A Guide To Marrakech
Getting Around
Marrakech is a very easy place to navigate your way around. You'll generally be staying in and around the medina (old town) and many places of interest are within easy walking distance. You can use the main Koutoubia as a land mark which can be seen from many parts of town (although when not lost shopping in the souks!) If you are looking to get around town, a "Petit Taxi" offers the best value and most are fitted with meters and drivers will put them on if asked. A short journey to the "New Town" should be less than 20 dirham. We will normally take care of any airport transfers for you if you are taking part in our activities, but if you are arriving early, a taxi will be between 30 and 100 dirham depending on how well you negotiate and if you arrive after dark (this is more expensive)
Djeema El Fna
The most "happening" place in town. Referred to as the square, this place comes alive particularly after dark. Generally in the morning, you'll get orange juice vendors, snake charmers and water carriers posing for photos (be warned they will want cash in return!) and then after dark the place really swings into action. Most famous for it's food stalls and the guys trying to encourage you to eat at their stand. Calls in the best queens english of Hello luv, or Gidday mate or Bonjour as they try and guess your nationality and strike up a rapor with you and your group. For the more adventurous, check out the snails and sheeps heads on offer, but the general food stalls are good and fun to eat at. In addition, you'll see ladies doing henna tatoos, and people telling stories, acrobats and story tellers as well as games galore. It really is a must do on your visit to Marrakech.
Places To Visit
Marrakech has some fascinating places to visit on your trip. No matter whether you are interested in shopping or history, Marrakech has something to offer all travelers.
The Marrakech Museum is housed in a magnificent late-nineteenth century palace, Dar Mnebbi, on the west side of Place de la Kissaria. The palace was originally built by Mehdi Mnebbi, the Moroccan ambassador to London. It was then bought by T’Hami el Glaoui, the famous Pasha of Marrakech during the French protectorate. Restored in 1997, it houses today both traditional and contemporary exhibitions of Moroccan arts and sculpture and is well worth a visit.
The Marrakech Museum is open daily from 9:30 – 18:00. Admission fee is 30dh.
Saadian Tombs: Long-hidden from intrusive eyes, the Saadian Tombs is another great landmark of Marrakech only rediscovered in the early 20th century. The tombs are the original burial place of the Saadian princes, most notably Sultan Ahmed el Mansour.
The tombs are lavishly decorated, conveying the opulence and great artistry of this important period in Moroccan history.
Bahia Palace: The Bahia Palace, the “Brilliant”, is the perfect antidote to the simplicity of the nearby Al Badi Palace. Originally built in 1867 by Si Moussa, a grand vizier of Moulay Hassan, it was enlarged by his son Bou Ahmed, who added a mosque, a hammam and a garden. The Bahia Palace was recently restored to its former glory and splendour, although some work is still yet to be carried out. You enter the Palace through an arcade courtyard that leads to a small riad, beautifully decorated in cedarwood and carved stucco. In the riad itself, there are three adjoining salons leading through elaborate reception halls, pleasure gardens, living quarters and numerous secluded courtyards.
You can only visit part of the Palace, as some of it is still used by the royal family. You can visit the vizier’s sleeping quarters and various courtyards set aside for his wives and different concubines.
The Bahia Palace is open daily from 9:00 t 15:00. Admission fee is 10dh.
The Gardens: With the hustle and bustle of the souks of the Medina, and the afternoon heat reaching temperatures of 38 C, at least part of your day in Marrakech should be devoted to total inactivity. A good place to get a cool and peaceful break is in one of the many gardens in the city. The main gardens in Marrakech are the Agdal and Menara, stretching through acres of orchards and olive groves with an immense pool of water. Other smaller gardens include the Majorelle, the gardens of the famed Mamounia Hotel and the palmery, which will give you a taster of the southern oases. To get to these gardens, at the edge of the Medina, you will want to hire a petit taxi or a horse-drawn carriage (calèche). Alternatively, you can rent a bike or charter a grand taxi for the day.
