Viator Viator Travel Blog

Welcome to the Medina

One of my favorite things to do in any destination I visit is a little shopping. I am not talking postcards, logo shot glasses or t-shirts (..My uncle went to Paris and all I got was this lousy t-shirt!..). I am talking about the places where the real locals shop. Instead of the Supermarket start by visiting the local Boulangerie, Patisserie and Fromagerie in Paris and create your own picnic lunch. (Don’t forget the wine!) Find the local café or coffee shop and not the big chains. Visit the flea markets and street vendors to get a real taste of the destination.

Besides supporting the locals, the markets can be not only a place to shop, but a great place for people watching and socializing. And when you get off the beaten path a bit, the markets are one of the best places to truly interact with the locals. Take your time and make your shopping trip just another experience of the destination. With this in mind, I came up with my Top Ten places to Shop in the World…

Counting down:

10. Magnificent Mile, Chicago, USA. Let’s start with something pretty simple: Good ‘Ol American-style commerce. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, aka “The Magnificent Mile” is a great shopping street. It has all the chains that you expect in an American shopping experience and some you don’t. It is also a good place to get all your high end goods and designer fashions. It’s also part of the friendliest city in America (sorry San Francisco colleagues) and a beautiful flower-lined street – at least in the summer.

9. Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, Paris, France. Known as just “Les Puces” (The Fleas) to the French, this is the place to go for antiques in Paris, everything from a rough around the edges clock to a $50,000 armoire. Open Friday – Sunday, officially at 8:00, but alas, this is France, so no need to show up at opening time. The vendors will be having a café-au-lait and a smoke and will be there around 9:00. Why not join them?

8. Souk, Muscat, Oman. Not the biggest souk in the Middle East, but one of the friendliest, the Muscat Souk is know for its Gold and Silver Bazaars. The narrow lanes are almost too bright to walk down with all the gold jewelry in the shops. Know what you are looking for and what its worth and you can find some very high quality bargains here. Don’t know and you may end up with a very expensive gold plated piece of junk.

7. Chinatown, New York City. Can’t afford The Magnificent Mile? Then try Chinatown, NYC. You know you need that Louis Vuitton handbag and that Rolex watch but you only have $25 dollars, right? Don’t fret – they’re all here for you! And I am assured that everything here is “genuine”. I just wonder why the street tables pack up every time the police come by…(PS – Don’t play the street shell / card games. You will get swindled every time, just ask Viator CEO Rod!)

6 . Rastro Flea Market – Madrid, Spain. The area known as El Rastro area in Madrid is supposedly the largest flea market in the world, but I am not sure if I buy it or not. It is open on Sundays and Holidays from around 10:00am to 2:00pm, but the coffee shops and tapas bars are open earlier and later. You can buy just about anything you need (or don’t need here). Of course, with any big flea market, watch your wallets and purses. This area is known for some pretty adept pickpockets.

Curses-R-US

5. Voodoo Fetish Market, Lomé, Togo. Need to put a hex on your mother-in-law or a particular colleague? Need to remove that hex your mother-in-law put on you? Then you need to go to the Voodoo Market in Lomé, Togo, in West Africa. Its not the easiest place in the world to get to, but it is teaming with all the necessary ingredients for any curse – think Monkey heads, bat’s wings, snake blood and goat’s testicles. Its all for sale and the merchants can likely help you with your “recipe”. Really, this is a must visit – but not for the faint-hearted.

4. Pete’s Antiques, Swakopmund, Namibia. Where? Swakopmund! This town is a little piece of Bavaria set in South Western Africa. The town has beer halls, timbered buildings and some good schnitzel, but the place to go is Pete’s Antiques. Ask anyone into African Art and they will tell you so. Housed in a small shop, this place is literally filled to the (timbered) rafters with African antiques – wood carvings, tribal masks, drums, baskets, pottery – the list goes on and one. Pete and his staff travel all around Africa and support local tribes and craftsman. They are extremely knowledgeable on the artifacts. They can tell you exactly where your mask came from and what ceremony it was used for. This is the place to go if you can’t make it to Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Mali in one trip!

Aerial view of Fez Media

3. Old Medina – Fez, Morocco. Filled with winding alleys, dead-end lanes and teaming with people, donkey carts and activity, the local lore is that you must have a guide to visit the Medina (Old City) in Fez or you will never find your way out. Alas, we did have a guide when I went and we were hustled into several carpet shops. You decide if you can make alone it or not, but either way, this place is incredible. If you enjoy total chaos and have a sense of adventure (and patience), this is a great spot. Within the Medina are the famous dye pits – a must see.

2. Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey. It’s not the “Fair Bazaar” or the “Good Bazaar” – it’s the GRAND BAZAAR! This covered market in Istanbul is often stop #1 for visitors. A great place to buy carpets, pottery, handicrafts as well as just about anything else, you can spend hours per day here. My advice: go early or go late. If you see busses pull up with hundreds or cruise ship passenengers, take a break, visit the Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque and come back later. The prices are directly related to the amount of people shopping and the time you are willing to spend negotiating.

1. Chatuchak Weekend Market – Bangkok, Thailand. Easy to get to on the new Bangkok SkyTrain, this is the best (and hardest to pronounce) outdoor market in the world! The market is open officially on Friday and Saturdays, but is also open to the wholesale trade on Thursday – you won’t be turned away if you have a fistful of dollars or Baht. The market is huge, but very organized with maps of all the various sections – crafts, art, household goods, pets, furniture, wood carving – everything in its place. The Thai people are incredibly friendly and polite, making this a very pleasant shopping experience. Stop mid-day for a steaming bowl of green curry and a cold Singha beer and watch the throngs buying and selling. A great way to spend a Saturday!

Well, there you have it, Ken’s Top Ten Shopping Sites. The most important thing to remember in any of these markets is to respect the locals. Too smoky for you in Paris? Too bad! Don’t like the kids following you around in Marrakesh trying to sell you a scorpion and some turmeric? Get over it! It’s their country and you are a guest. Learn a few words in the local language, and most important of all, smile! A friendly smile and “no thanks” in the local language go a long way.

Check back next week for my Top Ten Tips on negotiating in the local markets.

–Ken Frohling