Spices & Herbs
Cone-shaped piles of turquoise, ochre and rust-red spice sit at the centre of some of the souks' best photo opportunities — and some genuinely worthwhile shopping.
Where to find it
Rahba Kedima, the old spice and herbalist square, is the traditional heart of the trade, ringed with stalls selling everything from culinary spices to traditional remedies and cosmetic ingredients. Many stalls sell a mix of the two — worth knowing, since not everything on display is meant for cooking.
What people buy most
- Ras el hanout — a complex spice blend, with recipes that vary shop to shop; a good one is genuinely hard to replicate at home.
- Saffron — one of the more expensive items in the souk; see quality notes below, since this is also where misrepresentation is most common.
- Argan oil — both culinary and cosmetic grades exist; ask specifically which you're buying, since they're used very differently.
- Dried herbs & teas — mint, verbena and other blends for traditional Moroccan tea.
- Cosmetic clays & soaps — ghassoul clay and traditional black soap (savon noir), often sold alongside culinary spices at the same stalls.
Spotting good quality (and avoiding common issues)
Saffron in particular is worth extra care — genuine saffron threads should be a deep red with slightly orange tips, not uniformly bright orange or red throughout, and should have a distinctive aroma rather than none at all. Buying threads rather than powder makes quality much easier to judge. If a price seems too good for the quantity offered, it's worth asking questions before buying.
For spices generally, a strong, fresh aroma is the best quality signal — spices lose potency over time, and a stall with high turnover (busy with locals, not just tourists) tends to have fresher stock.
Bringing spices home
Whole and ground spices are generally fine to bring through customs for most destinations in reasonable personal quantities, but rules do vary by country — check your destination's specific customs guidance before you travel if you're planning to buy in bulk. Sealed, labelled packaging (which most established stalls can provide) makes this smoother.