Discover Sharm
Old Market Sharm El Maya
Where the Real Egypt Comes Alive
If the shiny resort strip is Sharm's polished surface, the Old Market — known locally as Sharm El Maya — is its beating, slightly chaotic heart. This is where the city exhales and remembers what it was before the hotels and the diving centers and the all-inclusive buffets moved in.
Walking through the market on any given evening is a sensory experience that doesn't bother introducing itself politely. The smell of spices hits first — cumin, cardamom, something sweet you can't quite place. Then the sound: shopkeepers calling out in a mix of Arabic and whatever language they think you might speak, the clatter of coffee cups from a nearby café, music drifting from somewhere deeper in the alley. It's messy and warm and absolutely worth your time.
What sets the Old Market apart from every other shopping destination in Sharm is the theater — a one-of-a-kind venue tucked right into the middle of the market that hosts different performances every night. One evening you might catch a magician pulling the impossible out of thin air; the next, a troupe of dancers commanding the stage with the kind of precision that makes you forget to blink. It's not Broadway, and that's exactly the point. It's intimate, unpredictable, and feels like something you stumbled upon rather than something you booked.
The cafés here deserve their own love letter. They spill onto the pavement with mismatched chairs and tiny tables, the kind of places where you can nurse a strong Egyptian coffee for an hour while watching the market do its thing around you. Some have been run by the same families for decades. The shisha is good. The people-watching is better.
"The Old Market doesn't try to impress you. It just is what it is — and somehow, that's exactly what makes it unforgettable."
Shopping here is a different sport entirely compared to the fixed-price boutiques elsewhere in the city. Bargaining is not just expected — it's part of the social fabric. A shopkeeper will quote a price with a straight face, you'll counter with something dramatically lower, and somewhere in the middle, over cups of tea that appeared from nowhere, you'll find a number that makes both of you smile. Even if you walk away without buying, the exchange itself is worth the experience.
The stalls stock everything from hand-stitched leather bags and embroidered scarves to jars of honey, bottles of perfume oil, and lanterns that look like they belong in a Cairo bazaar. It's the kind of place where you come looking for a souvenir and leave with three bags you didn't plan on filling — and a story about the merchant who sold them to you.
Visit in the early evening — the market really comes alive after sunset when the heat fades and the lights flicker on. Bring cash in small denominations; cards are rarely accepted at individual stalls. And don't be shy about haggling. Start at about half the quoted price and work your way up with a smile. It's part of the fun.
Bring your loved ones. The Old Market is the kind of place that works better when shared — pointing out a particularly ridiculous souvenir to a friend, splitting a plate of fresh kunafa from a street vendor, laughing at the magician's worst trick as much as his best. It's not polished, and it's not trying to be. That's the whole appeal.
Discover the Old Market
From late-night shopping and live entertainment to the best coffee in Sharm — the Old Market is waiting. Take the family and make an evening of it.
Explore the Market →