Fès-Meknès is a region of north-central Morocco that holds two of the country's four imperial cities: Fès, home to the world's largest living medieval medina and the oldest university in continuous operation, and Meknès, the 17th-century capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail. Between and around them lie the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the holy hilltop town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, the cedar forests and lakes of the Middle Atlas around Ifrane and Azrou, and the cherry-growing towns of Sefrou and Bhalil.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Leather Goods and Babouche Slippers
Bags, belts, jackets, poufs and pointed babouches made from hides tanned in the Chouara tannery, sold in the leather shops around the tannery terraces and in the main medina lanes.
Price: 80-1,200 MAD ($8.60-130); babouches 100-300 MAD ($11-32), jackets 600-1,200 MAD ($65-130)
Where: Chouara Tannery leather shops, Fès el-Bali; Souk el-Attarine area
Fès Blue Pottery (Poterie de Fès)
Hand-painted bowls, plates, tagines and tiles in the cobalt-blue and white Fassi style, made in the Ain Nokbi potters' quarter outside the medina and sold in Fès shops.
Price: 30-800 MAD ($3.20-86); small bowls 30-80 MAD ($3.20-8.60), large platters 300-800 MAD ($32-86)
Where: Ain Nokbi potters' workshops, Fès; Art d'Argile and other showrooms; Place R'cif ceramics stalls
Damascene Metalwork (Meknès)
Steel or brass inlaid with gold and silver wire in intricate patterns, a craft Meknès is best known for. Plates, vases, jewelry boxes and daggers are the typical forms.
Price: 80-2,500 MAD ($8.60-270) depending on size and amount of inlay
Where: Damascene workshops near Bab Mansour and Dar Jamaï, Meknès; Fès Ville Nouvelle craft shops
Hammered Copper and Brass (Place Seffarine)
Teapots, trays, lanterns and cooking pots hammered by hand in the Seffarine coppersmiths' square beside the Qarawiyyin Library.
Price: 60-1,500 MAD ($6.50-160)
Where: Place Seffarine and Souk Seffarine, Fès el-Bali
Fassi Brocade, Sabra Silk and Woven Throws
Handloom woven scarves, tablecloths and cushion covers in cotton, silk and cactus-silk (sabra), often woven in the Fès weaving lanes and in the Bhalil village near Sefrou.
Price: 80-900 MAD ($8.60-97)
Where: Weaving workshops in Fès el-Bali; Bhalil village near Sefrou; Souk el-Henna area
Cedar and Thuya Wood Carvings
Carved boxes, bowls, chess sets and furniture in Atlas cedar, scented cedar and thuya burl, with Azrou the main centre of cedar carving in the Middle Atlas.
Price: 50-2,000 MAD ($5.40-215)
Where: Azrou artisan cooperative and Azrou souk; Place Nejjarine woodworkers' square, Fès el-Bali
Middle Atlas Berber Rugs (Beni Mguild, Zemmour and Boucherouite)
Wool pile rugs and kilims from Middle Atlas Amazigh tribes in natural and bright colors, plus recycled-cloth boucherouite rugs. The Azrou rug market and cooperative are traditional sources.
Price: 350-12,000 MAD ($38-1,300) depending on size and knotting
Where: Azrou cooperative, Fès el-Bali carpet shops, Meknès souks
Olives, Olive Oil and Preserved Lemons
Meknès and the Saïs plain are Morocco's olive heartland. Olives of every variety, cold-pressed olive oil and preserved lemons are sold in the medina markets.
Price: 15-120 MAD ($1.60-13)
Where: Meknès medina covered market behind Place El Hedim; Fès el-Bali olive stalls on Talaa Kebira
Spices, Ras el Hanout and Saffron
Spice blends, cumin, saffron and herbal teas sold by weight from the spice stalls near the Qarawiyyin and Souk el-Attarine.
Price: 15-80 MAD ($1.60-8.60) per portion; saffron 30-50 MAD ($3.20-5.40) per gram
Where: Souk el-Attarine (perfumers' and spice souk), Fès el-Bali; Meknès covered market
Silver and Berber Jewelry
Silver bracelets, amber and coral necklaces and Amazigh fibulae. Fès Jdid's old Mellah quarter is a traditional jewelers' area.
