Unveiling the Treasures of Morocco: Your Souvenir Shopping Guide
Morocco is a land woven with vibrant colours, intricate textures, and mesmerizing architecture. As you journey through this enchanting country, you will be undoubtedly captivated by its artistic offerings and tempted by many unique purchases. Here is a guide, based on our EXTENSIVE shopping experience in this country, to help you decide on the best pieces that will let you carry a piece of Morocco’s rich culture back home.
1. Ceramics from Fes Medina:
The journey through the Medina of Fes, the largest active Medina in the world, is a sensory adventure. As you wander through the pedestrian-only streets, you will come across shop after shop selling beautiful hand-painted dishes in all different colours and patterns. While the Medina in Marrakech also sells pottery treasures, Fes is their home and offers a much wider selection. Although many of the popular patterns repeat themselves in each shop, we fell in love with several plates that after two full days of searching, we could only find in a single location. If you fall in love with something, either purchase it straight away, or be sure to make a note of where you found it. To ensure the authenticity of your dishes, look for some variation of a “Fes” signature on the bottom or small marks caused by stacking in the kilns. Whatever design you choose, its unique details will be sure to brighten up any dining room back home.
2. Leather Poufs from the Fez Tannery:
The tannery in the Fez Medina is the epicenter of quality for luxurious leather goods. Of course, you could treat yourself to a leather jacket or a new pair of shoes, but style is quite subjective and you may not find something to your taste. Instead, chase after a leather pouf, a great stylistic and functional accent addition to any room. There is quite a range in quality available, so try to prioritize a poof with thick, high-quality leather for longevity. Additionally, you will find all different colours, sizes, shapes, and patterns in each shop, so keep hunting until you find the piece that speaks to you. These are sold unstuffed so they can easily fold down to fit in your luggage.
Pro tip: Learn from our mistake and thoroughly inspect the zippers and hardware on your piece before you purchase. When we reached home and found that one of the bottom zipper closures was broken, it was an added expense to fix.
3. Argan Oil:
Need I say more? The Argan tree only grows in Morocco so this is THE place to get the famous elixir straight from the source. This Moroccan gem is readily available throughout the country, making it an easy and essential souvenir.
4. Unique Decor - Wall Hangings and Lamps:
There is no better way to bring the essence of Morocco’s unique style home with you than with a wall hanging or traditional lamp. Despite their delicate appearance, the traditional bronze Moroccan lamps are surprisingly robust, made of thick sturdy metal, so as long as you have space in your suitcase they should travel well. We chose to purchase a wooden carving of a Moroccan door to hang on our wall, which reveals a mirror inside when opened up. We bargained back and forth for it in the shop and wound up paying double what we were originally willing to, only to find it down the road being sold streetside for a fraction of the price. Be sure to shop around!
5. Moroccan Wines:
Delight your palate with the unexpected joy of Moroccan wines. We were surprised to learn on our journey that Morocco boasts a flourishing wine industry, offering a variety of delectable and usually reasonably-priced bottles. These can easily be purchased at duty-free on your way home, including our favourite bottle La Ferme Rouge ‘Le Gris’, a delightful rosé.
6. Marrakech Coasters:
When wandering through the Marrakech Medina, you will pass stall after stall selling coasters, each one a unique painting with different styles and colours, looking like traditional Moroccan tiles. These are machine-made and inexpensive to purchase, however, the kaleidoscope designs are unlike anywhere else in the world and make a great gift to bring back home to loved ones. You can even mix and match different designs to create your own unique set.
7. Medjool Dates:
Once reserved for only Moroccan royalty, the Medjool date is now available for any visitor to the country to purchase and bring home. If your holiday takes you through Merzouga, you will pass by Erfoud, the town where these dates are grown and packaged. Here you will be overwhelmed by the selection and can sample and pick the quality you are interested in purchasing. Alternatively, these irresistible treats are available in various cities around Morocco, and should last for up to six months in your refrigerator back home.
8. Copper Goods:
In the heart of the Fez Medina, pay a visit to the plaza at Place Seffarine, also called the metal souk, to find talented craftsmen hammering on and polishing up their copper goods. Wander through this vibrant souk and you will be captivated by the glistening displays of intricately designed copper pots, plates, and lanterns that adorn the stalls. The skilled artisans of Fez use age-old techniques to craft these copper treasures, often hand-hammering intricate patterns and motifs onto the surfaces. The souks offer an array of copper goods, from ornate tea sets to intricately designed trays. We purchased a heavy and high-quality curry dish, which, unlike the purely ornamental one we purchased in India, is designed to be cooked in.
Although your memories of your time in Morocco will undoubtedly be enough, let the treasures you find along the way enrich them. Enjoy bringing the magic of Morocco back into your everyday life.
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