The Main Square - Jemaa el-Fnaa
In the main square, you'll experience the spectacular culture and traditions of Morocco through musicians, acrobats, dinner on a restaurant terrace, fresh orange juice, water sellers in red and gold tunics, dried fruits vendors, glowing lanterns, aggressive henna artists, and the labyrinth of souks and haggling. It's a place brimming with vivid colour, rhythmic drumming, and dusty air mixed with a blend of scents and spices. I've never been in any other place that so powerfully compounds the luxurious with the harsh and gritty. The absolute chaos and incessant congestion contributes to a feeling of fervor and life.
You'll have to be very firm among row after row of determined and overenthusiastic market stall vendors until you choose one that looks clean and reasonably priced.
Souks in the square
The souks are an entanglement of alley after alley of exquisite artisan crafts - all enticing you to wander deeper and deeper into the maze until you've lost any sense of direction and traipse about in bewilderment.
Imagine all the hanging displays of rustic jewelry with bright beads, semi-precious stones, and elaborate designs. Many shops have gorgeous lanterns suspended overhead so that you look up at a sky of glimmering lavish lights. There are scarves and traditional clothing with so much detail in the embroidery that each one seems like a snowflake - similar to the blur of colours all around you, yet unique in pattern and hand-stitching. There are shops piled with small wooden magic boxes. These shiny and polished containers have a secret method of accessing a hidden key and require a series of precise steps to open up the top. Moroccan leather will become a very familiar scent to you with the endless selection of slippers, handbags, wallets, and even luggage. There are decorative mirrors shaped like arch doorways and mounted on antique metal, wood, or porcelain. There are little silver and gold lamps, keychains, painted magnets, and post cards if you're searching for classic souvenirs. The market carries an incredible mixture of traditional and contemporary details.
Be amicable in your haggling but stay resolute. You can typically get items for a fraction of the seller's asking price. You'll encounter a full spectrum from rude and brash vendors to charming and sincere sellers.
Saadian Tombs
Preserved since the 1600s, this complex houses approximately sixty members from the Saadi Dynasty. They were sealed and forgotten during the modern era until their re-discovery in 1917. It is comprised of two primary mausoleum buildings and a courtyard of orange trees. The outdoors garden is well-groomed and includes the unmarked tombs of servants and soldiers. Despite the bustling tourists, the sight has a calm atmosphere for admiring the mosaic tiles, prayer hall, and inscriptions.
Kasbah Mosque
Located near the Saadian Tombs, the Kasbah mosque has breathtaking architecture that you can revel at from the exterior. (Non-muslims are not permitted to enter.) It is a notable and majestic landmark.
Bahia Palace
Before the official introduction, let me just share a prelude of a minor mishap and confusion that occurred when we were en route to this sightseeing destination. We had opted to make the trip here on foot from our volunteer riad and only carried a very rudimentary map that we had obtained from a guide book. Consequently, we wandered about uncertainly in the steamy weather and eventually had to rely on a random young man that approached us and offered to take us to our destination. At first, I assumed he was a good samaritan but still wasn't particularly bothered when he took us barely a few steps and then pointed us around the corner and demanded his payment of 20 dirhams. However, once we followed his directions around the narrow alleyway, we found ourselves in a small two-story building that was ostentatiously decorated with carpets, drapes, vases, chandeliers, and jewelry display cases. Puzzled, we roamed around the empty shop until we finally encountered a man sitting in the corner, hidden by the massive hodgepodge of decor. We asked for directions to the Bahia palace and he insisted that this shop was the famous and historic Bahia palace. He then encouraged us to examine his jewelry displays and items for purchase! We realized we were being taken for a ride but it took many more attempts before he finally reluctantly pointed us towards the actual palace located behind the enclosure on the other side of the street. It was definitely a lesson on doing proper research and getting reliable directions before setting out on a sightseeing mission!
The actual Bahia palace is a vast complex that was constructed over a period of time in the mid to late 1800s by two vizirs (high ranking ministers in the Islamic government) Si Moussa and his son Ba Ahmed. Because it was built through two separate construction phases, the palace has inconsistent planning and ordering but encompasses several grand courtyards, pavillions, gardens, fountains, and rooms with domed ceilings and embellished carvings and decor. As you move from room to room, you can still sense the opulence the palace must have held in its heyday.
