Marrakech Holidays

The Medina (Old City) is undoubtedly the heart and soul of Marrakech both day and night! Get your bearings and soak up the atmosphere with a horse-drawn carriage ride. Or wander through the alleyways and souks at your own pace on foot and, of course, try out your haggling and bartering skills to buy locally-produced pottery, perfumes, rugs, and aromatic oils, spices, and teas to take home as souvenirs. Jemaa El Fna is the place to head from mid-afternoon onwards; this bustling hub is filled with stalls, musicians, fortune-tellers, and snake charmers. If you get peckish you’ll find a food stall serving traditional light bites and snacks, or you can escape to one of the rooftop cafes that line the square for a traditional mint tea and sunset views.

Marrakech is a haven for sightseeing! Pay a visit to the city’s famous landmarks including the Koutoubia Mosque with its ornate 70-metre-high minaret, Ali Ben Youssef Mosque and nearby Medersa of Ben Youssef, the dazzling Bahia Palace, the once grand Badi Palace, and the old traditional-style Dar Si Said Palace. Step into the Saadian Tombs and peek into the Almoravid Koubba monument. Musee de Marrakech housed in the Mnebhi Palace, Maison de la Photographie, and the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden showcase Marrakech’s artistic and creative side. Stroll through the plants, artworks, and sculptures at Majorelle Gardens (once owned by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent) or around Manara Gardens’ reflective pool.

No holiday to Marrakech is complete without sampling the local cuisine which is influenced by Berber, Arab, Jewish, and Andalusian cultures. Savour aromatic Tagines cooked in an earthenware pot, Couscous (steamed granules of rolled semolina), Pastilla (filo pastry parcels filled with chicken or seafood), M’semen (breakfast pancakes), Babbouche (peppery broth with white snails), Merguez (spicy lamb sausage), Harira (a spicy tomato and vegetable soup), and Tanjia Marrakchia (mutton seasoned with saffron and cumin slow-cooked in an earthenware dish in the fire). Popular drinks served in cafes in Marrakech include Moroccan tea - made from brewed gunpowder green tea infused with spearmint leaves and poured from height into small glasses – freshly squeezed fruit juices, smoothies, and milkshakes. Local brands of beer include Casablanca and Flag Special and popular Moroccan wines come from Meknes, Casablanca, and the Guadalquivir Valley. NB: Because Morocco is a Muslim nation; consumption of alcohol outdoors is forbidden and is only usually only served in licensed hotels, bars, restaurants, and tourist areas and can also be purchased in some supermarkets.