Guide to Marrakech

Marrakech Kaleche

The word “Caleche” may not be familiar to you, if you’ve never spent a week or two in Morocco before. The word itself is a french, feminine noun which found it’s way to Morocco during the French Colonisation in the 1950’s.  The term Caleche is now a commonly used name for what is formally known […]

Marrakech Railway Station 2008

Morocco is a vast & complex country, and yet it is highly unlikely that you will ever find yourself unable to negotiate travelling between one city and another. Despite expansive areas of empty desert plains, scarcely populated farming districts and technology-free mountainous ridges; from every main city there are an abundance of transport options which […]

Bab El Khemis Marrakech today

Located in the North Western corner of the medina, in the direction of Rue du Fez, stands Bab El Khemis. Bab El Khemis literally translates to “The door of the fifth day”, and in the Islamic calendar, the fifth day is Thursday. One of just 19 gates which puncture the 19km long ramparts of the […]

The Orientalist Museum Door

Just next door to the stunning Riad Star, in the tiny derb to your right (before the mosque), is a brand new museum set inside another ancient Riad. The Orientalist Museum is fresh on the Marrakech art scene and officially opened in February 2018. The exhibitions on offer here take a closer look at the […]

Hassan Hajjaj at Riad Yima

Whilst exploring all that Marrakech has to offer, it’s highly likely that you will come across the works of world renowned artist Hassan Hajjaj. His creations can be found gracing the walls of numerous venues in the red city, but his work branches out much further than Marrakech, Hassan Hajjaj is a Moroccan born, contemporary […]

Histoire de Caftan Marrakech

For the fashion conscious among us, Marrakech is a hub for inspiration. From textile shops stacked floor to ceiling with every colour of velvet, muslin, cotton and sequin cloth; to the enticing amalgamation of African, Arabian and Oriental influences within the characters, architecture, flavours and music of Marrakech. As an artist, it is almost impossible […]

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There’s a new gallery in town. It promises to be a non-profit, independent museum dedicated to showcasing contemporary African art through a variety of mediums, which all touch upon topics that are prominent to the political dialogue within the continent of Africa. “To familiarize, to transmit, to make discover, to make love art, to the […]

Faouzy the jewellery designer

Morocco is a country with a rich and diverse history spanning several millennia. In it’s lifetime, Morocco has been home to an extensive variety of demographics; beginning with the indigenous Berber people in the first millennium BC, and continuing with colonisation and invasions by the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantine Empire, Arabs, Moors(Spanish) & French. With each […]

Natural Dyes in Clay Pots

The dyers district covers two sides of the main path, through Souk Sebbaghine. If you choose to take the “needle and thread” walk, then you can use our Marrakech Travel Guide App to help you along your way. The app is free to download to your phone or tablet and functions without internet connection, so […]

Riad Star Art

The 1-54 fair is a leading international art event founded by Touria El Glaoui in 2013. This dynamic and sustainable art fair celebrates contemporary art from Africa and African artists dispersed from the motherland, and has hosted events in London and New York City.  The next event launches at La Mamounia, Marrakech between the 24th-25th […]

National Human Development Incentive Morocco

As you pass through the ancient medina, with your senses being overwhelmed by sounds, smells and colour, you might miss a few small details. A detail which is particularly worthy of noting, are the small signs which are dotted around the walls of various attractions or industrial areas which read “Initiative Nationale pour le Developpement Humain”. […]

The Tanneries Marrakech

The ancient tanneries of Marrakech are the perhaps crude, but very functional industrial areas where animal skins are put through the stages of a process called “tanning”. Essentially, it is where animal skins undergo the transformation from raw animal to workable leather. For many years, the tanneries have been an attraction for visitors who wish […]

L'atelier des saveurs restaurant Marrakech.

