Guide to Marrakech
Guide to Marrakech
The Cats and Kittens of the Marrakech Medina
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 […]
Tazoukt: the traditional artisanal craft of wood painting
In Marrakech, there are many traditional artisanal trades that have been practiced for centuries, passed down from generation to generation. One such craft skill is the art of Tazoukt. Tazoukt is a form of woodcraft in which wooden items – including panels, boxes, ceilings and furniture – are painted in intricate patterns. The designs are […]
Agdal Gardens, Marrakech
Situated close to the Royal Palace, to the southern edge of the Marrakech medina, the Agdal Gardens exists as a superb example of the architectural and landscaping skill. Covering an area of approximately 400 hectares, the garden comprises of orange, apricot, lemon, fig, and pomegranate trees in rectangular plots, all conjoined by olive-tree lined walkways. […]
Mandarin Oranges in the Streets of the Marrakech Medina
Across the Marrakech Medina, almost on every derb (street), there are many small stalls selling a variety of food from home cooked bread to dried fruit. Indeed, each stall specialises in a different food-type and many sell fresh fruit sourced from the local Marrakech area. It is undoubtedly true that the summer months (July to […]
Passage Prince Moulay Rachid (Le Prince Street), Marrakech
Set off the famous Jemaa el Fna Square, Passage Prince Moulay Rachid – or Le Prince Street as it is known to the locals – is one of the most popular streets in the Marrakech Medina. The street connects the main square to the south of the Medina including the long distance taxi rank, the El […]
A Visit to a Traditional Berber Village in the Atlas Mountains
The Berbers are a people ethnically indigenous to North Africa west of the Nile Valley. The Berber’s rich cultural history dates back to prehistoric times, over 4000 years ago! Their long recorded influence affected commerce by establishing trading routes between the West African and the Sub-Saharan region where they transported goods from beyond the Sahara desert […]
Excursion to Imlil, High Atlas Mountains
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 […]
The Club Culturel Mohamed Abed Al Jabal Marrakech Book Exposition, Jemaa el Fnaa Square
Running from the 15th January 2015 to the 10th February 2015 Marrakech’s world famous Jemaa el Fnaa square hosted a book exposition hosted by ‘Club Culturel Mohamed Abed Al Jabal Marrakech’. The late Mohamed Abed Al-Jabri (1935-2010) is a popular Moroccan philosopher who specialised in considering the convergence of tradition and modernity in the contemporary […]
Arabic Calligraphy: creating art with words
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 Tamadot: Sir Richard Branson’s Moroccan Retreat
During an excursion to the village of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains, our driver suggested a stop off at Kasbah Tamadot. Kasbah Tamadot is Sir Richard Branson’s Moroccan retreat, based high in the Atlas Mountains boasting magnificent views, amazing architecture, beautiful gardens and an incredible showcase of Moroccan inspired interior design. A night’s stay in […]
The Mysterious holes in the walls of Marrakech
Stretching for 16km around the medina, the extensive ramparts of Marrakech are impossible to miss; they may even be the your first sight of the red city. You may notice that the walls themselves are marked with numerous holes. Although many local Marrakchis will tell you conflicting stories as how the holes were formed, we […]
David Bloch Gallery, Gueliz
Marrakech’s new town, Gueliz, is home to some of Morocco’s best fine art schools and cutting-edge galleries. Hidden down a leafy road, facing Marrakech’s new Carre Eden Shopping Plaza, the David Bloch Gallery is perhaps one of the best examples of Marrakech’s rising contemporary art scene. In the style of a New York loft, the […]
The Miaara Jewish Cemetery
The tight streets of the Mellah – traditionally the Jewish neighbourhood of Marrakech – are an atmospheric corner of the red city. It is here where once can find the 17th Century Miaara Jewish Cemetery. Set east of the El Badi Palace and South of the Bahia Palace in the heart of the Mellah, tucked […]
The History of the Moroccan Flag
