There is no end to the shopping potential of Marrakech...!
The souks of Marrakech are a labarinthine rabbit warren of endless small and large shops, selling just about anything you could imagine...! Once you enter, you should forget any plan to know at all times where you are and just accept getting 'lost'... Carpets, ornaments, books, clothing, pottery, leather, silks, junk and many other items can be found and bought. Bargaining is a must! Larger items that you may buy can be shipped to your home country by the shops. You should always make sure that you get the relevent paperwork from the seller to ensure that your delivery arrives.
At the end of your souk adventure, end up in the Jma el Fna square for a glass of mint tea on a rooftop cafe and watch the madness below.
Warning
If you choose to take an official guide to lead you through the souks, please be warned now that you may be RIPPED OFF, MANIPULATED AND ABUSED! Sad to say, but this is the reality and we prefer to let you know that from the outset but do not despair, YOU DO NOT NEED A GUIDE TO GO SHOPPING IN THE SOUKS! Think about it for a moment... If you were going to a market in France, England, Greece or Italy for example, you would never think to yourself, "I think I will go and hire someone to go shopping with me". No, you would just get in a taxi, on a bus, and turn up at the market and go and explore it, asking people as you go around where you might find a lamp or a pair of shoes or an area where a certain object can be found. We do this all the time everywhere else so WHY would you do any differently in Morocco?
There is nothing in the souks or markets that cannot be explained to you by the very capable shop keepers. There is little of historical importance in the markets and guides are of no benefit and will make the price of whatever you buy rise considerably because the shop keeper knows that he will have to pay between 20 and 60% of what you pay him, to the guide who has come in with you. That is how it works. Please enjoy the souks and you will, as they are thrilling, but know that this is better enjoyed without a guide.
The Lawrence of Morocco map displays the locations of the destinations and accommodation that we have selected and visited; for each item, hovering over or clicking the marker will display a short summary and photo of that place or hotel, and hotel pricing. Follow the links in the info box to the full page listing which has much more information.
Note that the online map offers both a satellite view (click satellite in the top right) and, for some locations, a street level view (Drag the person in the top left onto the map). These let you explore the country; and when you wish to explore in person, or if you have any questions about the places you see, give our staff a call, or request a quote. Our staff regularly visit the places and accommodation that we feature.
When you book a holiday with us we will provide full driving instructions for reaching your accommodation, where necessary; these can be used by yourself, or you could enjoy the luxury of a driver. Alternatively we will arrange private (car rather than coach) transfers for you; helicopter transfers are also possible for some destinations.
Dear Max,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. It's only today I noticed that your email had wrongly reached my junk mail folder!
We had a wonderful holiday. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. Both Villa Maroc and Riad Camilia exceeded our expectations and were perfect places to stay both having very friendly, helpful staff and good food. Nicolas at Riad Camilia deserves a special mention for being the perfect host! We enjoyed a half day historic tour of Marrakesh with our guide, Nora, who was great. It was well worth the money as I did find Marrakesh, at least at first, quite a daunting place to get around, especially the medina. I would not normally book excursions/tours as I prefer doing things myself but having a local person showing us around and informing us about the culture and history was a godsend, and made me and my sister far more confident about exploring the city on our own.
I'm hard pressed to think of any negative points about the holiday as I think your team did an excellent job and everything fitted into place perfectly.Booking with Lawrence of Morocco took the hard work out of planning the holiday and I will certainly recommend the company to friends.
From what I have seen of Morocco so far, I think it is a very interesting country with a fascinating culture, lovely people and glorious weather! I think my only tiny complaint is that will did endure some low-level harrasment in the souks from shopowners desperate to sell us things.It did get very tiresome after a while and put us off staying very long. I completely understand the need to make a living but it was a bit offputting for me. On a return visit to the country I would be more inclined to visit less touristy places to avoid this.
I have 'liked' on Facebook. Many thanks to you, Emma, Souad and the rest of the team.
Best wishes,
Frances
Frances Davies who did this activity in October 2015.
Hugh Griffiths who did this activity in September 2015.
Shopping in the Marrakech Souks, Marrakech has been rated 2 times, with an overall rating of 5.00 out of 5.
We really know Morocco and have had the pleasure of making many people's dream trips become reality over the years. It has been our privilege to be asked to manage holidays, weddings and productions for so many fantastic and discerning clients. We remain small and dedicated to providing excellent honest advice to enable you to sit back, relax and enjoy the fun bits without having to manage the unpredictability of this fascinating country.
If you want it done right, look no further!
