The short answer
The tanneries are real; the 'tour' you are steered into often is not. Someone tells you the tanneries are only open today, walks you there, hands you mint for the smell, then leads you to a leather shop and asks a large fee. Take a petit taxi to Bab Debbagh and walk in yourself, or agree a guide's price before you take a step.
In more detail
The Marrakech tanneries sit near Bab Debbagh in the north-east of the medina, a long walk from Jemaa el-Fna through lanes that are easy to get lost in. That distance is what makes the detour work. A stranger offers to show you the way, the walk takes longer than expected, and by the time you arrive you are in his hands.
The sprig of mint is a real courtesy, because the smell is strong. The pressure comes after: a fee for the 'tour', then a leather shop where the guide earns commission. Nobody is forcing you, but it is uncomfortable to say no halfway through.
The fix is to arrive on your own terms. Ride to the gate, walk in, and if someone offers to guide you, agree the price and what it covers before you start. Mornings are the best time to see the work going on. A licensed guide who already knows the workshops makes the visit simpler.
Good to know
- Ignore anyone who says the tanneries are 'only open today'.
- Go in the morning, when the tanners are at work.
- You do not have to buy anything from the shop that hosts the viewing terrace.