In any Moroccan city you can buy authentic clothes and shoes, aromatic spices, accessories and leather goods, colorful dishes, natural cosmetics in stores where they are bought by the locals — all these things are used in everyday life of Moroccans. And for oriental flavor and lifelong memories go to the old town, to the market, where the choice is wider and you can practice your haggling skills. In the country, the national markets are called «Souq» (Arabic: سوق, sūq). In Marrakech, the major souks are the Souq in Jemma el-Fna Square and the Marche Epices (Spices Market).
Going to the local market is impossible without bargaining — Moroccan sellers consider it a must-have of the trade. Do not be shy, reduce the price at once. Most locals don’t know English, but thanks to charisma you can buy goods two or three times cheaper. How we haggled: we took a notebook and pen or turned on the calculator on the phone, found out the price and immediately called half as much. Passing the calculator from hand to hand, the seller and the buyer offer their price. Everything happens in a fun and relaxed way. It turns out to reduce the price by 30—40% of the original price.
The best way for girls to communicate with local vendors is to smile, look languid and repeat «sale», «for me» (discount, «for me»). Be sure that not a single oriental seller will not refuse to lower your price. Just keep your boundaries and don’t forget about safety.
I will tell you what gifts to bring back from Marrakech.
Cosmetics and argan oil
The main and unique souvenir from Morocco is argan oil and products based on it. Argan trees grow exclusively in Morocco in the southwest. Any argan oil from other countries, even Tunisia, is originally argan oil from Morocco diluted with other oils.
The Berbers call argan oil liquid gold. They believe that the women who pick and squeeze the fruit leave a part of their soul in the product.
There are two types: cosmetic and cooking oil. Cosmetic oil is used in anti-aging creams and hair products. Culinary oil is used to treat rheumatism, strengthen the body, reduce cholesterol, treat skin diseases. Argan oil is used in creams, sprays, shampoos, balms for hair and body.
Be careful, vendors on the streets dilute the useful elixir with cheap vegetable oil and sell fakes. We bought the oil in certified shops «House of Argana».
Morocco’s body care culture is in the best Eastern traditions: hammam, spa treatments, rich scrubs, oils and creams are loved here. Cosmetics in the country are still mostly handmade by small manufactories. Here is what else you can bring as a gift for yourself and your girlfriends:
- Glycerin soap with extracts of natural herbs and flowers: rose, lavender, mint, rosemary, sandalwood. The price is about 6 $.
- Hammam kit: includes black soap, henna, healing clay, loofah mitt.
- Solid perfumes are compressed aromatic bars. They are used as a room and clothing scent in the closet, applied to pulse points, as a perfume. Sold by the gram and packaged in a bag of dried flowers, herbs. A small cube costs $5-$8.
- Oil perfume is a long-lasting concentrated perfume made from natural aroma oils.
- Berber lipstick — looks like a round clay mold. The surface is coated with a layer of ochre and ground poppy flowers. When in contact with water, it acquires a red tint, the color is transferred to the lips with a wet fingertip. The price of natural lipstick from ancient times 1.5 $.
- An eyeliner made from a stone — antimony. The product is said to help with conjunctivitis. The price is $1.
Leather goods
The country is famous for the products of the Tanneries Chouara in Fez. The Marrakech market also offers a huge selection of styles and colors: wallets, business card holders, belts, backpacks, travel bags, jackets, jackets, shoes at low prices.
- Price: wallet from $8, bag from $25, jacket from $150, men’s flip-flops from $20.
- Among unusual goods stand out leather interior seats without a backrest — poufs. The price is 60 $.
The higher the quality of the leather and lining and the neatness of the seams, the higher the price of the item, but the final price depends on the ability to bargain.
National dress
Surprisingly, the traditional Moroccan clothing makes you want to try it on. Long hooded dresses with pointed hoods — djellaba — look as if they were made from sketches from Oriental fairy tales. On the streets of the Arab old city, between the simple stone walls of old houses, these hoods look especially colorful. Tourists buy Berber clothing for colorful photo shoots and as a keepsake. Will they ever wear it again? No one knows, but djellabas and babushas go around the world every day in the luggage of Moroccan tourists.
Babushi
Traditional shoes with pointed toes and elongated backs are called babushis, and they come in bright or calm colors. They are made of leather, suede, fabric and decorated with tassels, bells and stones. Models are simpler, similar to house slippers, and fashionable, quite suitable for summer closet.
The price for shoes starts from 10 $. For little kids babushi are priced from 6 $.
