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The museum district
The Central area of the Marrakech Medina around the Ben Yussef Mosque is the ‘museum quarter’ with a great collection of museums and historic attractions. The oldest building in Marrakech, the Almoravid Kouba is open to the public and features sone of the most remarkable architectural decoration in the whole of the islamic world. The […]
Argan group Jemma al Fnaa
The famous Marrakech Jemma al Fnaa is always teaming with life. This group is typical of the informal groupings of musicians from nearby berber villages who assemble to perform each evening. This tune reflects the typical style of the Rif valley region in the North of Morocco Stay in one of our Marrakech Riads and […]
Marrakech Riad holidays
Our Marrakech Riads offer a perfect holiday, whether for couples, families or larger groups. Check out the romantic Koutobia Suite at Dar Habiba, a really traditional riad which even has its own Hammam. The Casablanca suite at Riad Cinnamon is the perfect family room. Magical Riad Papillon has five rooms all of which can be […]
Svenj, Morroccan donuts
Prepared fresh each morning Svenj sometimes written Sfenj or Svenge is a Moroccan donut or Beignet. A delicious everyday food enjoyed by rich and poor alike it is often eaten with sweet mint tea for breakfast. Marrakech Svenj specialist Mohammed has been cooking this traditional dish for 23 years. Below is his ‘secret recipe’ and method: Ingredients: […]
Marrakech iPhone App
Download our free iPhone App now available in iTunes. Marrakech Tourist information and an introduction to our Riad hotels. Coming soon for android.
Snail seller, Mostafa Elbahja
Mostafa Elbahja is the self appointed NUMBER ONE Babbouch (snails) vendor in the Jemma al Fnaa square, in this film he explains in comical fashion the health benefits of eating his snails marinaded in spices like the cinnamon, ginger, cumin, rosemary and aniseed. Orange juice sellers provide the backdrop as Mostafa tells us how his snails are good […]
Hassan the wood turner
Hassan the young wood turner works on a street corner near to the Ben Yussef Mosque in Central Marrakech just a few hundred yards from Riad Cinnmaon. His traditional North African lathe is powered by his right hand while his left hand and feet control his tools, this is in contrast to a European pole […]
Qu’elle est jolie, Jemaa al Fnaa
Qu` elle est jolie is a folk group usually to be found playing in the Jemma al Fnaa square opposite to the landmark Cafe France. Their best known song of the same name switches between Spanish, Berber, French and the Darija Moroccan dialect. The group was established in the early 1980s, and today usually comprises four or five […]
Yussef, plaster carver
The Marrakech street ‘traffic’ whizzes by as young plaster carver Yussef works on a piece in his boutique in the Souk Sidi Isshak near to the Ben Yussef Medersa in central Marrakech just around the corner from Riad Cinnamon. Youssef is a 17 years old, since he left school he has been learning this craft […]
Introducing Riad STAR
We are grateful to our guests at our Riad hotels who have been wonderfully supportive recommending us to family and friends. With so few rooms at each Riad we have, more often than we would have liked, had to explain that we were fully booked for returning guests preferred dates. It seems our Marrakech Riads are not […]
The Koutoubia Mosque
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, an impressive structure by any […]
Fishing for bottles
In the midst of Jemaa el Fna square every evening you can catch a group of locals in a circle doing something which at first looks rather peculiar, and on closer inspection still looks fairly peculiar, if perhaps somewhat more logical than previously. Most British people will be familiar with the fairground game of a […]
Patisserie des Princes
There are few things that are more satisfying whilst out on a swelteringly hot day than a cool and tasty ice cream. If you find yourself in Marrakech on a particularly hot day then that is exactly where Patisserie des Princes steps in. Situated just off the square Jemaa el Fna Patisserie des Princes is […]
Excursion to Essaouira
Nestled away on the Atlantic Coast a two and a half hour drive away from Marrakech lies the small picturesque Moroccan city of Essouira. It is one of the number one destinations for Marrakchi to take a break from the heat of the inland areas, and rightly so as the city is a wonder to […]
Semester at Sea comes to Riad Cinammon and Riad Papillion.
From the 9th to the 12th of august 2011 Morocco received some visitors in the form of a whole cruise ship full of American students. This was thanks to the semester at sea program whereby students embark on a cruise ship (in this case starting in Nassua the Bahamas) and then proceed to tour a […]
Supporting Local people.
Here at Riads Cinnamon and Papillon we buy as much as possible of our food from local suppliers. We shop daily visiting our regular stall and shop owners. Their personal relationships directly back to the farmer mean that we know where our food has been right from the minute that it has been picked till […]
Ramadan in Marrakech
The Islamic calender also has 12 months like the Gregorian, however whereas the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar (i.e. based on the earth’s orbit of the sun) the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This means that the calendar does not correspond directly to the seasons in the same way that the western calendar does, […]
The Jewish community in Marrakech
The Jewish community has a long history in Marrakech and Morocco at large, indeed the history of the community stretches back to antiquity under the Roman empire following the dissolution of the Jewish state in 70 AD with Jewish people arriving after the destruction of the Jewish state. The Jewish people received relatively kind treatment under the sultans due […]
El Badi Palace
A beautiful palace situated in the south of Marrakech’s historic medina, originally built between 1553-1578 by the Sadiaan king Ahmad al-Mansur to host guests and to act as a residence for him and his family as Marrakech was at the time the capital of Morocco the palace was extensively used. Today however the palace is […]
Marrakech Museum
If you’re looking for a more historical perspective on Marrakech and Morocco or indeed just looking for a tranquil and interesting place to visit between the hustle and bustle of the markets and the souks then Marrakech Museum is what you’re looking for. The museum itself is a classic example of the local architecture meaning […]
Islamic Art in Marrakech
Due to scruples contained within Islamic texts it is forbidden to depict living creatures such as humans or animals. This has not however stopped the Islamic world from developing its own very distinctive and beautiful forms of art, indeed many of the forms and shapes expressed within the realms of Islamic art certainly have benefited from these cultural directives. […]
Orange Canelle a Moroccan treat.
For a fresh taste of Marrakech it is hard to find a better example of a simple yet delicious dish as Orange Canelle or Moroccan Orange Salad. This salad is the simple combination of slices of orange placed on a plate with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. This seemingly simple dish is a great […]
Argan oil
Argan oil can be used in many forms, from massage oils, face creams and peanut butter to bread dipping. Such is the versatility of this oil that it can be used for all myriad of purposes. Any visit to Marrakech or any of the other southern regions one is highly likely to encounter a large […]