What to buy in Tangier

In Tangier, you shop at the medina, and within it lies the souk. Handicrafts, leather, spices, carpets and silver – almost everything no fixed price.

But before you exchange money, read this.

⚠️ The dirham cannot be taken out of Morocco

This is the most important piece of advice, and hardly anyone gives it. The Moroccan dirham it is not convertible:

• It is not available for purchase in Spain. You won’t find it at any bureaux de change before you travel.
• It is forbidden to take out more than 1,000 dirhams of the country, in coins or banknotes.
• European banks aren’t changing it. If you have any left over, it’s worthless when you get back.

What to do, especially if you’re going on a day trip:

• It doesn’t make much difference, just what you expect to spend.
• Keep the exchange receipt: you need it to recycle any leftovers.
• Exchange any money you have left before you fly back.

The reference: around 10–11 dirhams to the euro. The banknotes are in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200.

Many stalls accept euros, but the exchange rate they offer is usually less favourable. It’s convenient for small purchases; for a rug, it isn’t.

What to bring back from Tangier

Leather and slippers

It’s the best thing about Morocco and the easiest to bring back. Bags, purses, belts, pouffes and colourful slippers.

How to check the quality: smell the skin —naturally tanned leather smells of leather, not chemicals— and fold it: if it cracks, it’s no good. And try on the slippers, because the sizes do not correspond to European sizes.

Berber carpets

The most expensive purchase and the one that requires the most care. There are three types: hand-knotted wool, kilim —plain weave, which is lighter and easier to carry— and colourful blankets.

What to look out for: calls for the unfold completely y take a look at the back: the denser and more even the knots, the better. The price depends on the size, the density and whether it is genuinely handmade.

And to do this, consider shopping outside the souk, through a cooperative with a fixed price. You pay a bit more, but you get a guarantee of origin.

Spices and tea

They are sold in bulk, in heaps. Cumin, turmeric, paprika, saffron and the mixture After the hanout.

Buy a small amount and have a sniff first: You can tell straight away when a blend is fresh. Cheap saffron is almost never real saffron.

And the classic one: green tea with mint, which you can buy next to the teapots and glass tumblers.

Ceramics and metal

Hand-painted plates and bowls, openwork brass and copper lamps and embossed trays.

Before paying, check that the enamel is free from cracks. And bear in mind the weight: lamps and trays look lovely, but they take up space and are heavy.

Silver and Berber jewellery

Bracelets, rings, brooches and necklaces featuring coloured stones and symbols such as the Hand of Fatima. Also amber and beads.

Take note here: It isn’t always solid silver. Question on the law of metals and be wary of anything that’s too cheap.

Cosmetics: argan oil

The quintessential Moroccan product, for skin and hair, alongside handmade soaps.

Distinguish between food and cosmetics: The one used in cooking is toasted and smells of nuts; the cosmetic version is lighter in colour and almost odourless. If you’re sold one as the other, something’s not quite right.

Traditional textiles and clothing

Jellabas and kaftans, as well as scarves and shawls made of wool or cotton. Lightweight and easy to pack.

🚫 About counterfeit goods

There are plenty of them in the medina, particularly when it comes to clothes, sunglasses and handbags, and it’s worth making that clear.

It’s not a good idea to buy them: counterfeits are seized at customs when returning to the European Union, and the traveller may end up with an administrative problem over a bag.

And there is a practical reason: for the price of a knock-off, you get a handmade item of leather or pottery, which is a true memento of Tangier and doesn’t give you any nasty surprises when you get back.

Where to buy

The medina and its two souks

Let’s clear up something that always causes confusion: the souk it’s inside in the medina; it’s not a separate place. And there are two:

• The Grand Souk (Grand Socco), the square at the entrance to the old town. It’s the best landmark to help you find your way around.
• The Little Souk (Petit Socco), now inside the medina, a quieter spot surrounded by cafés.

And a tip on pricing: the posts from inside the medina They tend to have narrower margins than those on the main streets, because there is more competition. The further you get from the entrance, the better the price.

