28 Best Shopping in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The DIFC holds many galleries, and is a hub for investors and enthusiasts. It has built a reputation as a leading creative area in the city, and is also the home of Art Dubai together with the smaller Art Nights at the Gate Village. It's hard to choose just one gallery above all others, as each has its niche, but Art Space is a good place to start. With a changing roster of exhibitions of Middle Eastern artists, it is at the forefront of the growing interest in contemporary arts in the region: a great stopover for current and budding collectors.

The range of shopping opportunities here attracts a cross-section of customers from all nationalities and walks of life. Mainstream outlets dominate, but you'll also find more niche quarters to the mall, like the jewelry souk and textile court. There are three hotels attached (Ibis, Novotel, and Pullman), meaning there are some more serious dining options than just the standard food court fare. Free Wi-Fi is available, and there are also complimentary shuttle bus services to most of the larger creekside hotels.

Undoubtedly one of Dubai's favorite tailoring shops, of which there are many, Dream Girls will make you anything from a simple shirt to a fabulous gown, or you can take in a beloved item of clothing and they'll make a copy of it. There are catalogs full of products that they can make to your exact measurements in whatever material you choose, much of which can be bought on Satwa Road nearby. Make sure you allow at least five days for good workmanship.

Festival city is an area that spans over 50 million square feet, with this large mall at the center of residential zones, a golf course, waterfront dining strip, and two large hotels. Many mainstream brands are within this airy mall, which is anchored by Marks and Spencer, Ikea, and Hyperpanda, but you will find some local and niche labels, too. For when the shopping's done, there is a wide range of dining both in the mall and at the attached waterfront promenade, cinemas, and Fabyland offering up a treat for the kids.

At the more affordable end of the spectrum, Gallery One offers mixed art and photography. Owner Gregg Sedgwick took many of the images of Dubai that are for sale, which can be an evocative souvenir of a trip to the emirate. Pieces are prints rather than originals, but most are far from bland and mainstream. You can purchase large framed works, all the way down to postcards and notebooks, meaning pricing is very approachable. This venue is in the delightful Souk Madinat, but others can be found over the emirate, and orders can also be made online.

This visually unique shopping structure has six different courts, each designed in the style of the countries or regions visited by the 14th-century Islamic traveler and diarist, Ibn Battuta. From the azure tiles and fountains at Andalusia Court, you'll wander through Tunisia, Egypt, Persia, India, and finally to the life-size junk boat on display at the China court. Artisans were brought from across the globe to design the mall's decorative elements, including the ornate blue and gold enameling in the dome of the Persian court and the detailed wooden fretwork of the Egyptian souk. There are more than 200 stores here, including a large Géant hypermarket. The sprawling mall is all on one level, so the management provides golf cart transportation (there are several stops with frequent, regularly scheduled service) to give your tired feet a rest.

Stretching through the seaside apartment towers to the seashore, this shopping zone is a narrow island between the marina and the sea. The Walk is an outdoor waterside corniche for a European-style shopping experience with cafés and casual eateries interspersed among both niche and mainstream retail offerings. The Beach, on the sandy side of the road, has more indoor space, a cinema, plenty of kids play areas, and a swathe of interesting restaurants. There is also public beach access, and an exterior market in season.

Products at this higgledy-piggledy shopping area span from mundane essentials to mass-produced souvenirs There is also a large range of the latest designer copies and fakes, mainly clothing and accessories. Some of these are accessed via secret stairways or off-site stash piles making the illegal quest all the more exhilarating for some. Goods spill onto the walkways of this small commercial quarter of shops and kiosks, and all the activity makes for an electric environment. Karama is popular with expat workers who aren't on big tax-free salaries, and tourists on the lookout for bargain clothing or gifts to take home to their families. There's a range of cheap eateries around the market—tasty Indian and Pakistani fare, Filipino and Arabic cuisine—making it a great place for budget travelers.

