A holiday is not really complete without a souvenir, and in Casablanca, the question is not what to shop for but where to shop. From busy markets and traditional shops to big brand shopping, Casablanca has it all.
Casablanca offers a unique shopping experience. The city’s shopping culture revolves around traditional markets that are busy, and modern shopping centres that offer a less-frenetic shopping experience.
Finding the best places to buy souvenirs in Casablanca comes down to your bargaining skills as well as how much time and energy you’re prepared to put into each transaction. Be prepared to haggle as it is a natural part of the process and can take up a lot of your time.
Traditional Markets
Traditional souvenir spots can be found at street markets and souks. They are widely accessible throughout the historic parts of the city and are the best places to shop for traditional Moroccan souvenirs.
Modern Shopping Centres
Casablanca also has modern shopping centres located in its central cosmopolitan area and its seaside coastal neighbourhood of Ain Diab. As well as a more relaxed experience, shopping here is haggle-free.
The Ancienne Medina is located in the heart of Casablanca and is the oldest part of the city, dating back to the late 19th century. This historic neighbourhood is known for its charming souks and traditional street shopping. The Old Medina is a good souvenir spot for hookahs/shishas, lanterns and wood ornaments as well as traditional kaftans. Locals here bargain shop and you’ll be expected to bargain as well.
Located on Muhammad V Boulevard, the Marche Central is a busy historic market place known for its selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, meat and flowers. However, it is also a great place for handcrafts, woven baskets, antiques and old photographs alongside a vast array of herbs and spices.
Built by the French in the 1930s, the Quartier Habous – also known as the “New Medina” – is a neighbourhood with a unique blend of Moroccan and French influences. Here, you’ll find local shops, stalls and an open-air market selling everything from wooden carvings to Moroccan jewellery, as well as traditional Moroccan scarves and pashminas known for their beautifully intricate designs. Just like the Ancienne Medina, haggling is the norm here and prices vary accordingly. However, unlike the Ancienne Medina, the shopping environment is a little more relaxed and less busy.
Shopping in Derb Ghallef is different from the rest of the traditional markets in Casablanca, although shopping here can be organised chaos. This big informal open-air flea market has many different stalls selling textiles, handcrafts, toys, furniture and homeware. Haggling is also a common practice, though prices can already be very low. Derb Ghallef is popular among shoppers for the wide range of electronics, computing devices, phones and video games on offer as well as the designer brand and luxury fashion imitations stalls.
Alpha 55 is your run-of-the-mill department store and one of the biggest of its kind in Casablanca. Its numerous shops offer good quality and affordable products ranging from jewellery, home decor and textiles to clothing, cosmetics, toys, games, sports equipment and more traditional souvenirs.
West of the city centre, Ain Diab is home to Africa’s largest shopping mall – the Morocco Mall. Housed in a modern building, the vast retail space houses more than 300 Moroccan and international brands. Shopping at the mall will be more expensive, but some shops offer popular high-street brands and more accessible designer labels.
Located next to the beach, Anfaplace Shopping Center offers Moroccan and American brands in a two-story shopping complex that has been open to the public since 2013. Over 80 high-street brands are available from H&M and Marks & Spencer to Calzedonia and Monsoon. A food court with more than 20 restaurants can also be found here, with various cuisines such as American, Italian and Japanese.
We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK"