Souk Smata Shopping
Where do you buy real Moroccan babouches in the Marrakech souks?
Souk Smata, the babouche souk of Marrakech, is the best place to buy traditional Moroccan babouches, the soft leather slippers with folded heels that Marrakchis wear at home, at the mosque and at weddings. It sits in the heart of the souks, north of Rahba Kedima, about 800 meters from Jemaa el-Fna, where hundreds of pairs hang in yellow, white, red, black and embroidered rows above tiny shops. Some stalls still sell babouches made by hand in the workshops behind them. Our Private Medina Walking Tour passes through the artisan souks around Souk Smata, and our Private Souks Shopping Tour takes you to babouche makers 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.
Almost every traveler goes home from Marrakech with a pair of babouches. Many discover a week later that the "leather" peels, the sole was glued, not stitched, and the yellow color stays on their feet. A real pair of babouches is cut, stitched and turned by hand, and can last for years. In Souk Smata, both kinds hang side by side, and from a few meters away they look exactly the same.
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 Find Handmade Babouches? Our private souks shopping tour, babouches, leather, lanterns, spices and ceramics at fair prices.
• Can You See The Artisans At Work In The Souks? Our private walking tour, Jemaa el-Fna, the artisan souks, the Mellah, the fondouks and the herbalist.
• Where Can You Find A Rug To Match Your Babouches? Our private rug shopping tour, Beni Ourain, Azilal and kilims, with DHL shipping.
• Can Friends Travelling Together Book One Guide? All our tours are private, one guide, one group, one truly personal experience.
• Can You Join A Souks Tour At The Last Minute? Last-minute private tours, often within the hour.
Where is Souk Smata and how do you get there?
Address Souk Smata (Souk des Babouches), Medina, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco
Open Souk Smata 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 on your right. Keep going as the lane gets narrower, into Souk el Kebir and the area of Souk Attarine. Souk Smata starts where the walls turn yellow and white with babouches. The walk takes about 10 to 12 minutes.
• How Do You Walk From Jemaa El-Fna To Souk Smata? about 800 meters, 11 minutes on foot
Your GPS may get confused under the covered souks. Read Why Does Google Maps Get Lost In The Covered Souks?
How far is Souk Smata from the other souks and monuments?
Souk Smata sits in the north of the souks, close to the artisan quarters and the Ben Youssef area. Each link opens the walking route on Google Maps.
• Souk Smata To Souk Cherratine, The Leather Souk about 150 meters, 2 minutes
• Souk Smata To Rahba Kedima, The Spice Square about 350 meters, 5 minutes
• Souk Smata To The Dyers' Souk about 350 meters, 5 minutes
• Souk Smata To The Ben Youssef Madrasa about 400 meters, 6 minutes
• Souk Smata To Le Jardin Secret about 450 meters, 6 minutes
• Souk Smata To The Tanneries about 1.2 km, 16 minutes
• Souk Smata To The Koutoubia about 1.3 km, 17 minutes
• Souk Smata To The Bahia Palace about 1.7 km, 23 minutes
• Souk Smata To La Mamounia about 1.9 km, 25 minutes
• Souk Smata To The Royal Mansour about 1.8 km, 24 minutes
Distances are approximate walking distances through the souks. Staying in a riad in Mouassine, near Ben Youssef or Bab Doukkala? You're usually 5 to 15 minutes away on foot.
Which souks are near Souk Smata?
Typing "souks near me" in the north of the Medina? Souk Smata is surrounded by the craft souks where Marrakech still makes what it sells.
• Souk Cherratine the leather souk, bags, belts, poufs and wallets, cut and stitched in front of you
• Souk Attarine the old spice and perfume souk, today brass, copper, mirrors and lanterns
• Souk Haddadine the blacksmiths, wrought iron lanterns, gates and furniture
• Souk des Teinturiers the dyers' souk, skeins of indigo, saffron and poppy-red wool drying above the lane. See How Is Wool Dyed In The Marrakech Souks?
• 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 How Do You Walk Souk Semmarine Like A Local?
So when you search for souks near me from a riad in the north of the Medina, Souk Smata is the perfect starting point. The leather, metal and dye souks are all within a 5-minute walk.
What is the history of babouches in Marrakech?
