An insider's guide to Marrakech, featuring the city's best hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, attractions and things to do, including how to travel there and around. Why go? Red baked-mud medina palaces beneath the snow-capped High Atlas and a powder-pink ring of ramparts around 19 kilometres of seething souqs, Marrakech is Morocco’s most memorable experience.

Founded almost 1000 years ago on the edge of the Sahara, this southern market town grew to become one of the great cities of the Maghreb and a Unesco Heritage site to boot. But Marrakech isn’t some petrified piece of history that tourists come to gawk at, it’s bursting at the seems with an intense density of life and a modern entrepreneurialism that puts Manhattanites to shame. This isn’t a place where you can gracefully glide through. Instead you’ll find yourself telling jokes with snake charmers, dining outdoors in the Djemaa el-Fna, hankering after the latest henna tattoos and getting a hands-on scrub down in the local hammam. Pause for unexpected beauty and banter often with multi-lingual locals, because what are the chances you’ll come this way again?

When to go The most pleasant time to explore Marrakech is spring (mid-March to May) when the roses bloom and the days are fresh and sunny. Next best is autumn (September to November), when the summer heat has subsided. Winter can be idyllic in the day time, but nights are chilly enough to warrant booking that bedroom with a fireplace. Don’t underestimate the extreme heat in the summer, when daytime temperatures can hit a sweltering 45C. Also bear in mind that during Ramandan, the traditional month of fasting and purification, some restaurants and cafes close during the day and general business hours are reduced.

Where to go Marrakech is a city of moments: gazing on the iconic Koutoubia as the call to prayer rings out at sunset, wandering the Bab Doukkala market buying armfuls of fragrant mint, and ducking under dripping yarn drying to a shade of imperial purple in the Dyers Souk. The focal point of the city’s rambling morphology is the Djemaa el-Fna, its finest sights the sculpted Bahia Palace, the Medersa Ali Ben Youssef and the green cacti garden of the Jardin Majorelle. Come 2016, Marrakech will also have its first piece of museum architecture: a new David Chipperfield-designed Museum for Photography and Visual Arts (mmpva.org). Getting there To find flights, check Skyscanner or Momondo.
See also our expert guide to saving money on short-haul flights Know before you go Essential contacts British Embassy, Rabat: 00 212 537 63 33 33; gov.uk British Honorary Consulate Marrakech: 00 212 524 42 08 46; 47 Boulevard Abdelkrim El Khattabi, Gueliz Tourist police: 00 212 524 38 46 01 Ambulance: 150 Polyclinique du Sud hospital: 00 212 524 44 79 99 Tourism Office: 00 212 524 43 61 79; Place Adbdel Moumen ben Ali, Gueliz The basics Currency: Dirham (abbreviated to MAD or Dh) Telephone code: dial 00 212 if calling Marrakech from the UK. From inside Morocco, substitute 00 212 in all the above numbers with 0 Time difference: +1 hour Languages: Darija (Moroccan Arabic); French; Tashelhit (Berber) Flight time: London to Marrakech is between 3hr 30min and four hours

Local laws and etiquette While Marrakech is one of Morocco’s most liberal cities, a degree of modesty in how you dress will be greatly appreciated by your hosts. Both women and men should avoid revealing clothing and keep knees and shoulders covered. Marriage in Morocco remains a highly respected institution. For this reason it is not in the least rude to enquire about marital status and new acquaintances are questioned early on in a conversation. Solo women travellers, in particular, may be prone to questions as to why they would travel unaccompanied. In addition, Moroccan laws still prohibit extra-marital sex, drinking in public and smoking kif (hashish). Mosques, zaouias (saint’s shrines) and cemeteries are not open to non-Muslims.

Also, the left hand in Muslim society is used for personal hygiene and should not be used to handle food. Although Marrakech has largely eliminated the problem of faux guides (false guides) some still linger around the Djemaa el-Fna offering help with directions or recommendations for shops and restaurants (from which they get commission). Be firm, but polite when declining unsolicited company, and don’t feel embarrassed to ask for directions when lost. In such situations its best to ask the nearest hanout (shop owner). Official guides can be hired through hotels and riads or at the tourist office.

The official rates are £12 for half a day and £30 for a full day, but private operators and riads can charge up to £50 for a half-day tour and £90 for a full-day tour.

CINEMA:  The city of Ouarzazate is with no doubt the rightful holder of the title “City of Cinema”, however, the city of Marrakech is rivaling Ouarzazate for that title, as a lot of directors are succumbing to the beauty, charm and the decorative diversity of the red city. Let’s discover some masterpieces, all made in Marrakech.

