Teresa & Gabriel
Things To Do : Choses à Faire
Historic Medina District
Ready to jump right in & put those bargaining skills to the test? The main square in the Medina is Djemaa El-Fna. It's surrounded by endless labyrinths of souks and alleyways covering all of the Medina. Djemma El-Fna is a must as there is always something to see day and night whether it be snake charmers, acrobats, sooth-sayers, or the musicians and food stalls. At night the square really comes to life as people navigate toward the exotic aromas and the entertaining sights. As the evening darkens, the hustle and bustle rages on. Directly south is Rue Bab Agnaou. A 5 minute walk takes you straight to the famous Bab Agnaou entrance to the Kasbah district of the Medina. This is by far the most impressive of all Medina rampart entrances. The Kasbah district portrays a calmer, less abrasive atmosphere. It is home to the Royal Palace, the former El-Badi Palace and the Saadian Tombs. This naturally creates more security, cleaner streets and a hint of being a special place in the Medina.
Fashionable Jardin Majorelle
Are the souks of Marrakesh leaving you feeling a bit exhausted? Change the pace and visit the Majorelle Garden. Created in the 1920s by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, this garden has marble pools, raised pathways, banana trees, bamboo groves, coconut palms and bougainvilleas. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the garden is composed and colored like a painting. Many of the built features were painted in a dark blue ('Majorelle Blue') which works very well with the soil, climate and plants. In fact, Majorelle's garden rather than his paintings was his masterpiece. Water is an important feature of the garden - there are channels, lily-filled ponds and fountains. Majorelle was an avid plant collector. After years of neglect, the garden was then taken over and restored by the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge. The onsite villa houses the Islamic Art Museum of Marrakech, the Berber Museum, and the Musee Yves Saint Laurent. Come relax in this natural space!
Marrakech by Locals: Free Walking Tour
If you really want the best that Marrakech has to offer you’ve got to hit the streets! Saeed is ready to take you on a much-loved walking tour to help you discover Marrakech. Saeed promises that, "We gonna get up close and personal to some of the most iconic sights you come from all over the world to see: Koutoubia Mosque, Jemaa el-Fna Square, Souks and Medina, and everything in between!" He adds, "We gonna take the time to really see, enjoy, appreciate and photograph the best that Marrakech has to offer as we travel on foot down the medieval alleyways of the Medina and along some of the oldest and the most famous streets in town." This is a free tour that operates on tips. There is no shopping or hassling involved. I suggest this tour as a first step to your time in Marrakech! The tour will be enriched with great tips on where to eat the local food and how to move around in and out of the old Marrakesh Medina. booking@marrakechbylocals.com
Marrakech Food Tours
Looking for something more organized and FOOD based? Morocco is known the world over for it’s amazing food and hospitality. At the epicenter of Moroccan cuisine sits Marrakech. Famous souks, and hundreds of hotels and riads help to make Marrakech a must-stop destination for tourists. Sadly, with so many people coming and going it’s difficult to find food that truly lives up to its reputation. Fourteen years ago, Youssef and Amanda met in Marrakech, and after living in the United States decided to move back to Morocco. Amanda’s first experience with Moroccan food was typical of a tourist visiting the country and it was only after eating the food of Youssef’s family home that she realized what was missing. After coming back to Marrakech, and hearing from friends and family visiting that the quality and taste of home food was so much better than what they were eating in restaurants, they decided to start Marrakech Food Tours. Check out their site for multiple tour options!
Majestic Bahia Palace
Bahia Palace, meaning brilliance in Arabic, is perhaps one of the best-preserved historical sites and certainly most interesting in Marrakech. Built between 1866 and 1867 by Si Moussa, this sprawling palace is set over two acres in the middle of the Marrakech Medina and features 150 rooms, including a harem section located just off the sun-filled Court of Honor. Having housed the Resident General during the French Protectorate era, today the Bahia Palace is a must-see historical museum open to the public daily. Originally built for the personal use of Si Moussa, Grand Vizier of the Sultan, a former slave who climbed the ranks, the house was soon after occupied by his son Bou Ahmed. He slyly rose to power in 1894 when he managed to gain complete control over the state until his death in 1900. It was during Bou Ahmed’s reign that the brilliance of the palace was really enhanced with the addition lush gardens. Carved stucco and cedar wood to decorate each of the rooms. Check it out!
Ben Youssef Madrasa
On a trip to Marrakech visiting the Ben Youssef Madrasa is a must. The Quranic college, founded in the 14th century, is one of the most beautiful sights in the country. With its delicate stucco work and mosaics, the Madrasa is a a brilliant sample of the art of Islamic architecture. Supposedly founded in the beginning of the 14th century by Morrocan monarch Abou el Hassan this college became prominent during the reign of the Saadians. They enlarged and redecorated the building in 1570. The Ben Youssef Madrasa was turned into a museum in 1960 and was refurbished in 1999. It is now one of the most popular sights in Marrakech. The bronze gate at the entrance of the college alone, decorated with fine cedar wood carvings and mosaics, is an impressive masterpiece of its time. Another refurbishment began in 2018 with hopes of this site opening its doors once more in early 2019. Fingers crossed as this is a cannot miss spot for all the history, cultural, and architectural buffs out there!
The Golf Country Club of Fairmont Royal Palm
Built in 2017, The Golf Country Club of Fairmont Royal Palm has panoramic views of the Atlas Mountains and offers members and their guests a modern, yet relaxed atmosphere with first class amenities. It naturally boasts a host of facilities that reflect the high standards associated with the name Fairmont, including dining areas Sabra and Legends’ Bar, the most exquisite men’s and women’s locker rooms and a golf shop that provides the finest in golfing attire. The Club also offers an exclusive exercise and yoga room as well as a semi-Olympic swimming pool. For more information or to reserve your Tee Time: Call +212 (0)5 24 48 78 90 Email: golf.marrakech@fairmont.com
Lake Lalla Takerkoust
Just 15 minutes from the wedding venue is a long lake in the middle of the plains. Between the myths and legends, Lalla Takerkoust is filled with history, a unique place in its own right. First named Cavagnac during the French Protectorate, the dam (like a lake) is now known as Lalla Takerkoust, who according to residents is the patron saint of the area, and also where she’s buried. But this name also refers to the upstream water from the mountains, that the people accredit to a Koranic passage of Al Kahf. The story of young Christians from Ephesus that God plunged into a mystical sleep after they had been immured in a cave by their pagan persecutors. This story has subsequently given rise to many popular interpretations. In fact, in Amizmiz, are seven tombs located not far from Lalla Takerkoust, known for its therapeutic properties. For the more active, take out a pedalo, go windsurfing, boating, kayaking, quadbiking, or rent a scooter!