The souk of Taza's medina is the functional commercial heart of the old city, clustered around the lanes leading to the Grande Mosquée. Unlike the tourist-oriented souks of Fez or Marrakech, Taza's market serves primarily local buyers and trades in the everyday goods of Moroccan life: spices, olives, pottery, leather goods, fabrics, and household items. A few stalls sell the traditional crafts — babouches, djellabas, brass, and woven goods — but the pressure to buy is low and the atmosphere is more like a real market than a heritage performance.
The kissariat (covered artisan section) near the mosque is the oldest part of the souk and worth finding: the narrow covered lanes with their ancient woodwork ceilings have changed little in the way they function, even if the goods have modernised. Morning is the best time to visit when deliveries are happening and the market is at full activity.