Shopping in Marrakech

On day two of our trip to Marrakech the girls and I decided to venture into the Souk Medina to experience the markets, have a go at haggling and find ourselves some souvenirs to take home with us. As soon as we stepped foot out of the taxi it felt incredibly hectic, we had been dropped off slap back in the middle of the atmosphere.

The alleys are a fragrant and bustling maze filled with haggling artisans working in their workshops, paired with the roaring sound of motorbikes (there are a lot of them - be careful around sharp corners! Top tip: pedestrians always stay on the right-hand side).

Our tour guide through the Souk Medina

As the trading centre of the city where there are different souk markets within the Medina you’ll be surrounded by artisans working away at their craft, from handmade shoes and clothes, wooden bowls, trinkets, metalwork and a whole array of beautifully coloured plates and dishes made from clay. It was touching to see such passion and love go into what they make, it was truly humbling. We walked into one shop and their shoes were lining the wall from top to bottom, with the maker sat quietly making his way through the new batch… we couldn’t resist but to all walk away with a pair of slip on shoes.

Choosing our pairs of shoes, so many to choose from!

We discovered a pharmacy where you can watch argan oil being made, as someone who uses it almost on a daily basis you can imagine how excited i was by this… and obviously went home with a couple of bottles!

The creation of argan oil

Each market starts to blend into one so be careful as it is very easy to get lost, I’d recommend a tour guide or take someone who has a good sense of direction! After many hours exploring the markets we ended up in the Jemaa el-Fnaa, a square and market place in Marrakech's medina quarter (the old city). It is used by locals and tourists, there you’ll find traditional market stalls selling food, clothes, household necessities etc, but you’ll also experience snake charmers doing their thing - you get charged to take photos so be careful! It’s a famous spot to visit so make sure you swing by.

Beautiful hand-made, hand carved wood work

Haggling on a Morrocan tea pot we fell in love with

The authenticity of the old town has not been lost, making it a true treat for travellers and tourists alike, highly recommend!