Nestled into the medina just around the corner from the beautiful Riad Papillon, you will find this trendy little spot which is aptly named “L’atelier des Saveurs”. This attractive, open fronted eatery is on the section of street that runs between the palace at Dar ‘l Bacha and the busy taxi drop-off point of Riad […]

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For Moroccans, food is a big deal! A full belly is the key to a full and happy mind, and within the framework of this culture; a person takes immense pride in cooking delicious, fresh meals. When in Morocco, you will find that the most accessible groceries in the local markets are the required ingredients […]

le trou au mure marrakech

Newly opened in 2017 and a welcome addition to the fashionable Kaat Benahid district of the Medina. Le  Trou au Mur (the hole in the wall) expresses the personality of talented young Englishman James Wix who is often in attendance front of house. The cosmopolitan menu includes Moroccan cuisine, old favorites like Macaroni Cheese and […]

Snow Camel

A rare and spectacular sight is occurring in Southern Morocco right now (early February 2018), with snow falling on even the driest, lowland regions.  As far south as Zagora (known as the gateway to the Sahara), residents are facing the first recorded snowfall in 50 years. Following decades of hot & dry weather, the region is […]

Plant cuttings

The country of Morocco at the westernmost point of Africa, has a diverse and variable climate. Expanding across it’s entirety, you can find a multitude of environments; from the desert plains of the Sahara to lush & rocky regions throughout the Atlas Mountains. Average temperatures and rain fall are different from region to region, but […]

essential oils

If you know Morocco, then you will likely be familiar with the ritual of the hammam. If you are not familiar with the word, then in essence it is a combined sauna and bath house. Hammam is an arabic word that roughly translates to “public bath place”. In Marrakech, you are spoiled for choice in […]

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If you’ve done your research on Marrakech before visiting, you might have come across some off putting exerts from people who have had a negative experience when trying to make a taxi journey. In this article, we will offer advice on how to make your taxi journey easy & your interaction with the drivers more […]

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There’s no denying that Morocco is a well known destination for unwanted European tyres. The Moroccan customs are taking control of this situation, and just last year at the border they seized a heavy good vehicle carrying in excess of 2,500 used tyres. It is essential that the European tyre management schemes and companies which […]

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A credit is due to the Marrakchi (local Moroccan) people,  for their ability to restore and salvage materials and items which we might usually disregard or replace. There is really no disposable attitude towards possessions. If something is acquired, it is generally worked hard for and therefore treasured. Not only plastic bottles and bags, electrical equipment […]

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Looking at the topic of recycling in Marrakech, there are several ways in which the locals maintain a “waste not, want not” mentality. It is wonderful to behold the reality of a community in which people salvage what they can use again & look for practical solutions to step away from a throw-away, disposable society. […]

restaurant l'address marrakech

Elegant and inexpensive Café-Restaurant on the main boulevard Mohamed V in the new town of Guiliez. Enjoy a healthy salad or smoothie, or explore the sandwiches and burgers all made fresh on the premises. Off the tourist trail.  Here you will rub shoulders with expats and fashionable young locals.

recycle, re-use, repurpose

The end of 2017 brought us a sequel to the award winning Planet Earth; and along with this visually stunning nature series came a general mass-awakening to the human responsibility of preserving the planet we live upon. A hot political topic in January 2018 has been the damaging effects of plastic waste on the ecology […]

Noureddine Amir

Noureddine Amir is a fashion designer from Morocco. Born in Rabat he studied in a French fashion school which was briefly open in Morocco. His studio is called Villa Amir and is in Marrakech. The space is filled with wooden mannequins adorned with raffia and clay.  what sets Noureddine apart from many Moroccan fashion designers […]

Hospital in Casablanca 1941

In June 1941 Josephine Baker was at her home in Marrakech when she was struck with crippling abdominal pain. French captain Jacques Abtey borrowed a station wagon so that Josephine could lay down for the long ( 350 mile ) journey on uneven roads to the hospital in Casablanca. The date was June 1941, and […]

2372B479-A1D8-4F40-A569-A0C0CCBC6EE1guest feedback at Marrakech Riad

There are so many things we could tell you about the special things we offer at our four boutique Riads in Marrakech, from the importance of caring and helpful yet discreet staff to the comfort and special touches which we offer as standard to all of our guests……….but sometimes it’s best to just let our […]