The man who knew too much, 1956 The man who knew too much is a movie that belongs to the mystery and thriller genre, a film made by the famous British director Alfred Hitchcock. On the other hand, this is the remake of the white and black original movie, coming with a more colorful intake, and the best choice for that was the city of Marrakech. The action filled movie, bursting with exciting and heart dropping moments, has filmed many scenes in various locations in the ocher city, from the Medina to Bab Doukkala and especially in the Jemaa el Fna square. One of the most mythically and magically known scenes is with no doubt when Doris Day starts singing “Que Sera, Sera” a cover of the song that has been shot in one of the suites of La Mamounia Palace. Later on, this song itself will take the Oscar for best song.


The mummy, 1999 Written and directed by Stephen Sommers, the Mummy is a beautiful movie full of adventure, it tells the fictional story of a cursed Egyptian priest that has been resurrected by archeologists in the 1920s. The two starring actors are Brendan Fraser and Rahel Weisz, they have chosen Marrakech instead of Cairo for the political atmosphere that was taking over Egypt. Moreover, a lot of the scenes that are supposed to be in Egypt are all shot in the Moroccan Sahara, to be more precise, close to the city of Erfoud.

Alexander, 2004 Directed by the amazing Oliver Stone, the same staggering director that has given this world the masterpiece that is his musical documentary The Doors. Moreover, Alexander is a movie that tells the story of the Macedonian king, one of the most famous and known figures in the course of history. The movie has been filmed in both Morocco as well as Thailand, the casting was containing big time stars: Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer and Jared Leto. Due to the need of filming in the city of Marrakech, two large warehouses have been transformed to factories that made all the accessories and décors needed, from pottery, musical instruments, lamps and miscellaneous decorative objects.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, 2010 Directed by Mike Newell, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, is of course a cinematographic adaptation of the famous video game, as we know, the game itself was extremely successful, and people were demanding to see the Prince Dastan brought to life, and the perfect man for the job was Jake Gyllenhaal. The production team has found in the city of Marrakech the perfect climate as well as the perfect geographical venue, fitting perfectly for the needs of the movie. The shooting of the movie has started all the way back in 2008 in a small village nestled in the heart of the Oukaimdan mountains; this latter needed the help of 20 workers just to make a clear path to make the village accessible. Various scenes that portrait the Iranian valley among others have all been shot in different locations in the red city, including Tamesloht and the Agafay Sahara.

After its independence from France in 1956, Morocco, and specifically the fourth largest of the historical Berber Empire's Imperial Cities, Marrakech, took off as a hippie mecca for artists (Andy Warhol), Hollywood starlets (Rita Hayworth), film directors (Alfred Hitchcock shot scenes for The Man Who Knew Too Much here) and the musical jet-set with The Beatles and the Rolling Stones enjoying rest and hazy "relaxation" in the maze-like alleys of this medieval medina.

Fly

Drive

Stay

Dine

Buy 

La Mamounia, or at least its eight hectares of gardens, began life in the 18th century as a wedding gift to Morocco's Prince Moulay Mamoun from his father, King Mohammed Ben Abdellah (the hotel didn't follow until 1923). Today, those gardens, with their centuries-old olive trees, still retain their historic splendor. And the rest of La Mamounia has never felt fresher.

Ean Vassort, dressed comfortably in jeans and blue cotton shirt, stands on the terrace of his whitewashed house, taking in the view of long golden beaches and a broad estuary snaking eastward into a hot, rocky valley. Retired since selling his restaurant near Avignon, France in 2002, Vassort, 74, now lives year-round in this sun-washed setting where he once took his holidays. But unlike earlier generations of French pensioners, Vassort's retirement idyll isn't tucked away along the villa-studded expanses of the Côte d'Azur, or in one of the popular resort towns of Spain's Costa Brava. Instead, Vassort is one of a growing number of European pensioners jumping the Mediterranean to Morocco — and getting much more bang for their euro.


"We have a wonderful life in Morocco, so it's easy to understand why more French people are coming to live here," says Vassort, who lives with his wife and lumbering labrador Othello among the serpentine streets of les Oudayas, the ancient casbah of Morocco's capital, Rabat. "The Moroccans are friendly and astoundingly hospitable. The weather is good all year. There's a rich cultural and social life. And with virtually all Moroccans speaking French, language isn't a problem."

While most European societies are hotly debating what to do about the influx of immigrants from North Africa — tens of thousands make the trek to Europe every year, legally or not — a small but significant population is moving in the opposite direction. The generations of retirees who once flocked to Nice, St.-Tropez, or the Algarve are now exploring more exotic locales such as Thailand and Vietnam, and thereby extending Europe's reach beyond the acknowledged borders.

