Find your Morocco style in our pick of quintessential shopping destinations
Scarves, spices, shoes, skincare, the list of Moroccan-made treasures goes on. From timeless souks to trending concept stores, shopping in Morocco is all part of the cultural experience—whether you’re honing your haggling skills in centuries-old surroundings, watching weavers at work using time-honoured techniques, or forging lifelong friendships with family store owners over a glass of quintessential mint tea.
Find an antique Amazigh rug that perfectly accents your decor at home. Give your beauty regime a Moroccan makeover with creams and serums, straight from source. Customise your own ceramics to wow your next dinner guests. And let the ‘Morocco look’ live on, long after your return home in statement-piece Tuareg jewellery, authentic leather bags, and on-trend kaftans by established local designers.
Whatever your style, the art of shopping in Morocco may well become one of your fondest travel memories. Just don’t forget that extra carry on…
Fes
With its ancient cultural lineage, and wealth of centuries-old traditions, Fes is the undisputed artisanal capital of Morocco. Lose yourself among its Hispano-Moorish influenced stalls, and soak in the unique atmosphere of the imperial city as you indulge in some distinctly-Moroccan retail therapy.
Roam the beguiling streets of the vast, maze-like Fez Medina—a magnificent UNESCO Heritage site and a haven for local craftsmen, bursting at the seams with workshops, carpet showrooms, and blue-and-white Fassi pottery.
“An amazing living museum. [The Medina] is the place to visit if you are looking for a working community city within a city. Heaps of narrow streets and lanes and working shops everywhere…”
Got a penchant for leather products? Immerse yourself in the sights and smells of the Chouara Tannery, that’s been operating in much the same way for the last 500 years. The smell may be intense but the thrill of knowing exactly where your belt, jacket or bag was made, is well worth it.
“The Chouara Tannery also known as the Quarter of the Tanners is amazing. You walk up four flights of stairs to get to the viewpoint and it is so worth it…The tannery is complete with large clay pots full of dyes where tanners are dyeing leather. A trip to Fes is not complete without this…I could not recommend more!”
Find henna-based hair products and everything else you need for a typical ‘Hammam’ ritual at Souk el Henna, a favourite of locals following the original Moroccan beauty regime. Complete your updated look with a pair of handmade boots or slippers from Art Fez Shoes, where no two pairs are the same, and the owner-artisan is on hand to help you find your perfect style.
“Very kind owner who truly wanted me to find a pair of shoes that fit well and that suited my style… I appreciated his work, everything was handmade, each pair was unique, and beautiful! Look forward to wearing my boots :)”
No trip to Morocco is complete without an Amazigh rug to take home with you and at the family-run Coin Berber, the browsing experience comes highly recommended. Sit and sip on mint tea as you consider your numerous options, and leave with something very special within a budget you can afford.
“Coin Berber is top-notch and each rug has a story of skill and tradition. If you’re in Fes and looking for a quality piece of art and an amazing experience, this is a must-visit.”
Continue your quest for homewares in Place Seffarine, where metalworkers hammer away contentedly, bringing plates, pots, dishes—and Morocco’s statement piece copper lantern—to life before your very eyes. Away from the main thoroughfares, Art Naji is the ultimate place to watch Fes’ time-honoured pottery production process, from start to finish. Before you leave, browse its gallery-like shop to find the ideal take-home piece, or customise an item to perfectly match your colour scheme at home.
“[Art Naji offered]… an excellent tour of their plant and showed us the manufacturing process from crushed stone to finished ceramic pieces. We customized the colors to match our decor at home. We were delighted when we recieved the finished piece!!”
Time of the essence? Head for the Cooperative Artisanal de Fes, a one stop-shop with several floors of rugs, ceramics, jewellery, clothing and more. Meet the makers, hear the stories behind their craftsmanship, and enjoy fixed-price browsing in quieter surroundings.
“This was the best shopping I have ever done and I would recommend everyone to go here. Everything is made by genuine craftspeople…Lots of helpful and interesting stories about each piece made this a learning experience for me and my children.”
Marrakech
Shop until you drop in the ochre city of Marrakech, where you’ll find a microcosm of made-in-Morocco delights from across the country. Tradition meets modernity here too, in the dizzying range of antiques, authentic crafts and trending collections found side by side in the city’s bustling alleyways, and independent design stores.
