Morocco is a shopper's delight, with a variety of good-quality crafts
at reasonable prices. There is only one rule in the souks: bargain hard.
Almost every city and large town has an ensemble artisanal (government
shop) that makes and sells regional crafts at fixed prices. The prices
tend to be a bit higher than in the souks, but these shops are perfect
places for those who hate bargaining, as you can get an idea of the sort
of prices you'll expect to pay, before venturing into the souks.
Shopping
Shops in the Ville Nouvelles (new town areas) usually open
Mon—Sat 8:30 am–noon and 2–6:30 pm; in the summer they may close for
longer during the afternoon and stay open later; during Ramadan they
don't close for lunch, but do close earlier in the afternoon.
Shops in the medinas tend to be open from 8 or 9 am to around 8
pm or even later in tourist areas. Many shops are closed on Friday
for prayers at the mosque.
Souks usually start at around 6 am.
Bargaining
Bargaining in Morocco is as normal as saying hello, and is expected
wherever you shop. There are no real rules about how much of the initial
price you should pay as some vendors start with ridiculous mark-ups,
while others stay close to their final price. It's often a good idea to
check out prices before you start buying. The main rule is to take your
time and not be intimidated: it can be a fun game! But never mention a
price you are not prepared to pay. If you go shopping with a guide he
will take you to shops where he will earn a percentage of your
purchases, which will be added to your bill.
Souk Days
Many villages are named after their weekly market day.
There are no markets on Friday as it's a day for rest and
prayers.
Arrive early in the morning when the market is in full flow, as
it usually finishes by lunchtime.
Spices and natural toiletries are plentiful and make good,
inexpensive presents or souvenirs.
The most common spices are cinnamon sticks or powder, nutmeg,
powdered ginger, paprika, curcuma, cumin, ras el hanout and
saffron. The best and most genuine strands of saffron come from Taliouine; often the powder is fake.
Toiletries sold in the spice market include kohl (black eye
make-up also used to protect the eyes), ghassoul (clay to wash the
hair or skin), henna (to dye hair), small clay pots imbued with
poppies (lipstick), amber and musk (perfume).
Honey is widely produced and is often found in village souks,
but also in specialised shops in Essaouira and Agadir.
Essaouira is also famous for its rich and sweet nutty oil
pressed from argan nuts.
Minerals and Fossils
Everywhere in the Atlas you will come across stalls selling
minerals and fossils at very tempting prices; but beware of fakes,
particularly the brightly coloured ones.
Often these fossils are just found in the desert, riverbeds or
mountains, and so their trade is not harmful to the environment.
Jewellery
When most of the Jewish population left the country, they took a
lot of authentic Moroccan silver jewellery with them. As a result,
the majority of the jewellery found on sale in Morocco today comes
from India, Indonesia and Niger.
The best jewellery souks are in Essaouira, Tiznit and Marrakech.
Silver jewellery is sold by weight, except for very rare old pieces.
Many craftsmen reproduce some antique designs beautifully,
particularly in the Tiznit region, but do not be tempted to pay
antique-level prices for them.
Most genuine Berber jewellery is very heavy and chunky.
Crafts
Craft traditions are still going strong in Morocco, and even a
lot of tourist tat is still pretty tasteful and well made.
Among the main tourist souvenirs are babouches (slippers), the
traditional footwear in Morocco, made by craftsmen who pass their
skills from father to son.
Moroccans excel at woodwork, especially in Essaouira, where
beautiful thuya or cedar inlay work is produced.
Fes is famous for-its blue-and-white designs of pottery, while Safi, Morocco's major ceramic centre, produces colourful pottery
houseware, as does Salé.
Leather is also an excellent buy, typically as babouches or
pouffes, although places like Marrakech also have good-quality
leather clothing and handbags.
Carpets tend to be expensive in Morocco, but good-quality rugs
and kelims (flat-woven carpets and rugs) are more reasonable. The
best kelims are made by the Berbers of the Middle and High Atlas,
and are available in village souks such as Midelt, Azrou or Asni
near Marrakech. Berbers (particularly in the Rif mountains) also
weave beautiful fouta, woollen blankets in natural or bright
colours.
10 Best Buys from Marrakech
Spices (Marché Central or Rahba Qedima)
Slippers (souk des Babouches)
Moroccan teapots and tea glasses (off souk des Babouches)
Shopping baskets with leather handles (Marché Central, Guéliz)
Thick felt-wool handbags, dyed with saffron (souk des Babouches)
Fabric man with fez to handle a hot teapot (Maison d'Eté)
Iron lanterns (Souk des Haddadine)
Love potion (Rahba Qedima)
Moroccan music cassettes (off Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakech)
