Marrakech

Marrakech (مراكش), the former imperial city of the country, is known as the Red City for its sandstone buildings. In the 1960s, it attracted numerous celebrities such as the Beatles, Yves Saint Laurent, and the Rolling Stones. Composed of beautiful ancient architecture and courtyards filled with orange trees, palm trees, apricot trees, and olive trees, Marrakech remains one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations today.

The city boasts the country’s largest traditional market and one of Africa’s and the world’s busiest squares, Jamaa el Fna. The square is bustling with acrobats, storytellers, water sellers, dancers, and musicians. In the evenings, the square fills with food stalls, turning into a large outdoor restaurant.

Places of interest:

The Medina: with its narrow and labyrinthine alleys that lead you to discover small artisan workshops, traditional markets, and corners with centuries of history.

Jamaa el Fna Square: here you’ll find juice stalls, dried fruit stands, and in the evenings, food stalls where you can enjoy typical Moroccan cuisine. The surroundings are full of colorful characters, from jugglers and snake charmers to trained monkeys posing for tourists’ photos and storytellers captivating with their fascinating tales.

Koutoubia Mosque: This is the most important mosque in the city and one of the largest in the Muslim West. Its imposing 70-meter-high minaret dominates the city skyline and is the tallest building in all of Marrakech.

Bahia Palace: is a magnificent residence, an impressive example of a rich, princely, and realistic dwelling from the late 19th century, built by Ahmed ben Moussa, a great vizier of the sultan. It is an exceptional showcase of Moroccan architecture and craftsmanship, with intricately carved woodwork, tiles, and ceramics. The palace features spacious reception halls, courtyards with fountains, and lush gardens.

Menara Gardens: are one of Marrakech’s most famous and photographed gardens. Next to them is a beautiful pavilion covered in green tiles, known as Minzah, which offers a spectacular panoramic view of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in the background.

Others such as the Majorelle Garden, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, the Mellah (Jewish quarter), the various gates like Bab el Khamis, and the El Badi Palace.