Marrakesh has always had a mystique about it. A city of immense beauty – low, red and tentlike below the dramatic peaks of the High Atlas mountains – it is immediately exciting and immediately fascinating. The city is arguably the last outpost of the Mediterranean before the Sahara, yet nomadic and West African influences still seem quite distinct in the crowds and performers of the Jemaa el Fna, the main square at the heart of the old town. It’s a reminder that Marrakesh was once the entrepot for goods (gold, ivory and slaves) brought by caravan across the desert. For visitors, the Jemaa el Fna is undoubtedly the focus, a place without parallel in the world; really no more than an open space, it’s also the stage for a long-established ritual in which shifting circles of onlookers gather round groups of acrobats, musicians, dancers, storytellers, comedians and fairground acts. It is always compelling, no matter how many times you return. Almost as intriguing are the city’s architectural attractions: the delicate Granada-style carving of the Saadian Tombs; the magnificent rambling ruin of the El Badi Palace; the stately interior of the Bahia Palace; the exquisite Ben Youssef Medersa, a beautifully decorated Koranic school; and, above all, the Koutoubia Minaret, the most perfect Islamic monument in North Africa, whose shape and lightness of feel set the standard for all the minarets of Morocco. Aside from these must-sees, however, the Medina, the old walled town, is the city’s prime attraction; losing yourself amid this maze of irregular streets and alleys is one of the great pleasures of a visit to Marrakesh. Within its walls you’ll find a profusion of mosques, Koranic schools and zaouias (tombs of holy men and women), amid what is, for most Western visitors, an exotic street life, replete with itinerant knife-grinders and fruit sellers, mules bearing heavy goods through the narrow thoroughfares, and country people in town to sell wares spread out upon the ground. It’s also within the Medina that you’ll find the city’s main museums: the Marrakesh Museum, housed in a beautiful nineteenth-century palace; Dar Si Said, with its amazing collection of woodwork artefacts; and the Maison Tiskiwin, with exhibits on the trans-Saharan connection between Marrakesh and Timbuktu. In the Medina’s many traditional workplaces, artisans such as blacksmiths, weavers, hatters, tanners and carpenters still ply ancient trades. Many of their wares end up in the Medina’s souks, where you can spend hours wandering labyrinthine passages in search of souvenirs and haggling for handicrafts over endless cups of mint tea. Marrakesh’s modern shops may lack the quaint charm of the souks, but they’re worth perusing for low-priced leatherware, household accessories and fine objets d’art. For dining, as much as for shopping, Marrakesh is a city of new experiences. You can feast on classic Moroccan dishes like pastilla (sweet poultry pie) and tanjia (jugged beef or lamb) in the palatial splendour of an eighteenth-century Medina mansion, or enjoy delicious tajine (Moroccan casserole) or couscous at any of the Jemaa el Fna’s night-time food stalls. The city also has its share of fine French and Italian restaurants, and boasts a surprisingly exuberant nightlife. When you need a break from the bustle of the city streets, you’ll find beautiful, historic and surprisingly extensive gardens all around the city, and – within a couple of hours’ striking distance – the peaks and valleys of the High Atlas, where wild flowers dot pastoral landscapes beneath the rugged wildness of sheer rock and snow. Also not far away, on the coast, is the friendly, picturesque walled town of Essaouira. It’s a centre for fine art as much as water sports, not to mention some excellent seafood dining.
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Morocco (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
A must for any traveller to MoroccoThis book is one of the best I have ever seen for Morocco. It is insightful, full of pictures and diagrams, and packed with information on every page. Eyewitness travel books have quickly become my favourite series of travel books. After reading this, I wanted to go to Morocco right away. It provides you with information on Dining, Hotels and Shopping, while showing you pictures and diagrams of interesting things all over the country. I recommend this book to everyone!
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