First, lose the map! The greatest joy is getting lost in the derbs and alleys of the souks. The trick is to relax, allow yourself to wander and go wherever your instincts take you. Eventually you will find your way out.
TIP: Because the alleys are narrow, donkey carts or motorized scooters or bicycles are the only forms of transportation allowed inside the souks. However, keep to the side whenever you hear screams of "
balek!" - that means there's a donkey cart right behind you!
These are the different souks of Marrakesh for those who dare to shop and conquer!
- Souk Semarine - one of the two main souk arteries, selling fabrics and inexpensive souvenirs as well as handmade Berber and Arabian carpets (look for gold door).
- Souk Lghzal (Old Slave Souk) - translates as the wool souk, selling spices, potions and apothecaries, and second hand clothing and djellabas.
- Souk Rahba Qdima (Spice Souk) - the main spice center
- Souk el Attarine (Oil and Perfume souk) - the main market for perfumes, essential oils and even spices
- Rahba Qdima (Carpet Souk) - the main carpet souk
- Souk des Bijoutiers (Jewelry Souk) - main souk for jewelry
- Souk des Babouches (Slipper Souk) - selling traditional Moroccan pointed slippers - the best place to buy since there is variety of prices and quality depending on one's budget.
I bought two pairs of men's slipper sandals (photo on right) - price ranged from US$12-18 (with some haggling) but expect to pay more if you want high quality sandals.
TIP: Know your European size beforehand! For example, men's size 10 in the US is 43 European, size 9.5 US is size 42 European (or thereabouts!).
View this conversion table for shoe sizes.
And of course, how can one NOT buy the traditional babouche, the sandals so well-loved by Moroccans! (see photo on right, white leather babouches with sword embroidery). I bought these for around US$15 in a regular store outside the souk, so the price is fixed. There may be some benefits to this as you do not have to haggle, and the price seemed reasonable to me at that time.
TIP: When you are interested in an item and want to jumpstart the bargaining process, go as low up to a third of the quoted price, then work your way up to a compromise. Enjoy the process, don't stress out too much about it. The worst thing that can happen is that if you do not come to an agreement with the price, you can simply walk away. In most cases, the seller will want to settle with you at a fair price in order to make a sale.
I discovered and subsequently purchased these well-designed Tula hats at the Overland shop in Santa Fe, NM. Tula hats are handwoven palm hats from Mexico and had been tested for excellent UPF protection by Cal Poly Tech. These hats have been given the UPF 50+ rating, which is excellent for sun protection. These hats are not just excellent protection from the harsh sun, but they are also made of sustainable fiber harvested twice a year from the warm coastal areas in Mexico. For more info., also visit the Tula Hats website.
