Inside mysterious Marrakech

"Follow me and stick close," he says as we roam the labyrinths of narrow alleyways in Marrakesh.

"Tourists have been doing this for hundreds of years; they love the noise, colour and great shopping."

I was more concerned about being run over as young men on motorbikes whiz around the sharp corners and others pushing carts yell out to move as you walk along the alleyways.

"Ah yes, that's why you have to follow me," Abdallah says.

We have spent several days in Marrakesh seeing it in all its glory and now it's retail therapy time.

We cross the city’s famous market square, Jemaa el Fna, which is bustling with people just as it has for one thousand years.

It's an amazing sight with cobras doing dances from frayed woven baskets and women painting henna patterns, men selling cigarettes and lots of orange and date stalls.

It seems everyone is yelling. It's mesmerising but easy to get lost. Thank goodness for Abdallah.

It doesn't take long to discover that shopping is one of the big drawcards of any visit to Morocco and in Marrakesh, you will find a treasure trove of goodies from inexpensive throws, rugs, dishes, jewellery to artwork and musical instruments.

Then there are expensive carpets, finest linens and wonderful artworks.

There are two types of shopping in this city - the souks where generations of stallholders have been making and selling the same items for centuries and chic artisan boutiques in the new city and suburban areas where handcrafted goods come attached with a hefty price tag.

Take your best haggling skills with you to the souks but remember, the stallholders have had a lot of practice, so start at half price and if they let you walk away you know you are too low.

Morocco's largest souk stretches from between Jemaa el Fna and the Ben Youssef Mosque.

You can shop till you drop from 9am to 7pm.

As a rough guide, head to Souk Semmarine for pottery of all shapes and sizes, textiles stalls and clothing shops filled with embroidered kaftans and soft pashminas that you will want to buy by the dozen. Check the quality of the pashminas then buy in bulk - they make great gifts and are easy to pack and you can pick them up for under $10.

If it is bling that takes your fancy, try the jewellery souk, Souk des Bijoutin and for great photographic opportunities, the Spice Square off Souk Semmarine is magical with its mountains of vivid coloured spices.

Polished copper and brass lanterns, candlesticks, silver trays, teapots and lamps, which are all good buys, can be found at Souk el Attarine and we pick up some bargains but it is Souk Smata, the shoe souk that proves my undoing.

Abdallah also takes us to Souk Chouari, the working carpenters' headquarters, where we watch a wood carver work a lathe with his toes making a tiny chess set.

We then stop and listen to the rhythmic sound of metal being pounded as we approach the blacksmiths' souks, Souk Haddadine, at the northern edge of the markets.

Artisans work in tiny workshops with red hot metal twisting the iron into all shapes and patterns creating modern filigree decorative goods as well as door locks, household window frames, animal cages and farm utensils. Next we head to the dyers' souks where colourful skeins of wool and silk in shades of hot pink, crimson reds, deep yellows and sky blue are hung out to dry at Souk des Teinturiers.

Exhausted, we head back to our beautiful boutique riad, a traditional Moroccan house with courtyard and garden that's a haven in the medina.

We collapse on the comfy day beds by the pool then sip mint tea in the garden and nibble dainty pastries from the cafe while we plan our next shopping trip.

Someone once told me that Marrakesh quickly casts a spell on you and it certainly does. We leave with bags bulging with so many treasures found in the souks and wonderful memories.

Published under license from Well Travelled