Blue Souk – The complete Guide

Do you enjoy going on shopping? You’ll spoil yourself for shopping choices in Sharjah’s Blue Souk or Central Souk! Many traditional businesses sell everything from gold jewelry and antiquities to gadgets and handcrafted textiles in this Sharjah historic market center. In Arabic, the classic bazaar is called Al Markazi, which translates to “The Central Market.” This Arabian-style souk is also known as the Gold Souk or the Blue Souk by locals.

The Blue Souk, which is located on the shores of the Khalid Lagoon, is a great place to pick up a memento and get a sense of an authentic Islamic market. The locals refer to this market as the Central Souq and Souk al-Markazi. On a huge scale, the architecture evokes the character of a traditional bazaar. The Central Souk comprises two huge structures with flamboyant vaults and a unique skyline of 20 wind towers connected by bridges. The building’s exterior is covered with intricate blue tile work, earning it the moniker Blue Souk.

Let’s take a look at everything this brilliant place has to offer.

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Blue Souk – History

Central Souk Sharjah, which opened in 1978, is a popular shopping destination in the emirate. This beautiful souk, which spans 80,000 square meters and has over 600 stores, provides lots of shopping opportunities for shopaholics. The market’s attractiveness and attraction are enhanced by the eye-catching Arabic calligraphy. The beautiful souk is also shown on an AED 5 note.

With supervision and orders from the Ruler of Sharjah, H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, renowned British architects Michael Lyle and Partners designed the souk. The Central Souk, which consists of two huge market buildings connected by footbridges, is regarded as an iconic cultural landmark. One structure faces the iconic King Faisal Mosque, while the other faces the lovely Khalid Lagoon. Quranic passages are also printed on some of the blue tiles that line the markets outside walls.

It wasn’t easy to create the market. The Central Souk Sharjah cost a stunning AED 85 million to build. It’s safe to state that the market is a seamless blend of traditional Arabic architecture as well as art with modern design and building techniques. One of Blue Souk’s most remarkable features is the magnificent chandelier in the hallway. For more information, go to their official site. 

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Blue Souk – Location

On King Faisal Street in Sharjah, the Sharjah Central Souk, commonly known as the Blue Souk. Blue Souk or Central Market is a traditional market area in Sharjah, situated 16 kilometers from Sharjah International Airport and 17 kilometers from Dubai International Airport. It is Sharjah’s primary shopping district and one of the city’s most spectacular monuments.

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Blue Souk – Visiting Times

Central Souk Sharjah is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Thursdays, as well as from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays.

The entry fee is free. 

The contact number for Sharjah Central Souk is +971-6-556-6777.

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Blue Souk – Shops

Central Souk Sharjah is a shopper’s dream because it provides a unique shopping experience with a combination of local and international goods.

Blue Souk Sharjah offers several shops selling a variety of goods, including:

• Apparel for men, women, and kids
• Jewelry stores
• Antique stores
• Handicrafts
• Carpets
• Home appliances
• Fashion accessories
• Handwoven textiles
• Electronics

Many of Sharjah’s Blue Souk items are from Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Iran, Kashmir, as well Syria’s local marketplaces. Because of their high quality, Kashmir carpets as well as Pashmina shawls are very popular among travelers. Rare jewelry and precious stones are present in a number of antique gold and silver shops.

Blue Souk also offers custom-made jewelry to suit your tastes and preferences. The stores in the Blue Souk sell gold coins, silver pots, as well as decorative items. One of the most well-known gold retailers on the market is Gold Land Jewellery. Al Arooj Jewellers, which specializes in silver, and Lata’s Handicrafts, which sells unique traditional Indian jewelry, are two more popular shops.

In a nutshell, the Souq includes practically everything, from electronics to jewelry, food to clothing, and unique souvenir gift items, with over 600 shops on two floors. The market’s lower floor offers high-end designer clothing and gold. While the upper floor houses businesses offering Tibetan and Afghan carpets as well as curios. If you haggle hard enough, you can often find huge discounts on things on the upper floor, evoking the spirit of Arabian bazaars. The Central Souq also goes by the name the Blue Souq, is a must-see for shopaholics. It is a little chaotic and bursting with enthusiasm.

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Blue Souk – Other Facilities

After a long day of shopping, travelers can stop by one of the souk’s coffees shops,  as well as cafes for a great bite to eat. Every day, a great number of people visit Central Souk Sharjah. Its exteriors, as well as interiors, have been refurbished several times to improve the client experience. Some of the steps taken to enhance the Blue Souk include refinishing the floors and building a women’s prayer room. The souk also takes several adjustments to help faithful customers.

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