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Paula Hardy

Paula Hardy

Contributing writer, Morocco

Paula Hardy is a travel journalist and Time Out contributor based in Marrakech, Morocco. She has written for Lonely Planet, The Telegraph, the Financial Times, Culture Trip, Guardian and more. 

Articles (3)

The 17 best things to do in Marrakech

The 17 best things to do in Marrakech

Within minutes of arriving in Marrakech you’ll learn a new word: ‘Balek!’ Roughly translated as, ‘move it, donkey coming through!’ It’s a good word to know as Marrakech is a creative cauldron and is currently making an exciting dash to the future.  Having earned the prestige of being Africa’s first Capital of Culture, the city is now on a mission to introduce you to the best Moroccan food, fashion, design, art and hospitality. The Medina has recently benefited from careful architectural restoration; new museums have opened showcasing jewellery, desert gardens and ethnographic collections; the city’s souks sell almost anything you can dream up; and, the food scene is booming. So, join the throng and try out these must-do recommendations. RECOMMENDED:🥘 The best restaurants in Marrakech🇲🇦 Your ultimate guide to Morocco This guide is by Paula Hardy, a writer based in Marrakech. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

The world’s 20 best cities for culture right now

The world’s 20 best cities for culture right now

How would you rate your city’s culture scene? To find out the best cities for art and culture right now, we asked over 21,000 city-dwellers across the globe that exact question – and the results are in.  Each city on this list has earned its place through a meticulous curation process. Locals were quizzed on their city’s best cultural venues and experiences, and were also asked to score their city’s cultural offering based on both its quality and affordability. Of course, affordability is relative here: what’s considered cheap to locals in one city might not be to those in another. But whether it’s because of discounted museum entry for locals or free open-air festivals, these are destinations where art and culture won’t break the bank.  We then narrowed down the selection by excluding cities with lower overall scores, and only including the highest-scoring city for each country. (Better luck next time, London!) Four ‘spotlight’ cities were added to the final ranking – cities that weren’t surveyed but were nominated by Time Out’s clued-up editors and local experts as cultural capitals that deserve a spotlight on this year’s list. So, ready to get out there? From Mumbai to Melbourne, these are the very best cities for art and culture right now. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for the latest travel news and the best stuff happening across the world.

The 12 best restaurants in Marrakech

The 12 best restaurants in Marrakech

Marrakech is all about flavours. The Moroccan marvel is a city that floods the senses, an explosion of sights, smells and sounds that leave a marvellous impression. Eating often and eating well is part of the rhythm of life here, and visitors will find themselves swept up in wave after delicious wave of gorgeous food. The best restaurants in Marrakech are to be savoured. After all, eating is one of the best things to do here. The buzz of the restaurants is compelling, making them among the finest attractions in a city full of the things. Less formal eaters will find plenty to excite, with food stalls around every corner serving everything from sugared doughnuts to stewed snails. Hungry in Marrakech? You’re in for a treat.

Listings and reviews (3)

Medersa Ben Youssef

Medersa Ben Youssef

What is it? A 16th-century Quranic school (medersa) built in 1565 by Saadian Sultan Abdallah Al Ghalib. Built beside the Ben Youssef mosque – originally Marrakech’s main mosque – it functioned as a school training Islamic scholars in Islamic law, jurisprudence and variant readings of the Quran. In its heyday it was the largest medersa in North Africa and attracted up to 800 students. Is it worth visiting? Absolutely. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an exemplar of Hispano-Moresque design and decoration that absolutely dazzles after nearly four years of painstaking restoration. Its exquisite central patio is paved with Italian marble and surrounded by intricate zellij (mosaic) tiling, carved stuccowork and cedarwood, while around it on the first floor are some 130 student dorms grouped around sunlit courtyards. In one of them you can see a video showcasing the master artisans involved in the restoration.  Tickets, accessibility and booking Tickets are a very affordable 50MAD (around £4) and can be bought at the entrance. The magnificent main courtyard is the only area of the site that is wheelchair accessible.   Where’s good to eat near the Medersa Ben Youssef? A six minute walk south through the souqs will bring you to L’Mida at the edge of the Spice Square. It serves a delicious Moroccan menu brought up to date by chef Narjisse Benkabbou. The sunny terrace seating is a bonus.  

Souk Semmarine

Souk Semmarine

What is it? Souk Semmarine is the Bond Street of Marrakech. It runs north from the Djemaa el-Fna to the Ben Youssef Medersa and merges with Souk Nejjarine and Souk El-Kebir. Running off this main artery is a whole slew of smaller souks dedicated to particular crafts such as carpets, textiles, babouche, leather hides, lanterns, spices, antiques, metalwork, wool, perfume and more. In short, you can shop for virtually everything here. Is it worth visiting? Shopping in these souqs is the quintessential Marrakech experience and is a great deal of fun if you get the hang of the negotiating game. While there’s plenty of merchandise squarely aimed at tourists, there are also some real finds here and much is handmade. In particular, look out for quality leather slippers, hand turned ceramics, beautiful cut-brass lanterns and hand woven bed throws and textiles. Just know the rate of exchange before embarking (an easy rule of thumb is 10 dirhams = £2).  Tickets, accessibility and booking The souqs are free to visit, but given their crowded nature and unpaved alleys are extremely challenging for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. That said, Marrakshis make their way here with assistance. Visit in the morning when it is generally quieter and less crowded.  Where’s good to eat in Souk Semmarine? Famous for the best tangia (beef stew) and mechoui (lamb slow-roasted over coals) in town is Chez Lahmine Hadj Mustapha, who has a tiny restaurant on Derb Semmarine. He once cooked at

Musée Yves Saint Laurent

Musée Yves Saint Laurent

What is it? Designed by fashionable Studio KO, this beautiful museum celebrates Marrakech’s creative chutzpah and the dazzling fashion of Algerian-born couturier Yves Saint Laurent, who drew inspiration from the city for over 40 years. The complex includes a beautiful rotating exhibit of Saint Laurent’s collection alongside a temporary exhibition space, research library, auditorium, café and an excellent bookshop.  Is it worth visiting? Definitely if you want to understand the creative DNA of Marrakech and why it continues to inspire so many artists and designers. The permanent installation brilliantly curates written and spoken word interviews, iconic photographs, sketches and film extracts that contextualise the artful garments in a deeply emotional display. Ethereal models sashay towards you in floating projections above mannequins dressed in dazzling clothes, bold jewellery and embellished accessories. Like Marrakech, it is alive and exciting.  Tickets, accessibility and booking Tickets must be pre-booked online. Note, it is worth buying the combined ticket which includes the next door Jardin Majorelle – where Yves St Laurent lived – and the Museum of Berber Arts (housed in Jardin Majorelle). See the latter first to understand how heavily YSL was influenced by Moroccan arts and crafts. Tickets for the Yves St Laurent Museum cost 135MAD (approx. £11) while a combined ticket costs 315MAD (approx £25). The museum is wheelchair accessible. Where’s good to eat near MYSLM? The