Souk

A souk is a traditional Arab marketplace organized by craft guild, usually located at the center of a medina. The word comes from the Aramaic for street or market. Souks still drive the informal economy of cities like Marrakech, Fes, Tunis, Damascus, Aleppo, and Dubai (the Spice Souk and Gold Souk of Deira are famous). Each souk specializes: leather slippers, carpenters, fabric dyers, spice merchants. For travelers, your hotel proximity to a souk is part of the experience, but expect intense bargaining culture: starting prices are typically 2 to 3 times what locals pay. The best riads offer guided souk walks so you skip touts and overpaying.