36 Hours In...Marrakech
Expert guide to Marrakech
Overview Overview
Hotels Hotels
Attractions Attractions
Restaurants Restaurants
Nightlife Nightlife
Itineraries Itineraries
An insider's guide to what to do on a short break in Marrakech, including the best spa therapy, largest markets and top spots for foodies and fans of antiquity. By Paula Hardy, Telegraph Travel's Marrakech expert.
Urban legends have been made in Marrakech for more than a millennium and the city shows no sign of easing up just yet. Writers, politicians, princes and bohemians headed to the Red City for inspiration and came home humming Gnawa tunes and carting carpets and lamps. These days a new breed of entrepreneurs, designers, chefs and fashionistas are beating the same path, but now they’re settling in and opening up an exciting crop of galleries, gardens, restaurants and riads merging 21st century ideas with medieval craftsmanship and Medina know-how. Take a leaf out of their book and hop on a plane. After all, Marrakech doesn’t like to hang around.
Where to stay
Special treat
Mandarin Oriental is a luxurious hideaway 20 minutes drive southeast of the Medina, traffic permitting. It’s 54 villas, lake-like pools and stunning spa sit in a gorgeous garden planted with over 100,000 roses. Doubles from £750.
Mid-range
Riad Mena & Beyond is a handsome riad set around two spacious courtyards, one of which has a pool. The six super chic rooms are inspired by beat generation poets and modernist designers. It is located near Place Douar Graoua south of the Djemaa el-Fna. Doubles from £160.
On a budget
Riad Le J is a gem buried in a labyrinthine derb behind the Mouassine mosque, for less than a carpet you’d haggle over in the souk. Doubles from £73.
Getting there
EasyJet (0905 821 8905; easyjet.com), flies to Marrakech from Gatwick and Manchester; Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ryanair.com) operates from Luton and London Stansted; Thomson (0871 231 4787; thomsonfly.com) from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester; and British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) from Heathrow and Gatwick.
For a hassle-free arrival in the Medina pre-book door-to-door transfers (£15-£20) in advance through your riad or hotel.
On arrival
Relax and enjoy the Marrakshi welcome of mint tea and honey nut biscuits. Then head up to the roof terrace and get your first view of the Medina punctuated by minarets and ringed by the High Atlas.
5pm
Reset your internal dial to ‘relax’ with a soothing hammam (steam bath), either at your riad, or at the beautiful Hammam de la Rose. Opt for the Royal Hammam (£36) which involves a eucalyptus scrub, a rose petal mud mask, a foot massage and final rub down with enriching Argan oil.
6.30pm
Around sunset, no opera box seat is as coveted as a plastic chair at the Café du Grand Balcon (northwest corner, Djemaa el-Fna). It may be a tourist trap, but this is the best seat in the house to observe the nightly carnival of the Djemaa el-Fna.
8pm
Adventurous eaters will want to join the action in the Djemaa and pull up a seat at one of the communal tables for a knock-out serving of barbecued kebabs and snail soup beneath the shimmering lanterns. For those with more reserved palates, the sophisticated fusion menu at Pepenero is a gentler introduction and showcases modern Moroccan cooking at its best.
Day one
10am
Soaring minarets, mesmerizing calls to prayer, intricate geometric artwork: much of what thrills visitors to Marrakech is inspired by faith. Aside from dozens of mosques, Marrakech has seven marabouts (patron saints), but their tombs like the mosques are closed to non-Muslims. But one of the city’s most historic religious sites is open to visitors: the Ali Ben Youssef Medersa, a 14th century centre of Islamic study dressed in elaborate stucco and iridescent zellij (mosaic tilework).
11am
From the serenity of the medersa, rush headlong into the souqs, following the chorus of iron hammers to find the brassy lanterns in Haddadine (Metalworkers) Souk; from here branch out into the earthy alleys of Cherratine (Leatherworkers’) Souk; duck into the babouche filled hall of Smata (Slipper) Souk; or follow your nose to the towering spice trays on display in Rahba Kedima, the old spice market. But the souqs aren’t all about tradition, for something completely different find the door to Riad Yima, where contemporary artist Hassan Hajjaj displays his kitsch pop-art along with a glass of mint tea.
1pm
Back track to Rahba Kedima and head up to the shaded rooftop terrace of Nomad (nomadmarrakech.com) for a light Euro-Moroccan lunch (from £8). Try the shaved cauliflower and fennel salad and a refreshing glass of Volubilia Gris.
3pm
In the heat of the afternoon you’ll want to take things easy. Opt either for the cool courtyard gallery of the Maison de la Photographie (maisondelaphotographie.ma) where Patrick Menac’h and Hamid Mergani display their fascinating collection of vintage Moroccan photography. Or, head out of the Medina to the enchanted desert garden of Jardin Majorelle, owned by landscape artist Jacques Majorelle and then fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. The colour of the greenery against the cobalt blue villa makes for stunning photographs. Afterwards nip across the road to cool concept store 33 Rue Majorelle (33ruemajorelle.com) and try and resist buying a pair of Lalla Alia’s engraved limewood wedges.
5pm
Where the Medina specializes in artisan crafts, the Ville Nouvelle (new town) prefers to showcase the work of a new generation of Marrakshi artists in contemporary galleries such as David Bloch Gallery (davidblochgallery.com) and Galerie Noir Sur Blanc (facebook.com/galerie.noirsurblanc), while Galerie Rê (galeriere.com) and Matisse Art Gallery (matisseartgallery.com) display more abstract art.
Then wander down Rue des Vieux Marrakchis and Rue de la Rue de la Liberté, where you’ll find fashion-forward trends in Moor (akbardelightscollections.com) and candy-coloured loafers in Atika. Then join the sunset happy hour crowd on the canopied roof terrace at Kechmara (kechmara.com).
8pm
For a knock-out Moroccan feast book yourself into Al Fassia (00 212 524 43 40 60; mains from £11; booking essential), where owner Saida Chab serves a five-course menu of signature Moroccan dishes such as cinnamon-dusted pastilla (pigeon pie). For something lighter head to Chez Mado (00 212 524 421 494; mains £5-10; facebook.com/pg/Chez-Mado-Marrakech) for platters of fish and Atlantic oysters.
10.30pm
Retire for night to dimly lit lounge of Le Palace where fashion designers hold forth in the mahogany bar and businessmen crack bottles of Ruinart like the 80s never ended.
Day two
10am
Last-minute laps of the souks are tempting, but visiting the Saadian Tombs (Rue de la Kasbah, £1) is a reminder that you can’t take it all with you.
Saadian Sultan Ahmed built family mausoleums dripping with muqarnas (honeycomb stucco). But his glory didn’t last long: his successors sealed the tombs, which were only rediscovered in 1917.
12pm
Swing by Café Clock (Contact: 00 212 655 210 172; mains £2.50-6.50; cafeclock.com) for a camel burgher and a last minute blast of culture. If you’re lucky you’ll find a hikayat (traditional storytelling) workshop in progress, or you may find master oud player, Adil Idrissi, in residence. If not, just kick back in the courtyard or on the roof terrace and toast another glorious weekend in Marrakech.
