Souk El Attarine Shopping
What can you buy in the souk of the spice and perfume sellers in Marrakech?
Souk El Attarine is the old souk of the spice and perfume sellers of Marrakech, in the heart of the souks north of Souk Semmarine, about 700 meters from Jemaa el-Fna. Its name comes from attar, the Arabic word for a seller of spices, perfumes and remedies. Today you can still buy musk, amber, rose water, incense, kohl and spices there, but most of the lane now shines with brass and copper, hand-hammered lanterns, trays, mirrors and teapots. Our Private Medina Walking Tour crosses Souk El Attarine on the way to the artisan quarters, and our Private Souks Shopping Tour takes you to the brass makers and perfume sellers we trust, at 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.
Walk into Souk El Attarine in the afternoon and you'll see it before you smell it. Hundreds of brass lanterns hang from the ceiling, throwing star-shaped light on the walls. Then, between two lantern shops, a tiny stall opens like a jewelry box, with glass bottles of musk, blocks of amber and little clay dishes of red lip color. That mix is the whole story of this souk, the old trade of the attar, still alive between the new trade of the metalworkers.
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 Guide You To Honest Brass Makers In The Souks? Our private souks shopping tour, lanterns, brass, perfumes, babouches, leather and spices at fair prices.
• Can You Explore The Souks Without Any Shopping Pressure? Our private walking tour, Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, the Mellah, the fondouks and the herbalist.
• Where Can You Buy A Rug After The Lantern Souk? Our private rug shopping tour, Beni Ourain, Azilal and kilims, with DHL shipping.
• Can Your Whole Family Shop With One Guide? All our tours are private, one guide, one group, one truly personal experience.
• Can You Book A Souks Shopping Tour For Today? Last-minute private tours, often within the hour.
Where is Souk El Attarine and how do you get there?
Address Souk El Attarine, Medina, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco
Open Souk El Attarine 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. Pass Rahba Kedima on your right and keep straight into Souk el Kebir. Where the lane starts to glow with brass lanterns, you're in Souk El Attarine. The walk takes about 10 minutes.
• How Do You Walk From Jemaa El-Fna To Souk El Attarine? about 700 meters, 10 minutes on foot
The covered lanes often confuse phones. Read Why Does Your Phone Get Lost In The Marrakech Souks?
How far is Souk El Attarine from the other souks and monuments?
Souk El Attarine is a crossroads between the main souks, Mouassine and the artisan quarters. Each link opens the walking route on Google Maps.
• Souk El Attarine To Souk Smata, The Babouche Souk about 150 meters, 2 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To The Dyers' Souk about 250 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To Rahba Kedima, The Spice Square about 300 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To The Mouassine Fountain about 300 meters, 4 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To Le Jardin Secret about 350 meters, 5 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To Souk Haddadine, The Blacksmiths about 350 meters, 5 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To The Ben Youssef Madrasa about 450 meters, 7 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To The Koutoubia about 1.1 km, 15 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To The Bahia Palace about 1.6 km, 22 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To La Mamounia about 1.7 km, 23 minutes
• Souk El Attarine To The Royal Mansour about 1.6 km, 22 minutes
Distances are approximate walking distances through the souks. Staying in a riad in Mouassine, near Bab Doukkala or Ben Youssef? You're usually 5 to 15 minutes away on foot.
Which souks are near Souk El Attarine?
Looking for souks near me while you're in the middle of the Medina? From Souk El Attarine, the best shopping souks of Marrakech are all a few minutes away.
• Souk Smata the babouche souk, leather slippers in every color, and the leather belts that gave it its name
• Souk des Teinturiers the dyers' souk, skeins of indigo, saffron and poppy-red wool drying above the lane. See Where Can You Watch The Dyers Work In The Souks?
• Souk Cherratine the leather souk, bags, belts, poufs and wallets
• Souk Haddadine the blacksmiths, wrought iron lanterns, gates and furniture
• Rahba Kedima the spice square, herbalists, ras el hanout, saffron, 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 What Will You Find Along Souk Semmarine?
So whenever you search for souks near me from a riad in Mouassine or near the Ben Youssef Madrasa, Souk El Attarine is your best starting point for shopping in the souks of Marrakech.
What is the history of Souk El Attarine?