Dive headlong into the Marrakech Medina—the grandest Amazigh marketplace in Morocco—and lose yourself among some of its 18 different souks. Master craftsmen have been honing their techniques here for centuries, making this original market town one of the world’s great shopping destinations.
From carpets to jewels, leathers to lanterns, its sensory-rich alleyways are overflowing with Amazigh and Arabic-inspired products of every type you could imagine—the highly-rated Souk Semmarine makes a great place to start.
“A visit to Marrakech without the Souks? Unthinkable..wandering around all of the Souks in Marrakech is essential…as is getting rather lost! We just wandered from one section to another, with some fabulous crafts and colours…”
On the hunt for memorable artwork? Don’t miss Riad Yima, owned by local pop-artist Hassan Hajjaj (the Andy Warhol of Marrakech). From provocative photography to sardine-can lanterns, absolutely everything in this gallery-cafe is for sale; making it a unique spot to drink tea, rejuvenate, and of course…shop.
For some truly soothing retail therapy, seek out the boho-chic boutique, Aromatimri, where you can make your own perfume from locally-grown essential oils. From Argan and Oud to Amber and Orchid, bottle up your favourite Moroccan scents and take them home with you. Bliss.
“Aromatimri is a really special experience… I almost want to keep it to myself…I felt carried away with the warm and exotic essential oils, the whole experience of this small space with its welcoming atmosphere, its Moroccan feel, elaborate bottles and lotions is one to remember…”
Continue to refresh your beauty regime at Herboriste des Amis, filled with all manner of Moroccan-made lotions and potions. From prickly pear face cream to natural deodorant blocks, it’s a one-stop shop for 100% homegrown skincare, courtesy of the Kingdom of Light.
“Amazing place. Wide range of spices, cosmetics and herbs. Zouzou and his colleagues really do their best to make you feel like a special customer. You get detailed information about every product with a short demonstration, if possible”
If handwoven scarves are on your wish list, don’t miss the collection at By Faissal, a stand out store, highly recommended for its exquisite designs, using natural fibres and dyes. Or pick up an authentic ‘statement piece’ from Tissir Jewellery, where hundreds of antique Tuareg items are beautifully displayed alongside the designers’ latest collections.
“I was tempted here by the great reviews and all the lovely pieces I had seen in the Etsy shop, and was not at all disappointed! There must be hundreds of lovely authentic vintage and new pieces to choose from here, with huge display cases of necklaces, bracelets, rings and more…”nd more…”
For one-stop shopping, the Medina Mall Marrakech offers a little haven of peace in the heart of the souks, composed entirely of local and national brands. Try Mustapha Biaoui for three stories of homewares—including furniture—that you won’t find elsewhere. And what trip to Marakkech is complete without adding a stunning carpet to your collection?! Get your favourite shipped home from Aux Merveilles de Marrakech, one of the highest-rated rug retailers in the city.
“I bought a marvelous carpet from this place with a stress free shopping experience…The shop is unique. I saw carpets there that I had not seen in other places and found the carpet of my dreams. I now have it on my floor here in Melbourne Australia and couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you so much Fettah!”
Away from the medina, the shopping highlights continue. Retail therapy meets cultural exchange at the Henna Cafe, where all proceeds from the salon support a community education and food program. Take your pick from its book of designs and sip on a mango smoothie as your complex henna creation comes to life.
“This was such a great thing to do in Marrakesh…the cafe is laid back and quaint and the ladies are friendly and lovely. They serve delicious food and drinks here too which is ideal while you wait for your design to dry…There are lots of different designs at a variety of prices big and small so there is something for everyone. Plus there is the added distraction of the pet tortoise who likes feet! So glad we went here and not to the ladies in the square.”
Finally, don’t leave Marrakech without seeing what’s trending at 33 Rue Majorelle—home to the latest collections from more than 50 homegrown designers. Clothing, shoes, accessories and more fill the shelves of this hip, two-storey concept store; alongside high-quality Moroccan wine, olive oil and other locally-produced delicacies.
