Guide to Marrakech
Guide to Marrakech
Jamade boutique Marrakech
South od the square on the way to pepe nero restaurant jamade boutique is a great place from where to buy nice jewelry, handbags and many other small items, most of which would fit your hand luggage. Although it has an European look, this cute little shop still have that Moroccan feel to it…but you […]
Mostapha Blaoui Bazaar
Mostapha blaoui owns and runs a traditional bazaar located behind an unmarked door in the dar el basha area few steps from the charity project henna cafe. Here you can buy carpets, lamps, leather and art items, mostly manufactured within the local area. It is a great place especially if you are an inexperienced haggler […]
Sweet Seller
Several small vehicles lined up along the corners of the square each evening, they present a myriad of forms of traditional cakes and Moroccan sweets both home-made and the product of specialist bakeries. Many of these cakes are holidays specialities and all are best accompanied by tea. They contain sugars, spices, honey, chocolate, Sugar, Fruit […]
L’avenue restaurant Marrakech
Destination restaurant in the new town of Guiliez. Serves both Moroccan and European food. Distinctive decor, a favourite among expats in the know. Magical atmosphere on busy evenings often featuring a pianist and Jazz singer.
Dar Si Said Museum Marrakech
With so many beautiful artifacts to see, the Dar Si Said Museum is maybe worth the detour. Less well laid out than the nearby Tiskiwin museum, the displays comprise Carpets, jewellery, daggars, ottomans, chests, leather crafts, objects in beaten copper, weapons and Berber jewellery. The painted wood ceilings, mosaic-covered walls and wooden doors are particularly […]
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 […]
Easyjet Bristol to Marrakech
Budget airline Easyjet have added a convenient new flight from Bristol to Marrakech. From December 14th 2013 the service will operate on Saturdays and Tuesdays. When you arrive our Riads in Marrakech provide the perfect base from which to explore the Red City.
Hamza the street performer: Charlie Chaplin in Marrakech
If you stroll through the winding streets nearby Rue Riad Zitoun el Kdim, you may be lucky enough to spot Hamza. Hamza is a street cleaner by his daily trade, however he also has a burning passion for the dance moves inspired by Charlie Chaplin! He’s somewhat of a celebrity among the locals in this sleepy […]
Jemaa al-Fnaa: Hotel Restaurant Café de France
Conveniently located on the eastern side of Jemaa al-Fnaa you will discover Café du France. Unlike the quaint café’s that you will find are scattered throughout the Medina, Café du France is a spacious, multiple floored café-restaurant that is seeped in character and history. Café de France bears many similarities to Le Grand Balcon du Café Glacier, a likewise […]
Jemaa al-Fnaa: 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 […]
Le Grand Balcon du Café Glacier
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: postcards in Jemaa al-Fnaa
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 […]
Moroccan dried fruits: sacred and delicious
Dried Moroccan fruits and dates in particular are not only key staples in Moroccan cuisine, they have a rich cultural and historical significance that goes back many thousands of years. As early as 6,000 BC there is evidence to suggest that the date palm was cultivated and harvested in North Africa and the Middle East […]
Ourika Valley: The breath of Marrakech
Nestled away in the middle Atlas Mountains, only a 45 minute drive from Marrakech lies the enchanting Ourika Valley. When you think of skiing, perhaps Morocco isn’t one of the first countries that springs to mind. However as the snow builds in the winter months, Ski resorts higher up the peaks of the Atlas Mountains […]
Trinkets of the square: The curse of the evil eye
A late night stroll through Marrakech’s central square, Jemaa al-Fnaa will lead you to encounter all kinds of the weird and the wonderful. However particularly towards the Eastern side of Jemaa al-Fnaa you will discover many Marrakshi locals selling unusual trinkets. Unlike the souvenirs you will find in the nearby postcard shops, for a few […]
Aqua: Italian cuisine in the heart of Marrakech
On the Eastern side of Jemaa al-Fnaa you will find Aqua, a quaint Italian pizzeria in the heart of the Medina. Depending on the length of your stay in the red city of Marrakech, you might discover that the intensely flavourful local tajine’s leave you longing for the more familiar tastes of home. If this […]
7 Saints Restaurant: Jemaa al-Fnaa
The 7 Saints is a cosy Café-Restaurant in the southern reaches of the central square of Marrakech, Jemaa al-Fnaa. At the 7 Saints you will be able to find traditional Moroccan cuisine as well as good variety of European dishes such as panini’s and pizzas. It’s easy to glance over the name, ‘7 Saints’ and not […]
Souk Semmarine: The famous Souk districts of the Medina.
If you speak to anyone who has visited Marrakech, you can be sure that they will mention the red city’s famous Souk District. Located in the very heart of the Medina, just north of Jemaa al-Fnaa and a five minute stroll from Riad Spice, Cinnamon, Papillon and Riad Star. The souks of Marrakech are the largest you […]
The Almoravid dynasty: The Almoravid Koubba
The Almoravid Koubba is the oldest building in Marrakech, constructed in 1117 it’s the only remaining example of architecture from the Almoravid Berber dynasty of which remains in the red city. In times long gone past the space that the Koubba occupies was used for washing before prayer. At the time a then revolutionary system […]
Horse drawn carriages: Calèches in Marrakech
As you stroll through the winding alleys of the Marrakech Medina you will see that the pathways are shared by pedestrians, mopeds, donkey-drawn carts and the Calèche. Calèches are horse-drawn carriages of which can hold four to five people. Moroccans have been using Calèches as a means of quickly traversing the narrow streets of the red city […]
The Majorelle Gardens: Marrakech’s botanical paradise
Just a 20 minute walk or a 5 minute taxi ride from the Marrakesh Medina are the Majorelle Gardens (Le Jardin Majorelle). The garden’s were created as a project by the French artist Jacques Majorelle between the 1920’s and 30’s and have grown to become one of Marrakech’s most popular tourist attractions. As I travel […]
National Festival of Popular Art’s in Marrakech
Hosted every year in the lavish courtyard of the El Badi Palace in the Marrakech Medina is the ‘National Festival of Popular Art’s’ (Festival National des Arts Populaires) in the centre of Marrakech. Being only a five minute walk from the Riad I stayed in, I went down to the festival last night to discover more. Before […]
H’amad Amous: The acrobats of Jemaa al-Fnaa
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 […]
Olive sellers: Jemaa al-Fnaa
During your visit to the red city of Marrakech, one thing you cannot afford to miss are the olive sellers of the central square. You will find them lined up in the Northern reaches of Jemaa al-Fnaa as the square and the famous Souk district connect with one another. It’s important to note that Morocco […]
Music salesmen in the square: Jemaa al-Fnaa
During your visit to Morocco you will discover Marrakech’s central square (Jemaa al-Fnaa) to be a sensory overload of sight, taste and sound whether you visit at night or at day. From the stalls selling fresh orange juice to the open air cooking stands that appear once the sun begins to set over the red […]
Argan musicians in Jemaa al-Fnaa
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 […]
Lamp sellers in Jemaa al-Fnaa
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 […]