You can’t travel to Morocco without experiencing once of its most essential experiences, a visit to the souk, or the traditional Moroccan market. The name given to Arab street markets, souks are typically found in the old cities, or medina, all over Morocco. You’ll find everything from fruits, vegetables, and spices to babouche slippers and Moroccan carpets, to hammered copper pots, woodcarvings, and leather purses.
The Moroccan souks are magical and take you back in time. Exploring the souk is more than just mere souvenir shopping; rather, it is a sensory experience as you hear the chatter of the vendors, take in a whiff of rose or orange blossom, marvel at the mounds of vibrant spices, or stop for a cup of Moroccan mint tea.
Like most traditional market organization, Moroccan souks are divided by sections of goods. Why – you might ask – would there be ten vendors in a row selling what appears to be the same selection of scarves? The reason is rooted in culture and harkens to the power of relationships. If you’re a regular at the souk – which locals are, in particular for their produce, eggs, and meat – you tend to visit your favorite vendor for his quality, consistency, and rapport he’s established with you.
As a tourist, you likely won’t have the chance for repeat visits like a local. However, it’s a great way to observe the culture in play while also learning to navigate the souks for yourself. Here are our top tips for a successful Moroccan souk experience.
Bring Cash To The Moroccan Market
Photo by Andrea Filsi
Most vendors will only accept cash; in fact, if credit cards are accepted you can be assured that the target clientele is tourists. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re making a large purchase such as a Moroccan carpet. However, you’ll have a much better chance at bargaining if you have cash on hand, in particular small bills and coins.
The Moroccan dirham (MAD) is divided into bills and coins. When you withdraw cash you’re most likely to get 200 and 100 MAD notes, about $20 & $10 USD. Depending on what you’re buying, these are pretty huge amounts of cash. For reference, a short taxi ride from to the medina from a local hotel might cost 10 dirham and a piece of sm’men (a local flat bread) is about 2 dirham. It’s better to have 50 and 20 MAD notes and 10, 5, and 1 dirham coins. Before you head to the souk, visit a grocery or convenience store to make a purchase and break your bills into smaller denominations.
Give Yourself a Budget
Photo by Zephyr & Tide
Before you even enter the souk, it’s a good idea to decide what your spending limit is. Are you looking for anything in particular? A gift for your mom, memento for yourself, or Moroccan poofs to decorate your living room? Get your cash organized in small bills and in a safe and secure place, like zipped up in your wallet in your purse. Then, once you’re in the souk and have done a few rounds to get a general idea of the items you want, divide up your budget.
And what if you find something perhaps a bit unexpected, like that particular set of moonstone earrings but the vendor won’t budge on price? Start by mentally deciding what the item is worth to you. What is the max you’re willing to pay? Then, take a look at the impact on your overall budget.
Start With a Price Check
Before committing to that purse you’ve fallen in love with at first sight, do a price check first. Make your way to several other similar stands and see what the prices are like. The point is not necessarily to get the absolute cheapest price because quality does vary, but rather to gauge if the price you were quoted falls in a reasonable range. A key trick is to know that the stands on the edges of the souk will typically be the most expensive since they are the ones with the fastest and easiest access.
Practice Your Bargaining Skills
A big part of the souk experience revolves around bargaining with vendors. You will notice that prices are not listed on any product, which is the strategy to force the customer to ask for the price and then the vendor will charge according to what they think the customer would be willing to pay. This is where you as a smart negotiator will counter until you both reach an agreement. Settling on a price is not easy, especially with the Moroccan merchants who are expert negotiators.
There’s no set rule on the amount to bargain, but generally, if you’re given a certain price try lowering 20-50% and see if you might land somewhere around a price 10-20% lower than the original offer. The more you buy from one vendor, the better price you’ll get. And in the end, if you’re still not happy with the price don’t be afraid to walk away. You’re likely to find a similar item elsewhere or the vendor may just cede to your offer.
And lastly, if you find yourself bargaining over a relatively small sum like a few dirhams or dollars consider that in the scheme of things that amount might be significantly more meaningful to the vendor than it is to you. Be a hard bargainer but also don’t let it overtake a spirit of generosity and graciousness in the process.
Give Yourself Time To Get Lost
Photo by Zephyr & Tide
Souks tend to be very crowded and busy, with narrow, winding streets and alleys in a maze-like atmosphere. Look for fixed landmarks as you go, like a permanent storefront sign or identifiable overhang. If you do get lost, don’t panic and know that the streets have do have an ending point. Generally, there will be signs that point you toward an entrance or exit, and ultimately you can ask for directions if needed.
Don’t Forget The Street Food!
Calling all foodies! The souks are an excellent place to try the local specialties such as Moroccan mint tea, local figs, dried fruits, and nuts, and myriad types of Moroccan sweets made with almonds, honey, and orange blossom water.
A few tips and caveats: As with all street food, be careful with meats and cut fruits. Observe the stall’s cleanliness and if the foods are served fresh off the flame versus sitting out. Be wary of juices sold in plastic containers…they are likely to be reused. Instead, opt for juice like pomegranate or orange squeezed fresh into a clean cup (or better yet, your own reusable mug).
The food stands near the workshops are there for the workers of the area, not the tourists, so the quality, flavor, and price will be the best and most traditional. A note for female travelers: Tea shops are generally frequented by local males only. You’re certainly allowed to go in and order; however, there may be some level of discomfort for both you and the locals if you’re by yourself as it not a typical part of the culture. For more tips on solo female travel in Morocco check out this blog.
Tips for Persistent Vendors
In the souk, you may notice many very persistent vendors that may even follow you while you walk around the market. It might come as a culture shock because most Westerners aren’t used to such direct sales tactics. To politely decline say la shukran “no, thank you” with your hand over your heart and walk away. If they continue to persist, it is culturally appropriate to ignore them and keep walking.
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You can’t travel to Morocco without experiencing once of its most essential experiences, a visit to the souk, or the traditional Moroccan market. As a tourist, you likely won’t have the chance for repeat visits like a local. However, it’s a great way to observe the culture in play while also learning to navigate the souks for yourself. Here are our top tips for a successful Moroccan souk experience.