And, at least officially, places like Morocco are thrilled at the prospect. To encourage investment, the kingdom offers foreign pensioners a tremendous incentive to bunk down in Morocco at least half the year: 80% tax relief on money placed in Moroccan investments or bank accounts. Just how significant is that?

"The money we save on taxes pays for nearly an entire year of rent here," marvels Max Ferrero, 69, who operated a string of car dealerships in northern France before retiring in 2001. Sitting in the shade of his garden a mere 50 m from the Sid el Abed beach ("Sable d'Or" to the new locals) south of Rabat, Ferrero motioned to the 240-sq-m villa he and partner Cathy Conticello have lived in since last March. "We're not rich — we could never afford something like this in France," says Ferrero, who counts half a dozen fellow French expats, several local vips, a Moroccan general and King Mohammed VI's brother as neighbors. "The Côte d'Azur would be far beyond our means if we wanted a house there — which we definitely don't now we've tasted life in Morocco," agrees retired nurse Conticello, 69.

Intra-European migration, especially among retirees, is a long-established fact. Some 300,000 British nationals reside in France, for example, and it will be a long time before migration outside Europe's borders matches that. Given widely varying official statistics, it's hard to know just how popular the road to Morocco is. "The numbers are debatable, but what's beyond doubt is seniors buying homes in Morocco has grown exponentially over the past half decade," says Laurent Paul Alteresco, director of the real estate service company Ramses Consulting, which specializes in assisting non-Moroccans buying homes and relocating to the kingdom.

The French Embassy lists around 35,000 of its nationals as residents in Morocco — certainly not all pensioners. Still, there's indication many French seniors and younger expatriates don't even bother to register with their diplomatic missions. In Marrakech alone, for example, the number of French citizens signed in with their consulate in 2005 exceeded 3,300 (up nearly 60% since 2001), but fell short of the almost 7,000 residence permits local authorities say French nationals now hold. Some 17,000 homes in and around Marrakech, meanwhile, are French-owned. And while Marrakech and its cultural marvels have traditionally been the main destination of Europeans relocating to Morocco, coastal cities and towns like Agadir, Essaouira, Tangier and increasingly Rabat have become booming real estate markets with the arrival of house-hunting pensioners in recent years.

French transplants remain the largest group, but Italian and German seniors are also getting in on the rush — and the British contingent is becoming active in the higher-end sector. But as in any hot market, increased activity meansrising prices. "Certain properties in beach areas have increased from €100 to €300 per square meter in three years," says Alteresco. Annual rise across the board, he estimates, has ranged from 80-100% over the past few years.

That's been a trend everywhere Europeans have started to call home. During her 11 years as a resident of Marrakech — where she's worked as an interior designer, hotel operator and property developer — former Paris-based lawyer Meryanne Loum-Martin has seen the local real estate market rapidly go from bubbling to booming. In particularly hot neighborhoods, she says, traditional riad villas that sold for j90,000 per hectare six years ago are now priced at €700,000. Per hectare prices in less effervescent areas have risen from €80,000 to €500,000 during the same period. "The only place that isn't rising as fast is the medina (old city), where many people who bought recently have been disappointed," she says. "Now they're selling — and joining the crowd looking to buy elsewhere in Marrakech or Morocco."

Despite the rising housing market, Morocco will remain an attractive and affordable option for both retired and active Europeans for years to come. Significant progress in massive construction, transport, roadway and communications projects launched by the government to develop the country and boost annual tourism from the current 6.5 million visitors to 10 million by 2010 is already evident in and around major cities. "Morocco is utterly unrecognizable from what it was 10 years ago — and in another 10, it will be totally transformed," says Hassan Belmaheb, a 64-year-old retired Moroccan Bell Telephone factory worker who has lived in Belgium since 1964 and bought a Rabat holiday home in 2002. 

Meanwhile, under an open-skies accord between the European Union and Morocco, current frequent daily flights between Europe and Moroccan cities will expand as low-cost carriers open routes. "I can get from Paris or London to Marrakech flying faster than I can get from London to Paris by train," Loum-Martin notes. Even some enthusiasts worry, however, that the kingdom's success in luring residents from Europe may produce some friction. For example, Marcelle and Max Billaux say they know affluent French residents of Rabat's casbah who not only do not declare their domestics to authorities, but pay them j3 per day — not unlike the subservience wages some bosses in Europe pay illegal immigrants who will similarly accept nearly anything to land hard-won work. Moroccans who see such treatment happening at home could start asking where transcontinental integration stops and neocolonial exploitation starts.

