Souk Dlala Shopping
Where can you buy a real djellaba in the Marrakech souks?
Souk Dlala is the djellaba souk of Marrakech, the place of the dlala, the traditional auction, near Rahba Kedima and the Criée Berbère in the heart of the souks. Dlala means auction in Darija, and here the dellal, the auctioneer, once walked through the lanes with djellabas, burnous and caftans over his arm, calling out the last price while buyers raised it. Today the lanes around it are lined with shops selling djellabas for men and women, hooded burnous, gandouras, jabadors and selhams, new and second-hand, in wool, cotton and linen. It's the best place in the souks to understand Moroccan traditional clothing, and to find a djellaba that Marrakchis would actually wear. Our Private Medina Walking Tour passes right by, and our Private Souks Shopping Tour takes you to the djellaba sellers and tailors we trust.
Our private tours, every day at 9 am or 2 pm, about 3 hours, with pickup at your riad.
Included a relaxing stop with a bottle of mineral water, a cup of mint tea and a small souvenir, all complimentary.
See prices and details on our Private Souks Shopping Tour page.
Message Us On WhatsApp or use our Booking Form.
A dlala is a show. The dellal walks slowly between the shops, a pile of djellabas on his shoulder, holding one up so everyone can see the wool and the embroidery. He calls out a number, someone answers with a higher one, a merchant shakes his head, another one nods. A few minutes later, the djellaba has a new owner and the dellal is already shouting the next price. Our guests rarely understand a word, but they never forget the scene.
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 Help You Choose A Real Moroccan Djellaba? Our private souks shopping tour, djellabas, caftans, leather, lanterns and spices from the artisans.
• Can You See The Old Auction Souks With No Shopping Pressure? Our private walking tour, Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, the Mellah, the fondouks and the herbalist.
• Where Were Rugs Once Sold At Auction In Marrakech? Our private rug shopping tour, the Criée Berbère, weaving cooperatives, Beni Ourain and kilims.
• Can Your Family Shop For Djellabas With Its Own Guide? All our tours are private, one guide, one group, one truly personal experience.
• Can You Visit The Djellaba Souk With A Guide Today? Last-minute private tours, often within the hour.
Where is Souk Dlala and how do you get there?
Address Souk Dlala, near Rahba Kedima and the Criée Berbère, Medina, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco
Open The Auction Souks Near Rahba Kedima On Google Maps
From the Café de France on Jemaa el-Fna, walk into Souk Semmarine and follow the main lane north for about 500 meters until it opens on your right onto Rahba Kedima, the spice square. The Criée Berbère, the old auction market, is right next to it, and the djellaba sellers are in the lanes around. Another calm way is to take Derb Dabachi, then turn left into Biadine, which brings you straight to Rahba Kedima. Keep to the right in the square and follow the flow of people.
• How Do You Walk From Jemaa El-Fna To The Djellaba Souk? about 650 meters, 9 minutes on foot
Phones get lost easily in the covered lanes. Read Why Does Google Maps Get Lost Near The Auction Souks?
How far is Souk Dlala from the other souks and monuments?
Each link opens the walking route on Google Maps, starting from the Criée Berbère.
• Souk Dlala To Rahba Kedima, The Spice Square about 50 meters, 1 minute
• Souk Dlala To Souk Semmarine about 100 meters, 2 minutes
• Souk Dlala To Souk El Kebir, The Leather Merchants about 150 meters, 2 minutes
• Souk Dlala To Souk El Attarine about 200 meters, 3 minutes
• Souk Dlala To Souk Cherratine, The Leather Workshops about 300 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk Dlala To Souk Sebbaghine, The Dyers' Souk about 450 meters, 6 minutes
• Souk Dlala To The Ben Youssef Madrasa about 450 meters, 7 minutes
• Souk Dlala To The Koutoubia about 1 km, 14 minutes
• Souk Dlala To The Bahia Palace about 1.4 km, 19 minutes
• Souk Dlala To The Mellah about 1.5 km, 20 minutes
• Souk Dlala To La Mamounia about 1.6 km, 22 minutes
• Souk Dlala To The Royal Mansour about 1.5 km, 21 minutes
Distances are approximate walking distances through the souks. Staying in a riad near Mouassine, Sidi Ishak or Ben Youssef? You're only a few minutes away on foot.
Which souks are near Souk Dlala?
Looking for souks near me while shopping for a djellaba? Around Souk Dlala, the busiest souks of Marrakech are all within a few minutes on foot.
