Morocco Part 1: Exploring The Moroccan Souks
The markets or medinas as they in Morocco are a 'must do' when visiting Morocco!
Luckily for us, the souks were a short walk away from our riad so before we knew it we emerged onto the busy square.
Jemaa El Fna Square, in the heart of Marrakech
The vibe in the medina embodies the whole feel of Morocco, the air is full of sweet scented fragrances mixed with the aroma of tasty food being cooked nearby. The shouting and bustling of the souks (like a market trader) adds to the already vibrant atmosphere with snake charmers being heard from every corner of of the square and colourful spices piled so high that you fear that they may topple over.
A mixture of dried teas and spices alongside with crystals
Dried teas, each with strong fragrances and scents
Spices, spices, spices
The main market in Morocco is the Jemaa El-Fna. Here you can find absolutely anything that you're after and with some haggling (which is practically considered an olympic sport here) at a very good price!
You can fill these little lamps with scented oils, bringing back a little bit of Morocco to your home
Little storage containers with typical moroccan patterns, perfect for storing sweet treats or just for decoration!
If you have a beady eye you can spot a couple of souks selling these earrings at an absolute steal, for about 5 dirhams!
A fragrance block that smelled of amber, it can be applied to the skin instead of perfume or as a natural deodorant
I wish that I could have carried more of these beautiful plates home, but I just didn't have the space :(((
You can also buy the most stunning cushion covers
Contrary to what some people may say about the souks, it is a really friendly atmosphere!
Fir anyone who isn't used to busy city markets or the haggling culture, the medinas may initially seem pretty intimidating as they can be very busy and noisy with traders constantly trying to get your attention as you walk by - but once toy embrace the experience, it actually becomes super fun!
We were even lucky enough to be given some free orange juice after haggling with a local souk over the price of cushion covers (his brother happened to work at the juice stall nearby), so we had some freshly squeezed orange juice before going in search of our next bargain.
Nothing like some fresh orange juice to break up your day!
Each are of the medina is dedicated to a certain type of souk. From spices to jewellery, jewellery to teas, teas to clothes and dishes to lamps and rugs - you'll be very tempted to buy everything and come home with a couple of extra suitcases (I came so close to falling victim!).
We also discovered some of the most addictive and delicious sweet treats too! The case was a mixture between coconut and almond and absolutely melted in your mouth, for only 1 dirham its fair to say that we went a little bit overboard and snacked on these more than we should have.
After a long day in the souks, where it feels like I bought my weight in goods, we ended our evening in Cafe de France, a rooftop restaurant that gives you the perfect view of the square at sunset. We went straight to the top floor in the hope of snagging some of the best seats, although it seems like everyone had the same idea because the rooftop was absolutely rammed!
Luckily, my friend (who is very beady eyed) spotted a spare table by the edge of the terrance that gave us the perfect view of the square below.
We sipped on mount tea and watched the sunset over the medina, which still remained very much alive with music and lights - a tell tale sign that the night is far from over.
