Dubai is one of the most preferred shopping destinations in the world. Shoppers from the Middle East and beyond flock the city to shop and appreciate the grandiosity and beauty of its shopping centers. Dubai is not only home to the world’s largest indoor aquarium, but some of the most fascinating shopping malls in the world.
7. Dubai Outlet Mall
The Dubai Outlet Mall is part of the Dubai Outlet City located in Dubailand. The mall opened its doors in August 2007 and has 240 stores. Most of the stores offer 30-90% off regular store prices, making it one of the popular malls to shop in. Some of the popular labels include Adidas, Coach, Fred Perry, and Mango. The mall has a 25,000 capacity live amphitheater that is under construction but set to open in spring of 2017. The Mall is owned by the Al Ahli Holding Group.
6. Ibn Battuta Mall
Ibn Battuta Mall is located on the Sheikh Zayed Road close to interchange six for Jebel Ali Village. The mall was inspired by Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan explorer and it is considered the largest theme mall in the world. The mall has 270 stores, 50 restaurants, a cinema, and a large parking area able to accommodate over 4,500 cars. Ibn Battuta Mall consists of six courts that were each inspired by the countries visited by Ibn Battuta. The courts include Egypt, India, China, Tunisia, Andalusia, and Persia.
5. Festival City Mall
Festival City Mall is an urban retail center which is the main feature of the Dubai Festival City. The mall is among UAE’s most fascinating retail, dining, and leisure centers. The mall has several retail stores, restaurants, bistros, a 12-screen cinema complex, and a 7,000-car parking space. The mall holds several family events and activities that keep shoppers entertained. The mall also boasts of some of UAE’s most photographed vistas. Agatha, Adidas and Adrianna Papell are a few of the most popular brands in the mall.
4. City Centre Deira
City Centre Deira is the first flagship mall of the Majid Al Futtaim Group. It is part of the twelve city center malls. The mall is located in the older part of Dubai on the cross-road between Sharjah, Bur Dubai and the airport. It was opened in August 1995 and is known for shopping and leisure activities. The complex consists of two levels and is similar in size and design to the Mall of Emirates. It has 370 stores including Carrefour, Iconic, and Virgin Megastore. There are also 3,600 car-parking spaces.
3. BurJuman
BurJuman is one of Dubai’s oldest shopping malls located Bur Dubai, a residential area in Dubai. It consists of a mixed-use space including shopping stores, hotel suites, and business towers. The mall offers a mix of luxury fashion brands and popular labels. BurJuman Mall has also placed emphasis on entertainment and fashion with additional 14-screen Vox cinemas. Some of the popular shops in BurJuman include Charles & Keith and Louis Vuitton.
2. Mall of the Emirates
Mall of the Emirates boasts 2.4 million square feet of retail space featuring over 630 high-end retail shops, over 100 restaurants, and 330 luxury and flagship stores. Mall of the Emirates also offers family leisure activities, Ski Dubai, a theater and art center, a theme park, and a magic planet. The mall was opened in November 2005 and was immediately recognized by the World Travel Award as the Leading New Shopping Mall.
1. Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall is a vast retail, leisure, and entertainment mall located in the heart of downtown Dubai. It is the largest and most visited shopping mall in the world. Dubai Mall is part of the downtown complex and consists of 1,200 shops with an internal area of 5.9 million square feet. In 2014, the mall received over 80 million visitors. The mall is also home to one of the largest aquariums and aquatic zoos in the world.