Old Souk, Dubai
Old Souk, Dubai also known as the Dubai Spice Souk is a traditional and the most popular souk/market located in Deira along with Gold Souk. From jewelry to spices, this place offers a great insight of Old Dubai.
It’s worth coming here even if you don’t plan to purchase anything, just to experience the bargaining. You’ll be surprised how far you can go with those.
Most of the shops will accept only cash payments so before you go, make sure to withdraw some money.
The streets are narrow and surrounded by many traditional buildings, with architecture that dates back to the early days of the city, and the exotic spices are filling the air with its aroma.
For the best adventure start, hop on one of the Abra boats that will take you to the other side of the creek in five minutes and for only 1 AED.
Apart from shopping you can also visit a museum or Heritage Village to learn more about United Arab Emirates history and see Dubai rising from scratch.
While you're there, you should also stop by my favorite part of the city: Al Fahidi neighborhood, also known as Al Bastakiya.
It is one of the most charming and historic areas in Dubai, you can see traditional buildings made of coral and gypsum, visit several art galleries featuring local and international artists, these include the XVA Gallery and the Majlis Gallery, where you can admire beautiful works of contemporary art.
Plenty of restaurants serving traditional Arabic food are something you shouldn’t miss either because the dishes are very tasty, especially breakfast options.
The ones that I personally liked the most are: The Local House Restaurant, Mazmi Cafe and Arabian Tea House as they offer a true ambience and authentic atmosphere so you can experience Emirates at its finest.
So, if you're looking for an authentic Emirati experience, filled with an incredible variety of spices, cultural shopping, and beautiful architecture, the Old Souk, Dubai should definitely be on your list of places to visit!