14 Best Shopping in Essaouira, The Southern Atlantic Coast

Walk through a nondescript passageway into a classic 19th-century riad and you'll find the Coopérative Artisanale des Marqueteurs, whose members have been turning out finely decorated boxes, ornaments, tables, and other furniture since 1948. Everything has a tag with the artisan's code number and reasonable fixed prices. At the end of the month, the craftspeople collect their income, and a small proportion goes to the upkeep of the building and the running of the co-op. You won't find tour groups here as guides get no commission, making it a tranquil place to stop and admire decades of craftsmanship.

Habiba Ajaoui was the first female shopkeeper in the Essaouira medina, and she's always happy to pass the time chatting with clients (in Arabic, French, or English) over a cup of steaming tea. She sells spices and argan and cactus-seed oils at reasonable prices and can get you everything you need for the hammam. She also has a large repertoire of henna tattoo designs, which are priced according to their complexity.

Hafida welcomes all her customers with a smile and offers a keenly curated selection of Morocco-made jewelry, leather bags, shoes, small paintings, and other decorative items.

The five Makki brothers have taken over their father's herbalist business and turned it into an empire, running several of the shops on Place Marché aux Grains and in the spice souk across the road. They know their stuff and are happy to explain, over a pot of royal tea, which spices are used in which recipes and the difference between real and fake saffron. They also sell a range of solid perfumes, argan-oil products, and ceramics.

Named after Orson Welles's film Othello, which was shot in town, this gallery exhibits the work of local and international artists as well as antiques. Look out for Scottish artist Caroline Fulton's work, which features indigenous Moroccan animals in rural and medina settings. It's closed Monday.

For tasteful used pewter platters, goblets, and ceramic teapots, as well as new and used English and French books, check this store underneath the ramparts. It also has a large selection of antique daggers. The gallery's owner, Joseph Sebag, one of Essaouira's last remaining Jewish residents, is knowledgeable about the city's Jewish history.

Three floors of retro and vintage furnishings and decor at this gallery showcase the collections of Abdelatif, who ran a restaurant of the same name in this space. Explore this treasure trove to discover furniture, artwork, clothing, and decorative objects, both Moroccan and European, from bygone decades.

Danish collector Frederic Damgaard is credited with bringing the naïve art (works by artists without formal art training) of Essaouira to an international audience. His Galerie d'Art Damgaard, across from the clock tower, has well-curated displays of work by Essaouira painters and sculptors, and it's also a great place to pick up souvenir books on local art and culture.

Tucked away at the end of the street, Galerie Jama seems more museum than shop. You can browse among wooden doors, mosaic vases, vintage Amazigh rugs, and all sorts of wonderful odds and ends. Get ready to negotiate if you see something you like.

Essaouira's only concept store is located near Bab Sbaa and offers a range of clothing, jewelry, accessories, organic argan oil, and small decorative items. Products are designed locally by Moroccan and international designers. This is the closest you'll get in Essaouira to the modern design stores of Marrakesh.

Amid dozens of other Ali Baba–cave-style shops in the Essaouira medina, La Fibule Berbère is one of the oldest and one of the few that accepts credit cards. The shop displays stunning jewelry, such as huge silver pendants, fibules (clasps for attaching pendants and closing shawls), and bulky necklaces made in the Amazigh and Toureg styles.

Shopping at this store in the medina gives you the chance to pick up craft items with a conscience and support locals, as a percentage of the profits goes to Project 91, a charity that helps young Souiris (natives of Essaouira) improve their lives through job training and other activities. Some items, including paintings, prints, handwoven textiles, bags, gifts, and accessories, are made in the neighborhood or by co-ops, which benefits locals. Project 91 also runs Dar 91 ( dar91.com), three serviced apartments for visitors. 

This shop in the medina offers a range of handmade items from all over Morocco and the Sahara, including mirrors, jewelry, leather bags, and small pieces of furniture. The kettle is always on, and you'll eventually be invited to join in for a cup of sweet mint tea to seal your deal.