Lifestyle
10.14.2019
48 hours in Marrakesh
To face with more serenity the gloom of the new school year, Kawa invites you to discover a new city in the Arab world every week for a weekend. We start with Marrakech, perhaps the most touristic city in Morocco… What to do? What to see? Where to go out and eat? Follow the guide!
Have tea at Jamaa El-Fna Square
There is certainly no place more emblematic of the cultural capital of Morocco! On one of the many terraces, elevated or not, have a local tea or coffee while enjoying the atmosphere of monkey trainers, snake charmers, and many musicians. The atmosphere is at its peak at the end of the day, when the mercury gets milder and the smell of grilled food from the square’s stands begins to rise, turning them into real open-air restaurants…
Negotiating in the souks of the medina
We insist on the importance of negotiation because the least we can say is that the place is not known for its low prices. Too bad, because the covered market of the medina is the perfect place to indulge in this mixture of strolling and shopping that is so dear to so many holidaymakers. The shops are linked with spaces dedicated to clothes, leather, spices, or trinkets of all kinds.
Visit the Majorelle garden
Another of Marrakech’s must-see attractions, undeniably. A natural break in this botanical garden which gathers nearly 300 species on about 1 hectare, an Art Deco villa, and a Berber museum, where you can discover North African textiles, ceramics, jewelry and paintings by the French artist Jacques Majorelle… Be careful, however, the site welcomes some 600,000 visitors per year, so you won’t be alone.
A journey between culture and architecture
With the batteries recharged, make your way to the Medersa Ben Youssef Mosque, having taken care to negotiate in advance with your taxi. A jewel of Moorish architecture founded by the Marinid Sultan Abu al-Hasan, it was built around 1570 by the Saadians, before being restored in 1950. The building, which also served as a Koranic school, is simply magnificent with its geometric motifs, marble columns, and long mosaics.
For the rest of the program, enthusiasts will be able to visit the richly decorated Saadian Tombs. Discovered around 1917 before being restored, they are now an integral part of Morocco’s cultural heritage. From this point, a walk will take you to the ruins of El Badi Palace, inspired by the Alhambra of Granada (Spain), and considered a jewel of Islamic art.
Gourmet parentheses
Since it is very tiring to spend the day walking and visiting, you will necessarily need to recharge the batteries. So, before returning to your Riad, take the time to discover the local cuisine in the best conditions, favoring heavenly (and expensive) addresses such as the Medina Privilege Restaurant, Dar Zellij, or Makassar. For the more financially restricted travelers, prefer the street food experience, and taste the harira (vegetable soup with meat), kebabs, makouda, moroccan snails (careful, spicy), or even chermoula sardines, which are easily accessible for about ten dirhams, especially around the souks.
Have a good weekend!
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