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Mat Maker
The last craftsman left making dried grass mats by hand, Saïd Laghzaoui is worth visiting to see this dying craft. The mats are used in mosques, but you can also buy placemats.
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Mister Cuir Marocain
There's a wide range of leather jackets and coats in this shop; black and dark brown are cheaper than tan and other colours. Men's jackets are around DH800 ; women's jackets around DH650 , or Dh 750 for a three-quarter length jacket.
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Najib Cuir
This small shop sells sandals (around DH30 to around DH100 ), belts (from around DH30 ), handbags and satchels (from Dh150) and briefcases (a good-quality one at Dh350).
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Nausikaa Spa
How do we love thee, Nausikaa? Let us count the ways… We love your luxe fit-out, your relaxing massages, your Payot and Thalgo facials and your wide range of body treatments. But most of all we love your indulgent hammam experience, and you can have your hair blow-dried afterwards.
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Neq Broderie
Walk right to the end of this grubby lane, off Talaa Kebira near the Bou Inania Medersa, and into a modern-looking house (signposted from Talaa Kebira). It's worth the effort: here is handcrafted traditional Fassi embroidery (watch the women at work) on excellent quality cotton-linen mix. Placemats cost around DH100 to around DH200 ; a tablecloth and six napkins from Dh450; napkins are Dh70 each.
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Nougat Shop
All around the Kairaouine and Moulay Idriss Zawiya are nougat shops and stalls with their pink, white and green slabs of nut-studded nougat, all buzzing with bees. The slabs at this little shop are around DH15 per kilogram; you can try a small basket of mixed nougats or a medium-sized one.
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Parfumerie Medina
The knowledgeable owner Rachid Ouedrhiri will explain all about the perfumes, cosmetics and essential oils he stocks in his small stall in the Henna Souk, off Talaa Kebira and if you've always hankered after arabesques swirling of henna, here's the ideal place. The henna artist applies the mixture while you relax under the plane tree in the Henna Souk, off Talaa Kebira. She charges around DH30 for a finger-and-wrist design, or around DH200 for the full treatment of hands, forearms and feet.
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Parfumerie Moulay Idriss
Stocking the usual range of essential oils and mock perfumes, this shop is more interesting for its wide range of prayer beads - the olive wood-and-bone rosary is particularly beautiful. There's also gum arabic incense and chunks of sandalwood.
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Riad Alkantara
A complex of six grand houses around a pool and garden, Riad Alkantara was due to open early in 2008. There are workshops in Moroccan crafts, art workshops for children, a café and evenings of poetry, storytelling and music. The spa (opening late 2008) has a hammam and massage room, and offers classes in movement, yoga and meditation.
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Rue Sekkakine
For centuries, trading in gold or silver was forbidden to Muslims. This was because working precious metals to be sold at higher prices than their base value was considered usury, something forbidden under Islamic law. Jews faced no such prohibitions, though; when members of Fez's Jewish community moved into the Mellah in the 14th century they set up goldsmithing businesses in Rue Sekkakine.
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Salon De Thé Batha
Here's one of the best patisseries selling excellent bread, cakes and croissants but the pièce de résistance is the patisserie: tiny exquisite biscuit creations featuring almonds, sesame paste, chocolate and macaroons. A 250g box of the best (essential when visiting Moroccan families) costs around DH30 .
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Semlali Mohamed
In his tiny shop crammed full of musical instruments, Si Mohamed will show you professional quality ouds , a hennaed goatskin daf (hand-held drum) or a ceramic tam-tam drum. There are gimbris (a type of lute), as well as wooden oboes and Gnaoua castanets.
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Smail Wazzani
This small shop stocks good-quality leather jackets for men or women. Jamila Khadiri will also make to order.
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Spice Shop
Hassan Graoui and his son Khalid are justly proud of their emporium of spices. This is an excellent place to stock up on ras el-hanoot (shopkeeper's spice mixture) that Hassan grinds himself, from his own secret blend of cinnamon, mace flowers, star anise, turmeric, nutmeg, black pepper, coriander and more. Perfect for Moroccan cooking.
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Wedding Clothes Shop
This souk specialises in wedding outfits. Hassan Bouazzaoui stocks hand-embroidered velvet wedding caftans in every colour (around around DH900 ), as well as embroidered wedding belts (from around DH100 ). It's a good place to buy a fez (Dh20).
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Woodwork Shop
One of the last craftsmen left who works entirely by hand (and foot), this elderly gentleman produces cedarwood and thuja boxes often inlaid with lemon wood, photograph frames and games such as dominoes and chessboards. He's particularly proud of his puzzle-boxes - see if you can find out how to open one.
