jemaa al fnaa

Guedra dancers

Guedra represents several aspects of a form of dance which is particular to Southern Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria. The primary meaning of Guedra is cooking pot, when this pot is covered with a stretched leather skin to create a drum, the drum is also known as Guedra. When the drummer plays a beat representing a […]

There are those of us who love to explore the world, who seek places where our senses can be filled with wonder. Places where we can delight in the richness and differences of cultures and cities. Those of us who yearn to widen our life experiences of the world. If you are this person we […]

cactus fruit in marrakech riad

The cactus plants seen at the roadsides of Morocco bear a wonderful fruit; the prickly pear. The plants are often a natural boundary between properties, and in the late summer they become laden with fruit. Take care when opening the fruit, as the spines are fine and spiky! You will notice that the street vendors […]

Marrakech bike rental

Marrakech has just launched the first bike sharing system in Africa, Medina Bikes. 320 brand new bicycles are now anchored in ten key points and available 24 hours a day. The project was designed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Onudi) and supported by the Moroccan government. It was implemented by the Moroccan company […]

marrakech flavours

Marrakech is a sensory delight, the city is well known for seducing it’s visitors with vivid colours, an exotic soundscape with calls to prayer, street musicians and the sounds of life within the medina and of course the tastes of exotic spices and local delicacies. One cannot fail to notice the daily rituals around food and […]

Marrakech has been chosen by National Geographic as the winner of first place in the Cities category in the 21 Best of the World Destinations 2017. This very competitive award is nominated by The National Geographic worldwide network of editors, writers and explorers. We wholeheartedly agree with this choice for the year. We fell in […]

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Riad Papillon will be your home for a three night culture break.  Just ten minutes walk from the drama and chaos of the Jemaa al Fnaa Square you could hardly believe the oasis of calm provided by the Riad courtyard. Great Value at £199 (Euros 239) per person. Explore the fabulous souks with a personal […]

Moroccan rug, arab carpets seller, Marrakech

All around the world Morocco is famous for it’s carpets and many travellers land in Marrakech in search of a quality piece of authentic craftwork. But it is rare to find a carpet seller who sells quality products, at fixed prices, without the tourist-spiel. However, the El Wifak Carpet Cooperative, located in the Ensemble Artisanal […]

Plant Sellers

Pepiniere Jemaa al Fna It stands in the northwest of the square, and it  include several shops that propose a choice of  different kind of plants and flowers, most of the shops owned by farmers  that come from the the countrysides of Marrakech,  Their plants can be locally farmed  like the Casania, Girofle, pennisetum, small palms, […]

Mint sellers of the Medina

Scattered throughout the Medina you will see the many mint salesmen going about their daily trade. Mint is an absolutely key staple in Moroccan society, used in marinades for a variety of dishes and of course in the traditional mint tea. And the central hub of the red city is of course no exception to […]

Grand Balcon Sign

Perched on the southern corner of Jemaa al-Fnaa, just off Rue Riad Zitoun Kdim you will find Le Grand Balcon du Café Glacier. Le Grand Balcon du Café Glacier is one of two café-restaurants that due to their larger than average size have a distinct prominence within the central square of the red city. No matter […]

Poste Maroc

On the south-western side of the central square of Jemaa al-Fnaa you will discover a large post office (Poste Maroc). Sending a postcard or letter is usually cheap, but in Morocco it is especially so. For less than 10 Dirham (around 70p) you can send a postcard to anywhere in Europe. The yellow post boxes […]

Acrobats

As you unwind  in one of the cafe’s or restaurants that are lined along the edges Jemaa al-Fnaa, don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of a group of local acrobats who often descend towards the South-Eastern corner of the square.  The troupe are an illustrious bunch and after vaulting and somersaulting their way through the […]

El Waha Cafe Restaurant

El Waha Café Restaurant is located on the eastern side of the central square of Marrakech (Jemaa al-Fnaa), a convenient 5 minute stroll from Riad Dar Habiba but only a 10-15 minute walk from any of our other Riad’s. El Waha offers a similar selection of traditional Moroccan dishes as other Café Restaurant’s in the area such […]

Argan musicians

As the sun set’s over the central square of Marrakech, performers, magicians and musicians descend on Jemaa al-Fnaa to perform for the thriving crowds that circulate within the area. One group of musicians who call themselves the ‘Argan group’ have become particularly popular in the square for the atmosphere they create with their array of […]

Taj'in Darna sunset

Taj’in Darna is a cafe/ restaurant located on the Eastern side of Marrakech’s central square. Serving a variety of traditional Moroccan dishes and refreshments it’s cosy rooftop terrace is the ideal space in which to stop and refresh your batteries after a day spent exploring the red city. Due to the stunning panoramic views of […]

Marrakech Lamps in Souks

Lamp’s have held a hugely high value in Moroccan architecture and design for hundreds of years and are used in all four corners of Morocco to decorate shops, restaurants and houses. Hand-crafted Moroccan lamps come in all shapes and sizes and often take a painstakingly long time to complete. In Jemaa al-Fnaa many lamp salesmen […]

Amal Saha band

You never truly quite know what to expect before venturing into Marrakech’s thriving central hub, Jemaa al-Fnaa. A five minute wander through this ancient space and you will witness acrobats, story tellers and magicians all competing to hold the gaze of the moving crowds. There is one act, however that is perhaps quite different from […]

Snack toubkal

The centre of Marrakech (Jemaa al-Fnaa) is not only the cultural hub of the red city, it’s also a thriving centre for cuisine. Here you will find restaurants, cafe’s and open air stalls to match any budget. Tucked away on the Eastern side of Djemaa al-Fnaa as you enter the square from Rue Riad Zitoun […]

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Cafe France is a Marrakech institution, located at the north west corner of the Jemaa al Fnaa it has been a meeting place and watering hole for Europeans since the days of the French Protectorate in Morocco. It was redecorated at the end of 2009 and inconveniently for the new visitor the Cafe France sign […]

Jemma al fnaa square Marrakech Morocoo

Around dusk in the north west corner of the Jemaa al fnaa the famous-dacing boys gather and start to perform. The dance and accompanying music will build to a crescendo many hours later. The cultural origins of this tradition lie in the fact that it would be considered innapropriate for women to put on such a performance. Visitors […]

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There are many sights and sounds in the vibrant Jemaa al Fnaa, the main square in Marrakech Morocco. One of the more curious is the sights of brightly dressed men moving throught the crowds (often ringing bells or callingout) carrying goat skin bags of water and brass cups. The explanation is that they are water […]