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Marrakech

Marrakech

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Marrakech is a feast for the senses. Whether you are rummaging through brassy antiques in its lively Souk Semmarine or drifting between food stalls at the crowded El-Fna food market, you feel pleasantly overwhelmed by the jolt of the place.

Pungent wafts of incense clock you in the face at all hours, as do the sounds of snake charmers belting out tunes on their pungi. In recent years the city has garnered the attention of celebrities and film buffs visiting annually to attend the Marrakech Film Festival. And so the city, though very entrenched in its traditions and heritage, has its progressive moments.

Marrakech has a population that enjoys its food. Leave this city without sampling its clutch of tagine, its fresh vegetable dishes, its snail soup and its mint tea, and you've essentially missed the point. Be sure to try your hand at haggling in the markets and admire the intricate colourful tiles in Bahia Palace.

Travel Tips

  1. Shopping in Marrakech is as important as eating. Take your time browsing in the Souk Semmarine for brightly coloured textiles, shoes and rugs. Stop at La Porte d’Or in Souk Semmarine. This shop is famous for its top quality rugs; and check out the Souk el Attarin & Souk Smata for the best spices and perfumes in Marrakech.
  2. Consider staying at Riad Farnatchi for several reasons: as far as luxury accommodations go in the oldest part of the town, this is the cream of the crop. Riad Farnatchi includes an award-winning hammam, pool and salon; a rooftop terrace with striking views of the city; and beautifully appointed and colourful guestrooms that are children and pet- friendly.
  3. Many people visit the Jardin Majorelle to take in its beautiful flowerbeds, and see for themselves how Yves Saint Laurent restored and enhanced the property. Yet few stick around to enter the adjacent Islamic Art Museum, which is highly recommended viewing for its large collections of colourful Islamic jewellery, textiles, weaponry, woodwork and carpets.
  4. Even if you can’t find a room at the Royal Mansour Hotel, you ought to at least drop in for drinks or dinner, or simply to view the riad’s sumptuous spaces and the elegant design of its bars, restaurants, and pool and spa facilities.
  5. There are hammams all over Marrakech, but the most famous continues to be Les Palais Rhoul Hammam. Go on a Wednesday, when it happens to be light on tourists, and ask for a rose oil massage followed with an orange blossom water bath.

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