Beirut's famed Sunday Market may indeed have changed over the years (for instance it's now also open on Saturdays), but it's still definitely worth visiting if you've never been, as it's one of the last remaining traditional Arab markets in the city and the most easily accessible for foreigners. Over the past decade many of the once abundant kitschy treasures have been picked clean by hipsters, both foreign and domestic, so a trip here is more for the experience and lively atmosphere with a soundtrack invariably consisting of the latest Dabke bangers, rather than a realistic chance of digging through dusty crates of records to find a mint copy of that rare 1970s Ziad Rahbani album you've always wanted. While most stalls are now hawking cheap Chinese-made clothes, shoes, homewares and electronics (fake Beats headphones, anyone?), there are still quite a few proper antique dealers just inside the northwest entrance, and if you're lucky you might find something that catches your eye lying on the low tables piled with the typical flea market junk like old photos, broken remote controls, cutlery, ceramic sculptures, wooden bowls and such. Just be prepared to bargain, as the first price offered can be up to ten times higher than the lowest you can get it for. We also recommend coming hungry as the market is home to some of Beirut's tastiest street food.
