SPICE MARKETS

COLOURFUL, SOMETIMES CHAOTIC AND ALWAYS ATMOSPHERIC, SPICE MARKETS ARE OFTEN THE HIGH POINT OF A CITY BREAK. WORDS: ELLA BUCHAN

1 Dubai Spice Souk, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Powders and petals in hues from chartreuse to crimson are stacked in tall baskets like fat pencils down the alleyways of Dubai Spice Souk, part of Deira’s market area. It’s separated from Downtown’s shiny, high-rise modernity by Dubai Creek, yet is just as dizzying as the Emirate’s trademark forest of skyscrapers. Don’t be afraid to ask questions — or to haggle.

X FACTOR: Dried black limes are a speciality.

2 Mercado Benito Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico

This covered market sells more than simply spices; the vendors here offer everything from tamales and textiles to mezcal and moles. There’s plenty to draw both the eye and nose, not least the array of dried chillies, from ancho to the native pasilla de Oaxaca. X FACTOR: Mole sauces showcase the local spices at their complex best.

3 Rahba Kedima, Marrakech, Morocco

The souks of the city’s walled Medina are intoxicating — none more so than Spice Square, as this plaza is commonly known. Stalls offer everything from star anise to cinnamon, while in the centre of the square, people sell anything from argan oil to plant-based cosmetics. X FACTOR: The aromatic spice mixes are particularly good.

4 Mısır Çarşısı, Istanbul, Turkey

While the vaulted roof of Mısır Çarşısı — also known as the Egyptian Bazaar — is eye-catching, the heaps of spices that fill the stalls compete for your attention. And amid the strings of dried chillies and hills of garam masala are baskets overflowing with dried fruits and Turkish delight.

X FACTOR: This was the final stop for caravans on the Silk Route.

5 Khari Baoli, Delhi, India

In the labyrinthine lanes of this vast spice market in Old Delhi, the scenes and scents that reveal themselves can be almost overwhelming. The air here is thick with the fragrances of cardamom, cinnamon and curry powders, which are heaped in huge sacks. It’s hectic, heady and utterly hypnotic.

X FACTOR: The market is the largest of its kind in Asia.

Dubai Spice Souk, part of Deira’s market area