Price: 100-3,000 MAD ($11-325)
Where: Mellah jewelers, Fès el-Jdid; Fès el-Bali souks
Argan Oil, Rose Water and Black Soap
Cosmetic argan oil, rose and orange-blossom water, black soap and ghassoul clay sold in medina herbalist shops and cooperatives.
Price: 25-250 MAD ($2.70-27)
Where: Herbalist shops in Fès el-Bali; Azrou and Ifrane cooperatives; Fès Ville Nouvelle pharmacies
Middle Atlas Honey and Dried Fruit
Mountain honey, almonds, walnuts and dried fruit from the Ifrane-Azrou and Sefrou orchards.
Price: 40-200 MAD ($4.30-22)
Where: Azrou souk (Tuesday), Ifrane town stalls, Sefrou market
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Fès el-Bali Souks (Talaa Kebira and Talaa Sghira)
Gateway to the largest living medieval souk network, with leather, brass, ceramics, spices, textiles and olives
Where: Fès el-Bali medina
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-7PM; many shops close on Friday midday
Chouara Tannery and Leather Souk
Medieval tanneries still dyeing hides in stone vats, plus leather jackets, bags and babouches
Where: Fès el-Bali, Chouara quarter
Hours: Daily approx. 8AM-6PM (viewing terraces from leather shops; best in the morning)
Place Seffarine Coppersmiths' Square
Hammered copper and brass, handmade by artisans working in open stalls
Where: Fès el-Bali, beside the Qarawiyyin
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-6PM
Place Nejjarine and Carpenters' Souk
Cedar and thuya woodwork next to the Nejjarine Fountain and Museum of Wooden Arts
Where: Fès el-Bali, Nejjarine quarter
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-6PM
Souk el-Attarine (Spice and Perfume Souk)
Spices, perfumes, candles and herbal remedies in the historic merchants' street next to the Al-Attarine Madrasa
Where: Fès el-Bali, near the Qarawiyyin
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-6PM
Ain Nokbi Potters' Quarter
Open-air pottery workshops where clay is thrown, glazed in Fès blue and fired in kilns, with showrooms for sale
Where: Ain Nokbi, Fès (east of the medina)
Hours: Mon-Sat approx. 8AM-6PM; closed Friday afternoon
Fès el-Jdid Mellah and Jewelers' Quarter
Silver and gold jewelry shops and traditional Jewish quarter streets with balconies, next to the Jewish cemetery
Where: Fès el-Jdid
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-6PM; some shops close Friday midday
Borj Fès Mall
Air-conditioned mall with international brands, a cinema, cafes and a supermarket
Where: Ville Nouvelle, Fès
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-10PM
Meknès Medina Souks and Covered Market
Damascene metalwork, olives, leather, textiles and everyday goods sold in a quieter, less touristy medina than Fès
Where: Meknès medina
Hours: Daily approx. 8AM-7PM; many shops close on Friday midday
Meknès Damascene Workshops
Meknès's signature craft: gold and silver wire hammered into steel, with artisans working in view
Where: Meknès medina, near Bab Mansour
Hours: Mon-Sat approx. 9AM-6PM
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun Market Lanes
Small-town souk lanes with olives, pottery, textiles and local snacks near the holy shrine zone
Where: Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-6PM
Azrou Artisan Cooperative and Souk
Fixed-price cedar-wood carvings and Middle Atlas Berber rugs in the heart of cedar country
Where: Azrou town centre
Hours: Mon-Sat approx. 9AM-6PM; Tuesday is the large market day
Bhalil Weaving Village
Village known for handloom weaving and troglodyte houses cut into the hillside
Where: Bhalil, near Sefrou
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-6PM
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Start at about 30-50 percent of the asking price and move up in small steps.
Be friendly and willing to walk away; the best price often arrives as you leave.
Never name a price you are not prepared to pay.
Compare two or three shops for the same item before buying.
Once a price is agreed, the purchase is binding.
Do not bargain at cooperatives, pharmacies, supermarkets or malls with fixed prices.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Greet shopkeepers with 'Salam' or 'Bonjour' before talking prices., Accepting mint tea is not an obligation to buy., Dress modestly in the medina and avoid photographing people without permission., Cash in dirhams is preferred in souks; ATMs are located at Bab Bou Jeloud, Place Mohammed V and Ville Nouvelle.