Rabat – Morocco is known for its enormous medinas, which date back to as early as the ninth century. The large, labyrinthian old cities can be daunting for outsiders as they often feature hundreds of small breezeways in between the thousands of shops, street food vendors, and homes that fill the medina.
The medina in cities such as Fez and Marrakech are nearly impossible to navigate alone without a guide or some previous knowledge of the area. Here is a guide on how to explore Morocco’s medinas with minimum hassle and maximum adventure.
Hire a guide
Although it may sound like the most obvious option, finding a guide can be a challenge without the proper contacts and cultural understanding.
First, avoid picking up a guide after having already arrived at the medina. Grifters wander and wait for deep-pocketed tourists to seek their guidance and expertise. Although the majority of people in the medina that approach you are harmless, the trade negatively impacts tourism as many tourists feel uncomfortable with the pushy approach of unofficial tour guides.
The majority of hotels have a list of preferred tour guides that are certified by the Ministry of Tourism. Additionally, a quick Google search can connect you with local tour guides across the kingdom. Rates can be as affordable as $100 per hour depending on the guide and city, and can often accommodate up to 10 people.
Toursbylocals.com has an expansive directory of local, Moroccan tour guides.
Have a plan
For those that do not wish to hire an official guide, having a plan is essential for your trip to any medina. Smaller medinas will be much more straightforward and require less planning. However, having a plan and a budget for purchases will save you money in the long run.
All medinas are chock-full of beautiful Moroccan crafts and delicious street foods. However, there are often varying prices depending on the salesperson and customer. Unless you intend to make many purchases throughout the day, one good strategy is only taking a specific amount of cash with you into the medina.
Most medinas also have nearly free attractions such as ancient Madrassas and hotels.
Foundouk Nejjarine (Hotel Nejjarine) in Fez’s old medina Photo: Morocco World News / Noah Devaney
Merchants and grifters alike will be less likely to price gouge if you simply say, “I only have MAD 50 with me.”
Another highly recommended solution to this problem is haggling.
Haggling in the medina
Unless the price is specifically marked, the first price is never final. Knowing Arabic or French is not necessarily mandatory to haggle as body language says it all.
Customers are expected to haggle, so it is not impolite or culturally insensitive. If you observe Moroccan consumers haggling, you will see numerous seemingly heated arguments. Do not fret as this is a common exchange and shows that the customer is an expert haggler.
For those that do not wish to banter with the salesperson, another good technique is to walk away. Most merchants ultimately want to sell their beautiful products so after a little back-and-forth on pricing, simply walk away and you are guaranteed to hear the right price.
A shop selling traditional wares in one of Morocco’s old medinas
Keep in mind that there are many shops in the medina and each sells something more captivating than the last. If you cannot agree with a merchant on a price, keep walking and perhaps you will find the same item for a better price.
As previously mentioned, traveling with a guide is recommended as they may be able to secure you a better price by haggling in Moroccan darija.
Although the medinas of Morocco may appear to be intimidating, they are definitely worth exploring. Whether you travel with a guide or simply wish to get lost in the medina, you will be in good hands as Moroccans are extremely accommodating and ultimately want you to enjoy all of the beauty and appeal that their country has to offer.
