Having done zero real prep or research we had quite an interesting learning curve and are therefore able to offer the following (by no means definitive) advice in our guide to: Shopping the Souks
1. Before you go....
Get a decent map. You can get free ones but they're rubbish and weirdly distort things so the shop that sponsored them looks like it's close to everywhere. You will only use the map occasionally, as wandering is the best part, but it will make you feel better about things.
Pack a notebook and a pen. Most traders speak enough English to get by (some in hilarious accents, due to the popularity of TOWIE and Eastenders) but in the worst case scenario it doesn't hurt to have a bit of paper and a pen to write down numbers or illustrate what you're trying to say.
Sort out your phone plan. It's super easy to forget that despite the short flight and being in the same time zone you're not in Europe and it will cost the same as a designer kitchen to do all the stuff you usually use your phone for, if you haven't sorted out a plan (and probably even then - I'm looking at you Vodafone).
Book a riad in the Old Town. Sure, the new town has shiny identikit hotels with pools and is a lot more like a foreign version of home (i.e. semi-recognisable shops) but the Medina is where it's at and there are way too many adorable riads offering excellent value to ignore.
If you're doing a short trip, splash out. The value for money at luxury riads is INSANE. We spent our last night at El Fenn in a room which cost us £160 but would have sold for three times that in most European cities. Palatial doesn't even cover it.
If you're doing a longer trip, splash out at the end. Morocco is hot and tiring, make your last couple of days as relaxing as possible.
Don't bother changing money at the airport. If you can get a good rate somewhere then by all means do it beforehand, but otherwise cashpoints offered us a better deal. 1000 DHM cost us £100 at an airport exchange booth but only £75 via cashpoint.
Pre book a taxi from the airport with your riad. Yes, it's more than local fares but it's much, much easier and it's still not very expensive. Write down the number and address of the riad in your notebook, in case you can't find the driver, or your driver is an idiot. No, you can't look it up on your emails when you get there if you're trying to not use data roaming. Yes, that's the voice of experience.
2. When you arrive...
Go for a wander. When you first arrive, having unpacked and decompressed, the best thing to do is go for a wander around the local area and suss out the route from your riad to the main landmark: Jemaa el Fna, the main square. When you get to the square, pick a landmark building to orient yourself by - it's a square space so it's easy to forget where you came in.
Stay hydrated. Hydration is important somewhere as warm as Marrakech, particularly in Spring and Summer. Riads will charge you between 1 and 4 Euros for a big bottle of still water, but the small shops that fill the Medina will sell you one straight from the fridge for between 6 and 10 DHM. Worth the effort of learning 'une bouteille d'eau s'il vous plait'. NB: you won't find these shops in the souk, so pick up water on the way.
Mind where you walk. The Medina is a constant riot of cars, motorbikes, bicycles and donkeys, all moving like the clappers. The trick is twofold: stay to the side of the road and don't hesitate. You will see vehicles moving down crowded, narrow alleyways at speed. The reason they can manage this without squashing someone is that pedestrians know to stay out of the way as far as possible and the drivers anticipate what the crowd will do (i.e. get on with it). If you suddenly stop in the middle of things, you'll be the one making trouble.
The locals aren't trying to rip you off. You will hear lots of stories about 'helpful' locals offering to take you to places then asking for money. Firstly, the locals are a friendly bunch who see a lot of lost people and will often offer directions with no expectation. Second, if they ask for money 10 dirhams is about 75p. You're not breaking the bank, even if you wildly over tip.
But you don't have to follow them to be polite. We nearly got dragged off to a Berber market we really weren't interested in by a helpful local on the first day. It's really easy to end up politely following someone as they take you to some place they recommend for whatever reason. Once there you'll be plonked down and given a sales pitch, at the end of which you'll be urged to buy. The whole thing is easily avoided with a good natured smile and a firm 'Non, merci'. If you want to find a specific shop ask for it by name - there are lots of berber pharmacies in the souk, for example. If you do end up following someone but don't really want to, it's ok to just stop. Tourists are seen as walking cash machines by locals, in the sense that they believe that you are here to spend. All the leading about is often a good natured attempt to ensure that you don't spend your money on what they think are crap goods. They see it as helping you to get something nice and the people they like to make some money. So don't be grumpy about it, that's the only sure fire way to turn things sour.
You don't really need a guide if you have a map. That's just you paying someone to take you to his mates' shops for the endless pitch about something you don't want. It also instantly marks you out as a high spender, which doesn't help with bartering.