"We're aware this economic advantage that allows us to buy a home and live well here cuts two ways," says Marcelle Billaux, a seasonal resident of Rabat who manages an interim work program for socially disadvantaged people in Normandy, northern France. "People must take care that it doesn't become abusive. You have to be sensitive to the fact that, at the end of the day, Morocco is their home, not ours."

The Moroccan people and monarchy have long been proud of their religious tolerance, warm relations with Western nations and traditionally moderate practice of Islam. But the 2003 suicide bombings in Casablanca proved the kingdom isn't immune from the jihadist virus. In August, authorities announced nationwide arrests of 56 radicals accused of plotting strikes against political leaders, government buildings, tourist sites and foreign-owned properties. "It's the very moderate, reformist, Western-oriented nature of states like Morocco that make them the worst enemies of bin Laden and his followers," says a senior French counterterror official. Ironically, however, pensioners living in Morocco said they feel safer from terror and ordinary crime than at home. The seeming omnipresence of uniformed police may explain why. "I've never felt more secure," assures Conticello.

What do the average Moroccans think of this influx from Europe? Most seem to view it as positive. But will that last? One consequence of the hot real estate market has been an inner-city housing pinch that is forcing a growing number of Moroccans out of town. Members of an expanding middle class longing to be homeowners themselves must often move up to 30 km from cities to find affordable housing. "There's some resentment over people being squeezed out," says Belmaheb, who has bought a new vacation apartment in the Residence Chatea complex outside Rabat. "But people know the euro is almighty."

For their part, the emigrés don't want to ruin what they came for. "On the one hand, you fear this flow from Europe and development to cater to it may undermine things that make Morocco so special," says Billaux, the Rabat homeowner. "On the other hand, you can't ask people you've come to live with to eternally lag 50 years behind for our sake." That used to be the dilemma that confronted richer Europeans making new homes in the Continent's poorer nations; now it plays out in Europe's neighbors.

TOP 10 Marrakech Attractions:

1. Maison de la Photographie, 46 Rue Ahel Fes Medina, 5 24 38 57 21

2. Jemaa el Fna (Place of the Dead)

3. Bahia Palace, Beyond Place des Ferblantiers


4. Majorelle Garden ( Jardin Majorelle), Safi Boulevard, 5 24 30 18 52

5. Ali Ben Youssef Medersa (Madrasa), Rue Souk el Khemis, 5 44 39 09 11

6. Medina of Marrakech

7. Marrakech Souk, Jemaa el Fna

8. Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret, Ave. Mohammed V

9. Marrakech Ramparts, Medina of Marrakech

10. Museum of Moroccan Arts (Dar Si Said), Derb El Bahia, Riad Zitoun el-Jedid, 0 24 44 24 64

The ultimate checklist for things to do in Marrakech – follow our insider tips for stunning mosques, fascinating crafts and luxury living:

1. Circle the Koutoubia Mosque

The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech’s most famous symbol – built in a traditional Almohad style and topped with four copper globes – is visible from near and far. It’s not really that high (77 metres), but thanks to local topography and a local ordinance that forbids any other building in the Medina to be higher than a palm tree, it towers majestically over its surroundings. It’s still an active place of worship, and non-Muslims may not enter. But it’s possible to get a good view of the exterior by walking around either side.

2. Spend your dirhams at the souks

There are few more pleasurable ways to spend time in Marrakech than wandering around the seemingly endless maze of markets in the Medina. The area of the Medina, just north of the Jemaa El Fna, is commercial – at least in its more central areas – with a fibrous network of souks. Beginning on the north edge, the souks comprise alleyway upon alleyway of tiny retail cubicles. The further in you venture the more interesting they become.
The two main routes into their heart are rue Semarine (aka Souk Semarine) and rue Mouassine; the former offers the more full-on blast of bazaar, the latter is a more sedate path leading to choice boutiques. Every section has its own speciality: carpets and textiles; woollen hats and cooked snails; spices and magic supplies; cotton, clothing, kaftans and blankets – and most importantly raffia bags and baskets, which you’ll need to carry all your purchases in.

3. Learn about Islamic scripture and law

The Ben Youssef Medersa, a Quranic school, dedicated to the teaching of Islamic scripture and law, was founded in the 14th century, then enlarged in the 16th century. It was given a further polishing up in the 1990s courtesy of the Ministry of Culture. Entrance is via a long, cool passageway leading to the great courtyard, a serene place (before the tour parties arrive) centred on a shallow, water-filled basin. The surrounding façades are decorated with zelije tiling, stucco and carved cedar, all executed with restraint. At the far side is the domed prayer hall with the richest of decoration, notably around the mihrab, the arched niche that indicates the direction of Mecca.
Back in the entrance vestibule, passageways and two flights of stairs lead to more than 100 tiny windowless students’ chambers, clustered about small internal lightwells. Medieval as it seems, the medersa was still in use until as recently as 1962.
Ben Youssef Medersa, Place Ben Youssef (+212 524 44 18 93). Open 9am-6pm daily. Admission 50dh. Children under 12, 30dh.