Rabat
With its unique combination of deep-rooted traditions and cosmopolitan atmosphere, shopping in Morocco’s capital offers the best of both old and new worlds. Stroll down its wide boulevards, brimming with modern boutiques; enjoy a taste of the familiar in huge, air-conditioned malls; and buy straight from source along the winding lanes of the bustling Rabat Medina, filled with the riches of its local craft heritage.
“I really enjoyed the Medina, a very different world compared to the rest of the city once you step inside…you can see more genuine local life, and touts/vendors don’t hassle you [to] buy stuff.”
Dive into the atmospheric delights of the medina in Souk Sebbat—where stalls overflow with leather goods, slippers and bags—and browse at your own pace along the Rue des Consuls, the medina’s main thoroughfare. Renowned for its silver jewellery and famous rbatis carpets, recognised the world over for their bright colours, eye-catching patterns and plush weave, this is the best place in the city to haggle like a local.
“It is an excellent place to shop for handicrafts like carpets, silver jewellery, pottery, leather, silks, lamps, wooden furniture, babouches and jellabahs.”
A few kilometres from the medina, the Oulja Complex, located in Sale is well worth a side trip. Artisans have been working with the clay soil here for centuries, making it the ultimate souvenir-shopping destination for all things pottery. Watch the potters at work—alongside basket weavers, forgers and mosaic artists—and take your pick from the extensive selection of modern and traditional designs on offer.
“The Oulja pottery complex has been around for decades and remains the best place in Morocco to see pottery being made and to buy from the widest selection and wonderful prices. There are dozens of shops with pottery and much more.”
Looking for a more modern shopping experience? Rabat’s Mega Mall is filled with dozens of mid-to high-end Moroccan brands, as well as a food court, an ice-skating rink and a bowling alley. It’s a welcome change of pace when you’ve had your fill of Rabat’s colourful souks, and a great introduction to the country’s most popular homegrown chains.
Tangier
Standing guard on the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier is Europe’s ancient gateway to Africa, with a distinctive, Northern Moroccan-vibe that sets it apart from other captivating shopping destinations. Dive into its intoxicating mix of old and new; with bustling markets, historic souks and mega malls, all jostling for your attention, and an extraordinary array of goodies for adventurous shoppers to unearth.
The calls to market start early along the winding laneways of the Tangier Medina, framed by the walls of a 15th century Portuguese fortress. Discover its textile, copperware and fine craft stalls; peek through open doorways to watch weavers hard at work on intricate Amazigh rug designs; and savour the scent of the local harvest at stalls overflowing with local lemons, olives and figs in every shade you can imagine.
“Wandering along the narrow alleys…you will find elegant design shops as well as locals living their lives behind the brightly painted doors of the white houses. Women sit on the ground surrounded by spices and vegetables brought fresh from the countryside in the morning. Carpets are hung on display outside on the walls and antique shops are full of treasures, you decide whether the shopkeepers tales are true.”
There are several reasons why savvy shoppers make the short trip over from Tarifa to stock up on quality decor and homeware in Tangier. One of these is the fantastic range of traditional rugs on offer. Seek out your favourite at Bleu de Fes, known for its impressive selection and stress-free international shipping options.
“Incredible shop with an impressive selection of rugs – all sizes, colors, and patterns imaginable. They are extremely friendly and brought out dozens of rugs for us to see before we made our selection. I will definitely be ordering from their website for future rugs and stopping by when I’m in Tangier again. Make sure you visit the roof for some great views of the Medina!”
One-stop shopping in modern surroundings more your style? Make a beeline for the state of the art Tanger City Mall or multi-storey Socco Alto, where you’ll find a fantastic range of homegrown designers and international stores. Ibn Batouta Mall also comes highly-recommended for its variety of top Moroccan brands and excellent marina views. Stock up on Moroccan-made perfume, cosmetics and authentic vintage finds, before heading off on your next Tangier adventure.
“[IBN Batouta] was spread over 4 floors and it was immaculate throughout. There was something for everyone including Magic Land (play area) for children and arcades with great views of Place des Nations and the marina…There was a great selection of shops including Razana boutique, Yan&One cosmetics, the vintage clothes shop Onilara chic, Parajoy cosmetics, Riad Fes perfume shop, Pistacherie al fassia the nut shop and Rafinity the jewellers.”
