The Popular Moroccan Souks
The typical markets in Morocco, called the souks, are covered or open-air markets in the center of the city, generally in the heart of the Medina, or in the streets. They are then called fairground markets. The word "souk" means great disorder, which is significant in the Moroccan markets because there is everything. It goes from food, to all the craft products. People come there to get supplies, and people from the countryside to sell the remains of their crops. Shops are organized by variety of products: food, clothing, various equipment, rural products, crafts and services. Prices are not fixed and it is normal to bargain.
You have to start from the center of the Medina, from one of these cobbled and winding alleys that you will first follow with caution, here a mosque, there a school for very young children whose clear voices move you, a grocer whose tiny shop offers everything, women laden with huge breads that they place in the neighborhood oven, the smile of a little girl who says "hello" and runs away with a big laugh and suddenly you are in a souk… Because 'there is no real border and if you have been lucky enough to have opted for accommodation in a riad, you are immersed instantly.
The discovery of the East must be done at the rate of the East and in forgetting a culture of reason and efficiency which is that of the West.
And soon you are lost, very well, a shop attracts your attention, in the background, in the shade a man behind a loom and on the walls of pieces whose quality jumps out at you, we settle in, tea is served. If there is one thing that the people of Morocco love above all else, it is talking, joking, and discovering, if you enter the game with respect and smile, you are already family.
During your wanderings, if your eyes are on the lookout, you will be surprised to want to go further in knowledge and to feel more and more integrated in this colorful and good-natured tumult.
And as things are well done, the museums which are complementary to your initiatory journey, hide in the middle of the souks and come to complete the picture with a little history.
The souk of Marrakech is one of the largest in Morocco. The markets in this city are numerous, there is the souk of Tallendiers (copper), the souk Rabia (carpets), the souk Ahiak (fabrics and clothes), the souk Kassabine (spices), there are around twenty. The most famous is that of Jamaa El Fna. It’s a huge market with nearly 40,000 artisans. It is located in the center of the old town, the Medina. You will find yourself in front of a large square crowded with itinerant merchants. You will be surprised by this unpacking of products: spices, food, clothing, pottery, jewelry, leather goods, typically rural products. Around the square, the alleys are full of small merchants. This market is so grand that one day is not enough to go around. This market is open every day. It closes very late at night, and there is always entertainment. You will also find restaurants, cafes for a short break, in the hubbub of sellers and buyers who bargain.
The Tangier souk is a meeting place between the old city and the new city. The streets become narrower and you will witness a mixture of people, cultures, different languages, but their common point is the Markets of the city. You will watch the women of the Rif region parade in multicolored costumes. Among the souks of fruit and vegetables, meat, dried fruits, spices of all kinds, handcrafted jewelry, products from neighboring villages, you will meet snake charmers, musicians, dancers, a mixture of culture and traditions intertwined in a deafening noise.
The Essaouira market is one of the most beautiful. It is called the Jdid souk. In addition to the products found on most souks in Morocco, such as spices, jewelry, bananas, watermelons, avocados, you can stock up on fresh fish brought back from the fishery the same day. Between sardines, sea bream, whiting, shrimp, you will find something to satisfy your gluttony. On this market you will find the specialty of the Essaouira region: argan oil. You will use it to give a particular nutty taste to your dishes, or simply as a beauty product, for an effect against aging and hydration of the skin. You will also admire the magnificent weavings and the marquetry shaped with talent. While strolling in the Medina or in the alleys around, you will discover the cabinetmakers who work with thuja wood, and who create beautiful objects.
Markets like the one in Rabat offer you another way to do your shopping. You can go to the souk, to stock up on fruits and vegetables, meat, spices of all colors, small wooden objects, but also do your shopping in luxurious shops, which are located around the Medina. If you have to buy a carpet, this is the place to go in Rabat. It is made of red wool and in the middle of the carpet is a diamond-shaped medallion. The carpets are sold in the souks, Monday and Thursday morning and at the auction. The other particularity of the souks of Rabat is the sale of jewelry made of silver which is truly magnificent, whether or not decorated with stones.