This gallery is run by interior designer Alison Collins, who moved to Dubai in the 1970s and raised three children in this Bastakia mansion. She converted the property during the regeneration of the quarter (now called the Al Fahidi district), and since then it has become a major venue for emerging artists from around the Arab world. Exhibitions change constantly, lasting about two weeks each, and genres cover the whole gamut of visual arts, from oil painting to tapestry. Majlis also has an artist-in-residence program and an excellent commercial gallery.

MOE is one of Dubai's largest shopping centers at more than 2.5 million square feet, and has more than 630 shops and department stores, with a comprehensive combination of designer and main street brands, fashion, housewares, and souvenirs. Department stores Harvey Nichols and Debenhams have their largest stores in the Middle East here, and more than 60 stores have made their Middle Eastern debut in this mall. A large Carrefour supermarket sells food, inexpensive clothing, and other domestic essentials. The complex was designed to be more than just a retail heaven, with sporting events, arts, and entertainment in addition to shopping. You might want to hit the slopes at Ski Dubai (the first indoor slope in the Gulf area), and there's also a multiscreen cinema complex, Magic Planet (a children's adventure and play area), and a community theater. There are two hotels connected to the mall, and a large variety of restaurants, cafés, and casual dining in two food courts.

Images of Mercato's Italian Renaissance style make it into many publicity brochures and travel guides about Dubai. An oldie, but still a goodie, this mall jump-started the themed shopping center craze in the Gulf. It's a well-decorated space, with an endearingly kitsch kind of charm, and plenty of kiosks that make the mall quite unique. By today's standards it's small, with only 140 stores, including Gap, Mango, and Top Shop, as well as many independent stores. The largest store is a Virgin Megastore, and the mall is anchored by a Spinney's supermarket.

Situated in the beautifully replicated (and air-conditioned) Madinat Jumeirah souq, it's hard to walk past this incredible gallery of textiles. Inside, knowledgeable staff members will be happy to explain the traditional patterns and different qualities of carpets, which range from their own, produced in Iran, Turkey, and India, or their imported purchases from all over the world. Prices range from just over 1,000 dirhams for a small tribal piece, through to hundreds of thousands for full-room silk Esfahan carpets. There are branches at Dubai Festival City, Deira City Centre, and Mercato Mall.

The Jumeirah group's modern take on a traditional Arabian souk is a beautiful labyrinth of narrow alleyways packed with fine souvenirs, including high-quality carpets, arts and crafts, jewelry and clothing. Goods often clutter the walkways, giving the feel of an authentic Eastern bazaar where a million and one shiny items catch the eye. Most boutiques here are independent, but you will find some jewelry chains and a couple of mid-level designer brands. There is an excellent theater on-site. The waterside cafés (many of which are licensed to serve alcohol) are a great place to relax with a drink.

The Courtyard is a collection of design studios and art/furniture importers set around a pretty cobbled, covered atrium with internal falaj (an Ancient Arabic water feature). The facade of each enterprise features architectural designs from around the world—including Roman temples and Arabic barjeels. Of note is Total Arts, a cathedral-like vaulted gallery, the work of Dariush Zandi, a local architect and designer who supports local artists by giving them work spaces and exhibitions.

Some may call it an architectural wonder; others will find the whole experience bizarre. Wafi is a long, sprawling set of pyramid-shaped buildings, with extravagant detailing like stained glass ceilings and statues of Egyptian gods and pharaohs. Shopping is eclectic and predominantly high-end. Beneath the mall is a souk with a stunning courtyard restaurant (Khan Murjan), and there are a good range of other excellent restaurants (with licences to serve alcohol), and plenty of cafés and a food court for those on a budget. Entertainment includes a few kid zones, minigolf, and an attached leisure center with pool, lazy river, and gym.

With an ever-changing calendar of thought-provoking exhibitions from artists around the region, XVA provides an interface between visitors and contemporary Islamic art. The owners play an important role in marketing the arts throughout the emirate, organizing numerous arts fairs and cultural soirees. The gallery is a consulting agency for commercial organizations, has corporate events, and also operates a boutique hotel and eatery.