sharjah begin with a mention of the main shopping street - Al Fahda. Here you can find a variety of goods: from shoes to furniture, from products of world famous brands to inexpensive brands of youth clothing. Other "shopping" places are King Faisal and Jamal Abdul Nasser streets.
The best shopping centers in Sharjah
1. Sahara Center is not only one of the most popular shopping centers United Arab Emirates, but is also included in the list of the main attractions of Sharjah. There are more than 200 shops under the dome of the tent-shaped building. Debenhams and Marks & Spencer are among the largest. Not only branded outfits, shoes and accessories are sold here, but also household goods and cosmetics. If you're traveling to Sharjah with kids, we recommend stopping by Toys 'R' Us when visiting the Sahara. The entertainment and shopping center also has separate stores for electronics, gold jewelry and books. And the underground parking is designed for 1800 cars.
The food court of the shopping center is represented by several restaurants, cafes and more than 30 fast food establishments. Tired of moving from one store to another, guests can look into the largest Entertainment Center UAE without leaving the Sahara Centre. There are more than 20 attractions, water slides, and 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 most modern gadgets, furniture. Here you will also find traditional souvenirs that travelers buy to commemorate their visit to 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 the huge building there is a hypermarket and 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, is impressive with its dimensions: 800 thousand square meters, 4 floors with all kinds of goods and even a grocery store. This giant sells everything: branded clothes 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 the Antics Land entertainment center, whose area is about 8 thousand square meters. m. Despite the pomp and scale, the Mega Mall in Sharjah is aimed at 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 selling clothes and shoes, jewelry, costume jewelry, cosmetics, household goods, toys and many other goods. There is something here for children playground and a complex of attractions. 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 here low prices, electronics, furniture stores, a good choice accessories. On the top floor there is a wonderful entertainment complex Space City, designed in a futuristic style.
Sharjah's best markets
1. Gold Market familiar to true shopping lovers in Sharjah. For the most part, the range is represented by original products made of yellow gold. Apart from rings and chains, you can find some very unusual items at this market in Sharjah. For example, chain mail made of pure gold. The clothing market is also adjacent to the “pearl” of Sharjah’s trade. It is located near Khor Khalid Bay. 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, above which two domes-spheres rise. Here you can watch how fishermen unload their catch and buyers choose fish. At the market, every fish lover will find something to eat - from shark meat to the freshest shrimp.
Address : Al Jubail St.
3. Blue Market, called “trailers”, thanks to their architectural features, - This popular place shopping in Sharjah. The market is divided into separate sections. For example, the part that “looks” at the lagoon boasts a wide selection of jewelry and 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.
Married couples, newlyweds and simply those who want to relax in a picturesque and calm place often choose Sharjah as their travel route. This emirate with a large number of shops, shopping centers, and oriental bazaars provides shopping lovers with all the conditions for making a wide variety of purchases. Would you like to get acquainted with the unique Arab bazaars? Then the central market called Blue Souq, located in Sharjah, in the Al Majas area, in the Khalide Lagoon, is at your service.
The name of the market comes from the Arabic blue tiles on its walls. The modern structure is harmoniously combined with elements of traditional Arabian style, creating an original architectural ensemble, which you never stop admiring for a minute. Russian tourists call the market a “steam locomotive” due to the fact that it consists of several sections - “cars”, which are crowned with wind towers-fans. This is Sharjah's most colorful attraction, famous for its carpets and gold items.
In total, on the territory of the market, which consists of two parts connected by special galleries, there are about 600 pavilions where all kinds of goods are displayed, from national clothing to electronics and jewelry. At Blue Souq you won't find only food. Perhaps the most popular product here is carpet.
You will find carpet shops on the ground floor. As in many oriental bazaars, it is customary to bargain here. Bargaining, as a rule, ends with the purchase of an excellent handmade Arabic carpet at an attractive price. Even if you are not at all interested in buying carpets, it is still worth wandering among them to admire these magnificent works of art.
Four buildings (No. 1, 4, 5 and 8) occupy the part of the market facing Khalid Lagoon. In one wing, visitors will be able to purchase jewelry - gold, precious stones, silver, in the other - antiques and goods stylized as antiques, carpets, perfumes and cosmetics, rosewood furniture, souvenirs, for example, coffee utensils or Arabic khanjara daggers, objects of art, photographic materials and cameras, video and audio equipment, household utensils, tablecloths, CDs, currency exchange offices. The side overlooking the King Faisal Mosque (No. 2, 3, 6 and 7) offers fabrics of all colors, clothing, wedding accessories, handicrafts, suede and leather jackets, woolen items, bags and other interesting things. More and more outlets are opened on Blue Souq from time to time.
It seems that you can wander endlessly in search of gifts in the central market. For the comfort of visitors throughout the vast territory, air conditioning is installed in all pavilions. It is noteworthy that two methods are used for this: wind towers, built in ancient times for ventilation, and, accordingly, a more modern one - air conditioning. You will reach the upper floors of the market via the wide main staircase or one of several additional staircases.
Blue Souq opens early in the morning (9.00) and closes late in the evening (23.00). Be sure to visit this market with its original architecture to please yourself and your loved ones with interesting things. Have a great shopping!
