leisure: shopping saudi arabia 2012
reserved exclusively for women, managed and serviced entirely by ladies and where the traditional abaya is worn optionally. Resembling the nib of a fountain pen and holding the title of Saudi Arabia's first skyscraper, is the 267-metre-high Faisaliah Tower. From a distance, the tower, designed by Britain's Buro Happold, is almost totally transparent from both inside and out. Just below the top of the tower sits a huge golden globe, acting as an observation deck over Riyadh's myriad mass of villas, streets and marketplaces. Lying beneath the tower is the Faisaliah Shopping Mall, home to a large Harvey Nich- ols store with a fabulous range of top-brand fashion and selection of shoe shops among its 108 stores. There are toys in the basement within the Toy Centre and on the second floor lies a large food court for when a break in proceedings is required.
However, it is in the historic (old) quarter where the traditional souks of the city can be found, primarily around the Qasr Al Hokum district and where the hard bartering begins. With haggling considered to be close to an art form in this part of the world and a thor- oughly enjoyable way of trading, it is worth remembering that practice makes perfect.
JANADRIA SOUK, RIYADH
The Antique Souk is the oldest in Riyadh and today still maintains the traditional nar- row passageways, delightfully claustrophic atmosphere and charming character from yesteryear. Fairly close by are both the gold souk and the women's souk. The largest souks across the Kingdom can be found in Al-Baha, Abha, Buraydah, Tabuk, Najran and Jeddah. The majority of the city's medium-sized shopping centres are located in the Olaya district, which offers a number of venues covering everything from fashion and jewellery to computers and electrical goods.
Women's fashion in particular is big business, with large sections of the major malls devoted to high-end brands including the likes of Prada and Gucci
KINGDOM TOWER, RIYADH AL FAISALIAH TOWER, RIYADH
Outside the city centre and heading north is a further selection of large, modern shopping malls, including the Sahara Mall with a decent offering of 180 stores; the more modern Deira Shopping Centre, with 500 stores; and the Al Bathaa souk.
JEDDAH
As the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, Jeddah has a huge number of shops, ranging from bustling open- air souks and pedestrian bazaars to the most urban of shopping malls. Furthermore, shopping in Jeddah should never be complete without a trip to the glistening jewellery shops, where the sheer amount of gold, pre- cious and semi-precious stones on display all in one place will just about take your breath away.
For the fashion aficionados among the group, there is Tahlia Street in the very heart of Jeddah. It's a veritable hub of designer brands with the El Khayyat Shopping Centre stocking Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and DKNY. However, the first shopping centre in the city, which remains the largest today, is the Heraa Mall. This one-stop-wonder has over 240 international and local retailers, sell- ing everything from branded fashion items to locally made traditional goods and there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops for the weary. For cheaper unbranded goods the best place to shop is Gabel Street, where the road is lined with open-air souks selling traditional items like Arabian tea pots, rugs and perfumes.
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