The medina souks: the great permanent market
The souks of Marrakech spread north of Jemaa el-Fna square through partly covered lanes as far as the area around the Ben Youssef Madrasa. They are open every day, from morning to evening, and are still broadly organised by trade: babouches in Souk Smata, leather in Souk Cherratine, ironwork in Souk Haddadine, dyers near the Mouassine mosque. This is where most of the city's crafts are sold, and also where the sales pressure is strongest.
For a first visit, follow the main thoroughfare, Souk Semmarine, which starts on the north side of the square, then let yourself drift into the side lanes, where craftsmen are still at work. Our guide to the Marrakech medina will help you find your way, and our guide to what to buy in Marrakech gives prices for the most common souvenirs.
Spice Square and the Criée Berbère
In the heart of the souks, Spice Square (Rahba Kedima) is one of the few open squares in the medina. Its herbalists sell spices, medicinal plants, black soap, ghassoul clay and kohl, and the centre of the square fills with baskets, straw hats and woven shopping bags, among the cheapest in town. Expect to pay around 30 to 80 DH per 100 g for common spices after bargaining, and be wary of saffron sold cheaply by weight.
From the north-east corner of the square, a lane leads to the Criée Berbère, the rug souk. According to local guides, the auctions that gave it its name take place late in the afternoon, around 4pm, except on Fridays: a crier unrolls the rugs and takes bids from the dealers. It is a trade sale, conducted in Arabic and Berber, that you watch rather than take part in. To buy a rug on good terms, read our guide to buying a rug in Marrakech.
Souk el-Khemis, the flea market
North of the medina, outside the ramparts, Souk el-Khemis is the city's big flea market. Its name comes from the Thursday (khemis) market held for centuries outside Bab el-Khemis. You can hunt here for carved doors, mashrabiya screens, brass lamps, colonial furniture, old rugs and bric-a-brac, alongside spreads of everyday second-hand goods. Interior decorators and riad owners shop here.
The market is open almost every day but very quiet on Fridays; it is busiest on Thursdays and at weekends, in the morning. Prices range from a few dozen dirhams to several thousand for an antique door. Come by petit taxi, on the meter, around 20 to 30 DH from Jemaa el-Fna.
Neighbourhood markets
To see where the people of Marrakech do their shopping, leave the tourist souks for the neighbourhood food markets. Prices there are local prices, and there is little haggling.
The Mellah covered market
At the entrance to the old Jewish quarter, near Place des Ferblantiers, the covered market of the Mellah, on Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jdid, sells spices, dried fruit, henna, black soap and cut flowers, especially roses, as well as fruit, vegetables, poultry and meat. It is open every day and busiest in the morning. It is a good place for spices at neighbourhood prices, and an easy stop on your way out of the Bahia Palace or Place des Ferblantiers.
Bab Doukkala market
On the west side of the medina, the street leading to the Bab Doukkala gate is lined with greengrocers, butchers, bakers and poultry sellers, with a few grills at the end of the day. It is a street market used by people who live in the area, with no souvenir shops, a few minutes from the Dar el-Bacha museum.
Gueliz central market
In the new town, Gueliz central market, on Rue Ibn Toumert, about 200 m from Place du 16-Novembre, brings together florists, butchers, fishmongers, cheese sellers and olive merchants. It replaced the old market on Avenue Mohammed V, demolished to make way for the Carré Eden shopping centre. People come here in the morning for fresh produce, not for crafts. For the rest of the area, see our guide to Gueliz and Hivernage.
In the evening: the Jemaa el-Fna food stalls
Late in the afternoon, around 5pm, dozens of carts roll onto Jemaa el-Fna square and turn into open-air restaurants: more than a hundred stalls are set up by around 6:30pm, with their benches, grills and numbered menus. The crowds peak between 8pm and 11pm. Snails, harira, kebabs, fried fish and sheep's heads sit alongside the fresh orange juice sellers. Our guide to what to eat in Marrakech explains the dishes and the traps to avoid, such as starters brought to the table unasked and then charged for.
Rural souks around Marrakech
In the countryside of the Haouz and the Atlas valleys, every small town has its weekly souk, often named after the day of the week: tnine for Monday, tlata for Tuesday, sebt for Saturday. People from the surrounding villages come to sell their livestock and crops and to buy what they need: vegetables, spices, tools, clothes, household goods. You will also come across barbers, repairmen and donkey traders. These are producers' markets, not markets for tourists: you will buy few souvenirs, but they are one of the most direct ways to see rural Moroccan life.
These souks start early, from 8am, and empty out in the early afternoon. Arrive before 10am to see them at their liveliest.
| Souk | Day | Distance from Marrakech | Combine with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tnine Ourika | Monday | About 33 km | The Ourika Valley and Setti Fatma |
| Aït Ourir | Tuesday | About 32 km, on the Ouarzazate road | The road over the Tichka pass |
| Tahanaout | Tuesday | About 30 km, on the Asni road | The road to Imlil |
| Amizmiz | Tuesday | About 55 km | Lake Lalla Takerkoust |
| Asni | Saturday | About 47 km | Imlil and Toubkal, 17 km further on |
Days checked in October 2026 against consistent local sources; a public holiday or religious festival can move a souk.
The easiest approach is to fit a rural souk into a day trip: Monday for the Ourika Valley, Saturday for Imlil. A driver or local guide will help you understand what is on sale and take photos without causing offence: always ask before photographing anyone, especially women.
Summary table
| Market | Where | When | What you'll find |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medina souks | North of Jemaa el-Fna | Every day, roughly 9am-7pm | Crafts, souvenirs |
| Spice Square | Heart of the souks | Every day | Spices, baskets, hats |
| Criée Berbère | Near Spice Square | Auctions around 4pm, except Friday | Rugs |
| Souk el-Khemis | North of the medina, outside the walls | Mainly Thursday and weekends, mornings | Second-hand goods, flea market |
| Mellah market | Riad Zitoun el-Jdid | Every day, mornings | Spices, flowers, fresh produce |
| Bab Doukkala market | West of the medina | Every day | Fresh produce |
| Gueliz central market | Rue Ibn Toumert | Every day, mornings | Fresh produce, flowers |
| Jemaa el-Fna food stalls | Jemaa el-Fna square | Every evening, from 5pm | Street food |
| Rural souks | Villages in the Haouz and the Atlas | One set day a week | Farm produce, livestock |
Indicative hours seen in October 2026; each trader sets their own.
Tips for market shopping
- Go in the morning: food markets and rural souks are at their best before 11am, and the heat is easier to bear.
- On Fridays, the day of the main weekly prayer, many stalls close in the early afternoon and the flea market runs at a slower pace.
- Pay cash, in small notes: markets do not take cards. Our guide to money and tipping in Marrakech explains where to withdraw.
- Bargain in the souks and at the flea market, much less in the food markets, where prices are close to what locals pay.
- Turn down self-appointed guides who offer to take you to the "Berber market" or a "cooperative": their commission is added to what you buy. Our guide to scams to avoid in Marrakech describes these practices.
- Ask before photographing a seller or their stall.
Further reading
To learn to cook what you have bought, many workshops start with a market visit: see our guide to cooking classes in Marrakech. For craft shopping, read what to buy in Marrakech, and for a day trip on a souk day, our page on the Ourika Valley.
