Guide to Marrakech
Guide to Marrakech
Traditional Babouche Slippers
The Babouche is a traditional slipper found throughout the Arab-Muslim world including Morocco and Marrakech. Usually made from leather and found in a variety of colours, the Babouche comes in various styles ranging from thick soled slippers, often worn by local Marrakchis both in the Medina and in the new town, and more thin […]
Menara Gardens (Jardins de la Menara)
Located just west of the Medina lies the Menara Gardens: a 12th Cent garden consisting of rows of olive groves, tall palm tree and beautiful flowers. These tall trees are occasionally accompanied by a modern addition to the park: the planes flying into the nearby Marrakech Menara Airport. However, far from being a disruptive distraction, […]
Abdil’s Wood Workshop
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 […]
The Khalid Art Gallery
The Khalid Art Gallery is becoming somewhat of an institution in Marrakech. Located on Dar el Basha in a traditional Riad, the Art Gallery (perhaps more accurately defined as a shop) is bursting with some of the most sought after Moroccan antiques and exquisite artisanal products that Marrakech has to offer. It is easy to […]
Yassine, The Leather Artisan.
Situated on the road leading to the tanneries, facing the Mokf Hospital, lies a small leather workshop owned by Yassine, a 33 year old artisan. Yassine invited us in to his small shop to show us around. He explained that he had started sewing when he was just 12 years old and since then he […]
Sebaatou Rijales (The Seven Patrons of Marrakech): Mohamed Sidi Ben Slimane al-Jazouli
Mohamed Sidi Ben Slimane al-Jazouli is not only considered as one of the seven patronsS of Marrakech, but he is also recognised for his holiness throughout the Islamic world. As an Islamic scholar and Imam, Sidi Ben Slimane al-Jazouli, often known as “Imam al-Jazuli”, is best known for compiling the Dala’il al-Khayrat, an extremely popular […]
Where Sparks Fly: the hidden iron workshops of the Souks.
Lying at the northern point of the world famous Souks, hidden down a small alleyway off the main Souk passageways, it is possible to find a row of Iron workshops inhabited by local Marrakchis. Although this spot remains uncharted on the majority of tourist maps and guides, if you download our MarrakechRiad app and follow […]
The Saint Martyrs Church (L’Eglise des Saints Martyrs)
Nestled in the heart of Gueliz you can find the first Church to be built in Marrakech, The Saint Martyrs Church (L’Eglise des Saints Martyrs). As seen in the photo above, The Saint Martyrs Church is located opposite an equally stunning Mosque on Rue el Iman Ali . The face to face, almost symmetrical configuration […]
The Gates of the Medina: Bab Er-Robb
Bab Er-Robb, which translates as ‘Lord’s Gate’, was used for controlling spirits; nowadays it functions as the main entrance into the Medina. Whereas Bab Er-Robb is perhaps not as visually stunning as it’s close neighbor, Bab Agnaou, it is possible to find a beautiful rose garden and comfortable shady benches less than 10 metres from […]
The Gates of the Medina: Bab Agnaou
While it’s nearby neighbor Bab er-Robb acts as the official entrance to the city, Bab Agnaou functions as the main entrance to the Kasbah which is the site of the El Badi Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the El Mansouria (the kasbah mosque). Bab Aganou is perhaps the most unique of Marrakech’s nineteen gates and […]
The El-Harti Gardens (Jardins El-Harti)
Situated in the heart of Gueliz, the El-Harti Gardens have everything to offer. As one of Marrakech’s larger new gardens, it is possible to find playgrounds for children and sports areas for everyones enjoyment. However, what is perhaps most about El-Harti is the diverse range of plants and flowers it houses; alongside the the […]
The Koutoubia Mosque at night during Ramadan
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 […]
The Ramparts
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 […]
The Khomisa Symbol (The Hand of Fatima)
The Hamsa symbol, also known as the hand of fatima, can be found all across the Arabic and North African world and you will repeatedly see the amulet throughout your stay in Morrocco. Most Moroccans believe that the Hamsa, or Khomisa as it is known locally, acts as a form of protection from evil, whilst […]
Koutoubia Gardens (Lalla Hassna Park)
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 […]
The Royal Theatre
Inaugurated on 19th of September 2001 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Théâtre Royal de Marrakech has worked to secure the red city’s reputation as one of the major artistic and cultural focal points of the world. Inside it’s impressive 1200-seat open-air theatre and 800-seat opera house, the theatre hosts a variety of […]
Charity motorcycle taxis
A welcome addition to the street scene in Marrakech are the bright canopies of the charity motorcycle taxis no located on the South side of the main Jema Al Fnaa square near to the horse and carriage rank. The three wheeled vehicles are ideal for negotiating the small streets of the Medina and the drivers […]
Queen of the Desert
Actress Nicole Kidman is currently in Morocco shooting the biopic ‘Queen of the Desert’ based on the extraordinary life of Gertrude Bell a writer archeologist and diplomat who played a key role in establishing the modern states of Jordan at the end of the nineteenth century.
Jemaa el-Fnaa – storytellers of the square
The tradition of storytelling is a Moroccan practice which has been taking place in the central square of Marrakech for many hundreds of years. Much like snake charming, acrobatics and copper working, good storytelling is a revered art which demands natural talent as well as many years of practice. Across the corners of Morocco, storytelling or […]
Jemaa el-Fnaa – the Medina Mosque
Overshadowing the central square of Marrakech is the stunning sight of the Medina, or Argana Mosque. Hugging the North-Western reaches of the Jemaa el-Fnaa aside of Souk Jdid, the Argana Mosque has no Qur’anic school and exists solely as a space of prayer, acting as a key religious location for local Marrakshi, especially during the […]
Moroccan style – the traditional Djellaba
New fashions come and go through the red city of Marrakech, yet there is one piece of clothing with has stayed for centuries, this is the traditional Moroccan Djellaba. Worn by both men and women, you can expect to see Djellabas worn on a day to day to basis in the streets of the red […]
Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī – religious festival in Marrakech
There are a number of key religious celebrations that take place in Morocco, the exact dates of which constantly change in keeping with the Islamic calender which follows the lunar cycle. One such celebration is Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī (the festival of the birth of the prophet Mohammed) which takes place in Rabi’ al-awwal, the third month of […]
Jemaa el-Fnaa – Boxing
For many hundreds of years, the Jemaa el-Fnaa square of Marrakech has played host to a wide range of markets, a plethora of unimaginable spectacles and all forms of entertainment imaginable. Indeed, in the red city today, very little has changed. A short stroll through Marrakech’s central square could involve an encounter with anything from a Berber […]
Marrakech Medina – Moroccan scarves
If you step out of the doors of the Riad Cinnamon and stroll past the Ben Youssef mosque, you will encounter the numerous scarf stalls that line the walls in the direction of Souk Semmarine. The stalls showcase kaleidoscopic arrangements of vivid colours and patterning, the likes of which can not be found in the city market […]
Souk el Bahja – the place of lovers
In the North-Eastern reaches of the ancient central square of Marrakech between Souk Semmarine and Café de France you will discover Souk el Bahja. Meaning literally ‘up and down’ in the Moroccan Darija dialect of Arabic, Souk el Bahja gets its name from the three floors of iron stairs that allow you to traverse through the labyrinthine […]
Jemaa el-Fnaa – Ba Mahjoub the bird trainer
At the very centre of Marrakech is Jemaa el-Fnaa. For hundreds of years this central square has acted as the beating heart and mouthpiece of the red city, and is home to markets, food stalls and street performers of a huge variety. One individual you might expect to encounter in the square is Ba Mahjoub […]