In Arabic, (Souk El Attarine) means the souk of the attarine, the sellers of spices, perfumes and remedies. For centuries, this was one of the richest souks of Marrakech, close to the great mosques and the Koranic schools. Caravans brought musk, amber, incense and spices from the Sahara, Arabia and the East, and the attar mixed them into perfumes, medicines and beauty products for the families of the Medina.
Over time, the spice trade moved toward Rahba Kedima, and metalworkers took over many stalls. That's why Souk El Attarine is now one of the best souks for brass and copper in Marrakech, while a few traditional attar shops still sell musk, amber and incense the old way. Many of these crafts are passed from father to son. Read Who Are The Craftsmen Keeping The Old Souks Alive?
What can you buy in Souk El Attarine?
Brass and copper
• Lanterns hand-pierced brass and copper lanterns, from small candle holders to huge ceiling lamps
• Trays and teapots engraved brass trays, silver-plated teapots and tea glasses for the mint tea ritual
• Mirrors brass mirrors with hammered and engraved frames
• Bowls and boxes small engraved pieces, easy to carry home
Traditional products of the attar
• Perfumes solid musk, amber, oud and rose essential oils, sold by the gram or in small bottles
• Incense bkhour mixes and jawi resin, burned at home for guests and celebrations
• Beauty rose water, orange blossom water, kohl, henna, ghassoul and black soap
• Aker fassi the natural red lip and cheek color in small clay dishes
• Souak walnut bark used to clean teeth and color the lips
• Spices cumin, ginger, cinnamon and ras el hanout, in a few traditional shops
How much do things cost in Souk El Attarine?
Prices depend on the size, the metal and the handwork. These are the usual ranges after friendly bargaining.
• Small brass lantern, about 150 to 400 MAD
• Large hanging lantern, about 600 to 2,000 MAD
• Engraved brass tray, about 200 to 1,500 MAD
• Brass mirror, about 300 to 1,200 MAD
• Teapot, about 150 to 500 MAD
• Solid musk or amber, about 30 to 100 MAD
• Rose water or orange blossom water, about 20 to 40 MAD
• Aker fassi or kohl, about 15 to 40 MAD
Want help getting these prices? Our Local Guide For Shopping In The Marrakech Souks knows what each piece is really worth.
How do you spot real brass and real perfume in the souks?
• The magnet test real brass and copper are not magnetic. If a magnet sticks, it's plated iron
• The weight solid brass feels heavy, light lanterns are often thin plated metal
• The hammer marks handmade pieces show small irregular marks, machine-pressed pieces are perfectly even
• The piercing on a handmade lantern, the holes are cut one by one, slightly different from each other
• The skin test ask to try a perfume on your wrist and wait a few minutes, real musk and amber last for hours
• The bottle very cheap "pure oud" is almost always synthetic or mixed with oil
On our Best Souks Shopping Tour For Lanterns And Brass, we take you to the workshops where the lanterns are really made, so you see the craft before you buy.
When is the best time to visit Souk El Attarine?
• Morning from about 9 am, the shops open and the souk is calm, perfect to compare prices
• Late afternoon the lanterns are lit and the souk looks magical, the best time for photos
• Friday many shops close for a few hours around midday prayer
• Combine it with the dyers' souk, the Mouassine fountain and Le Jardin Secret, all a few minutes away
See What Time Do The Shops Open In The Marrakech Souks?
What are the best tips for shopping in Souk El Attarine?
• Look before you buy walk the whole lane first, the same lantern can cost twice as much in the first shop
• Bargain with a smile start around half the first price, take your time and accept a mint tea
• Ask about shipping large lanterns and mirrors can be shipped home, ask for packing and a written price
• Pack carefully wrap small lanterns in clothes, brass bends easily in a suitcase
• Ask before photos shopkeepers usually say yes, but they like to be asked
• Ignore street helpers young men offering to show you "the lantern factory" usually lead you to a shop
• Find your way back follow Souk Semmarine south to Jemaa el-Fna. See How Do You Get Back To The Square From The Souks?
Want to discover more of the Medina's hidden corners after shopping? Read Which Hidden Corners Are Close To 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?
Family from Canada
"He explained the history in a way that kept our whole family engaged."
What Surprises Travelers Most On Our Walks?
Traveler from the United States
"Our guide's passion for the city really shows."
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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