How to Shop the Spice Souk

Where to go and what to look for

Marrakech's spice trade clusters in the souks north of Jemaa el-Fna and around the Mellah (the old Jewish quarter), with the famous Rahba Kedima ('spice square') a landmark. The best purchases come from a proper attar (spice merchant) with a busy stall and rapid turnover, which means fresher stock. Let your nose lead: good spices are vividly aromatic. If a stall's cumin or ras el hanout smells faint and dusty, move on.

The most touristed stalls, with the tidiest cone-shaped displays and the most polished patter, are not always the best value — though they can be fun. Compare a couple of merchants before buying anything expensive.

Buying real saffron

Saffron is the great pitfall. Morocco grows fine saffron (notably around Taliouine), but the souks are full of cheaper look-alikes sold to unwary tourists.

• Beware safflower ('false saffron'): cheap, sold in big fluffy bunches. Real saffron is expensive and sold in small quantities of fine red threads, not by the fistful.
• Look at the threads: genuine saffron threads are deep red with a slightly trumpet-shaped end; all-yellow strands or flat petals are not the real spice.
• The water test: real saffron releases its golden colour slowly into warm water and the threads stay red; dyed fakes bleed colour instantly and turn pale.
• Price is a signal: if it is cheap, it is not saffron. Buy a small amount of the real thing rather than a bargain bag of something else.

Ras el hanout and the rest

For ras el hanout, ask the merchant for their own blend and smell it — a good one is complex and fragrant, not flat (see the ras el hanout guide). Buy whole spices where you can and grind at home for longevity (our spice-blending basics explains why). Other worthwhile buys include cumin, sweet paprika, dried rosebuds, ginger, and culinary extras like orange-blossom water. Be politely wary of the theatrical 'Berber pharmacy' pitch, where a smooth talker walks you through amber, nigella 'cure-all' seeds and argan for every ailment — some products are lovely, but the markups and health claims are aimed squarely at tourists.

Haggling without stress

Bargaining is expected and, done well, is friendly rather than adversarial. A few principles keep it easy.

• Agree the unit: confirm whether the price is per 100g, per bag or per piece before you nod to anything.
• Ask the price first, then counter well below and settle somewhere in the middle. Staying warm and smiling gets you further than hard bargaining.
• Be willing to walk: the ability to say 'thank you, another time' and step away is your strongest tool and often reopens the price.
• Buy loose and in modest amounts — you want freshness, not a kilo of something that will fade.
• Carry small change; it smooths the final settle.

What is worth taking home

The best souvenirs from the spice souk are the things that are genuinely better or cheaper here: a small amount of good saffron, a fresh ras el hanout you smelled and liked, dried rosebuds, and culinary argan or amlou from a reputable source (see olive oil and argan). Pack aromatics well so they do not scent your whole suitcase. For the wider market landscape — tagines, olives, produce and more — see the markets and souks pillar, and for what to do with your haul, the ingredients glossary and the recipes.