Set at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech has been at the crossroads of sub-Saharan and Arab trade from its founding in the 11th century by the Almoravid Berber royal clan. This erstwhile capital of the Kingdom of Morocco often conjures up visions of all things exotic – a claim to fame that Marrakech truly deserves from the melting pot of African, Arab & French colonial influences that it has gone through over the centuries. Today Marrakech is known as the red city of Morocco due to the red sandstone used in the construction of almost all its clay plastered buildings.

At the end of our Irish adventure, Shelly and I met up with her sister Sherry, husband Linus and our 8-month old niece baby A in Marrakech – all ready to trade the churches, pints and boxtys of Ireland for the mosques, mint tea and tagines of Morocco instead. Once we reached our Riad (traditional Moroccan house) after a bit of trekking through winding alleys within the Medina (old walled portion of the city), our hosts welcomed us in traditional Moroccan fashion with refreshing cups of Mint Tea.

We started our first full day in Marrakech with a leisurely breakfast prepared by our Riad helper Youssef. After copious cups of mint tea and delicious Moroccan pastries, we headed into the Medina to explore.

Medarsa Ben Youssef

Our first stop within the walled Medina was the Medarsa Ben Youssef, an Islamic theological school that dates back to mid 15th century. The medarsa (quranic school) is one of the best examples of Islamic architecture in Northern Africa, with its horseshoe arches, intricate floral and Quranic inscription carvings, and colorful geometric tile (also known as zellij) work designs. We spent a couple of hours at the Medarsa, amazed by its raw architectural beauty.

Souks & Bargain hunting

After lunching on some tagines (mixture of meat and veggies baked in a special conical earthenware pot), kebabs and meat filled pastries, we set off towards the souks (markets) to hunt for some bargains. The Marrakech souks are the largest in Morocco, and the experience is almost like stepping back in time – with shopkeepers selling everything from ceramic cookware, shimmering glassware, carved woodwork, intricate rugs and carpets, to all kinds of souvenirs and trinkets. Making our way through the labyrinthine alleyways of the souks and trying to get our bearings right while exploring multiple stalls was an adventure in itself. Some shopkeepers saw that we were Indian and they eagerly greeted us with “Amitabh Bachhan! Shah Rukh Khan! Bollywood!” looking to entice us into their stores. The souks were also the perfect setting to dust off on our bargaining skills. The ladies were hard pressed to find any pashminas that they didn’t like, so our haggling started getting more involved and the bags of shopping kept getting larger.

Koutobia Mosque

Situated next to the lush green Royal gardens is the unmissable Koutobia Mosque, aka the bookseller’s mosque. The towering minaret of the mosque is the quintessential symbol of Marrakech, and is said to have been visible from miles away to caravans that were crossing the Sahara in olden times. Not only is the mosque one of the oldest buildings in Marrakech dating back to the 12th century, but the French colonial ruling that all new buildings should be shorter than the minaret ensure that this remains the tallest building in the city to this day. Like all mosques in Morocco, actual entry into the walls was limited to Muslims only so we were left to enjoy the mosque from the outside.

Jemma El Fna market

The main market square of Jemaa El Fna is also located within the Medina, and is considered the soul of the city. This square that was once a venue for public executions, today features less morbid attractions. The square turns into a literal circus every day, with everyone from acrobats, monkey handlers, snake charmers and folk dancers trying to part tourists from their change. It’s a true assault on the senses, with all kinds of sounds, sights and smells to enjoy while perusing though the square.

As dusk falls the activities switch towards food and drink sellers, with the aroma of charcoal pits and delicious kebabs in heavy in the air. We bustled our way through the aggressive food cart operators (“habibi eat at my stall here, no diarrhea”, “eat at stall twenty five, staying alive”), and managed to get terrace seats at a restaurant overlooking the spectacle instead. More tagines, kebabs and pastries were enjoyed, before we decided to call it a night and bid adieu to the Jemma el Fna.

Marrakech New City

On one of the days we ventured out of the walled Medina of old Marrakech into the Ville Neuve (new city) area. The new part of the city was built in the early 1900s by the French colonialists, and the wide boulevards, orange tree lined sidewalks, and numerous cafes are meant to mimic what Parisian streets looked like. The main thoroughfare Mohamed V Ave boasts all the international hotel chains and high end shopping boutiques.

We had our best meal of the trip at Al Fassia, a restaurant owned and fully run by a group of women, that specializes in authentic home cooked style Moroccan food. Not only was the food amazing, but the Al Fassia ladies couldn’t stop doting over Baby A the whole time we were there.

Church of the Holy Martyrs

After getting stuffed at lunch, we decided to walk it all off and headed to a nearby church. The Church of the Holy Martyrs was built on the site where 5 Franciscan monks were beheaded by a Sultan in the 15th century – hence the name. A mosque across the street towers over the church, and its ornately tiled drinking water dispenser beckoned for attention.

After spending some prayer time in the church, we decided it was time to imbibe some spirits. Alcohol is prohibited in the old medina part of the city, so the new city is the only place where adult beverages are available. We found a rooftop bar, dipped our weary feet in the chilled pool, and enjoyed the first drinks of our Morocco trip whilst overlooking the red hued buildings that dote the city skyline.

 

Suggested day trip from Marrakech to Ourzazate:

 

Kasbah hopping in Ourzazate, Morocco