The Moroccan flag is a common sight in the streets of Marrakech; it can be found flying proudly in both the new town of Gueliz and the old town Medina. Indeed, the Moroccan people are often very patriotic and you will find many Marrakchi locals will proudly tell you about the history of their country […]
Café Clock
Opened in the Spring of 2014, Café Clock is the baby of Englishman Mike Richardson. It is the sister of Mike’s well-respected Café Clock in the Medina of Fez, and the Marrakech café has already gained a cult following here in the red city. Expect reasonably priced food and drinks in relaxed surroundings. Our menu […]
Café Du Livre
The Café du Livre is the perfect venue for a quick coffee, a refreshing alcoholic beverage, a light bite or a hearty dinner. By day, Café du Livre is a wonderful place to hang out and relax. To the rear of the café there is an especially comfortable seating area opposite shelves loaded with some […]
The Gates of Marrakech: Bab El Debbagh, ‘The Tanners Gate’
Lying to the east of Marrakech, Bab El Debbagh provides entrance to one of the oldest districts of the city, the tanneries. Of all of the 19 gates that puncture the red pisé-cement ramparts of Marrakech, Bab El Debbagh is the only one to be named after a craft, demonstrating the historic importance of the […]
Baboucheshop: Moroccan inspired bohemian fashion in the Marrakech Souks
Situated to the north of the world famous Marrakech Souks in Souk Cherifa – a small selection of high-class boutiques – Baboucheshop is a small shop that specialises in hand-made leather fashion items including bags, purses, a range of sandals and, of course, babouche. The project of Carine and Patrick, two French natives who have […]
Nour-Eddine Boukheir’s satirical art depicting Moroccan life
Whilst strolling through the fashionable Kasbah district in the Marrakech Medina, we stumbled across a small shop front covered with vibrant tablets depicting satirical renditions of Moroccan life. The bright colours and intriguing content of the tablets drew us into the shop where we met by Nour-Eddine Boukheir, the shop’s owner and artist responsible for […]
Chez Monsieur Michelin: the home of recycled fashion in Marrakech
Marrakech is a city that is full of interesting sights, there are a lot of fascinating things to do and unique places to explore; but very few places are as interesting, as fascinating or as unique as Chez Monsieur Michelin, a small boutique selling products made from recycled tires and inner-tubes. As we entered the […]
Carré Eden Centre: shopping, supermarkets and Starbucks in the heart of Gueliz
Located on Rue Tariq Bnou Ziad in the heart of Gueliz, Marrakech’s New town, the Carré Eden Centre contains 80 shopping units selling a range of products and services from clothes to electrical appliances, from the American Coffee chain Starbucks to the French Supermarket Carrefour. The building, designed by Karim El Achak, provides a sleek, […]
Cabaret comes to Josephine Baker’s Home for Marrakech Fundraiser
A breast cancer survivor and belly-dance teacher from Chiswick in London, Yvette Cowles is set to take her one woman show Sequins on my Balcony to Riad Star – the Marrakech residence of Jazz superstar and banana dance originator, Josephine Baker – for a one-off charity performance on Friday 16 January 2015. A soloist with Johara Dance Company […]
Hamid’s shop: from recycled glass bottles to perfect souvenirs in Marrakech
In Moroccan society, very little goes to waste: raw scrap materials are re-used and recycled; leftover food is often donated to the poor and if something is broken it is always repaired and fixed. Perhaps these decisions are not always environmentally focused, but it is nice to see a society that would rather recycle, re-use […]
Souk Cherifa: the home of bohemian fashion in Marrakech
Situated to the north of the world famous Marrakech Souks, under the Terraces des Epices restaurant and very close to Riad Star and Riad Cinnamon is Souk Cherifa, a small collection of high end boutiques selling stylish, modern and quirky interpretations of classic Marrakech items. From beautiful handmade tan sandals to traditional Moroccan inspired clothes […]
Leather Tanning process at the Marrakech Tanneries
The traditional process for tanning leather is undoubtedly smelly, yet this smell is a small price to pay for witnessing such a unique and interesting interesting sight.; where else would you get the chance to see the men tread and rinse skins in mysterious liquids and dyes before scraping and stretching the hides using traditional […]