Shopping · Tangier · Morocco
Shopping in Tangier
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: KJP1, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Tangier's shopping is smaller-scale than Marrakech or Fes, with medina craft shops, food markets and a few design boutiques in the kasbah and Ville Nouvelle. Best souvenirs: Leather slippers, Argan oil and Striped Rif cloth.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Leather slippers
Where to shop
Medina lanes
Leather goods, slippers, textiles, ceramics and spices along the streets around the Petit Socco.
Kasbah
A handful of design boutiques and galleries selling contemporary Moroccan crafts.
Ville Nouvelle
Bookshops, pharmacies, fashion chains and the Librairie des Colonnes on Boulevard Pasteur, a literary landmark since 1949.
Markets
Fès Market
A covered food market in the Ville Nouvelle with produce, cheese, olives, meat and fish.
Grand Socco market stalls
Rif mountain women in striped cloths and straw hats sell fresh cheese, herbs and produce around the Grand Socco and medina gates.
What to buy
Leather slippers
Traditional babouches in leather, sold throughout the medina.
Argan oil
Cosmetic and culinary argan oil; buy from reputable shops or cooperatives.
Striped Rif cloth
Red-and-white striped mendil cloths worn by Rif women, used as throws and tablecloths.
Spices
Ras el hanout, cumin and saffron sold by weight in the medina.
Books on Tangier
Novels and memoirs by Bowles and other Tangier writers from the Librairie des Colonnes.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Neighbourhood · Medina
Tangier medina
Whitewashed lanes climb from the port to the kasbah through a compact, hilly old town of small mosques, craft shops, bakeries and doorways painted blue and green.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Shopping
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Msemen, Mint tea and Cornes de gazelle. Street stalls and bakeries in the medina in the morning. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Medina | $$ | Whitewashed lanes, the Petit Socco and riad guesthouses between the port and the kasbah |
| Kasbah | $$$ | The quiet hilltop citadel with a palace museum and terraces over the Strait |
| Ville Nouvelle | $$ | The 20th-century city of boulevards, cafés and hotels around Place de France |
| Cap Spartel and Rmilat | $$$ | Pine forests, villas and Atlantic headlands west of the city |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in MAD. Rounding up or leaving about 10% is customary in restaurants; small coins are appreciated by café waiters, porters and guides, and official guides expect a tip at the end of a tour.
- Greet shopkeepers before asking prices, and haggle politely in the souks.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January; the busiest months are July–August.
- September: Tanjazz — international jazz festival (usually September)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for first-timers, solo travellers, nightlife and shopping
Ville Nouvelle
The 20th-century city of boulevards, cafés and hotels around Place de France
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Tangier?
Leather slippers, Argan oil, Striped Rif cloth and Spices.
+Where is the best shopping in Tangier?
Medina lanes: Leather goods, slippers, textiles, ceramics and spices along the streets around the Petit Socco.
+What are the best markets in Tangier?
Fès Market and Grand Socco market stalls.