Morocco is the only place I have ever traveled to where I had to buy another bag just to lug all my purchases home. My home is better off because of it, though. In my bathroom, my Q-tips stand proudly inside a bejeweled, stained-glass vase that I simply had to have during a routine stroll through a Tangier souk some years back.
Morocco’s crafts are beautiful and carefully made; you can see the centuries of traditional artisan techniques in the chiseled wood, stained glassware, and each knot on the hand-pulled rugs. While Marrakech gets the majority of the traveling shoppers’ dirhams—and will leave you broke but happier for it—Tangier, to me, has always felt more special. The bohemian port city on the coast, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, is smaller than Marrakech and Fez, meaning it’s easier to navigate (that doesn't mean it's actually easy). It’s also less touristy; being off the main shoppers’ circuit means less commercial knock-offs to wade through before finding the real deal. The hordes of travelers haggling over indigo textiles and silk slippers curled at the toe may not be there, but the artisans are. Below is where to find them.
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The market worth dedicating your whole morning to
Without question, it’s Fondouk Chejra, the weavers’ market. I would go so far as to suggest travelers come to Tangier just to shop here. It’s located outside the medina, directly across from the seafood market (worth a walk through for those with a strong stomach), and accessed through a literal hole in the wall. Compared to other winding markets in Morocco, this one is small. Just 37 small shops and studios line U-shaped market floor, with a small prayer room down one end that workers visit throughout the day. In most of the shops, men work creaky, wooden looms that have been here since the early 1900s, weaving raw wool into the rugs, bathrobes, and scarves that are then stacked in colorful heaps on shelves and across the floor. Many have sons or grandsons weaving besides them.
On my last visit, I left with a stash of blankets dyed in yellow and red, cotton pajamas for my niece, and a red-and-white striped throw, but only after accepting an invite to join some of the weavers for a cup of mint tea, crossed-legged on the floor, during a break from their looms. Observing a centuries-old art form right in front of you is a privilege. Being able to then take the item that's being created home is mind blowing. Bonus: One of the best meals I’ve had was a seven-course, no-frills, all-fish lunch from Saveur du Poission next door.
The store to splash out in
Galerie Tindouf, an exhibition space and antiques dealership, specializes in Moroccan and European pieces, some that go back as far as the Roman Empire, including ancient coins, pottery, and furniture. It’s not exactly well-organized, so you’ll need to be in the right headspace for a hunt—but the owners are friendly, helpful, and smart salesmen. There’s a good chance you’ll walk out of there with a few embroidered cushion covers from the Atlas Mountains that you never knew you needed (but, damn, they’ll look good on your sofa). The Galerie Tindouf owners also run the Bazar Tindouf next door, which is crammed with finds from all over Morocco like ceramic tea sets, brass bracelets, and ornamental horses, if you want even more shopping.
The oversized buy worth shipping
In Morocco, that has to be a hand-woven Berber rug. The place to buy one in Tangier is Bleu de Fès, a multi-level emporium in the thick of the medina. The rugs are certified originals, crafted by Berber women and dyed all sorts of inky blues, greens, and reds (though I still think nothing beats the classic white with black motifs). Rug shopping in Morocco is one of the few times I’ve been grateful for the tiny floor space of my New York one-bedroom; though this place sells smaller rugs for around $500, gigantic pieces cut the size of carpets go deep into the five-digits. The best part about Bleu de Fès? No matter the rug you end up with, they’ll take care of the logistics to get it back home to you.
The trinket to pick up for your friends
One of the coolest stalls in the medina is Madini, a petite parfumerie seemingly carved into the walls, owned by a family that's been crafting fragrances for 14 generations. You can smell the musk and vanilla while meandering up toward the shop, as you get deeper into the old town. Pick up small bottles of custom blends for friends back home; the littlest bottles pass the TSA restrictions for carry-ons.
The last-minute item to buy at the airport
If you shop Tangier right, you won’t have many loose dirham in your wallet by the time you reach the airport for your departure flight. If you have a handful left to spare, though, use them up on a local version of a familiar snack—chips and beer. Here that means the "Cheese and Spice" Doritos (a Moroccan flavor that's like the usual nacho cheese chips, but with a kick) and Casablanca lager, brewed locally and named for the country’s biggest city. It’s not quite a keepsake to remind you of your travels, but it’s a nice little reward for a shopping trip well done.
See all our Tangier shopping picks on a Google Map that you can access on your phone
For more shopping stories, visit our complete guide to souvenir shopping.