Sharm's Old Market: how to spend the evening and where to eat

The Old Market is the part of Sharm that wasn't built for tourists — it was here first. You go for the spices, the silver, the noise, and for a dinner that isn't the buffet.

What time to go

During the day it is hot and half the shops are asleep. Things wake up around 18:00 and run late. If it is your first visit, arriving as the light drops is the best compromise: you see the market awake without the worst of the sun.

Haggling, without the drama

Bargaining is part of the transaction, not an insult. The practical rule: if a price feels high, it is. Offer about half, smile, and be ready to walk — that is usually when the price moves. And if you genuinely want the thing, remember you are arguing over a few euros.

Where to sit down

Our Old Market dining room is at the Turquoise Beach Hotel, right in the middle of it. It opens at 09:00 and runs to 01:00 — the only one of our two rooms where you can also have lunch or a mid-afternoon break, not just dinner.

After a day in the market the sensible order is something simple — a pizza, a pasta, something sweet — and a table where you can sit for a while.

Some dishes may not be available at both branches — please ask when you order.