10 Best Souqs and Markets in Marrakech

Situated next to Marrakech’s world-famous square, Jemaa el-Fna, Souk Semmarine is Morocco’s most expansive market – a visually compelling labyrinth where traders have been hawking their services and peddling their wares for well over a thousand years. A feast for the senses, this medina attraction teems with brightly dyed textiles, aromatic spices, ceramic tagine pots and artisan jewellery.

Souk Semmarine is not a half-hour shopping trip, rather, it’s a place where one can lose track of an entire day while navigating its enigmatic alleys. Delve deeper into this wonderland to discover a host of other curiosities including lamp shops, pashminas sellers, patisseries and henna artists.

Drawing visitors to its bustling marketplace since time immemorial, Jemaa el-Fna is the heart of Marrakech's old city; a place where snake charmers rouse live cobras with the sound of hypnotic flute music and monkeys perform backflips in front of throngs of astonished sightseers. A number of atmospheric restaurants border this exotic square while the food stalls at the centre serve an intriguing array of delicacies.

For the culinarily adventurous, Jemaa el-Fna is a mecca of exotic Moroccan – try the snail soup, skewered heart, camel spleen and sheep’s head. After you’ve filled your belly, take to a rooftop café for a refreshing mint tea while watching the sun set over Koutoubia Mosque.

An ancient market street resplendent with spices, perfumes and oils, Souk el Attarine casts a sensual spell with its heady aromas and flavours. The cooks of the city flock here for brightly hued mounds of cumin, saffron and ras el hanout which they carry away to their riad kitchens.

New sellers have moved in too, offering a wealth of alluring merchandise including lanterns, teapots and hand-painted pottery. Souk el Attarine is also a premiere place to buy healing herbs and natural cosmetics including luxurious bottles of argan oil and mineral-rich Ghassoul clay.

An emporium for artisanal leatherwork and upscale souvenirs, Souk Cherratin is one of Marrakech’s best-kept shopping secrets. Located in the northeast section of the medina, this lesser-known market is chock-full of bags, belts, purses and wallets, as well as other très chic goods including footstools and slippers.

Referred to as “Ta’ala” by the locals, these skilled master craftspeople predominantly make their products with buttery goat and calf skins that arrive fresh from the nearby tanneries. The hides are either left au naturel or dyed by hand using an eye-catching array of colours.

If you want to live like the locals, venture into the bowels of the Rue Bab Doukkala Market, a popular Arset Ben Chebi shopping precinct that literally pulses with off-the-wall energy. From copper and baskets to clothing and shoes, this non-touristy attraction will see you haggling for bargains and brushing up on your negotiating skills.

Peruse farm-to-table groceries before sampling the freshest natural produce the neighbourhood has to offer. Here, mountains of olives sit next to tasty lamb brochettes, loaves of piping-hot bread and the juiciest Moroccan oranges.

Souk Zrabi’s oasis of flamboyant carpets belies its dark history as a Marrakechi slave market. Tucked away down an alleyway off Rahba Kedima Square, this niche shopping district stocks every type of runner, rug and floor covering one could want – in every shade imaginable and featuring a vast array of patterns.

Once you’re done shopping, swing by Café des Epice for panoramic views of the historic medina from its al fresco rooftop terrace. The nearby Le Jardin Secret palace is also worth a visit thanks to its remarkable displays of Islamic art and architecture.

For everything sparkly and stone-encrusted, stop by glamorous Souk Dhabia, one of Marrakech’s most popular jewellery and accessories markets. Stocking bracelets, necklaces, rings and more, you’re bound to find treasures for personal adornment.

Marrakech is famed for its indigenous Berber pieces that have been handcrafted for thousands of years across the Maghreb region of North Africa. At Souk Dhabia, one can shop for ornate fibulas inlaid with brightly hued coral or Hand of Fatima charms forged from gleaming sterling silver.

Also known as the Dyers Souk, Marrakech’s Souk Sebbaghine is a visual feast of bright tints and textures. Stroll through its warren of streets to see freshly dyed wool hanging from makeshift washing lines (all created for the local carpet weavers).

This Insta-worthy locale features a magical main square where you can witness fabric dyeing in real time by local Moroccan workers. Boutique owners are more than happy to explain the colouring process and the history of the area around rustic copper bowls filled with luminous vegetable powders.

More akin to a traditional flea market, Souk El Khemis is a Marrakechi hotspot that will appeal to anyone looking for a 1-of-a-kind bargain. Located along the medina’s 12th-century rose-pink wall, this open-air bazaar is famed for its rustic furniture, wrought iron window frames, shiny copper lanterns and antique cedarwood doors.

Here, you’ll need to sift through a fair bit of junk to undercover a gem – but the rummaging is worth it. Look hard enough and you’ll find some of Morocco’s best architectural salvage from historic homes and old hotels including palatial door knockers, Art Deco coffee tables, Lloyd-loom chairs and decorative arches.

Home to the city’s ironmongers and blacksmiths, Souk Haddadine specialises in all things metal – from furniture and palace gates to road signs and window grilles. Here, you’ll find an enormous range of handmade wares to decorate the home, from wind chimes, chairs and chandeliers, to cutlery and lanterns.

Swing by to watch master craftsmen hard at work to a relentless soundtrack of hammers. This boisterous market might not be as pretty as some of the other nearby souks, but amongst the noise and the grime it wields its own special beauty.