Babouches, called belgha in Darija, have been made in the souks of Marrakech, Fès and the other imperial cities for centuries. The name Smata comes from smta, the Darija word for belt, because the souk was first known for its leather belt makers, before babouches took over the lanes. Families of artisans have worked here generation after generation. Their leather came from the tanneries near Bab Debbagh, where goat and cow hides are still soaked in lime, pigeon droppings and natural dyes before being cut in the souk.
The colors had meanings. Yellow babouches were worn by men, especially for the mosque and Friday prayer. White pairs were for celebrations and religious holidays. Women wore colored and embroidered babouches, the finest ones stitched with gold or silver thread for weddings. Marrakchi babouches are usually round at the toe, while the Fassi style from Fès ends in a point. Today, the old rules are softer, but many Marrakchi men still own a yellow pair for Friday.
Curious about the people who still make them by hand? Read Who Still Works With Their Hands In The Medina?
Which babouches can you buy in Souk Smata?
• Classic yellow babouches smooth leather, round toe, the traditional men's pair
• White babouches for celebrations, Eid and Friday prayer
• Embroidered babouches women's pairs stitched with silk, gold or silver thread, sometimes with sequins
• Berber babouches with colorful wool pompoms, from the Atlas tradition
• Suede and nubuck babouches soft pairs in pink, blue, green, black and red
• Fassi babouches pointed toe, in the style of Fès
• Children's babouches small pairs, often with pompoms or embroidery
• Kilim babouches modern pairs made from old kilim rugs, a favorite with designers
• Leather belts the smta that gave the souk its name, hand-cut and stitched in the workshops
How much do babouches cost in Souk Smata?
Prices depend on the leather, the sole and the handwork. These are the usual ranges after friendly bargaining.
• Machine-made pair with a glued sole, about 60 to 100 MAD
• Classic leather pair, hand-stitched sole, about 150 to 300 MAD
• Embroidered women's pair, about 200 to 500 MAD
• Berber pair with pompoms, about 120 to 250 MAD
• Kilim babouches, about 250 to 450 MAD
• Children's pair, about 70 to 150 MAD
How do you know if babouches are real leather and handmade?
• The smell real leather smells of leather, synthetic smells of plastic or glue
• The sole look for small stitches all around the sole, glued soles come off quickly
• The edges cut leather shows fibers at the edge, synthetic shows a smooth plastic line
• The flex fold the babouche, real leather bends softly and wrinkles naturally
• The color rub the yellow with a damp finger, if the color comes off easily, it will stain your feet
• The inside handmade pairs have a leather lining, not cardboard
On our Best Souks Shopping Tour For Leather And Babouches, we take you to the makers and help you check every pair.
When is the best time to visit Souk Smata?
• Morning from about 9 am, the shops open, the souk is calm and the artisans start work
• Afternoon the busiest time, with the most choice on display
• Friday many shops close for a few hours around midday prayer
• Combine it with the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the dyers' souk and Le Jardin Secret, all a few minutes away
See What Are The Opening Hours Of The Marrakech Souks?
What are the best tips for buying babouches in the souks?
• Try them on babouches stretch a little, so choose a snug fit
• Buy several pairs the price per pair drops when you buy three or four
• Bargain with a smile start around half the first price and take your time
• Ask for a rubber sole if you'll wear them outside, many makers add one on request
• Pack them flat babouches fold easily and fit in any suitcase
• Ignore street helpers young men who offer to show you "the babouche factory" usually lead you to a shop
• Find your way back follow Souk Semmarine south to Jemaa el-Fna. See How Do You Loop Back To Jemaa El-Fna From The 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 Kingdom
"Our guide knows Marrakech inside and out."
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
What do travelers ask about Souk Smata and babouches?
What is Souk Smata famous for?
Souk Smata is famous for babouches, the traditional Moroccan leather slippers, sold in hundreds of colors and styles. Its name comes from smta, the Darija word for belt, and you still find leather belts there too.
Can you wear babouches outside?
Classic babouches are made for the house and the mosque. For outside, ask for a pair with a rubber sole.
Why are babouches yellow?
Yellow is the traditional color of men's babouches, worn for the mosque and Friday prayer. Women's pairs are colored or embroidered.
How long do handmade babouches last?
A hand-stitched leather pair can last several years at home, much longer than a glued machine-made pair.
Do your tours stop in Souk Smata?
Our walking tour passes through the artisan souks nearby, and our shopping tour takes you to babouche makers we trust, only if you want to buy.
Ready to discover 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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