morocco

Olive market Marrakech

Cured olives are ever present at the moroccan dinner table. Locally grown and picked by hand, the food miles are minimal and the taste sensation is maximum! There are wide selections on offer in the Olive Market, located close to Djema el Fna Square. Our free smartphone App the Marrakech Riad Travel Guide will guide […]

Dyed wool in Marrakech

The age old tradition of natural dying continues to this day in the heart of the Marrakech Medina. In the vast and sprawling souks of the red city there are small courtyards, tucked away, where you can see these traditional arts. They are as much a part of daily life now as they have been […]

Saffron Harvest in Morocco

Saffron is a prized cookery and natural medicine ingredient. Saffron is cultivated in the Siroua Mountains of Southern Morocco. The region is prosperous and famous due to this valuable crop. With a value greater than that of gold per gram this little flower really does hold hidden treasure. Saffron is the stamens of a crocus. […]

Restoration-of-a-reception-17th-century-house-in-Marrakech

The Moussine museum is located on the Derb el Hammam between the Mouassine mosque and the Moussine fountain. The museum is signposted and the narrow derb runs alongside the wall of the mosque   and just after the mosque’s massive side door you walk through a narrow archway leading to the Museum. A reception desk at […]

tin mel mosque by colon kilkelly

Tin Mel mosque is the spiritual Amazigh (Berber) heartland of the Almohads who came out of the desert in the south and were led by the Mahdi Mohamed Ibn Toumert of the Masmoudi tribe who had returned from a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and declared a jihad against the Almoravids whom he considered to be decadent […]

cute cats in Marrakech

Anyone who has visited Marrakech will probably tell stories of the cats and kittens that inhabit the streets of the ancient medina. Every derb (street) you walk down you see family of cats resting in the shade, a cute kitten lapping up some water or a lone cat sneaking around the corner. Even some of […]

Imlil, High Atlas Mountains_-2

The high Atlas village of Imlil is the gateway to the magnificent Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak and crowning wonder of the Atlas range and the tallest mountain in North Africa. The scenery is truly stunning and, at just over an hours drive from the Marrakech, it is remarkably accessible, making it the perfect day […]

caligraphy

Calligraphy, known as Khatt in Arabic, is very much part of the Arab identity. On your trip to Marrakech, you will see that it is all around you: on shop signs, newspapers, books and advertising. It has become a way of communicating through art. We met up with Nour-Eddine Boukheir, a traditionally trained calligrapher, who […]

Kasbah cafe Marrakech

There are a lot of things to do in Marrakech, but sometimes the hot Moroccan sun can take its toll. It is in these moments that even the most hardened traveller requires a café to relax, drink a refreshing drink and maybe even grab something to eat. Situated in Kasbah district, close to the entrance […]

wood workshop, marrakech

Whilst walking around Marrakech, it is impossible not to notice how many of the doors, window shutters and wooden tables are carefully adorned with exquisite carvings or intricately painted tessellated patterns. These humble items extend far beyond their functional use: the beautiful designs, that are so unique to the region, represent a certain respect for […]

Koutoubia Mosque at night

During Ramadan, every night after the sun has set and their fast has been broken, many Muslims go to the mosque for extra prayers called Salat Atarawih. When night falls in Marrakech, many local people quickly descend on the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech’s largest and oldest mosque, in an effort to find a place to pray […]

medina wall, turrets, marrakech

Commissioned by Ali Ben Yousef back in 1126, the ramparts that surround Marrakech’s old town have become the symbol of the red city. Standing at 8-10m high they once provided protection for the inhabitants of Marrakech and, until the early 20th century, the 10 gates that give access to the Medina (Marrakech’s old town) were […]

Koutoubia Gardens

The Koutoubia Mosque is the most visited monument in Marrakech. Standing at an impressive 77 meters tall, the mosque’s magnificent minaret tower dominates the city’s skyline providing a useful landmark to tourists and locals alike. However, perhaps one of the best perspectives of the minaret is from the Koutobia Gardens. As you enter the garden […]

