Souk Cherratine Leather Marrakech
Where do you buy real leather goods in the Marrakech souks?
Souk Cherratine is the leather souk of Marrakech, where leatherworkers and saddlers cut, stitch and emboss bags, belts, poufs, wallets, sandals and traditional horse saddles in tiny workshops. It sits in the north of the souks, between Souk Smata and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, about 900 meters from Jemaa el-Fna. Unlike the bazaars near the square, many pieces here are still made in front of you, from hides tanned in the old tanneries of Bab Debbagh. Our Private Medina Walking Tour passes the leather workshops on the way to Ben Youssef, and our Private Souks Shopping Tour takes you to leatherworkers we trust, with real leather and fair prices.
Our private tours, every day at 9 am or 2 pm, about 3 hours, with pickup at your riad
• 1 to 2 people, 1,000 MAD
• 3 to 4 people, 1,200 MAD
• 5 to 6 people, 1,500 MAD
• 7 people or more, on request
• Family, 2 adults and up to 3 children, 1,200 MAD
Included a relaxing stop with a bottle of mineral water, a cup of mint tea and a small souvenir, all complimentary.
Message Us On WhatsApp or use our Booking Form.
In Souk Cherratine, you hear the souk before you see it. The tap of a small hammer on a leather belt, the snip of big scissors, the hum of an old sewing machine. A saddler sits cross-legged on the floor, stitching gold thread into red velvet for a fantasia saddle that will gallop in a tbourida show in the countryside. Two doors down, a tourist is paying three times the price for a "camel leather" bag that was never near a camel. The same lane holds both stories.
Visit Marrakech Medina, The Best Shopping and Walking Tour Company in Marrakech, has guided travelers through the souks since 2004. Our Medina walking tour is featured by Daniel Jacobs in The Rough Guide To Morocco, which says our guide “guarantees (unlike most guides) not to stop at any shops”. Our guiding is also Recommended By Rick Steves.
Choose your tour
• Who Can Take You To Honest Leatherworkers In The Souks? Our private souks shopping tour, leather bags, poufs, babouches, lanterns and spices at fair prices.
• Can You Watch Artisans At Work Without Being Pushed To Buy? Our private walking tour, Jemaa el-Fna, the artisan souks, the Mellah, the fondouks and the herbalist.
• Which Rug Goes With A Leather Pouf? Our private rug shopping tour, Beni Ourain, Azilal and kilims, with DHL shipping.
• Can A Group Of Friends Shop With One Private Guide? All our tours are private, one guide, one group, one truly personal experience.
• Is There A Shopping Guide Free This Afternoon? Last-minute private tours, often within the hour.
Where is Souk Cherratine and how do you get there?
Address Souk Cherratine, near the Ben Youssef Madrasa, Medina, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco
Open Souk Cherratine On Google Maps
From the Café de France on Jemaa el-Fna, walk into Souk Semmarine through its big gate and follow the main covered lane north, past Rahba Kedima. Keep straight into Souk el Kebir, through the brass lanterns of Souk El Attarine and the babouches of Souk Smata. When you start smelling leather and hearing hammers, you're in Souk Cherratine. The walk takes about 12 minutes.
• How Do You Walk From Jemaa El-Fna To The Leather Souk? about 900 meters, 12 minutes on foot
Phones often lose the signal under the souk roofs. Read Will Google Maps Guide You Through The Souks?
How far is Souk Cherratine from the other souks and monuments?
Souk Cherratine is in the artisan heart of the Medina, a few steps from the Ben Youssef monuments. Each link opens the walking route on Google Maps.
• Souk Cherratine To Souk Smata, The Babouche Souk about 150 meters, 2 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To Souk El Attarine about 200 meters, 3 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To Souk Haddadine, The Blacksmiths about 250 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Ben Youssef Madrasa about 300 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Marrakech Museum about 300 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Dyers' Souk about 350 meters, 5 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To Rahba Kedima, The Spice Square about 450 meters, 6 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Bab Debbagh Tanneries about 1 km, 14 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Koutoubia about 1.4 km, 19 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Bahia Palace about 1.8 km, 24 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To La Mamounia about 2 km, 27 minutes
• Souk Cherratine To The Royal Mansour about 1.9 km, 26 minutes
Distances are approximate walking distances through the souks. Staying in a riad near Ben Youssef, Bab Doukkala or Mouassine? You're usually 5 to 15 minutes away on foot.
Which souks are near Souk Cherratine?
Searching for souks near me from a riad in the north of the Medina? Around the leather souk, you'll find the souks where Marrakech still makes everything by hand.
• Souk Smata the babouche souk, leather slippers and the leather belts that gave it its name
• Souk El Attarine the old spice and perfume souk, today brass lanterns, trays, mirrors and teapots
• Souk Haddadine the blacksmiths, wrought iron lanterns, gates and furniture
• Souk des Teinturiers the dyers' souk, skeins of indigo, saffron and poppy-red wool. See How Do The Medina Dyers Color Wool And Leather?
• Rahba Kedima the spice square, herbalists, baskets and straw hats
• Criée Berbère and Souk des Tapis the rug souk, Beni Ourain, Azilal and kilims
• Souk Semmarine the main souk back to Jemaa el-Fna, textiles, lanterns and bazaars. See Which Shops Line Souk Semmarine?
