20 Best Places to Shop in Tangier and the Mediterranean, Morocco

One of the finest antiques shops in Morocco has an array of vintage rugs, antique textiles, rich embroideries, and Amazigh jewelry (often silver studded semi-precious stones), as well as wooden boxes, and brass items collected from all over Africa on the owner's regular scouting trips. Spread over three floors, prices are high but the quality is indisputable, and it's worth a visit just to hear tales from Majid himself. International shipping is also available.

This small, sweet-smelling store—the name means Aladdin's Grandma's Apothecary—is a riot of color and awash with the fragrances of rose, amber, sandalwood, vanilla, Damascus jasmine, and more. The owner creates around 20 different types of handmade soaps, body oils, lotions, and solid perfumes made from all-natural, organic ingredients. Beautifully packaged, they make perfect gifts to take home.

Just outside the Bab el Kasbah, Tangier’s first concept store is a delight. Putting a contemporary spin on traditional Moroccan style, the eclectic stock includes clothing, accessories, original art, housewares, and cosmetics. They promote Moroccan design, from Hassan Hajaj lampshades to couture clothing from mo9dan and Baba Boutique, as well as Las Chicas' own designs. A pretty upstairs café serves delicious cakes, quiche, and other light bites.

The vibrant boutique of this eponymous French designer and stylist is filled with richly embroidered evening dresses and multihued silk caftans, all hand-sewn by Tangier’s finest tailors. Other chic accessories include hats, shoes, jewelry, and housewares. The high prices reflect the quality.

This delightful French-owned store ("the unusuals" in English) is piled floor-to-ceiling with fascinating books in English, French, and Arabic. You’ll find everything from contemporary Mediterranean literature to Moroccan history, and beautiful art books, alongside cards, prints, bags from local designers, and exhibits from Moroccan artists. Check out its program of events, including author talks and musical evenings.

There are stacks of handwoven rugs from all corners of the country for sale here, along with singular green-glazed ceramics unique to Tamegroute in southern Morocco. And on rue Tijara, wardrobe-size stores stock clothes, accessories, and jewelry by local designers.

If you don’t know a Beni Ouarain rug from a Boucherouite, this store is the place to come. Sip a mint tea as vintage and contemporary rugs from around the country are unfurled in a kaleidoscope of colors; don’t forget to haggle.

The fixed-price, government-regulated Ensemble Artisanal offers handicrafts from all over Morocco. The store is a little pricey, but it's a good place to develop an eye for quality items and their market prices before you hit the medina. You can also custom emboss or cover bound books in leather.

This small cooperative workshop produces high-quality goods that are beautiful and inexpensive, including hand-painted wood boxes, handwoven blankets, original art, and leatherwork.

At this government-sponsored crafts center, rug weavers, leatherworkers, and woodworkers create and sell their wares. Prices are fixed but the quality is excellent, and there can be a certain value in not having to haggle.

Housed on the second floor of an old inn, this weaving cooperative overlooks what used to be the large courtyard where visitors parked their animals. Weavers and their looms are tightly packed into cupboard-size stores, where walls are lined with naturally dyed blankets, throws, curtains, linens, thick wool djellebas, and cactus silk (also known as vegan or Sabra silk) scarves. It can be tricky to find; ask a local to show you the portal that leads into the complex, below the Waller steps.

This interesting gallery specializes in contemporary and art brut (art created outside academic traditions), with exhibitions of painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media from up-and-coming and established Moroccan artists. The gallery has three locations around Tangier; this one is in the kasbah, the other two are tucked around the Petit Socco.

This contemporary "house of art" showcases local and international artists year-round in a plethora of media and styles. Staff are knowledgeable about the thriving art scene in Tangier and Morocco.

Across from the Hotel Minzah, this pricey antiques shop specializes in home furnishings and period pieces from old Morocco, with an especially large inventory of antique rugs. The owners also run the Bazaar Tindouf right down the street, where Moroccan ceramics, wood, iron, brass, and silver, plus embroidery and rugs, are piled floor to ceiling.

Tucked down a skinny medina street off the Place du Tabor, this wardrobe-size store is big on natural beauty, harnessing the multiple benefits of prickly pear and other organic goodies to create a range of holistic skincare. Favorites include prickly pear and honey illuminating day cream, rose toning water, and pomegranate seed lip scrub. A larger store, Villa Hendiya in the Ville Nouvelle, also offers facials and body treatments.

On a mission to support artisans and preserve traditional crafts, there’s a diverse collection of handcrafted clothes, jewelry, and homeware at this small but beautifully curated boutique. Kasbah Collective’s own designs sit alongside international and local designers, such as TanjArt.

Opened in 1949, this historic and charming independent bookstore was frequented by Tangier’s literati, including Paul Bowles, Tennessee Williams, and Truman Capote. More recently it was saved from closure by Yves Saint Laurent’s partner, Pierre Bergé; covetable books still cram the shelves. The store closes on Sunday. 

Founded in 1919, this famous Moroccan perfume house produces some of the world's most highly regarded oud (a resinous oil) fragrances, as well as copies of some of the most recognizable scents by the likes of Chanel and Dior. The perfumery is owned by Sidi Madini and has been passed down through his family for more than 500 years. 

Topolina is the eponymous store of French designer Isabelle Topolina (she also has two stores in Marrakesh). She creates a unique clothing and accessories collection by upcycling vintage finds and turning vibrantly colored printed fabric from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa into covetable one-of-a-kind items.

Opposite the Café Centrale, the colorful Volubilis Boutique has been in business since 1972, stocking handmade leather boots, shoes, and bags for both men and women, as well as traditional clothes with a Western twist. Ask the friendly owner, artist Mohamed Raiss el Fenni, to show you his delicate watercolor and highly original ice-cream stick paintings.