4. Dig out some new threads

Algerian-French designer Norya ayroN’s Moroccan-inspired womenswear is becoming a hit with the stars. Trendy, yet comfortable, colourful kaftans and one-of-a-kind robes are what her Pop-up Shop is known for.
Norya ayroN 32 Souk El Jeld, Sidi Abdelaziz, near Souk Cherifia, +212 661 29 59 90.
Fashion creative Artsi Ifrach has a boutique store  – Art/C – in Souk Cherifia. His signature style sees him reinterpreting clothes that are one-offs: you’ll find a gorgeous deer tapestry in deep bordeaux refashioned as a dress, trousers embellished with handira blanket sequins, shoes made from carpets, a vintage linen piece crowned with a fur collar and the non-kosher pig print dress. Cartoon flamingo print kaftan, anyone? It cannot get more fabulous.

Akbar Delights (45 place Bab Fteuh, +212 671 66 13 07, www.akbar delightscollections.com) is an upmarket French-owned boutique specialising in luxury clothing and textiles from Kashmir, with some items made to their own designs. The tiny space is crammed with embroidered tops and dresses, cotton robes, silk shawls and scarves, plus shimmery, shoulder bags.
Akbar Delights 45 place Bab Fteuh, +212 671 66 13 07.

5. Get into garden living

With green space at a premium in Marrakech, it’s good to know where to seek respite from the African sun. Just outside the Medina is the glamourous, world-famous La Mamounia (Avenue Bab Jedid, +212 524 38 86 00) with its equally famous gardens.
The Arset El-Mamoun gardens were established in the 18th century by Crown Prince Moulay Mamoun on land gifted to him by his father, the sultan, on the occasion of his wedding. Designed in traditional style, on an axis, with walkways, flowerbeds, orange groves and olive trees, non-residents who want to enjoy their splendour can visit for a buffet lunch at the poolside restaurant, take afternoon tea at Le Menzeh tea and ice-cream pavilion in the gardens, or on the back terrace overlooking the gardens.
French painter Jacques Majorelle’s flourishing homage to the plant world is a much sought-after colourful and shady retreat from the bustle of Marrakech’s Medina. The lemon yellow and the striking cobalt blue (now named Majorelle blue), plus the palms, the soaring cacti and the multicoloured planters, seduce visitors in their thousands to this sanctuary in the Ville Nouvelle. Linger longer for the café, outstanding museum with Berber jewellery, Yves Saint Laurent’s Galerie Love, and the cluster of shops and cafés on the Jardin Majorelle’s doorstep (Majorelle Gardens, Rue Yves Saint Laurent, +212 524 31 30 47).
Majorelle Gardens Rue Yves Saint Laurent. +212 524 31 30 47. Open 8am-5.30pm daily. Admission 50dh; free under-9s. Berber Museum 25dh.

6. Get arts & crafty, Moroccan style

On display in Maison Tiskiwin, a private house owned by veteran Dutch anthropologist Bert Flint, is his fascinating collection of crafts and decorative arts from southern Morocco and the Sahara. The exhibition is designed to show Morocco’s connection to sub-Saharan Africa and is geographically laid out to take you on a virtual journey across the Sahara to Timbuktu. Exhibits include masks from as far afield as Mali and an entire Berber tent made of camel hair.
Maison Tiskiwin 8 Derb El-Bahia, off Riad Zitoun El-Jedid + 212 524 38 91 92. Open 9am-12.30pm, 2.30-6pm daily. Admission 20dh; 10dh children.

7. Be grave at the ancient Saadian Tombs

Flanking the south side of the Kasbah Mosque, the site of what is possibly Marrakech’s most visited monument is an ancient walled garden, the use of which far predates the Saadian era. Dotted around the shrubbery are early mosaic graves; the identity of those interred is long lost. Attention instead focuses on the three pavilions built during the reign of Saadian sultan Ahmed El-Mansour.
First on the left is the Prayer Hall, which holds numerous graves, mainly of Alaouite princes from the 18th century. Next to it is the Hall of Twelve Columns, a more ornate affair with three central tombs surrounded by a dozen marble pillars. The tomb in the middle is that of Ahmed El-Mansour, flanked by those of his son and grandson. A third, stand-alone pavilion has ornate Andalucian-style entrance portals.
Rue de Kasbah, Bab Agnaou (no phone). Open 9am-4.45pm daily. Admission 10dh. Children under 12, free.