So when you look for souks near me around the Ben Youssef Madrasa, Souk Cherratine is the place to start. The babouche, brass, iron and dye souks are all within a 5-minute walk.
What is the history of leatherwork and saddlery in Marrakech?
Leather has been one of the great crafts of Marrakech for centuries. Morocco was so famous for its soft goat leather that the word "morocco" still means a fine leather in English. In the Medina, hides are prepared in the tanneries near Bab Debbagh, the Gate of the Tanners, soaked in lime and natural products, dyed, then carried to Souk Cherratine to be cut and stitched.
The saddlers of the souk have a special place in this story. They make the richly embroidered saddles, bridles and harnesses used in tbourida, the Moroccan fantasia, where riders charge in a line and fire their old rifles together. UNESCO lists this equestrian tradition as part of the world's intangible heritage. A single fantasia saddle can take weeks of work, with velvet, silk and gold thread stitched by hand. Many saddlers learned from their fathers, in the same workshops. Read Who Are The Last Master Craftsmen Of The Medina?
What can you buy in Souk Cherratine?
Leather goods
• Bags shoulder bags, satchels, backpacks and travel bags in goat, cow and sheep leather
• Poufs round leather poufs, plain or embroidered, sold empty and easy to pack
• Belts and wallets cut and stitched in front of you, sometimes engraved with your name
• Sandals simple handmade leather sandals, made to your size in a day or two
• Jackets soft leather jackets, made to measure in a few days
• Notebooks and covers embossed leather notebooks, phone and passport covers
Saddlery
• Fantasia saddles embroidered velvet saddles for tbourida horses
• Bridles and harnesses decorated leather for horses and mules
• Saddle bags leather and kilim bags, a favorite of designers and travelers
• Small saddle pieces stirrup straps and embroidered leather, beautiful as wall decoration
How much does leather cost in Souk Cherratine?
Prices depend on the leather, the size and the handwork. These are the usual ranges after friendly bargaining.
• Leather belt, about 80 to 250 MAD
• Wallet, about 80 to 200 MAD
• Leather pouf, empty, about 250 to 600 MAD
• Shoulder bag, about 300 to 1,200 MAD
• Handmade sandals, about 150 to 300 MAD
• Leather jacket, about 1,500 to 4,000 MAD
• Saddle bag, about 400 to 1,500 MAD
A full fantasia saddle is made to order, and its price depends on the embroidery. Want honest prices? Our Private Guide For Leather Shopping In The Souks knows what each piece should cost.
How do you know if leather is real in the souks?
• The smell real leather has a warm, natural smell, synthetic smells of plastic or glue
• The edges real leather shows rough fibers at the cut edge, synthetic shows a smooth, plastic line
• The grain real leather has small irregular pores and marks, synthetic has a perfect repeated pattern
• The back turn the piece over, real leather is suede-like underneath, synthetic shows fabric
• The stitching hand-stitched seams are tight and slightly irregular, glued seams open quickly
• "Camel leather" most bags sold as camel are cow or goat, so pay for the quality, not the label
• Strong smell freshly tanned leather can smell strong at first, air it for a few days at home
On our Best Souks Shopping Tour For Leather Bags And Poufs, we take you to the workshops where the leather is really cut and stitched.
When is the best time to visit Souk Cherratine?
• Morning from about 9 am, the workshops open and you can watch the leatherworkers start their day
• Afternoon the busiest time, with the most pieces on display
• Friday many shops close for a few hours around midday prayer
• Combine it with the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Marrakech Museum and Souk Smata, all a few minutes away
See When Do The Leather Workshops In The Souks Open?
What are the best tips for buying leather in the souks?
• Order early sandals, jackets and engraved belts take a day or a few days, order at the start of your stay
• Buy poufs empty they fold flat in your suitcase, and you fill them at home
• Bargain with a smile start around half the first price and take your time
• Check every seam pull gently on the handles and straps before you pay
• Ask before photos artisans usually agree, but they like to be asked
• Ignore street helpers young men offering to show you "the tannery, closing today" usually lead you to a shop
• Find your way back follow Souk Semmarine south to Jemaa el-Fna. See Which Way Leads From The Leather Souk Back To The Square?
Want to see more of the old Medina after shopping? Read What Can You Discover Near The Ben Youssef Souks?
What Happens On A Real Tour With Us?
Traveler from Ireland
"Our guide tailored everything to our interests."
What Do Our Guests Usually Ask On The Tour?
Traveler from the United States
"Our guide's passion for the city really shows."
What Surprises Travelers Most On Our Walks?
Traveler from the United Kingdom
"Our guide knows Marrakech inside and out."
Our tours are rated 5 stars on Google. Read Our Google Reviews
Ready to shop the souks with a local? Book On WhatsApp for a fast reply, or use our Booking Form.
Who Wrote This Guide?
This guide was written by the Local Team of Visit Marrakech Medina, Marrakchis who were born and raised in the Medina and have guided travelers through the souks since 2004. Our Medina walk is featured in The Rough Guide to Morocco, and our guiding is recommended by Rick Steves. Everything here comes from what we see and hear on our tours every day.
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