51 Best Places to Shop in Marrakesh, Morocco

This sibling of the medina's Porte d'Or sells Moroccan and Asian antiques. Shipping can be arranged.

At the northeastern edges of the souk (just beyond the northern end of the main Rue Souk el Kebir) are the leatherworkers—busy cutting out templates for those leather slippers called babouches, hammering and polishing, and making up bags and satchels from several types of animal skins. Look for signs to the Souk des Sachochiers (bag makers), Souk Chairia, and Souk Cherratine, all leather-working areas. The tanneries, where the raw hides have been prepared and dyed, are some 20 minutes' walk farther northeast from Souk Cherratine along Rue Bab Debbagh. Also in the northeast are a range of shops selling instruments, especially drums (Souk Moulay aii) and woven baskets (Souk Serrajine).

Here you'll find a good selection of guidebooks, maps, cookbooks, art books, novels, and postcards.

Greetings cards, schoolbooks in Arabic and French, and some English-language books—including novels, maps, and coffee-table books on Moroccan culture—are sold here. It also has office stationery supplies and a new outlet just around the corner with a huge range of art materials.

This shop just off Place Djemâa el Fna has a range of guidebooks, cookbooks, novels by Moroccan authors, and maps. Most publications are in French.

This gallery has an interesting collection of works by young Moroccan artists, Moroccan masters, and the Orientalists.

The flagship store for this contemporary fashion label has a selection of Moroccan designer accessories, fashion items for men and women, and a pricey collection of designs by the Swiss-Belgian duo Max & Jan. They also have a constantly changing showcase for other up-and-coming local designers.

This French designer boutique sells colorful high-end clothing, jewelry, babouches, and bags that offer a hip twist on contemporary design.

Handmade natural beauty products are the thing here, ranging from soap to shampoo bars to argan oil goods. It's a great place to stock up on bath supplies with a Moroccan touch.

This shop has an enormous selection of Imazighen, Bedouin, and tribal carpets.

The gorgeous leather goods here are of excellent quality, typically much of better than what you'll find in the souks.

One of the easiest ways to head back to Djemâa el Fna from a day of souk shopping is to find Rue Mouassine, the souk's westernmost main north–south artery (the other main artery is Rue Souk Semarine, on the eastern side of the souks). Rue Mouassine is quite easy to find, and it's almost impossible to veer away from the correct path once you're on it; the simplest route is to take a counterclockwise loop from behind the Ben Medersa Mosque—when you hit the big mosque, you've hit Rue Mouassine. This is heavy souvenir territory, with the whole gamut of goods on display—lanterns, teapots, scarves, babouches, djellabas. The street spits you out into the northeast corner of Bab Fteuh square, and from there it's a short hop down to Djemâa el Fna.

Look for Fnac Berbère, the Amazigh bookshop, on the southern section of Rue Mouassine (the southern section from the fountain to Bab Fteuh square is sometimes known as Rue Fehl Chidmi). It's a good landmark.

Best approached by taking the main left fork onto Souk el-Attarine, where it branches off from Rue Souk el Kebir, and then continuing north for about 150 yards, the Souk Principal des Babouches—also called Souk Smata—is on the right-hand side and is filled with the namesake babouches, pointed leather slippers so beloved of Moroccans. The small doorway opens up to an enormous emporium with examples in every color imaginable.

It can be hard to judge the proper value of these fairy-tale leather slippers, because price depends on so many things, such as the thickness of the sole, the number of layers, the presence or absence of a stepped heel, and of course the decoration. Use your nose, but be warned that a fair price can vary from 60 DH to 400 DH, depending on quality.

Look for the tiny wool boutique on the left as you come to the arch before the right turn for the babouches market. It's on the way to the Souk des Teinturiers (Dyers' Souk). You can see men rolling out wool to make into fetching striped handbags, and, best of all, into small balls, and looping them up into the most unusual necklaces going.

North of the carpet souk on Rue Souk El-Kebir you'll see an overhead sign for the Souk des Bijoutiers (also labeled Souk Tagmoutyime). Follow that just off to the right into a narrow mall, full of jewelry stores displaying their wares behind glass. It is by no means the only place in Marrakesh to buy jewelry, and buyers should proceed with caution if they're not well versed in stones or precious metals. 

Traditionally the market street for perfumes, essential oils, and spices, Souk el Attarine is one of the main left turns from Souk Semarine (as you head north), leaving the road at a "10 o'clock" angle. If this is as deep as you wish to explore in the souks, then you can make an interesting loop by walking as far as the entrance to the Souk des Babouches (on the right) and then soon after take a turn off left, passing through the wool-dyers' souk and heading to the Mouassine mosque. Turning left after the mosque you head back south eventually, down Rue Mouassine to rejoin Bab Fteuh square.

From Rue Souk el-Attarine, follow that main souk street as faithfully as possible and it will take you north, looping clockwise to the east, and through the ironmongers' souk, where you'll see blacksmiths at work, hammering out lanterns and wrought-iron chairs.

North of Djemâa el Fna on Souk Semarine, you pass a fairly prominent derb (alley) that turns off to the left (Rue R'mila Bab Ksour, also called Rue el Ksour). Take the next right turn and wander down a few yards (toward the Spice Square or Rahba Qdima) and on the right you will find the small square of Souk Lghzal, the Wool Souk. Today women sell secondhand clothes in the square, and the odd djellaba. Head over to the apothecary stalls leading up to the entrance to the square, and immediately to the right on entering it for spices and potions galore.

Souk Semarine is the main street that runs from Djemâa el Fna into deeper parts of the souk. If you're beginning your exploration here, you'll at first see a mishmash of products but as you go farther specialty items begin to appear: rug shops, fine wood crafts, and stalls selling dazzling lamps and lighting fixtures are prominent.

From Djemâa el Fna take the street just to the left of Café Argana, which leads into the small Bab Fteuh square, then keep bearing right. To the left there is a kissaria (covered market), with dried fruits, herbs and spices, essential oils, and traditional colored eye kohls. Veer right into the covered market, past a couple of stands selling teapots and mint tea glasses, and take a left onto Rue Souk Semarine. It's signposted and lined with fabrics and inexpensive souvenirs.

Prices are high at this general antiques and jewelry store in the kasbah—so bargain hard! They can (reliably) organize international shipping and also accept credit cards. 

This boutique stocks handmade clothing for women in great fabrics and colors, embellished with Moroccan traditional elements such as embroidery and tassels. The tunics are especially wearable and figure-flattering. Prices are reasonable for the quality of workmanship. Credit cards are accepted.