8. Explore Morocco through its museums

The Dar Si Said Museum (Riad Zitoun El-Jedid, +212 524 38 95 64. Open 9am-6.45pm Wed-Mon. Admission 10dh. Children 3dh), former home of the brother of Ba Ahmed, builder of the Bahia Palace, now houses a ragtag collection of crafts and woodwork. Among all the ceramics, leather and weapons are beautiful examples of carved cedar, rescued from the city’s lost dwellings.
More engaging is the new Maison de la Photographie (46 Ahal Fés, +212 524 38 57 21. Open 9.30am-7pm daily, Admission 40dh. Children under 12, free) which displays exhibits from a collection of 8,000 photographs spanning the period from 1870-1950. The museum’s top terrace is perfect for a post-picture visit drink or light lunch.
The new Douiria Mouassine (5 Derb El Hammam, Mouassine, Medina, +212 524 38 57 21. Open 10am-6pm Sat-Thur, Admission 30dhs) showcases a restored, petite 17th-century reception apartment detailed with exquisite decorative plaster and wood work.
The Marrakech Museum of Photography and Visual Arts (MMPVA) has a temporary home inside the Badii Palace with a changing roster of exhibitions until the new Sir David Chipperfield-designed building is unveiled next to the Menara Gardens in 2016.

9. Breath in Marrakech’s pungent tanneries

To experience Marrakech at its most medieval – and most pungent – visit the tannery district. The tanners have been here since the city was founded and their work remains a pre-industrial process, using hundreds of vats full of foul liquids to cure animal hides. The eventual products can be seen and purchased at the leather shops near the gate – and all over the souks, but you may prefer to get the hell out of the quarter and purge yourself in the nearest hammam.

10. Step into a Sultan’s palace

Constructed by Sultan Ahmed El-Mansour (1578-1607), the Badii Palace is one of the two principal monuments of the Saadian era (the other is the Saadian Tombs). Today it survives only as a denuded ruin, but once it was a model of triumphal ostentation. Walls and ceilings were encrusted with gold from Timbuktu, while the inner court had a massive central pool with an island, flanked by four sunken gardens. At the centre of each of the four massive walls were four pavilions, also flanked by arrangements of pools and fountains.
It took some 25 years to complete the palace and barely were the inaugural celebrations over before the ageing ruler passed away. His palace remained intact for less than a century before the Merenid sultan, Moulay Ismail, had it stripped bare and the riches carted north for his new capital at Meknès.
Place des Ferblantiers (no phone). Open 9am-4.45pm daily.

 

11. Shop in a handicrafts department store

The Ensemble Artisanal is the closest thing to a department store in Marrakech, albeit a department store selling nothing but handicrafts. It’s the ultimate souvenir store, with everything from trad clothing (babouches, jellabas, kaftans) to jewellery, and home furnishings to carpets. Prices are fixed at slightly above what you would pay in the souk, but this at least does away with tiresome haggling.
Avenue Mohammed V (+212 5 24 38 66 74). Open 8.30am-7.30pm daily.

12. Enjoy Moroccan culinary highs

Hipsters and flaneurs make for the imperial green oasis of Le Jardin buried in the Medina for light lunches and drinks under the banana palms (32 Souk El-Jeld, Sidi Abdelaziz, near Souk Cherifia, +212 524 37 82 95. Open 10am-10pm daily).
New Nomad (Place Rahba Kedima, +212 524 38 16 09. Open 9am-10pm daily) rises out of the Rahba Kedima magic market with its outstanding views.
For a culinary journey par excellence clear your schedule for the tasting menu at Gastro MK (14 derb Sebaai, Bab Laksour. +212 524 37 61 73. Open 7.30-10.30pm Mon, Tue, Thu-Sun).
For date milkshakes and the legendary camel burger, head to the new Café Clock (Derb Chtouka, +212 535 63 78 55. Open 10am-10pm daily) in the Kasbah.
For classic traditional Moroccan menus of salads, tagines and pastilla, make room for the feasts at female-run Al Fassia (55 boulevard Zerktouni, +212 524 43 40 60. Open noon-2.30pm, 7.30-11pm Mon, Wed-Sun.) and at Tobsil (22 derb Abdellah Ben Hessaien, Bab Ksour. +212 524 44 40 52. Open 7.30-11pm Mon, Wed- Sun).
For low-key, unfussy and family run, there’s nothing better than the traditional rabbit tagine at Tiznit right on the northeast corner of Place Jemaa El Fna (Souk El-Kassabine no.28, +212 524 42 72 04, +212 668 10 04 92. Open 8am-midnight daily.)