3. Now go shopping...
Do more wandering. Shopping guides like Secrets of the Souks are brilliant, but if you've got the time it's really nice to wander in the areas you're particularly drawn to before you start to get too focussed. This allows you to make some discoveries of your own, and it's worth remembering that the souks change all the time so there may be places that have arrived since your guide was published.
Don't start buying straight away. The souks break down into specialised areas: metalworking, leather, textiles etc. etc. In each of those areas there are lots and lots of stallholders selling very similar things. In some cases it's a traditional item and there are lots of them available because they're made and used locally, so they're all of a similar standard. But in some cases there are huge differences in quality, finish and materials. There are plenty of products that have been bought in from China and India, and they will be sold to you as Moroccan. So take the time to look around before you decide to purchase.
Buy it because you like it. Once you've had a look around, you'll be pretty sure you can buy an item without finding one that's loads better round the corner straight afterwards. So pick the version you've seen that you like best - or in the case of identical goods at multiple stalls, the stallholder you like best - and buy that one. Don't overthink it beyond that. If you like it, and you'll use it, it's a good choice.
Get a good price. Don't be under the illusion that you can buy all of Marrakech for a tenner. It's not that kind of cheap. It's the kind of cheap where you can get something that's handmade from good materials for 1/4 of what you'd pay in the UK. But in the UK there's always a cheap version made in China. You're not going to get the good quality item in Marrakech for less than you'd pay in the UK for the crap item. You aren't in Moroccan Primark. Which brings us to....
Haggling. Do it. Apparently the rule of thumb is to expect to knock off 1/3 from the initial quoted price. We generally started at offering half and ended up paying around 60%. Don't be combative, there's no need. The stallholders work across a range of prices, based on assessing their customers (and their pockets) and part of that is whether they like you. So if you come over all stern in an attempt to control the process you'll be shooting yourself in the foot. Smile, be nice and if anything be honest. You'll have an idea in your head of the price range you're prepared to pay, start a bit below that and don't go above your comfort zone.
Be prepared to walk away. Because, quite apart from not running your bank account into the red, walking away will often get you the price you want. And if it doesn't, you couldn't afford it anyway.
4. Eat...
An army marches on it's stomach, and so do you, so it's essential to stop and find something to eat, preferably somewhere nice and cool while you sit out the hottest hours of the day. There are loads of options in Marrakech, but this is our top three:
Terrace des Epices. The Terrace is well signposted, but if you're lost just ask stallholders for directions.
El Fenn. Non-guests can book in for lunch and dinner if they call ahead. The rooftop terrace is shaded and breezy, and the menu is pleasant, simple but not particularly cheap. However well worth it for the fact you have to walk through most of the hotel to get to it, excellent for nosing around.
5. And shop some more...
No rest for the wicked. Now is the time to aim for specific shops, specialists who sell items you can't find elsewhere in the souks. Our favourites include:
Atelier Moro. This is where you can find the berber towels invented by Viviana Gonzalez - soft towelling stitched to decorative berber fabric and edged with colourful mini tassels. Super practical and stylish.
Maison du Caftan. An amazing spot for hand embroidered fabrics, particularly curtains and bed linen. Cheap for the labour that goes into making the items, but not cheap in the grand scheme of things. Well worth a visit if you want to invest in something amazing for your home.
Miloud El Jouli. There are a few 'gallery' style shops in the souk and everyone raves about Mustapha Blaoui but this is my favourite spot for beautifully hand worked, stylish takes on classic Moroccan designs, from inlaid wood to statement lighting. Ask for the charming, soft spoken Abdel, who can arrange for your purchases to be posted to you if you don't want to trail them home in your luggage.
6. Have some time out...
Visit the Jardin Majorelle. A verdant green oasis shot through with signature Majorelle blue features... and of course that amazing house. Jardin Majorelle also has a lovely cafe, a bookshop and a gift shop selling expensive but lovely bits and bobs. It is a little way out of the old town, but there's a massive taxi rank outside ready to take you back when you're ready.
*A note on taxis: everyone says you should agree a price before you go anywhere. But the best thing is to first check whether the cab has a working meter - the proper ones should. The meter price will give you an absolute bargain. So only negotiate if the meter 'isn't working' (usually a sign of an unlicensed cab, but who cares for a ten minute two quid ride....).
Have a Hammam. We had a wonderful time at Les Bains De L'Alhambra. I knew we were onto a good thing when the two happiest, most relaxed people I'd seen in weeks fell out of the doorway grinning as we were going in. They've also won various awards and polls, so it's super clean and they're a nice bunch. Not much English but it doesn't really matter. Would merrily go once a week if I could afford the air fare.
