Dubai is also one of the best places, outside of Iran, to buy Persian carpets. A wide variety of carpets are available year round and the quality is judged by the type of dyes used, the number of knots, size as well as the family name of the makers of the carpet.

No visit to Arabia is complete without a trip to a carpet store. There are carpet outlets in most shopping centres but, for the essential flavour of the region, a trip to the carpet souq is a must. The best in the country is the Blue Souq in Sharjah, offering the widest range of carpets at the keenest prices, but most carpet souqs will carry an assortment of ancient and modern carpets. The finest carpets come from Iran – the traditional Persian carpets. Handmade from silk, an authentic carpet will bear the signature of its creator woven into the design. The designs are many, each individual and many specific to particular families or tribes.