Marrakech

Whether you‘re snapping up souk style bargains or soaking up springtime sun, Marrakech is a box of spiced delights.

From the ancient rose-coloured city walls to the sounds and scents of the souks, Marrakech is a showcase for Morocco’s past and present: the slender spire of the mosque and the courtyards paved with tiles are complemented by the razzle and dazzle of the latest riads – picturesque private houses built around a central courtyard. Marrakech may be rich in tradition, but consummate design savvy and the city’s vibrant bar scene gives it a cosmopolitan edge.

Sightseeing

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Deep within the city walls, the Medina’s main square Place Djemaa el Fna is a biblical scene of fire-eaters, snake-charmers, acrobats and henna-ed women. Though non-Muslims can’t enter the glorious twelfth-century Koutoubia Mosque which presides over it, a visit to the square is an essential part of the Marrakech experience. Buy freshly squeezed orange juice from the makeshift juice bar, dodge the photo-opportunistic monkey handlers and throw a coin to the dancing Bedouin boys.
Gardens figure highly in Marrakech’s tourist hotspots. Dive headfirst into the vivid colours of Le Jardin Majorelle owned by Yves Saint Laurent – a longtime fan of the city. The subtropical sights of banana trees, giant bamboo, cacti, and lily pads are open all year.
Muslim tombs, mosques and numerous museums also vie for your attention. The Museé de Marrakesh is an architectural joy, particularly the richly tiled great central court. Exhibits include exquisite Berber-made jewellery, leather work, oil paintings and lamps.
Finish the day with a scrub in one of the many single-sex or communal Hamman steam baths, tucked around the city.
Le Jardin Majorelle at Yacoub El Mansour, Gueliz (no phone). Open summer daily 8am-12noon, 3-7pm; winter daily 8am-12noon, 2-5pm. Admission £1.50.
Museé de Marrakesh, Place Ben Youssef 9044390911). Open daily 9.30am-6pm. Admission £2.

Shopping
Steeped in tradition, atmosphere and bargains, the craft souks are an unmissable treat. Leading off Djemaa el Fna, these covered markets are extensive and labyrinthine. Root around for carpets, silver, leather, spices, earthenware and baboushes (slippers). Barter to your heart’s content – the sellers expect you to. You can snap up carpets and the like for 50 per cent of the original asking price. Hypochondriacs might like to visit one of the herbal chemists where rows of remedies, made of things like little black scorpions, will allegedly cure any ailment you care to concoct.

Eating & drinking
Moroccan specialities are lamb tagine, fish, couscous, and pastillas. Rich coffees and sweet mint teas are essential refreshments. Lone female travellers who find the male-dominated cafés intimidating might prefer to pick up dishes from the street stalls. The corner Café Sindibad makes a good choice for breakfast (from £1.50) in the Gueliz area and provides an excellent vantage point from which to marvel at the logistics of the Marrakech traffic system.
Swim up an appetite at the elegant Sunset Club on the other side of the Palmeraie desert, before settling into the monochrome restaurant to lunch on seafood – delicate dourade or lobster are specialities. At night, fairy lights twinkle and a greenhouse comes alive as a DJ booth. When the music’s right this is the closest thing to an oasis around.
For evening dining, the stalwart Le Comptoir is to Marrakech what hip hangout Bistroteque is to London. Chefs keep interest buoyant with an array of succulent meats, tiered salads and scrumptious deserts, seved in an outdoor bedouin restaurant or upstairs in a richly decorated lounge bar. Belly dancers provide entertainment, carrying trays of candles on their heads, scattering petals on the floor and dancing of course – so fast their faces blur. DJs spin every Friday and Saturday night for the fash pack, the moneyed and visiting celebrities. Have a drink here at the very least.
Café Sindibad, avenue Med V 066163221.
Sunset Club, Circuit de la Palmeraie 044449037.
Le Comptoir, avenue Echouada 044437702/comptoir-darna@iam.net.ma.

Where to stay
Hotel rooms can be pretty expensive, which is why riads are de rigueur. With a style that combines the best of trad Marrakech with a dollop of luxe, the Ambre Riad Lotus is the ultimate indulgence. Each of the four beautifully appointed bedrooms has an entertainment system and gorgeous furnishings, while a private traditional hamman, roof-top jacuzzi, and al fresco dining area all add to its glory. Not only that, owner Reda Bengeloune can arrange trips to the High Atlas mountains. Cheaper basic rooms can be found at Hotel Sherazade’s family guest house.
Ambre Lotus Riad, 22 Fhal Zefriti, Quartier Ksour-Medina (002 12 44 14 05/www.riadslotus.com).
Double rooms from £107 a night.
Sherazade, Derb Djama (002 12 44429305/www.hotelsherazade.com). Doubles with breakfast £20 a night.

Out of town
The High Atlas Mountains offer sweeping vistas, great treks, a peek into village life, and visits to ancient kasbah palaces. Grand Taxis are the easiest way to get into the mountains. You can pick them up outside hotels and the railway station on Hassan II.
And further out, the once pirate then hippy haven beautiful coastal port of Essaouira, now famed for its sea walls, huge surf, art and African trance – is also tipped as the latest fashionable getaway. Bussing it is the cheapest way to get there from Marrakech. Tickets from Gare Routier bus station are laughably cheap – £2 for a three-hour ride.

Getting there
British Airways (0870 850 9850/www.ba.com) flies from Heathrow and Gatwick. Royal Air Maroc (020 7439 4361/www.royalairmaroc.com) flies via Casablanca from Heathrow. Look out for bargains – we’ve seen return flights for as little as £149, though the standard fare is around £300.

Sam Pow
Time Out London Issue 1804: March 16-23 2005

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