The souks
The souks (Arabic for "markets") are the perfect place to combine a stroll with shopping. Cairo's Khan el-Khalili district and the surrounding streets have an undeniable charm, allowing you to discover the city's historical heritage between two purchases. There are also establishments specializing in fair trade, such as Fair Trade Egypt, where you can find quality local products. There are countless clothing and shoe stores in the city center, where you'll easily find a suit or shirt for less. Sometimes prices are quoted, but if not, ask for half the suggested price, then gradually increase the price until you reach a compromise with the shopkeeper. Pretending to leave or to be angry is also part of negotiation, but always with cordiality and a good sense of humor!
Traditional marquetry: boxes of various shapes and sizes, chess or backgammon sets combine mother-of-pearl, bone and wood. You'll find plenty in the busiest souk streets, often of poor quality. The Darb El-Ahmar district, around Bab Zuweila in Cairo, hides workshops where you can buy authentic products of better quality.
Alabaster and carved stoneproducts are abundant in the markets of Luxor and Aswan, and can also be found in Cairo. Often made of resin or stone powder, some stores in Luxor and Cairo nevertheless offer high-quality products. Trust your sense of touch to distinguish the fake from the real thing.
Jewelry varies in quality, so you'll find something to suit all tastes. There are plenty of stores in the souks, so keep an eye out for hallmarks when buying gold or silver. Merchants also offer a wide choice of rings for men and women.
Textiles: Egypt was once renowned for the quality of its cotton production. Although the golden age of textile production is over, you can still find top-quality fabrics. Fair Trade stores offer beautiful towels, scarves and bed covers. The magnificent embroidered Abu Ghazala shawls are very popular in Upper Egypt and can easily be found in all the souks.
Lamps and lighting fixtures: often copper-plated and pierced with multiple holes, sometimes in colored glass mosaics, you'll find these very easily in every souk you come across throughout the country.
Blown glass products: often in coloured (blue, green, brown) or transparent glass, vendors offer a wide range of glasses, carafes and decorative objects. Stores are also sometimes workshops, and production is often based on glass recycled from bottles. In Cairo, you'll find a number of them around Bab Zuweila or next to the mausoleum of Sultan Qaytbay.
Pottery: Egypt's pottery production is local and original. The center of production is the village of Tunis in the Fayoum, but you can find products in fair-trade stores, as well as in Luxor, where a pottery school has recently opened.
Galabeyas: this traditional garment (the Egyptian equivalent of the North African djellaba) is available for both men and women. You'll find them everywhere, but especially in Upper Egypt, where most people still wear them.
Carpets: often with beautiful Bedouin motifs, you'll find wool and cotton carpets in the souks and specialized department stores of tourist towns. If you're passing through Saqqarah, you can stop off at one of the many tapestry schools that line the street leading to the archaeological site.
Hygiene and beautyproducts can also be original souvenirs to take home. Some specialized stores, such as the Nefertari brand, offer a wide range of beauty products made from natural ingredients. Soaps, essential oils and creams also make lovely souvenirs. Many boutiques also offer fouta, fine cotton towels that are perfect for both the shower and the beach!
Forlovers of second-hand clothes, head for the Boulaq district and its Wikalât-al-Balah souk. The streets near the Pont du 26-Juillet are entirely dedicated to the sale of second-hand clothes. If you look hard enough, you're sure to come across a piece that interests you, for a modest price! It's also an opportunity to stroll through one of the capital's most popular districts, where the charm of the narrow streets is threatened by the advanced dilapidation of some of the buildings.
Antiques: Cairo's Khan el-Khalili souk is also home to numerous antique stores. Here you can buy a wide variety of artefacts: picture frames, old radios, lamps, posters and jewelry. Authenticity is not guaranteed, but you'll find some lovely original souvenirs.
Power supply
Spices: they abound in all the country's souks. Cumin, black pepper, sumac and special blends - you're sure to find what you're looking for in one of the many stores. The dried hibiscus flowers needed to prepare carcadet (or bissap) can be an original and easy souvenir to pack! Spice stores often also sell henna, renowned for its hair-care properties. Real saffron is rare in Egypt and very expensive. What you'll be sold as saffron is often fake saffron, or dyer's safflower.
Dates: Egypt is the world's leading producer! Depending on the season, you can eat them fresh or in various stages of drying. You'll easily find a large number of varieties of varying quality, and price is generally a good indicator. They keep very well dried and are easy to transport.
Turkish coffee : if you like Turkish coffee, you'll easily find packets to take home, as well as the kanaka in which it's prepared. There are specialized stores where you can choose your coffee, the fineness of the grind and the proportion of cardamom to add.
Pastries: Egyptian pastries such as basboussa (semolina cake) and shortbread are easy to find and keep well.
