If you like shopping, Agadir is a great destination for having fun and whiling away the hours, no matter whether you head to emblematic Souk El Had, Inezgane Market, Central Market, the bazaars or smaller shops you pass by in the street. And it doesn’t even matter what you’re looking for, because in Agadir, like all Moroccan cities, you’ll find it. If you’re after one-off pieces, there’s nothing better than visiting stores where the artisans work in situ; they’ll proudly show you their most prized objects. You’ll find potters, jewellers, enamellers, quarry workers, watchmakers, perfumers and more… Because Agadir, like Tangier, Marrakesh and Rabat, is a shopper’s paradise.
Tourists to Agadir typically shop in large, central Souk El Had, which has practically everything, and picturesque and local Central Market, where fresh Moroccan produce is sold with the scent of coriander and spices in the air, and you can get a sense of real Moroccan life. Two spaces for inspiring your imagination, capturing in photos and engraving on your memory forever. You’ll have to show a little restraint because there are so many attractive products at amazing prices that you’ll be captivated by their colour and beauty. Oh, and don’t forget to haggle – the shopkeepers will appreciate it.
A selection of typical products
What are the typical products you should buy in Agadir? It would be impossible to list everything you’ll find in the city’s souks, markets and large or small shops. Visitors who decide to go shopping in Agadir will be met by a world of colour and a sea of products. Here’s a handy guide to the most typical products to buy in Agadir, a south Moroccan city on the coast:
Hand-crafted goods
Hand-crafted goods. Numerous artisans exhibit and sell their unique pieces in their workshops, which are usually open to the public. If this is the sort of item you’re interested in, you’ll find lots of artisans in Medina Coco Polizzi, a lovely space that has restored the traditional architecture of Souss-Massa and is 8 km from the centre of Agadir. It’s a great place to visit and you’re sure to find wonderful gifts and souvenirs. If you have time, you could also try the souks at Inezgane, 13 km from Agadir, where artisans work amid bustling shopping activity and you’ll find items made from clay, copper, tinplate, brass, glass and wood, and also find gold and silver jewellery. Music lovers can buy drums, guitars, pipes and other typical Moroccan instruments.
Textiles
As well as the typical rugs and mats, you can also buy a wide variety of leather clothing, hijabs, kaftans, aprons, woollen jackets, coats, skirts, handkerchiefs, shawls, embroidery, etc. Other typical products include cushions, and raffia rugs in pretty colours.
Food and spices
Agadir’s food, fruit and vegetable markets are a treat for the senses and have an intoxicating excess of colours, scents, textures and shapes. In Central Market and Souk El Had you’ll find oranges, watermelon, melon, and strings of onions, together with every kind of dried fruit and nuts: dates, figs, almonds, peanuts, etc. People often buy spices, particularly saffron, cinnamon, oregano and cumin, and traditional mixes used to make the typical “pincho Moruno”. Confectionery made from almonds and honey, and argan oil are also extremely popular.
Herbalist’s and beauty products
Agadir has lots of shops that sell ginseng-based remedies endorsed by local healers that are used for particular illnesses. You can also buy beauty products such as musk, a perfume with aphrodisiacal properties; rhassoul, a clay for the skin and hair; moisturisers for the skin and hair made with argan oil; black soap with olive oil and eucalyptus; henna for temporary tattoos; and kohl, the powder used in eye cosmetics. Perfumes and plant extracts are also often bought.
