The best souk in the medina is Souk al-Attara with a small carpet bazaar, traditional jewellery shops and general crafts and souvenirs. Libya has very little in the way of crafts so most of the wares come from neighbouring countries. Ben Zeglam Shop in the carpet bazaar, has good quality Libyan pottery, Tuareg silver and local rugs. Other shops in Souk al-Turk sell traditional cotton clothing, wedding fabrics and gold jewellery.

You can find European-style clothing in the arcaded streets of the downtown area, or the more upmarket shopping malls in the Gargaresh quarter. Fergiani's Bookshop, Sharia Awal September, Downtown, is the best bookshop in town with its excellent selection of postcards, travel books, fiction and coffee-table books on Libya and North Africa.

Shops are generally open Saturday to Thursday 1000-1300 and 1500-2100.