Beirut, Lebanon
Best places to shop in Beirut
5 markets, malls and shopping districts in Beirut — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.
Last updated 2026-08-09
1. Souks of Beirut, Downtown
Photo: Jaguar MENA · CC BY 2.0 · source
The rebuilt downtown souk district — international brands and Lebanese designers in a modern reconstruction of the old market streets.
Where: MallMap: Open in Maps Best time: Daily 10:00–22:00Cost: Mid–Luxury
2. Hamra Street
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain · source
The historic commercial and intellectual street — bookshops, boutiques, cafés and street-level retail, with a character the rebuilt downtown lacks.
Where: Street ShoppingMap: Open in Maps Best time: Daily 10:00–22:00Cost: Budget–Mid
3. Souk el Tayeb, Mar Mikhael
Photo: YL Lew · Pexels License · source
The farmers' market that started Lebanon's local-food movement — producers selling preserves, olive oil, za'atar, wine and arak directly.
Where: MarketMap: Open in Maps Best time: Saturdays 09:00–14:00Cost: Mid-rangeTip: Lebanese olive oil, za'atar and rose water are the things to carry home, and buying them from the producer here is both cheaper and better.
4. Basta antique district
Photo: Chris Luengas · Pexels License · source
The antiques quarter — Ottoman furniture, brass, chandeliers, coins and colonial-era pieces in dense shops.
Where: Flea MarketMap: Open in Maps Best time: Monday to Saturday 09:00–18:00Cost: Budget–MidWatch out Reproduction Ottoman and Phoenician pieces are made for this market. Genuine antiquities cannot legally leave Lebanon, so anything offered as ancient is either fake or illegal to carry.
5. Mar Mikhael and Gemmayzeh
Photo: Sluggh Mcgee · CC0 · source
The design district — independent Lebanese fashion, jewellery and homeware studios along the two connected streets.
Where: Street ShoppingMap: Open in Maps Best time: Tuesday to Saturday 11:00–19:00Cost: Mid–Luxury
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