There are many markets in Morocco, you will enjoy visiting that of Fez, or even of Agadir, that of Ouarzazate, smaller ones like those of Khénifra or Tanant. But wherever you are, you will enjoy wandering among this multitude of small merchants, who will be happy to make you discover their know-how, and of course to take the opportunity so that you leave with a little souvenir.
large open-air Souks:
The souks, astonishing labyrinth or maze, alleys, alleys, and dead ends give the impression of having been created just to lose the traveler who must at the same time see, admire and try to find his way…You have to start from the center of the Medina, from one of these cobbled and winding alleys that you will first follow with caution, here a mosque, there a school for very young children whose clear voices move you, a grocer whose tiny shop offers everything, women laden with huge breads that they place in the neighborhood oven, the smile of a little girl who says "hello" and runs away with a big laugh and suddenly you are in a souk… Because 'there is no real border and if you have been lucky enough to have opted for accommodation in a riad, you are immersed instantly.
The discovery of the East must be done at the rate of the East and in forgetting a culture of reason and efficiency which is that of the West.
And soon you are lost, very well, a shop attracts your attention, in the background, in the shade a man behind a loom and on the walls of pieces whose quality jumps out at you, we settle in, tea is served. If there is one thing that the people of Morocco love above all else, it is talking, joking, and discovering, if you enter the game with respect and smile, you are already family.
During your wanderings, if your eyes are on the lookout, you will be surprised to want to go further in knowledge and to feel more and more integrated in this colorful and good-natured tumult.
And as things are well done, the museums which are complementary to your initiatory journey, hide in the middle of the souks and come to complete the picture with a little history.
The Moroccan Souks:
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| The Popular Moroccan Souks |
The Tangier souk is a meeting place between the old city and the new city. The streets become narrower and you will witness a mixture of people, cultures, different languages, but their common point is the Markets of the city. You will watch the women of the Rif region parade in multicolored costumes. Among the souks of fruit and vegetables, meat, dried fruits, spices of all kinds, handcrafted jewelry, products from neighboring villages, you will meet snake charmers, musicians, dancers, a mixture of culture and traditions intertwined in a deafening noise.
The Essaouira market is one of the most beautiful. It is called the Jdid souk. In addition to the products found on most souks in Morocco, such as spices, jewelry, bananas, watermelons, avocados, you can stock up on fresh fish brought back from the fishery the same day. Between sardines, sea bream, whiting, shrimp, you will find something to satisfy your gluttony. On this market you will find the specialty of the Essaouira region: argan oil. You will use it to give a particular nutty taste to your dishes, or simply as a beauty product, for an effect against aging and hydration of the skin. You will also admire the magnificent weavings and the marquetry shaped with talent. While strolling in the Medina or in the alleys around, you will discover the cabinetmakers who work with thuja wood, and who create beautiful objects.
Markets like the one in Rabat offer you another way to do your shopping. You can go to the souk, to stock up on fruits and vegetables, meat, spices of all colors, small wooden objects, but also do your shopping in luxurious shops, which are located around the Medina. If you have to buy a carpet, this is the place to go in Rabat. It is made of red wool and in the middle of the carpet is a diamond-shaped medallion. The carpets are sold in the souks, Monday and Thursday morning and at the auction. The other particularity of the souks of Rabat is the sale of jewelry made of silver which is truly magnificent, whether or not decorated with stones.
There are many markets in Morocco, you will enjoy visiting that of Fez, or even of Agadir, that of Ouarzazate, smaller ones like those of Khénifra or Tanant. But wherever you are, you will enjoy wandering among this multitude of small merchants, who will be happy to make you discover their know-how, and of course to take the opportunity so that you leave with a little souvenir.
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