One Week in Morocco can be just as magical as a lengthy stay. The aroma of fresh spices sifting through the air, kebabs sizzling over an open flame, Berber carpets being unraveled at the market place, snakes in Djemaa Le Fna Square, a pot of Moroccan tea and a camel trek through the Sahara dunes can be experienced all in one week.
Regardless of your timeframe in Morocco, it’s essential to shop the souks!
Visiting the souks in Morocco is an ideal way to learn about traditional crafts. There are a wide variety of Moroccan goods available to purchase for those who on a budget or have an expendable income and ready for a Moroccan shopping extravaganza. Shopping the Souks also is rewarding for travelers that desire an up-close experience with locals as the sellers have a penchant for conversation and inviting visitors into their boutique’s for Moroccan mint tea.
Souks and markets are a major feature in Moroccan life, and among the country’s greatest attractions for Moroccan travelers. Each town has its special souk quarter, large cities like Fes and Marrakech have labyrinths of individual souks (each filling a street or square and devoted tone particular craft), and in the countryside, there are hundreds of weekly souks, on a different day in each village of the region.
When the first souks appeared within Morocco, they were nothing more than small areas outside the city for merchants to display and sell their goods. Yet, as city populations grew, so did the souks.
Today souks have become an important part of the culture socially and act as the heart of any large Moroccan city. Some souks are seasonal or annual while others like the Djemaa El Fna market in Marrakech are famous for snake charmers, storytellers, musicians, dynamic acrobatic events.
Strolling through the Moroccan souks is akin to going to a North African themed renaissance festival in the states and suddenly realizing it’s all real and the actors aren’t returning to the suburbs in the evening. Leopard skins, rhinoceros horns even Gucci and Prada knockoffs are offered just beside traditional Moroccan goods.
Morocco’s souks offer a host of great bargains. Bartering in Arabic can be tricky and at the end of the day, your purchases may be paired down to such items as an authentic Berber carpet, a fake Rolex, a teapot, necklaces, scarves, sandals, and shirts. Regardless of your preference, it’s important to spend at least a day and or more to shop the souks t0 get a sense of Moroccan culture.
Market and Souk Tours are available in Casablanca, Fes, Essaouira, and Marrakech. These one-day tours frequent the souks, historical sites, monuments, Andalusian gardens, and courtyard palaces.
For travelers interested in seeking beyond the souks and would like experience nature, one option is to head south to the Sahara for a desert escape where you can camel trek, discover ancient kasbahs, Berber villages and explore the Skoura palmeraie.
Visiting Morocco is simple. Just board a plane, clutch your Royal Air Moroc ticket in hand and take off to a Moroccan trip of a lifetime.
For more information about Shopping the Souks or how to spend One Week in Morocco.