Old Market (Sharm El Maya)

The Old Market (Sharm El Maya) is the historic old town of Sharm El Sheikh, set around the sheltered Sharm El Maya bay and marina at the southwestern edge of the city. Its covered bazaar streets are a maze of spice stalls, souvenir shops, Egyptian cotton, perfumes and lanterns, busiest and most atmospheric from early evening until late. The magnificent Al Sahaba Mosque, with its twin minarets and Fatimid-Mamluk-Ottoman styling, anchors the district, while the marina and fish market connect the area to its fishing-port roots. Dining here is the most local and best-value in Sharm - family-run restaurants serving koshari, molokhia, grilled meats and fresh Red Sea seafood, alongside traditional coffee houses and sweet shops. For buyers, Sharm El Maya offers older, more affordable housing stock close to the marina and old town, attractive to those wanting an authentic, characterful base and walkable everyday amenities rather than a polished resort. It pairs lower prices with strong tourist footfall through the bazaar.

Old Market (Sharm El Maya) in Sharm El Sheikh, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt