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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 […]
Festival and fantasia – Tamaslouht Musem and Tbourida
About 30 kilometres to the South of the red city of Marrakech in the direction of Lalla Takerkoust lake, a small festival takes place in memory of the saint Moulay Abdellah Ben Hussain. This festival is called the Tamaslouht Musem (festival) and Tbourida (fantasia) and it occurs on the last week of January. On the first […]
ATM Jemaa El Fna
On the south side of the main square there is a concentration of banks most of which have ATM machines. One of the best known is the French owned Societe Generale on the main Bab Agnou shopping street. Alternatively walk in the direction of the Koutoubia mosque to the adjacent Rue Moulay Ismail
Carpets chez les Nomades
A long established family business this is the largest and best carpet shop in Marrakech located opposite the Ben Yussef fountain behind the Ben Yussef Mosque. Shopping here is a pleasant and relaxing experience. You will be stunned at the Aladinns cave behind this modest front door. Most carpets are labelled with a price (turn […]
Culture Break
Riad Papillon will be your home for a three night culture break. Just ten minutes walk from the drama and chaos of the Jemaa al Fnaa Square you could hardly believe the oasis of calm provided by the Riad courtyard. Great Value at £199 (Euros 239) per person. Explore the fabulous souks with a personal […]
Dar Donab Restaurant
Enjoy one of the best tasting menus in Marrakech in a relaxed atmosphere either in the spacious dining room or at a table by the pool. Try the cous cous which is among the best in Morocco.
Il Limoni
Il lomoni, or to give its full title, il giardino dei limoni, the lemon garden was newly opened in 2013. Classic Italian with the attentive owners usually on the premises. The bohemian atmosphere is set with a Bob Dylan poster in the lobby and continues throughout. Simple high quality food well presented and reasonably priced. […]
Les perles des princes
Les Perles des princes is one of the best places in Marrakech from which to buy gold and silver jewelry. Conveniently located on L’avenue des princes, adjacent to the djema el fnaa square, you can find a small collection of shiny shops which sell rings, wedding bands, ear rings, bracelets and many more Moroccan and […]
El jouli art gallery Marrakech
Miloud el Jouli is the proud owner of a fantastic art gallery, located just a few minutes walk from our Riad cinnamon. Spread over 2 levels they sell lams, carpets, clothing, leather bags local paintings and home decoration all hand made by local craftsmen. The highlight of the shop is a full size copper bathtub, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Gnawa music in the heart of the Medina
From the red city of Marrakech to the sleepy oasis of Essaouira, one thing you will not miss on your visit to Morocco is the intense presence of ‘Gnawa’ music. From single musicians to whole troops practice this art form and you will instantly be able to recognise Gnawa in the streets by the distinctive […]
Belly dancing in the Riad Star
The Riad Star
Babbouche: snails of the square
Moroccan snails are a street-stall staple and many people will tell you that the perfect place to try this delicacy is in Jemaa al-Fnaa, the center of Marrakech and the heart of the red city. Served in a peppery broth called ‘babbouche’, the white snails of Morocco must be cooked slowly over a low heat […]
Eid Mubarak: Religious celebrations in Marrakech
As the holy fasting month of Ramadan draws to a close in the world of Islam, the red city of Marrakech comes alive as vibrant religious festivities for Eid go underway. Eid celebrations are split into two parts, ‘Eid al-Fitr’ (festival of the breaking of the fast) which is followed by ‘Eid as-Adha’ (festival of […]
Cafe Arabe
Just a five minute stroll from Riad Papillon, Riad Cinnamon and Riad Star is the Cafe Arabe. Nicely situated in a sleepy neighborhood just north of the renowned souk district, Cafe Arabe offers traditional Moroccan cuisine in a modern and sophisticated environment. The atmosphere inside the cafe/ restaurant is relaxed and welcoming and an hour spent here […]
Chebakia: A Ramadan delicacy
Chebakia is a sesame based cookie, hand folded into the shape of a flower and then fried and coated in honey. During the holy month of Ramadan, Chebakia is one of the many specialties that’s widely consumed throughout Morocco and Marrakech is no exception. Chebakia isn’t only eaten because it’s delicious, for many Moroccans Chebakia […]
Ensemble Artisanal in Marrakech
If you take a five minute walk from Koutoubia Mosque and Marrakech’s central square (Jemaa El Fnaa) in the direction of the new town of Guillez, you will find the ‘Ensemble Artisanal’. The Ensemble offers the same wide selection of handcrafted goods that you could hope to find in the Souks, however the prices are at […]