The Marrakech Medina
The Marrakech Medina
At Marrakech Riad we pride ourselves on offering our guests as much support and information as they require to help them to plan their perfect stay in our beautiful Medina accommodation. The ancient walled city at the heart of Marrakech is a labyrinthine adventure, filled with the daily activities of the inhabitants of this marvellous place, some moments truly seem frozen in time! Here you will find details of some of the great places within those fabled walls of this celebrated red city.
Chickens in Marrakech
It is surprisingly common to keep chickens in the Marrakech Medina, they are fed on scraps and kept mainly for eggs. When I first started visiting Marrakech regularly five years ago there were a particularly fine looking group of Andalusian hens that used to scratch around at the top of the well known Derb Semarine […]
Pain du Medina
In the old town of Marrakech fresh bread is readily available from many local bakeries. Most commonly seen is the traditional round ‘pain du medina’ Medina bread. Since not all homes have ovens it is a common sight to see cakes or other items prepared at home and taken to the bakery to be cooked […]
Marrakech Sunset
Stunning sunset over the Place Ferblantier Marrakech. This picture was taken from the roof terrace of the Kosybar restaurant in February 2010. To the left are the walls of the El Badi Palace, in the distance the Atlas Mountains. Visit magical Marrakech and stay in a fantastic Riad hotel in the heart of the old […]
Tuurda, a rustic dish served as a light lunch in our Marrakech Riads
Tuurda is a home cooked Marrakechi dish based on dried bread served with pulses onions and other vegetables as available and a tomato based sauce. This delicious dish is a kind of Moroccan bubble and squeek. Guests in our Marrakech Riads can enjoy freshly prepared Tuurda as a light lunch, best enjoyed with a mint tea. Explore […]
Bissara
Bissara is the Marrakech variant of Foul (pronounced ‘fool’) a puree based on fava beans. A wholesome entirely vegetarian and gluten free food Bissara has a wonderful buttery flavour and makes an excellent and substantial breakfast. At Marrakech Riad Papillon and Marrakech Riad Cinnamon Bissara is seasoned in the traditional Marrakechi way with salt, pepper and cumin. We serve it with […]
Baghrir and Mesman breakfast with Marrakech Riad
There are two types of crepes traditionally eaten as breakfast foods in Marrakech, Morocco, these are Baghrir and Mesman. Both are based on wheat flour with olive oil or butter and seasoning, Baghrir is cooked in a pan on one side only where Mesman is repeatedly folded over heat. Both Baghrir and Mesman are freshly […]
White Harira
White Harira is a traditional Morccan dish mainly served at breakfast. It contains milk and ground wheat seasoned with a little salt. Delicious with dates it can also be served with sugary cakes. White Harira is not to be confused with the wholesome Harira soup which is often the first thing Moroccans eat at the […]
Matloaa Berber Bread
Matloaa is a berber bread made from wholemeal flour, with a little live yeast, and salt. Traditionally it is eaten for breakfast dipped in butter, olive oil or honey. Guests at Marrakech Riad Papillon and Marrakech Riad Cinnamon can opt to have freshly baked Matloaa for breakfast, served of course with our famous mint tea. Explore our home cooked cuisine and dining […]
Marrakech Riad Dar
The terms Riad (literal meaning garden) and Dar (literal meaning house) are somewhat interchangeable in Marrakech. Strictly speaking a Riad is a garden house built around a courtyard or patio. Some would say that a true riad requires four trees in a formal setting. The broader term Dar includes even the finest Riads but also dwellings that are more modest in scale and […]
Sex And the City 2, currently filming in Marrakech
Marrakech is always a fun town for people watching, even more so at the moment! Hollywood is in Marrakech and the heart of the Medina is buzzing with activity for the filming of Sex And the City 2. A few hundred yards from Riad Papillon burly security guards left us in no doubt that amateur […]
Koutoubia Marrakech
The Koutoubia mosque was built in the 12th century under the Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur to be the crowning glory of his North African based empire, it is indeed today still the largest mosque to be found in Marrakech today. The structure stands 69 metres tall towering over the surrounding city, which considering its placement in […]
Riad, Ryad, Riyad
So good, they named them three times! Written in Arabic as رياض and variously by Europeans as riad, ryad or riyad. A riad is a traditional home built around an internal garden. Literally riad means garden, not house! This courtyard design with no external windows is very practical keeping the home cool and secure. It […]
Jema al Fnaa
Jema al Fnaa The main square or Jema al Fnaa is the beating heart of Marrakech. Its takes its name from the gruesome public display there of the heads of criminals in the middle ages. Literally it means the ‘assembly of the dead’. In practice is most commonly referred to as La Place. Tourist Marrakech […]
The Marrakech Tanneries
The famous Marrakech Tanneries are located to the East of the Medina and offer a fascinating opportunity to see an ancient craft alive and well in the twenty first century. The tanners use their skill and judgement to progress animal hides through a succession of processes essentially unchanged from those used by their forbears centuries […]