Taroudant Souks

Taroudant has something Marrakech no longer really has: an unbroken circuit of pise walls, about seven and a half kilometres of them with towers and five gates, enclosing a town of low buildings with the High Atlas visible over them - which is why it is sometimes called little Marrakech, a comparison the town itself finds tiresome. Inside are two souks: the Arab souk, denser and covered, with jewellery, spices, ceramics and leather, and the Berber souk, more open and more agricultural, with wool, produce, tools, dates and livestock trade. Silver is the strength here, along with argan oil from the Souss cooperatives, and the pressure to buy is a fraction of what it is further north - vendors state prices, bargaining is short and civil, and it is possible to browse. A caleche circuit of the walls is the standard evening thing.

What to look for

• A complete wall circuit - seven and a half kilometres of pise with five gates.
• Two distinct souks - the covered Arab market and the open Berber one.
• Silver and argan - the local specialities, sold with far less pressure than the north.
• The Atlas over the roofs - the mountains visible above a low-built town.

When to go

October to April; the Souss is very hot in summer. Half a day.

Good to know

Summer heat on the Souss plain is severe. The town is quiet and has fewer sights than its comparison to Marrakech suggests. Argan oil quality varies - buy from cooperatives. Caleche prices should be agreed first.

Nearby

Tiout oasis is east; Agadir is west on the coast.