Since Sept. 11, 2001, any mention of visiting an Arab or Muslim nation seems to raise eyebrows, but few places in the world are as accommodating, enchanting and exotic as Morocco.

At the main square in Marrakech, Morocco’s cultural capital, you’re more likely to hear the name of English soccer star David Beckham than wanted man Osama Bin Laden.

More than anything, the square called Djema’a al-Fna is a place bustling with life.

Pythons dance to the hum of a snake charmer’s flute. Food stalls sell dried fruit and nuts, skewered meat and local delicacies such as harira, a salty chickpea soup. Fortunetellers and tarot readers woo clients.

Five times a day, prayers are called out via loudspeaker from nearby mosques. Morocco’s population is almost entirely Sunni Muslim. Thousands crowd the square from the early afternoon until late at night to witness the scene that renews each day.

Long considered the gateway to the Orient by European traders, Morocco offers an uncomplicated introduction to the African continent for tourists.

But while the Djema’a al-Fna plaza has lured travelers for more than a millennium, today few Americans can be found.

The Moroccan government has worked hard to combat fears of terrorism, cracking down on suspected members of al-Qaida and assuring Americans they have always been welcomed in the country.

‘‘Sometimes it takes Americans a few days to adjust," said Abdou Essassi, a student who works in his family’s small rug shop. He said that many seem timid when they first arrive but then relax.

When people find out a traveler is American, the reply is often that of excitement rather than fear or hate.

‘‘Really? No! The United States?"

Abdou told me he wants to learn better English so he can understand Eminem. He even asked me what I thought of Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming California’s governor.

There is no better way to lose your- self in Moroccan culture than in the medina, the old part of the city filled with marketplaces with tens of thousands of shops and five times as many people. Surrounded by red walls, it is the largest and most active part of the city. You could walk around the medina every day for months and not come close to seeing every shop, stall or vendor.

It is second in size only to the medina in Fez, a city larger than Marrakech. If you venture inside the medina walls for more than 20 minutes, chances are you’ll be lost.

If unable to find your way out, you can just ask any child to show you the way for a few dirhams, equivalent to a few dimes.

Deals abound in Marrakech. Fresh-squeezed orange juice can be had for about a quarter. Leather lampshades resembling ones from Pottery Barn cost just a few dollars.

The medina is divided into many overlapping sections, or souqs. There is a spice souq, pottery souq, fabric souq, footwear souq and a leather souq among many others.

Haggling is an art in Morocco. Those who think their visits to Caribbean straw markets make them experts should think again. Hagglers in Morocco are some of the world’s best. Some will try the quick sell, but the best will sit you down in their shops and get to know you.

I didn’t need a hand-woven rug, but when I heard of other travelers’ tales, I had to at least take a look.

I went into a two-story shop, Chez El Moutaousset, with piles of rugs, all hand-woven. Many are decades old. Some are silk, some wool. Some have intricate designs like you might see in Turkey or India. Some have simple patterns that were made not far away in villages in the High Atlas.

I made it clear that I was just there to look and couldn’t carry a rug home in my already tootight luggage. The shop’s owner, Mohamed Touareg, brought some friends and myself upstairs into a room.

As he shut the door to the room, his assistant unfolded rug after rug for us to see while Mohamed explained where they were from, the style, and how to tell a knockoff from the authentic.

He even brought out a pot of green tea with mint (a staple in the Moroccan diet).

Prices weren’t even mentioned until a half-hour into the process. The first price offered, even if it sounds reasonable, is way too much. Even half of that is too much. Guidebooks say the goal is to get the price down to almost a 10 th of the original price, but that requires lots of time, effort and frustration.

A good rule is to ask yourself what that item is worth to you and go from there. I ended up with an 8-by-10-foot woven silk rug and paid less than expected.

Others I met weren’t so lucky, often paying twice as much or going home with four or five so they could get the best deal. (A single rug can roll up so tightly that it may fit in your luggage.)

When all is said and done, a gift is sometimes expected. "A pen? Something from America?" another shopkeeper asked after a purchase.

In this respect, the haggle becomes something more than just a purchase. It’s a bonding experience. It is two people evaluating what something is worth to them; they compromise, and they become friends, regardless of the race or religion.

If you go
MARRAKECH, MOROCCO The predominantly Muslim country is welcoming to Americans.

GETTING THERE
The two best ways to get to Morocco are by air and sea. Many take advantage of the two-hour ferry ride from southern Spain (about $40 each way) to Tangier. Several locations throughout Morocco, including Marrakech and Casablanca, offer direct flights from New York on Royal Air Maroc. Many European cities also offer direct flights. Train travel is best for travel within the country. Taxis and horse-drawn carriages are the best option within cities. Only a U.S. passport is required for visits.

STAYING THERE

• Sheraton Marrakech. Located outside the ramparts of Marrakech, the hotel has a panoramic view of the Atlas Mountains. It is five minutes from Djema’a al-Fna. Rates begin at about $80 a night. Call 212-44-44-89-98.

• Hotel La Mamounia. One of the world’s more notable hotels and a favorite of Winston Churchill, the hotel looks like something right out of Arabian Nights: marble everywhere, Moorish arches, art deco, Oriental rugs and one of the finest gardens in the country. Rooms start at around $200 in the low season. Call 212-44-38-86-00.

• Hotel Ali. Unless you’re a backpacker, you probably won’t stay here, but you there’s a good chance you’ll come for the rooftop buffet or to arrange an excursion into the western Sahara, the High Atlas mountains or the Cascades D’Ouzoud. Call 212-44-43-61-79.

BEING THERE

• Djema’a al-Fna. The market is in the center of Marrakech, bordering the medina. Most hotels are within minutes from the square.

• The Souqs. Once you go in, you never come out. Or so it seems. Tens of thousands of vendors crowd the tangled web of streets and alleys. Expect to get lost and find every item you can imagine.

• Jardin Marjorelle (Marjorelle Garden). Owned and maintained by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, the collection of plants from five continents gives a muchneeded break from haggling. Admission is about $2.50.

SPEAKING THERE
Moroccans speak Darija, a form of Arabic, as well as French. English-speaking Moroccans are common, particularly when trying to make a sale.