Sevilla to Marrakech

I would not advise it. While studying, maybe get a group of students together and travel together over a weekend. While there, I would hire a local guide to take you rug shopping.

You’re a grown up if that’s what you want to do then do it. Millions do similar every year. And you really don’t need a guide to buy a rug.

i'll be following your thread as I am also interested in how to get from Seville to Marrakech. Are you concerned for your safety in Marrakech? I think getting information about a reputable establishment for buying a rug is wise. I'll be following. Good luck to you.

If you feel you will be comfortable wandering through a souk or medina in Marrakech by yourself, finding the area selling rugs and are able to bargain for it yourself, then, yes go for it. But you need to do some research on the different types of rugs; different weaving techniques, types of dyes, wool etc used and have some idea of the prices you can expect to pay. Believe me, the shopkeepers, especially in the main souk are masters of the hard sell. Expect to spend a long time making the purchase.

There is a whole routine involved in buying an item like a rug - you enter a shop, are greeted and seated and then usually offered mint tea. Then the sell begins, rugs of all shapes sizes and colours will be presented with a flourish and laid out for you. Once you have made a choice the really hard part begins, the bargaining. Never ever accept the first price offered, you make a counter offer, he makes another offer and so on until you are both, hopefully, happy. Then you have to think about how you are going to get the rug back to Seville; they can be quite heavy and awkward. Most stores will ship them but it can be costly. And then there is customs in Spain and presumably when you head back to the States.

When I was in Morocco I was with a group, the only time I felt uncomfortable was when crossing Jemma el-Fnaa one evening and we were harassed by a snake charmer who tried to lay a snake around the neck of one of our group who unfortunately had a mobility issue and couldn’t move away quickly enough. You don’t mention how long you expect to be in Marrakesh, a few days, a weekend, a week? There is a lot to see in the city and I think that having a guide will make it more enjoyable for you.

Getting to Marrakesh from Seville is easy by plane and takes a couple of hours. Otherwise it’s a very long haul by train or bus and ferry. Finding a good guide - search guide books on Morocco for information is the best recommendation I can give at this stage. Maybe someone on the Forum can give you a name? You hotel might be a good source also.

The advice to buy through a reputable carpet dealer is wise because a common complaint among buyers of carpets is that the carpet that is shipped to them after they leave the shop is not the carpet they agreed to buy.