Nomad, Cairo

I spent a week in Cairo in July. Shopping is usually one of my favourite pasttimes but I found the experience there to be quite stressful - the bazaar is amazing but you have to wade through mountains of tat to find something good and then the whole haggling process - I was never sure if I'd just been ripped off! So it was a relief to find Nomad which had a branch in my hotel and a beautiful old apartment just down the street. The wonderful silver jewellery and interesting textiles were just the souvenirs I wanted, price tickets too so I didn't have to worry about bargaining and charming smiley staff. Thank you but please get a web site so I can order more!

I can't wait to go back to Nomad whose inventory is fairly priced and fabulous. I was in Egypt for three weeks during the summer of 2007 and probably shopped at the two Nomad stores in Zamalek five times. Everyone loved their handwoven scarves and earrings. My prize is the 32"x32" embroidered Egyptian cloth that narrates a story in colored thread of rural Egyptian life. It's a much nicer atmosphere than the crazy Khan el Khalily market. This store supports women's crafts, friendly staff.

This is a great discovery for me. I adore the shop.I went all over Cairo buying presents for the family back home and luckily i came across this great shop. It is breathtaking. Try it. The prices are fair as well. John

No doubt that this is a spectacular shop for buying souvenirs. Other than its fabulous atmosphere, the friendly service of Mr. Mahmoud and his staff makes you feel at home. Visit the shop when your're in Cairo. Mike

Quaint, adorable, warm atmosphere with fabulous crafts to purchase. I went to town buying handmade scarfs and the most beautiful jewelry in Egypt! I love the Zamelk District as a whole, and the Nomad is one of my favorite places to visit.

Helps support local crafts, women's cooperatives in weaving. The jewelry is very reasonable and some of it is antique though most is newly crafted - You can spend as little as $7 for earrings and as much as $50.; scarves are gorgeous and handwoven ranging from 20-60 Egyptian pounds, the embroideries are gorgeous - I bought a large and intricate village scene for $100 which took six months to make by hand. Go to the Cairo Mariott for the smaller store that is packed full of items for its size or to their larger store in Zamalek just a few blocks away. I still wish I had bought that embroidered dress at the Mariott but I'll be back next year for more!