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About 30 kilometres to the South of the red city of Marrakech in the direction of Lalla Takerkoust lake, a small festival takes place in memory of the saint Moulay Abdellah Ben Hussain. This festival is called the Tamaslouht Musem (festival) and Tbourida (fantasia) and it occurs on the last week of January. On the first […]

Marrakech Koutubia mosque

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 […]

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, […]

Kui zin Marrakech

Kui zin is a simple and delightful cafe restaurant established in 2013 and currently not licensed for alcohol.  Located near the the Sidi Abdelaiz shrine in the centre of Marakech. The name is a play on words.  TheFrench cuisine meaning kitchen and the Moroccan arabic zin meaning attractive or good. Chef Kenza produces mainly traditional Moroccan […]

Orange-Juice stall Marrakech

Situated in the middle of Marrakech, the central square (Jemaa El Fnaa) truly can be described as the beating heart of the city and a day spent wandering through the groups of performers, artists and musicians can indeed be thirsty work. So when you’re ready for refreshment there really is no other option than to […]

goats in a tree

If, during your stay you find yourself wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh  for a few hours, by travelling just a few miles from the city outskirts you can not only take a pause to gather your senses but you can also get hands on with a unique aspect of Moroccan agriculture. These are […]

Moroccan Prayer Beads

Commonly clutched in the weathered hands of the older population of Morocco, the Tasbih (pictured) is the highly significant beaded prayer string of the Muslim population. According to the Prophet, these enable all that follow the Islamic religion to pray, give thanks to Allah and acquire a heavenly place in the after life equally, regardless […]

The Ben Youseff  mosque seen from Riad Cinnamon

Budget airline Easyjet is launching a new year round service to Marrakech from London Stansted. Flights leave on Monday Wednesday and Friday with the inaugural flight on Friady 15th February 2012.  Tickets are now on sale and there are some fantastic prices with flights from as little as £25 in the opening weeks. Where better […]

orange delivery jemaa al fnaa

Just minutes from our Marrakech Riads, the Jemaa al Fnaa square in Marrakech is famous for freshly squeezed orange juice. Aziz has been supplying delivering oranges to the square for many years. Ably assisted by his team- Hamid and Ibrahim in his efforts to supply Fresh oranges grown in the Marrakech region destined to the […]

tanjia restaurant marrakech medina

Le Tanjia is a long established restaurant, South of the  main square in the direction of the Jewish quarter, the Mellah. It is named after a classic Moroccan Lamb dish the Tanjia but the real signature dish is another slow cooked Marrakechi Lamb speciality ‘Mechoui’ where the whole lamb is cooked (traditionally undergound) for many […]

Ocha sushi Restaurant

NOW CLOSED. THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN IN 2015   If one had to think of a city where it would be easy to find slightly more exotic international cuisine then Marrakech is not perhaps one of the places that immediately springs to mind. However such preconception is misplaced as in recent years there is a […]

Dar El Bashah at dusk

From the 9th to the 12th of august 2011 Morocco received some visitors in the form of a whole cruise ship full of American students. This was thanks to the semester at sea program whereby students embark on a cruise ship (in this case starting in Nassua the Bahamas) and then proceed to tour a […]

A Typical meal to break the fast

The Islamic calender also has 12 months like the Gregorian, however whereas the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar (i.e. based on the earth’s orbit of the sun) the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This means that the calendar does not correspond directly to the seasons in the same way that the western calendar does, […]

The old Synagoge in the Jewish quarter

The Jewish community has a long history in Marrakech and Morocco at large, indeed the history of the community stretches back to antiquity under the Roman empire following the dissolution of the Jewish state in 70 AD with Jewish people arriving after the destruction of the Jewish state. The Jewish people received relatively kind treatment under the sultans due […]