If one is fortunate enough to be visiting Abu Dhabi, there are plenty of places where one can get a retail fix. Various tax and customs laws mean, for many, shopping anywhere within the United Arab Emirates is cheaper than at home. One, however, should always be careful when it comes to buying good abroad in case of customs charges upon returning to your home country; but why spoil the fun with talk of the boring things in life, when there are so many malls and outlets to explore?
Abu Dhabi, and the entire United Arab Emirates in general, do not do things by halves. This absolutism is no more apparent than with the scope of its tourists attractions and malls, when size seemingly does become everything. One of the biggest shopping malls on which to stock up on those lower than usually priced bargains is the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Centre, located close to the city centre of Abu Dhabi. The entire shopping and gold centre of the Madinat Zayed is, even by Middle Eastern standards, huge; over 600,000 square feet of retail space is currently in use.
By and large, the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Centre is similar to malls that you will be familiar with from Western home countries. There is a staggering array of stores, selling goods including; cosmetics, men’s and women’s clothing, {lingerie}, books, sportswear and electronic gadget. However, as the name of the Gold Centre would suggest, the real crown in the jewel – so to speak – of the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Centre is its jewellers.
Abu Dhabi, and indeed the Middle East in general, have become famous worldwide for not only the quality of their jewellery and gold produce, but also for their seemingly relentless passion for such things. Essentially, what the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Centre has done is take the idea behind the Gold Souk and brought it indoors and into a familiar environment. The Gold Souk, for those who are not familiar, is a huge jewellery and gold shopping market within Abu Dhabi, which as well as fantastic standard jewellery has stalls featuring an entire range of locally made gold and jewelled items. The Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Centre takes this known enthusiasm for jewellery, and places it in an air conditioned environment; much relief for the jewellery lovers who find the open air location of the Gold Souk a struggle.
The jewellery available here is staggering in its variety, from jewels that would not look out of place on a Royal crown to simpler Arabian style original native pieces. The idea of the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre is really catching on to several well known jewellery brands, who have come to this Middle Eastern hub to join the traditional craftsmen of Arabia. It would seem that whether you are searching for that perfect diamond engagement ring, a cheep and cheerful piece of costume jewellery or a stunning piece of traditionally worked Arabian jewellery; one can most definitely find it in the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre and Gold Centre.