The souks reveal the soul of Morocco. To explore the souks in Morocco is to see the very essence of the country.
When going on holiday to Morocco, it is impossible to visit the country without staying and taking the time to wander and get lost in the twist and turns of the local souks.
In the same way that a market reveals the soul of a country, a city, a village, and its people, Morocco's souks reflect the most intimate and the most exciting reality of this incredible kingdom.
It's more than a market, the souk is in the heart of the city and it is the life of Morocco. Moroccans of all classes and all walks of life meet there. From workers to the bourgeois, the middle class to the homeless, families, children, and the old all mix with the floods of people and their lives.
It's more than a market, the souk is the general meeting point of the city and village; neighbours meet there and tell the latest gossip, they are kept in the loop and discuss the news of their country and the world; they go to do their shopping but also to show, chat and observe. It is a truly exciting and passionate place.
When choosing Morocco as your holiday destination, it is essential to go there for several full days to really understand the soul of this country.
Beyond being a place of life, the souk is a place exploding with feelings like olfactory fireworks.
First of all, it is a place of smells. That is what is hits you the most when you first arrive at a souk, it is without a doubt the mixture of scents which are absolutely intoxicating and unique. Of fresh mint through to the many spices, the smell of grilled meat or fresh fish, you will experience the senses in every corner of the local markets.
It's all a pleasure to look at with all the colours, the multi-coloured rainbow stalls, the shading of fabric, pigments and carpets.
Multiple different flavours for the mouth to enjoy; pastries, honey pancakes, bread of all shapes and sizes hot out of the oven, olives, tagines, pastilla, and couscous... It all looks so good that it makes you want to taste it and buy it to try.
There are nice things to touch; balls of animal or local wool, or the fun sounds of the music stalls mixing with the call to prayer and the cries of sellers.
Every city and village has their own souk, each revealing cultural and traditional local life. However, there are souks in Morocco more spectacular than others.
The first is that of Marrakech, the most touristic and the most visited but one of the most beautiful of all. Prices there are certainly increasingly, but the tagine stands are among the best in all of Morocco and the stalls are incredibly diverse.
The souk in Tanger is particularly beautiful with its breath-taking views of the sea, ocean and harbour. Not to mention the magnificent souk of Fes, maze-like with its countless alleys and stalls built into each other.