Jellaba
Traditional robe dress with pointed hood. It can be decorated with embroidery or patterned prints. These clothes make for colorful photos in Marrakech’s locations. And it’s probably the safest clothing to wear on the streets at night in Morocco — more than half of the locals wear it, and it’s the easiest way to pass for one of your own.
Prices — from $ 15. Models, richly decorated and sewn from expensive fabrics, which look like evening dresses, are much more expensive.
Delicious products: teas, spices, desserts
Moroccans love sweet things, so local desserts are delicious, sweet and flavorful. Orange decoction water, nuts and acacia tree resin are added to cookies. In addition to tea, spices and sweet gifts, buy wine. In Marakesh, the store L’atelier du Vin has an unusual gray wine vin gris, the technology of production of which is kept secret.
Sweets
The original national sweet is amlu. It is a paste of argan oil and grated nuts: peanuts or almonds. We were lucky enough to try the dessert at breakfast in riad, and bought a prepackaged version for $12 for 100 grams at home. Locals say it doesn’t spoil, but we didn’t test it — it’s so delicious it disappears quickly.
You can bring home dates, prunes, apricots, halva, kosinaki. Prices are high, but the quality is excellent.
Moroccan cookies look homemade, even when sold in large shops. They are sweet, with a touch of nuts and halva.
Spices
The streets of Medina are mostly occupied by market stalls with colorful spectacular cones. This is how they sell spices and spices: cinnamon, oregano, cardamom, turmeric, cumin, paprika. Every stall has the national spice, harrisa. It is prepared on the basis of fresh or dried hot peppers and coarse salt.
In Marrakech, saffron, an expensive royal spice, is sold. However, you need to know how to recognize a fake.
Tea
Moroccans drink tea around the clock. Strong, sweet, green tea with lots of mint is served in every local house. You can buy them at home: green, with mint, with orange blossoms, verbena, cloves — they cost from $12 for 100 g.
Wine from Morocco
Despite the country’s anti-alcohol policy, it is possible for tourists to buy wine. Wine departments in large chain supermarkets are now being moved outside the main shopping area. A large selection of wines can be found in specialized wine stores and Carefour wine departments.
From Morocco you should bring «gray wine» (gris), which is produced only here. The technology is similar to pinot grigio, but there are differences. A bottle of good gris wine costs from 70 DH.
What other alcohol to buy in Morocco and how much it costs, read here. Where to find stores and restaurants with alcohol — here.
Accessories
Moroccan women love accessories: expensive and not so expensive, from jewelry to embroidered stoles. These accessories are part of the everyday closet, so the choice is enormous.
Palantines, scarves, shawls, capes can be found both in stores and on the market. Moroccan women cover their heads with them, so the materials are of high quality: cashmere, cotton, chiffon, Indian silk. Price — from 5 $ for simple models, 25 $ for huge quality stoles.
Originally from Africa, woven rattan bags have been trendy for the last couple of years. There are large, beach versions for 6—8 $ and small round ones on a long strap for 10—20 $.
Beads, large pendants, bracelets, earrings — such jewelry is usually quite massive and made of precious materials: gold and silver with semi-precious stones and enamel inlays. In Morocco you can buy jewelry in the Mauritian style («Hispano»).
Oriental tableware
Bring home Aladdin’s lamp? You can! Especially since Aladdin, according to scientists, «lived» just in North Africa, somewhere between Tunisia and Morocco. Trays, traditional teapots with a long curved spout, jugs, cups made of copper, lampshades for lamps — in the spirit of Arabian fairy tales. The price of a teapot for two people is $10.
A practical souvenir — traditional ceramic dishes. Moroccan housewives and restaurateurs use a real ceramic tagine without coloring to cook meat with dried fruits and vegetables. It preserves the flavor and aroma of vegetables, prevents moisture from evaporating and allows you to cook juicy, soft meat according to the Moroccan recipe. According to locals, the older the tajine, the tastier the food.
Tagines are sold in markets and stores. New ones cost from 5 $, and exclusive ones cost more than 1000 $. If you plan to cook meat, choose simple models without painting. Painted tagines have mainly a decorative function.
What is forbidden to take out of Morocco
There are no special restrictions on the export of goods from Morocco. Tourists can export souvenirs, cosmetics, up to 3 liters of alcoholic beverages and most products. A special permit is required for exporting items of history, culture and art.
But the national currency — dirhams — is not allowed to be taken out of the country. You can keep one or two coins in your pocket as a souvenir, but larger amounts must either be exchanged at an exchange office for another currency before leaving the country, or spent in duty-free.