• Rahba Kedima the spice square, herbalists, baskets and straw hats
• The Criée Berbère and Souk Zrabi the old auction market, today full of rugs. See What Can You Buy In Souk Zrabi, The Rug Souk?
• Souk Semmarine the main souk, with fabrics and kissarias of caftans. See What Can You Find In Souk Semmarine?
• Souk El Kebir the leather merchants, bags, belts and jackets
• Souk Smata the babouche souk, the perfect slippers to wear with your djellaba
• Sidi Ishak square cooking tagines, vegetables and a neighborhood farran
So when you search for souks near me from the djellaba lanes, you're right in the middle of the souks. Spices, rugs, babouches and leather are only steps away.
What does the name Souk Dlala mean?
Dlala means auction, and the dellal is the auctioneer. For centuries, this was how the Medina bought and sold second-hand goods, clothes, rugs, jewelry and household objects. A family that needed money, or heirs who had received a house full of things, gave them to a dellal, who walked them through the souk and sold them to the highest bidder. Djellabas and burnous, made of good wool and built to last a lifetime, were among the most common pieces. The next door Criée Berbère, the Berber auction, was the great auction square of the souks, where rugs are still unrolled today. The tradition of the dlala lives on in several Moroccan cities, and in the name of the djellaba lanes of Marrakech.
Meet more of the old trades of the Medina in Who Are The Last Artisans Of The Marrakech Medina?
What traditional clothing can you buy in Souk Dlala?
• Djellabas the long hooded robe worn by Moroccan men and women, in wool for winter and cotton or linen for summer. The Marrakchi djellaba is known for its loose fit and soft, sloping shoulders
• Burnous the heavy hooded cloak with no sleeves, worn over the djellaba on cold days and at ceremonies
• Jabadors the men's set of tunic and trousers, worn for Friday prayer, weddings and Eid
• Gandouras light, short-sleeved tunics for the heat
• Selhams fine wool capes for special occasions
• Second-hand djellabas well-made old pieces in heavy wool, often more beautiful than the new ones
• Children's djellabas small versions for Eid, a favorite with families
• Tarbouch and babouches the red fez hat and leather slippers that complete the outfit
On our Best Souks Shopping Tour For Djellabas And Traditional Clothing, we take you to the sellers and tailors we trust.
How do you choose a good djellaba?
• The fabric pure wool for winter, cotton or linen for summer. Wool feels warm and slightly rough, synthetics feel smooth and shiny
• The sfifa and the buttons look at the braid along the opening and the small silk buttons, the finer they are, the better the tailor
• The hood a well-cut hood falls flat on the back and stays in place
• The length a djellaba should reach the ankles, ask to try it on
• The seams check the inside, neat seams mean it will last for years
• Second-hand pieces look for moth holes, stains and worn cuffs, and ask if it has been cleaned
• Made to measure a tailor can make a djellaba in your size and fabric in a few days, order early in your trip
When is the best time to visit Souk Dlala?
• Morning from about 9 am, the shops are calm and the sellers have time to let you try
• Late afternoon the busiest time, traditionally the hour of the auctions in the souks
• Before Eid the lanes fill with Marrakchi families buying new djellabas for the celebration
• Friday many shops close for a few hours around midday prayer
See What Time Do The Clothing Souks Of Marrakech Open?
What are the best tips for buying a djellaba in the souks?
• Try it on sizes vary a lot, and a djellaba is worn loose
• Wear it in Marrakech many visitors love wearing their djellaba in the evening, locals usually smile and appreciate it
• Bargain with a smile the first price is an opening, take your time
• Watch an auction respectfully if you see a dellal at work, stand aside and enjoy, but don't raise your hand by mistake
• Ask before photos sellers and buyers are often locals, not performers
• Ignore street helpers people who offer to take you to a "Berber auction that happens only today" usually lead you to a shop
• Take the quiet way back through Biadine and Derb Dabachi to the square. See Is There A Secret Loop Back From The Souks?
What Happens On A Real Tour With Us?
Traveler from the United Kingdom
"Our guide's walking tour was the highlight of our Marrakech trip."
What Do Our Guests Usually Ask On The Tour?
Traveler from Ireland
"Our guide tailored everything to our interests."
What Surprises Travelers Most On Our Walks?
Solo traveler from the United States
"I went on the walking tour alone and felt very safe with our guide."
Our tours are rated 5 stars on Google. Read Our Google Reviews
Ready to discover the djellaba souk 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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Visit Marrakech Medina is a specialist local resource for discovering the traditional souks, shopping streets, artisans and crafts of the Marrakech Medina, and the authentic shopping experiences they offer, backed by more than 20 years of local guiding experience.