attractions SHOPPING
1 Trading places
Whether it is a designer dress from a high-end store or traditional handicraft, visitors are spoilt for choice by Saudi Arabia’s ever-growing shopping options
Ask most Saudi residents about the favourite pastime in the kingdom and retail therapy is sure to be at the top of the list. In a country where there are no taxes, VAT or sales duty, the prices of some of the most sought-after international brands are accessible to many more shoppers than in several globally renowned shopping destinations. With mega shopping malls
spread out all over the country, there is no dearth of places to spend a leisurely day or evening hunting down that perfect designer bag or suit. Outside the malls, the traditional markets – or souks – add more character to the shopping scene, lending an old world charm of labyrinthine alleyways full of goods on open display, places buzzing with activity and where bargaining is the norm.
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RIYADH The two towering edifi ces of the Kingdom Tower and Al Faisaliah Tower are where the organised retail scene of the city gravitates. The Kingdom Tower is home to the Mamlaka Mall, which is the retail highlight of the tower. This 300,000-square-metre four-level shopping centre is in the tower’s east wing and counts among its key stores such globally renowned names as Debenhams, Saks Fifth Avenue and Marks & Spencer. One whole fl oor of the mall is also reserved exclusively for women. Down the road, the 267-metre-
high Faisaliah Tower, houses another collection of top brands in the Faisaliah Shopping Centre at the foot of the tower. A large Harvey Nichols store forms the anchor with a wide selection of top-brand
1 A modern shopping mall, Riyadh 2 Jeddah's Souk Al Alawi 3 Shopping for gold in Jeddah
fashion and shoe shops among its 108 units. The basement houses a Toy Centre while the second fl oor includes a large food court. Riyadh’s fashionable malls and
high-street shops are concentrated in the Al Olaya district in the city centre, adjacent to its two landmark towers. The range covers everything from fashion and jewellery to computers and electronics from the best global brands. The outer suburbs are also well-served by modern shopping malls, including the Sahara Mall with 180 units and the 170-unit Riyadh Gallery. Not surprisingly, given its
long history, traditional Arabic souks abound as well in the Saudi capital. In the historic old quarter of the city around the Qasr Al Hokum district, several mazes of
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