Souk
Souk el Attarine — Spices, Perfume & Brass
Deep in the medina souks, north of Rahba Kedima
Souk el Attarine takes its name from the attar — the perfumers and spice merchants who have traded here for centuries. Today it blends spice and scent with metalwork: stalls of ground spice and incense give way to the brass and copper souk, where craftsmen hammer trays, teapots and the lanterns Marrakech is famous for.
Go here for
Spice, scent and smoke
Attarine's older trade is aromatic. Alongside cooking spices you'll find blocks of amber and musk, vials of perfume oil (attar), bundles of incense wood and resin, dried rosebuds and orange blossom, and the tools of the hammam. It's a good place to buy a small bottle of orange-blossom or rose water for the kitchen — both go into Moroccan pastries and salads.
For cooks, the spice stalls here overlap with those of the nearby spice square, so the same rules apply: buy whole where you can, smell before you commit, and buy ras el hanout fresh-blended.
The brass and lantern trade
Follow Attarine on and it becomes a corridor of metalworkers. This is where the pierced-brass lanterns, engraved trays, teapots (berrad) and tea glasses are made and sold. You can watch a craftsman chase a pattern into copper by hand — and buy tea-service pieces that are both practical and beautiful souvenirs.
It's one of the more atmospheric souks precisely because it's still a working trade, not just a retail front. The ring of hammers on metal is the soundtrack.
How to shop like a local
- For the kitchen, buy orange-blossom and rose water in small sealed bottles here — they're used in Moroccan pastries, salads and drinks.
- Watch a metalworker before buying brass; handmade, hand-chased pieces are worth more than stamped imports and you can tell them apart up close.
- Buy tea glasses and a berrad (teapot) together if you want a full Moroccan tea set — sellers price the set better than singles.
- Smell perfume oils on skin, not just the bottle; the scent shifts and the 'musk' and 'amber' vary hugely in quality.
- Keep your cooking-spice shopping to a couple of trusted herboristes rather than every stall that calls out.
Bargaining etiquette
- Brass and lanterns carry big opening mark-ups — counter low, bundle pieces, and be ready to walk.
- Spices and waters are modestly negotiable; the theatre is milder than for metalwork.
- Ask to see a piece's underside and joins; pointing out machine-stamping (politely) is a fair lever on price.
What to avoid
- Don't assume all 'brass' is solid — some is thin, stamped and plated; handle it and check the weight and joins.
- Avoid overpaying for 'pure musk' and 'amber' curiosities; enjoy them but know they're rarely what the label claims.
- Skip pre-sealed souvenir spice tins; fresh from the jar is cheaper and better.
Frequently asked questions
What does Souk el Attarine sell?
Historically the perfumers' and spice souk, it sells cooking spices, incense, perfume oils, rose and orange-blossom water, and hammam goods, then runs into the brass and copper souk selling handmade lanterns, teapots, trays and tea glasses.
Is it a good place to buy a Moroccan tea set?
Yes. The metalworkers here make and sell teapots (berrad), engraved trays and tea glasses, often hand-worked in front of you. Buying the pot, tray and glasses together usually gets a better price than one at a time.
Can I buy rose and orange-blossom water here?
Yes — both are sold in small bottles and are worth carrying home for Moroccan pastries, almond sweets, salads and drinks. Buy sealed bottles and pack them for the hold if flying.
Keep exploring Marrakech food
Turn your market haul into dinner with a hands-on Marrakech cooking class, walk the souks with a guide on a market food tour, learn the Moroccan spices you just bought, or cook them at home with our Moroccan recipes. For the bigger picture, browse our food culture guides.