The real beauty of Fes and Marrakesh lies in their Souks (markets). It is here where you experience an explosion of colors, see intricately made crafts, taste delicious food and smell their wonderful smells. These souks are a combination of a maze and treasurer hunt that can no better be explained than through pictures alone. Here are some pictures that hopefully give you a taste of what it’s like walking through these world famous markets.
Marrakesh Souks
Colors! It will be your first and last impression of Moroccan markets. There are beautiful natural colors everywhere and you just can’t get enough of it.
Part of what makes the Moroccan artifacts so colorful are the natural dyes that are used in many of the products. Below you can see the pure colors of some of these dyes.
Colorful dyes are then put to use to make handmade products such as these lamps.
Almost everything in the Souks are handmade. Part of the reason for this is many Muslims believe that only God is capable of making perfect objects. Thus, they prefer making things by hand. It is pretty impressive that these symmetrical masks were made without machines.
Several of the items for sale in these Souks are not things many of us are used to seeing in the Western World. Its crazy to even think about people still hand making lock and keys for their home. With the improvement of technology, we can lose appreciation for how things are made. Seeing this craftsman making his own keys and locks was a refreshing sight.
Spices and natural products are a big part of Morocco as well. I would highly recommend walking into one of these stores and just learning about some of the natural medicines, spices and body products that are sold. Two of the more famous ones in Morocco are Saffron and Argon oil.
As with many places in Morocco, common hospitality is to serve mint tea to guests. Mint tea is a huge part of Moroccan culture and tastes delicious wherever you go. It is normally served when you enter larger stores and listen to their sales pitch.
Most of the Souk streets in Marrakech lead to the famous Jamaa El Fna square which in itself, is almost one large chaotic souk. Food vendors, snake charmers, storytellers, bird callers, dancers, singers, drummers, game players, and lots of tourists, as well as locals, make up this one of a kind square. The square can get overwhelming but I suggest enjoying the chaos and embracing just how many things are going on in one area. If you would like to purchase anything be prepared to negotiate negotiate and negotiate some more. Negotiating is a huge part of Moroccan culture. It takes time but its also part of the fun and enjoyment of Moroccan Souks.
Tip: Be prepared to be asked for money if you take a picture of any local performers. If they do, be firm in saying no. They may follow you for a bit but will leave you alone. Personal space in Morocco is not the same as in many western countries.
Fes Souks
Fes was my favorite city in Morocco. The main reason being the Old Medina. The Old Medina is a time capsule that can be explored for many days. It is made up of over 9000 alleyways the connect homes, schools, mosques and of course Souks! Vehicles are not permitted inside the old Medina so you will have to explore by foot. You will no doubt get lost as you try and navigate your way through alleyways but also won’t care. Just keep walking and enjoying till you find a way out!
Below is an example of an alleyway that you might find yourself walking through in the Old Medina. Yes, this is an alleyway and not a dead end!
The interesting part of the Souks in Fes is though it may seem like utter chaos, there is some order to it. Different sections and areas specialize in different products. One alleyway may be full of leather products while a different section may focus on metal products. The food sections of any market always make for some interesting sites. Below is a picture of Camel brain meat being served in a Fes Souk.
If camel meat is not for you there are plenty of other food options.
As with Marrakesh, old professions still exist in Fes. Here, a knife and scissor sharpener kindly showed us his skills. Sights like this truly made me feel like I was living in a world several hundred years ago.
Fes Souks in the Old Medina have an older feel to them in comparison to the ones in Marrakesh. Part of the reason for this is because you won’t see vehicles along your walk. Instead, you may see mules do the heavy lifting and transport for shop owners.
Hand made pottery is a big industry in Fes. As mentioned before, machines are rarely used. Here are some great pictures of the highly skilled Moroccans creating beautiful pottery. by hand
Of course, no trip to the Fes Medinas is complete without observing the famous leather tanneries and watching the leather dying process from above. Fes is known for its high-quality leather so if you are into leather made products, this may be a good time to open your wallet. Be sure to hold some mint or nice smelling object near you as the small can be brutally bad over here.
When you finally have made it out of the amazing Medina take a look at what you just walked through with a view from one of Fes’ vantage points.