Menara Garden
This lush and peaceful site was built by Abd al-Mu'min in the early 1100s. The gardens are filled with olive groves, fruit trees, and orchards. At the center, there is a sandy coloured pavilion with benches for a picnic or for simply relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere. In front of the pavilion lies the characteristic reservoir with underground irrigation channels to nourish and sustain the plant life of the gardens.
The volunteers were assigned a project of accompanying a group of street children to the gardens to give them a much needed time of relief, play, and just being children. The feeding programme supplied sandwiches for the children and volunteers. It was a joy to see how young and carefree the children could be but heartbreaking to know that they didn't have any home to return to when the day was over.
If I could suggest only two cultural experiences to pursue in Marrakech, it would be the main square and the hamman! There are distinct variations between the style and facility of these communal baths depending whether you frequent a local hammam or an upscale tourist oriented hammam. We opted for one that was in-between to get an upgraded luxury experience without paying for high-end spa services.
After selecting the type of service package we wanted, we were brought to a dim candlelit room to change into robes. We were then asked to step into the showers down the corridor for a quick rinse and then proceed to the sauna/steam room to wait (no robes or any type of attire permitted) for our turn. I was positively passing out from the heat when the middle aged hammam woman finally came to get me. She brought me to a different room where there were various soaps (unidentifiable to me) and a scrubbing table. She started me off by dumping a full bucket of lukewarm water over my head which made me yelp and giggle. I felt enormous resemblance to a young and impudent child being bathed by her mother. She ignored my reaction and proceeded to slather traditional black soap over every inch of my body. Then she pointed at the table, indicating that I should lie down on my stomach so I slipped and slid my way over to the table and followed her instructions. She began to scrub my legs with a special hammam mitt, (designed for intense exfoliation) stopping occasionally to dump more water on my body and then resume scrubbing. I had a hard time keeping still from all the soap and ended up slithering back and forth on the table in a fit of giggles. She kept her composure for the most part except for a slight chuckle and a kind, "This is your first time, hmm?" When I was scoured to her satisfaction and every dead skin cell had been obliterated, she asked me to stand up again. She emptied a final bucket of water over my head and then brought out a container of dark brown clay. She generously spread it on my face, arms, stomach, and legs and then sent me back on my way for additional steaming in the sauna. We were then provided with some shampoo as we headed back to the showers to wash and dry off. The experience concluded with an argan oil massage, so soothing that I ended up napping for 30 minutes. We were directed to a lounge room afterwards, where we were served little glasses of sweet and divine mint tea.
Sesame Restaurant
A little on the pricey side (for a restaurant in Morocco, not by American standards), this restaurant provides live music in the evenings along with a flame thrower performance. There are numerous menu options of tagines, couscous, and kebabs.
Marrakechi - Restaurant/Lounge
A great place for winding down a busy day. There are always musicians playing earlier in the evening, followed by belly dancing performances later in the night. Average drink prices and free wifi.
New Town Shops - Gueliz
If you are craving some contemporary shopping or modern fashion, Gueliz is the place to go. You'll find the typical large European and American brands (Zara, Marwa, Lacoste, Elle, etc) and a clean and well-kept shopping center/outdoors circle. There are also many modern and chic cafes in New Town which are all within easy access either across the street or further down the block. It's a complete contrast from the traditional and gritty atmosphere of the Medina.
Hotel Pools/Restaurant/Lounge
One thing I realized about the Medina is that if you know where to go or you are willing to explore, it is wrought with beautiful and hidden oases of scattered hotels. For the most part, they are more affordable than upscale selections that you would find in New Town. Many hotels allow you to pay a small fee to access their swimming pool without having to be a guest at the hotel. This is a great amenity to cherish when you are in the searing North African summer heat!
Camel Rides
If physical or time constraints prevent you from making the trip down to the Sahara to experience the camel trek and dunes, at the very least, you can get the camel experience right in Marrakech. Keep your eyes sharp when you're touring around the city and you'll find plenty of these street side camel ride stations, where you can participate in a 30 minute camel ride.
Other suggestions:
The Marjorelle Garden is a beautiful botanical garden designed by a French artist in the 1920s. Unfortunately I did not have a chance to visit this site but I have admired the photos shared by other volunteers of the deep blue walls and the Islamic Art Museum that resides within the garden. I would also recommend the typical red tourist sightseeing buses which have many stops throughout the city where you can hop on and off. It is an easy way to access various parts of the city and gain a general understanding of the rich cultural traditions and historical context of Marrakech.
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Food,
Morocco,
Shopping,
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