Marrakech Souks: What to Buy, How to Haggle and Scams to Avoid

The short answer: the souks start just north of Jemaa el-Fnaa and are organised by trade. Buy leather slippers, rugs, lanterns, ceramics, argan oil and spices; check the fixed prices at the government-run Ensemble Artisanal first; then haggle with a smile, aiming for roughly half to two-thirds of the first price. Ignore anyone who says a street is "closed".

How the souks are organised

The Marrakech souks are a maze of covered lanes between Jemaa el-Fnaa and the Ben Youssef Madrasa. Each lane traditionally groups one craft, which makes comparing prices easy.

The best things to buy

• Babouches. Soft leather slippers in every colour. Pointed ones are for men, rounded or embroidered ones for women. Check the stitching on the sole.
• Rugs. Beni Ourain (cream wool with dark lines), Azilal (bright patterns), kilims and boucherouite rag rugs. Ask about shipping only after you agree the price.
• Lanterns. Pierced brass, copper or tin. They flatten for packing if you buy the folding kind.
• Ceramics. Painted bowls and tagines. A decorative tagine is not always food-safe; ask for a cooking one if you plan to use it.
• Argan oil. Cosmetic or culinary. Buy sealed bottles from cooperatives or reputable shops; real oil is not cheap. Our guide to argan cooperatives explains the difference.
• Spices. Ras el hanout, cumin, paprika. Saffron sold very cheaply is usually fake; buy small amounts from a trusted shop.
• Hammam kit. Black soap, a kessa glove and ghassoul clay, all light to pack. See our hammam guide.

How to haggle without stress

1. Know the fixed price first. The Ensemble Artisanal on Avenue Mohammed V sells crafts at marked prices. It gives you a fair benchmark.
2. Decide your maximum before you ask. Haggling is easy when you know what the item is worth to you.
3. Let the seller name a price. Answer with roughly a third to a half of it, and settle in the middle. Prices for tourists can start two or three times higher than the final one.
4. Stay friendly. Accepting mint tea does not oblige you to buy. Laugh, take your time, and say "la, shukran" (no, thank you) when you mean it.
5. Walk away politely. If your offer is fair, the seller often calls you back. If not, the same item is in the next shop.
6. Pay in dirhams cash. Card terminals add fees and remove your bargaining room. Read our money guide.

Four scams to recognise

• "That street is closed." It almost never is. The helper wants to lead you to a shop or ask for money.
• "The Berber market is only today." A classic line to steer you to a particular rug shop.
• The free tannery tour. Someone offers to show you the tanneries, then you are charged for the visit and pushed into a leather shop.
• Black henna. Very dark "henna" can contain PPD, a dye that can burn skin. Real henna is brown-orange.

The simplest fix is a licensed guide for your first morning; ours show you the souks, the craftsmen and fair prices with no commission pressure. It is part of our Marrakech tours and our longer private Morocco tours.