Indeed, shopping in these places is one of those unexpected pleasures of visiting Syria. It's also a delightful cultural experience that puts you in close contact and communications with locals.
Especially in Damascus and Aleppo, you'll have a wonderful time wandering the colorful souks, discovering appealing treasures, meeting local merchants, and bargaining for great buys in exotic shops. However, you may be overwhelmed with your shopping choices! Just make sure you allocate enough time to sleuth Syria's many markets and shops.
Western shopping products and culture have yet to make significant inroads into Syria's shopping scene. Indeed, you won't find upscale European designer goods available in air-conditioned multi-level shopping centers, and duty-free shops (except at the airport) here as you would in nearby Dubai or even neighboring Jordan.
But you will find an abundance of traditional arts and crafts produced by Syria's talented craftsmen as well as antiques and collectibles. You'll also find many handcrafted items, such as ubiquitous carpets and copperware, from neighboring countries.
The markets and shops of Damascus and Aleppo abound with handicrafts, souvenirs, antiques, art, and home decorative items. Look for the following items when shopping Syria's many markets and shops:
WHERE TO SHOP
You'll find the best shopping in the souks of Damascus and Aleppo, which are located in the old sections of these cities. Aleppo also has its own upscale shopping district (Al-Jdeida or Jedeideh) with jewelry stores, antique shops, and boutiques found among its many fine boutique hotels and restaurants. Also, be sure to check out the shops in the major hotels.
Although more expensive than shops in the souks, the hotel shops tend to offer top quality products, and shop personnel tend to speak English and know how to arrange packing and international shipping.
Damascus
In Damascus, be sure to visit the souks in the walled and seven-gated (Bab) Old City, which is undergoing restoration after many years of neglect. Twice the size of the Old City in Aleppo (2km x 1.5 km), this area is where the action is in Damascus. This is where you will find some of the city's best shops, restaurants, boutique hotels, and entertainment spots.
The Old City consists of many souks as well as several ethnic and religious enclaves - Muslim Quarter, Christian Quarter, and Jewish Quarter - and the imposing Umayyad Mosque.
A good place to start your shopping adventure here is at the covered Souk Al-Hamadiye, which is located in the Muslim Quarter immediately to the south of the Citadel. Running nearly 500 meters from east to west, and terminating at the stone archway just before the Umayyad Mosque, it's one of the largest and most colorful souks in the Arab world - a unique visual and sensual experience.
Both a shopping and cultural phenomenon, wandering this souk may initially overwhelm you. It includes many general household goods as well as numerous handicrafts and souvenirs of interest to tourists. If you visit only one souk in Syria, make sure it's Souk Al-Hamadiye.
The area to the west and south of the Umayyad Mosque is filled with shops offering jewelry, clothes, spices, perfumes, and household goods. The souks in this area tend to specialize in particular items - brocade, embroideries, gold, spices, copper, and glass.
Also look for other souks. Outside the Old City, be sure to visit the handicraft souk (in the Tekkiye Suleymaniye complex behind the National Museum and across the street from the Four Seasons Hotel). Inside the Old City, look for Souk Khayyatin (Tailor’s Souk), Souk al-Bzouriyya (Seed Bazaar), Souk al-Attarine (Spice and Coffee Souk), Souk Madhat Pasha, Souk al-Bzourieh, and Souk al-Harir.
One of the best places for handicrafts is located near the Bab Sharqi and Bab Touma in the eastern section of the Old City. While shopping here you can also visit the workshops where artisans produce the handicrafts.
The Christian and Jewish quarters of the Old City have several shops offering jewelry, antiques, art, and handicrafts.
Aleppo
While Aleppo's souk is not as large as the souk in Damascus, nonetheless, it is a substantial complex that offers some excellent shopping opportunities in both souks and historic khans. It's also less touristy than the souks in Damascus.
Located in the Old City near the Citadel, the narrow cobbled lanes of this souk, covered by stone archways, wander for nearly 12 kilometers and house nearly 6,000 shops - the longest covered souk in the Middle East.
The souks and khans include many specialized shopping areas, more so than in Damascus. For example, shops on some streets and lanes specialize in a particular product - gold, carpets, scarves, spices, perfumes, soaps, handicrafts, etc.
If you're interested in handicrafts, visit Souk Ash-Shouna, which is located opposite the entrance to the citadel. This market is equivalent to the handicraft market (Tekkiye Suleymaniye) in Damascus.
If you're looking for antiques and jewelry, explore the many shops around the square (Bait Sissi) in the Christian Quarter (Al-Jdeida).
HOW TO SHOP
Since few prices are fixed and most prices are negotiable, be prepared to bargain when shopping in Syria. Expect to pay 20 to 30 percent less than an initial asking price.
A good rule of thumb is to respond to the asking price with a 50 percent offer and then be prepared to negotiate somewhere in between.
However, in some places, do not bargain, such as in the handicraft market (located in the Tekkiye Suleymaniye complex) in Damascus.
For additional information on such negotiations, see our tips on bargaining in exotic places.
SHOPPING HOURS
Souks are generally open from 9 AM to 6 PM or 7 PM, Saturday through Thursday. Most shops in the souks close on Friday.
However, shops in the Christian Quarter in Damascus and Aleppo remain open from Monday though Friday and close on Sunday.
Go to Syria home page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15
Syria is especially known for its traditional textiles, embroidery, brocades, inlaid mother-of-pearl wood-crafted items (furniture, boxes, games), ad-dahiri (brass and copper objects inlaid with gold and silver), nargileh (water pipes), and jewelry.
