Shopping in Marrakech

Shopping in Marrakech is a full-body experience, all color, haggling, and the smell of leather and spice drifting through the souks. It can be overwhelming, especially with kids in tow, but it turned into one of our favorite parts of the trip once we knew what to expect. Here is our honest guide to shopping in Marrakech: what to buy, how to bargain without stress, and how we kept the girls happy while we hunted for treasures to bring home.

Shopping in Marrakech: What to Buy in the Souks

Marrakech shopping is a dream! THE SOUKS! What is a souk? The definition of a souk is a marketplace in Northern Africa or the Middle East, often filled with stalls, some permanent stalls and some not. In Marrakesh, these stalls were all more like small shops in permanent spaces they rent or buy, not tables and tents like a flea market, that type of souk can be found in the rural areas especially when they are held only one day of the week.

First thing to note about the souks: you will be overwhelmed!!!! Prepare for this, and possibly limit yourself to an hour a day to shop so you don’t get burned out. It can also help if you have an idea of what you are wanting to find when you are there. Are you in search of a leather poof, babouches (Moroccan slippers), copper lighting, spices, etc.?

Before we left, I googled popular things to buy in morocco and found items on Etsy that I liked that came from morocco and screen shot them. This was helpful for two reasons. First, I was able to show a picture of what I was looking for to the gal that came as a host with our vacation rental and she was able to shop with me and take me to the spots I might find these items. So nice!!! Second, when it came to bartering (which is customary) if there was a certain item that I couldn’t get the price down on, I could show them that I could buy the item on Etsy from the comfort of my own home at X price and don’t have to lug it back on the plane with me. From a business standpoint, I felt it needed to be cheaper than what I could buy it for on Etsy. The vendors had a hard time arguing that point and usually agreed to my offer (winning!).  Marrakech shopping is like a creative brain teaser!

Leather

If you are looking for leather goods, there is one guy that had the most diverse offerings and some of the more modern pieces I found on the trip, like the raw edge square leather poofs and the super cute “fanny pack” below (which he oiled right there to make the color I wanted!).

This leather shop can be found at 9, Souk Ahayek, Semmarine Marrakech. The owner’s name is Laqlib Mohamed and you can also WhatsApp him if you are having trouble locating him: +212 06 71 89 39 19. He was also kind enough to make me a custom piece and delivered it to us, closer to our AirBnB the following day. Great customer service!

I knew we were going to Fez later in the trip and thought I should wait to buy leather goods there. I am glad I didn’t because I didn’t see anything as great as these finds once I got to Fez, just more of the traditional items (round poufs, jackets, purses, etc.).

Babouches (Moroccan Slippers)

I feel like you can’t come to Morocco and not leave without a pair of babouches. They are everywhere, in every color and style imaginable! The key is to find good quality. By western standards they are all affordable, think lesser quality may run you $7/$8 USD but a good quality will only run you a few dollars more, maybe $10/$11 USD. In my opinion, worth the difference for better quality (Don’t forget to negotiate the price!). Finding really good ones was a little bit of luck and happen stance, but I have provided a map with red circle below to help you! This seemed to be the shoe district of the Marrakech souks, a bit off the beaten path but near Place Des Espices. If you are looking for footwear, this is where you want to be!

Here are a few photos of shoes and babouches that I found there:

The Shop we bought our Babouches is Benzarrou Jaâfar. Address: Kissariat Drouje N1 Souk El Hannaa N15, Marrakech. Email: jaafar.benzarrou@gmail.com.

Spices

Spices are another staple item in Moroccan culture and a good that foreigners like to pick up. There is the Place Des Epices (basically a spice square) and there is a Jewish Spice market. We ended up purchasing at the Jewish Spice Market but I can’t say that it was any better quality than any others I saw selling spices, but I am no spice expert. We did buy a crazy amount of saffron (the good shit!) for so cheap compared to what you pay in the states. It made fabulous gifts when we got home; people oohing and awing at being given such a large portion of an expensive ingredient.

The Jewish spice market can be found near the Place des Ferblantiers (the palm fringed square).

There are so many items to buy, endless options and many at such an incredible price by western standards. It is almost hard to control yourself when you think of the deals to be had. But remember; you either have to lug it all home or ship it, so know your limits! Some other favorite items we picked up in Marrakech were:
• Cute dresses for the girls, so cheap, but not the best quality (think, hand wash and the colors will probably bleed for the first few washes), but for $7UDS, who cares! Shown in the Sahara photo below…

• Cactus silk throw pillow covers
• Pajamas for the family

Happy Shopping!!!

Tips for Shopping in Marrakech With Kids

Shopping in Marrakech with kids takes a little strategy. We kept our souk sessions short, about an hour at a time, before anyone got overwhelmed, and gave the girls a small budget of their own so they felt part of the hunt. Bargaining is expected, so decide your price before you start and be ready to walk away with a smile, the vendors do this all day and rarely take it personally. Hold little hands tight in the busy lanes, snacks and water go a long way, and if you fall in love with something heavy like a rug or a lamp, most shops can ship it home for you.

Round out your trip with our guides to Marrakech with kids, the best things to do in Marrakech with kids, and where to eat in Marrakech with kids.