13. Haggle-free zones

Can’t handle the haggling, then head to these barter-free shops that will lure you into shedding a few dirhams. The Souk Cherifia (Sidi Abdelaziz. Open 10am-7.30pm daily; some shops closed Tue) displays the beautiful wares of some of the city’s most exciting designers and artists: beautifully soft suede handbags are sold at Lalla (+212 524 38 36 85); French designer Sylvie Pissard has a range of funky, stylish cushions at Sissimorocco (+212 615 22 65 20); pop artist Hassan Hajjij has a small outlet here too, selling his wheat-sack babouches, couscous-sack totes and a reworked Barbie in a box, Moroccan style.
For men there’s Randall Bachner’s Marrakshi Life (+212 659 79 73 54) with its natty threads – smart shirts and stylish scarves set against a gorgeous backdrop of blue-hued tiles. At fashionable concept store 33 Rue Majorelle (33 rue Yves Saint Laurent, +212 524 31 41 95. Open 9.30am-7pm daily), more than 100 Moroccan and foreign designers are showcased in the emporium while alongside are the Kaowa Café and Chabi Chic, selling collectable kitchenware.

14. Appreciate modern art

The Marrakech Biennale has been the catalyst for the Red City’s growing art scene. Housed in an exquisite townhouse is the Medina’s premier exhibition space, Dar Cherifa (8 Derb Charfa Lakbir, Mouassine, +212 524 42 64 63). Open 10am-7pm daily). Parts of the building date back to the 16th century and it has been lovingly restored by owner Abdelatif ben Abdellah. Regular exhibitions lean towards resident foreign artists, but there have also been shows by Moroccan artists Hassan Hajjaj and Milaudi Nouiga. Hajjaj has his own space filled with his Moroccan pop art at Riad Yima (Riad Yima, 52 derb Aarjane, +212 667 23 09 95. Open 9am-6pm daily).
When Galerie 127 (127 avenue Mohammed V, Guéliz, +212 524 43 26 67. Open 3-7pm Tue-Sat or by appointment) opened in 2006 it became the first photo gallery in the Maghreb and only the third in Africa. It got off to a good start with an opening show by Tony Catany. The king bought 30 of the photographs.
David Bloch Gallery (8 bis rue des Vieux Marrakchis, Guéliz, +212 524 45 75 95. Open 3.30-7.30pm Mon; 10.30am-1.30pm, 3.30-7.30pm Tue-Sat) pushes the envelope the most. Set in a contemporary industrial-style space, the focus is on Morocco, North African and Middle Eastern street artists. Large picture windows, steel struts painted charcoal, and white-washed brick provide the frame for bold works that fuse neon, neo-calligraphy and geometrics by collectible artists like Larbi Cherkaoui, Mohamed Boustane and Yassine ‘Yaze’ Mekhnache.
Galerie Rê (Résidence Al Andalous III, corner rue de la Mosquée & rue Ibn Toumert 3, +212 524 43 22 58. Open 10am-1pm, 3-8pm Mon-Sat) is a serious and lavishly designed contemporary gallery for changing exhibitions by mostly ‘Moroccan and Mediterranean’ artists.

15. Have a belly (dance) full

Marrakchi socialites will tell you that Comptoir is sooo over, but on the right night it’s still the best party in town. From the outside it’s a well-behaved little villa on a quiet residential street, but inside the place buzzes with dressed-up diners on the ground floor, while upstairs is a sizeable lounge filled each weekend night to within a whisper of a health and safety crisis. The crowd is a mix of good-looking locals, sharper expats and wide-eyed tourists delighted to have stumbled on the Marrakech they’d always heard about. Drinks are pricey but the nightly belly-dancers are hilarious.
Avenue Echouhada, Hivernage +212 524 43 77 02. Open 4pm-1am Mon-Thur, Sun; noon-1am Fri, Sat.