Outside the medina, at a fixed price

If you don’t fancy haggling, the new city has specific options:

• Ibn Batouta Shopping Centre. Fashion, electronics and restaurants, all with fixed prices and labels.
• Place de France and the surrounding area. Shops and boutiques selling local produce; quieter than the medina.
• Rue de la Liberté. Fashion boutiques, jewellery shops and homeware shops.
• Beni Makada Market. A neighbourhood market selling fresh produce and household goods. It’s the most authentic and the least touristy.

You pay a little more, but for valuable items — such as carpets and jewellery — the guarantee of origin is worth it.

How to haggle

It’s expected of you, so it’s not rude. The method:

1. Ask for the price without showing too much interest.
2. It offers about half and rises gradually.
3. It closes somewhere in between. Calmly and in a friendly manner.
4. If you’re not convinced, just go. It’s perfectly fine, and sometimes they’ll ring you back with a different price.

Two tips that work:

• Compare prices at several shops before buying anything. Save your big shopping trips for when you know the going rates.
• Go first thing in the morning or at the end of the day, when people are most keen to close a deal. By mid-afternoon, the souk is packed and nobody haggles.

Practical tips

• Make sure you have small notes and the money distributed; only what is fair is visible.
• Check each item before paying: There are no refunds.
• If someone offers to show you the way In the medina, make it clear beforehand if you’re expecting a tip.
• Save the bulkier items for last and think about how you’re going to carry it.
• The card can be used in shopping centres, not at the stalls. At the souk, in cash.

A day trip from Tarifa

We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. The trip involves a ferry crossing from Tarifa and includes a local guide for the medina:

What is included: return ferry journey, sightseeing tour with a stop outside the The Caves of Hercules —where you can go for a camel ride—, a guided tour of the medina and shopping in the souk.

And here’s the dirham warning again: on a day trip exchange very little or pay in euros, because you won’t have time to spend whatever you exchange in excess or to convert it at your leisure.

Don’t forget your passport: A border is crossed. More about the city at What to see in Tangier in 3 days, and of the country in The Morocco Guide.

For the palate: Moroccan artisan sweets y traditional drinks.

Frequently asked questions

What to buy in Tangier?

Leather and slippers, Berber rugs, spices and green tea with mint, hand-painted pottery, brass lamps, Berber silver and argan oil. Leather and textiles are the easiest to transport; rugs and lamps are the heaviest and take up the most space.

Can I take my leftover dirhams home with me?

No more than 1,000 dirhams, and in practice they are of no use: the dirham is not convertible outside Morocco and European banks do not exchange it. It is best to exchange only what you intend to spend, keep the exchange receipt and re-exchange any surplus before leaving the country.

Can you pay in euros at the souk in Tangier?

In many places, yes, but the exchange rate they apply is usually worse than the official rate. It’s convenient for small purchases; for more valuable items, it’s best to pay in dirhams. Traditional markets only accept cash: cards are accepted in shopping centres and shops in the new town.

Is it legal to buy counterfeit branded goods in Morocco?

They are sold openly in the medina, but on returning to the European Union, counterfeit goods may be seized at customs and cause administrative problems for the traveller. For a similar price, you can buy authentic handicrafts — leather, ceramics, textiles — which also make for a genuine souvenir of your trip.

How do you haggle in the souk?

Ask the price, offer around half that amount, and gradually increase your offer until you reach a middle ground, always remaining calm and polite. Walking away without buying is perfectly acceptable. It helps to compare prices at several stalls before making a decision, and to go first thing in the morning or at the end of the day, when sellers are more willing to close a deal.

Where can you shop in Tangier without haggling?

In the new part of town: the Ibn Batouta Shopping Centre, the area around Place de France, Rue de la Liberté and the Beni Makada Market. Prices are fixed and slightly higher than in the souk, but there is greater assurance regarding the origin and quality of the goods, which is particularly advisable when buying carpets and jewellery.