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Shopping Overview

Marrakesh is a shopper's bonanza, full of the very rugs and handicrafts you may have seen in the pages of interior-design magazines back home. As a group, the bazaars in the souk sell everything imaginable and are highly competitive. Recently, boutiques have begun to spring up in Gueliz, part of a movement toward allowing buyers to browse at their leisure, free of the souks' intense pressures. Most of these stores are happy to ship your purchases overseas. Some souk bazaars also ship merchandise, but it's worth sticking to recommended merchants only, as many travelers find that their shipments never arrive. The bazaars open between 8 AM and 9 AM and close between 8 PM and 9 PM; stores in Gueliz open a bit later and close a bit earlier.

As you wander through the souk, take note of landmarks so you can return to a particular bazaar without too much trouble. Once the bazaars' shutters are closed, they're often unrecognizable. Some bazaars are closed on Friday, the Muslim holy day.