Beirut is called Paris East, arab fairy tale on the European Federation. Not many know that this is a modern city with shopping centers, signs and shops. Any shopaholic will feel very good, as in Beirut, there are many interesting things.
What to buy in Beirut!?
1. Lebanese cedar.
This tree is the main symbol of Lebanon. It is even depicted on the state flag. For tourists from the cedar tree, all sorts of crafts on which drawings, inscriptions are carved. To be honest, it looks not very neat and done ugly. It is better to easily buy cedar nuts. The price of them is not low, as the work on their extraction from the cones is quite laborious. Little bag is worth $ 17. Nobody is ready to bargain.
2. Oriental sweets.
These traditional sweets are sold in Beirut at every step, to try them is necessarily. True, the range is huge, most likely you will think for a long time, what to buy, caramel or traditional chocolate. In my opinion this is the best gift brought from Beirut to relatives and friends. If you negate that you will transport sweets on the plane, then the seller will pack them in a special way, this service is free. By the way, note that candy is not sold in a box usual to us, but lie on the weight, after you have decided how many pieces or grams you need, you can choose packaging for them.
3. Designer dresses.
In Beirut, there are many stores of famous world designers. Mostly there are selling dresses. Very beautiful, with a large number of rhives and openness. The fabric from which the dress is made can be translucent. For a Muslim country, this little is strange, but women love to be here as a crows, the greater the shine and open parts of the body, the more beautiful and the status. Dresses dear. There are for $ 1000, and there is $ 15,000.
4. Carpets and Textiles.
The Arab countries are famous for the beauty of their carpets, Beirut is no exception. You can buy them on the market or in the store. There are quite luxurious, and there are small inexpensive products. But even the easiest carpet can do and a round sum, not every tourist is ready to pay so much money. As an alternative, you can buy a painted pillowcase on the pillow, there will be a very good souvenir, and not expensive!
5. Arabic Spices.
Be sure to bring home Arabic spices, they will help to emphasize you, all the palette of taste, cooked dishes. Kari, pepper (black, red and white), Asfort, Corkum, Cammoon, Kyzbar. Sell spices for weight, then pack paper or plastic package. You can buy them on any bazaar.
6. Olive soap.
A huge number of olive trees grows in Lebanon. Therefore, the production of handmade olive soap is widely developed here. The work is painstaking and is still performed by old technologies. Soap produce both in its pure form and with additives positively affecting human skin. One piece of soap costs $ 1. This is if you buy it in the factory. Retail is more expensive.
7. Hookah.
Where they are just not for sale, and in Egypt, and in Turkey, and in the UAE. Beirut did not exception. In Lebanon, the hookah is called "Argila". Stores where you can buy a lot. The range is huge, there is even a backlit and fluffy base. Price policy is different from $ 20 and up to 150. Depends on the quality of hookah. Most expensive copper. Also, see what the tube is made, the plastic most simple and quickly fails.
8. Ancient souvenirs.
These are fossils of fish and other animals in the rocks. Little where there is a similar one. Therefore, I advise you to get a memory, a small piece at least with a small fish for $ 5. Of course, there are large "exhibits", but the prices begin to bite and reach $ 500.
9. Designer furniture.
In Beirut, many furniture salons. Those who want to furnish their apartment with something unusual, differ from the majority, then it is worth choosing something here. Some stores have very cool things. But, dear!
How to buy cheaper and when sales in Beirut.
A period of sales, when discounts reach up to 50%, is September and the beginning of spring (March and April). Please note in Beirut things purchased with a discount, it is no longer possible to return it.
To save, it is better to buy souvenirs not near the tourist sites. In small stores and in the bazaar, it is customary to bargain. But in shopping centers and supermarkets this rule does not work.
Good shopping !!!