16. Find some downtime

Souk weary? Head out of the Medina for some downtime to lie by a pool, eat a leisurely lunch, or take in a massage or two. Le Bled (Douar Coucou, Oasis Hassan II, Taseltanet, +212 524 38 59 39. Open 10am-10pm daily) amid the olive and citrus groves provides a farmhouse ambience. You can lunch anywhere in the quiet gardens and swim all day.
In La Palmeraie, the lush manicured gardens of Jnane Tamsna (Jnane Tamsna Douar Abiad, +212 661 24 27 17) are the perfect retreat from the mayhem of the Medina. Owners Meryanne Loum-Martin and her ethnobotanist husband, Gary are keen art lovers, and there are rotating art exhibitions and and an onsite shop; afternoon tea is also available if you can steal yourself away from the pool.
In indulgent mood? Treat yourself to a day or weekend Spa Pass at La Mamounia (Avenue Bab Jedid, +212 524 38 86 00), which gives access to the spa (not including treatments) and the alfresco garden swimming pool. It’s a great way to be pampered in luxurious surrounds without committing to the cost of an overnight stay.

17. Grab a cocktail on a roof terrace

A café by day and restaurant by night, Kechmara also functions well as a lively and convivial bar. There’s a long bar counter to the right as you enter with a tap for bière pression, back shelves lined with spirits and bar stools for perching. The menu lists long drinks and cocktails, which are also served on a spacious roof terrace.
Kechmara 3 rue de la Liberté, Guéliz. +212 524 42 25 32. Open 9am-1am Mon-Sat.
 

18. And relax… at a hammam

Seriously indulgent hammams and spas include those at La Mamounia and Selman Hotels. For those counting the coins, head to Les Bains de Marrakech (2 derb Sedra, Bab Agnaou, Kasbah, +212 524 38 14 28) where the luxurious ambience belies the price of the hammams and massages.
For total authenticity and a thorough scrubdown, head to Hammam El-Bacha (20 rue Fatima Zohra, Dar El-Bacha (no phone).
New spa on the block is Hammam de la Rose (130 rue Dar El-Bacha, +212 524 44 47 69) gaining kudos among customers with its friendly and professional outlook, affordable prices and effective spa products.

19. Join the party

Four key events for the diary: January sees the Marrakech Marathon; in alternate years in February and March, the Marrakech Biennale comes to town; July the National Festival of Popular Arts (www.marrakechfestival.com), a five-day celebration of Morocco’s arts; and December the Marrakech International Film Festival.

20. Sleep in Morrocan luxury

Riad El Fenn has received plenty of media attention, partly because it’s co-owned by Vanessa Branson (sister of Richard) and partly because it’s such a fine place to stay. Several historic houses have been joined together to create 24 spacious, luscious jewel- coloured bedrooms that are happily lost in a warren of staircases and courtyards.
The clutter-free rooms are dominated by an Egyptian cotton-swathed bed, standalone baths in some, camel leather-tiled floors and proper-sized desks. The midnight blue courtyard room displays an intriguing scattered collage of Christmas-tree roots that look like small mammal skulls. Despite the grandeur of the architecture and some serious modern art on the walls, the mood is relaxed, with plenty of private spaces, three pools and a glorious rooftop terrace. ‘Fenn’ is the local slang for ‘cool’, and staying here gives you a real sense of tapping into the hip heart of the Red City.
Riad El Fenn 2 derb Moulay Abdallah Ben Hezzian, Bab El-Ksour, Medina. +212 524 44 12 10.
The creation of designer Meryanne Loum-Martin and her ethnobotanist husband Dr Gary Martin, Jnane Tamsna (Palmeraie Douar Abiad, +212 524 32 94 823) is a ‘Moorish hacienda’ with opulent suites and 24 gorgeous rooms, set in five buildings scattered around some beautiful gardens, each with its own pool. The architecture is vernacular chic, coloured in the palest tones of primrose, peppermint and clay and enhanced by Loum-Martin’s own inspired furniture. Surrounding fruit orchards, herb and vegetable gardens provide organic produce for the kitchen.
Peacock Pavilions is a striking, stylish retreat, located just 20 minutes from downtown Marrakech, set in an olive grove, and scented by flourishing rose gardens. Maryam Montague, a writer and human rights specialist, and her husband Chris, an architect, host guests in two large pavilions (which Chris built) set either side of an inviting, sparkling turquoise pool.
Peacock Pavilions is decorated with Maryam’s eclectic global treasures: Moroccan carpets, skulls sporting goggles, wooden fertility sculptures, Swan chairs fashioned from petrol cans, Frank Gehry’s cardboard wiggle chairs, and primary-coloured vintage Malian bread baskets. The atmosphere is very relaxed: sip a cocktail (we love the gin, jasmine syrup and mint) by the pool before dining on doughy olive bread, tender lamb tagine and poached pear while listening to Maryam’s tales of Moroccan magic, legends and myths. The alfresco cinema with its deckchairs is an indulgent perk (and is accompanied by lashings of hot chocolate in winter).
Peacock Pavilions Route de Ourzazate, km18, +212 664 41 46 53.