Marrakech, officially known as Marrakech, is often called the Pearl of the South, symbolizing its importance as a cultural, religious, and trading center of Morocco. Other nicknames, the Rose City or Red City, emphasize the dominant color of Marrakech.
Painted entirely in an enchanting salmon pink, Marrakesh is fondly referred to as the “Rose City” or “Red City” by thousands of cultural pilgrims who fervently scout its lanes. The pink city, or “Al Hamra” in local parlance, tantalizes its visitors with a heady mix of bohemian high culture and the rural earthiness of the villages. Exotic wares, reminiscent of a bygone era, still line the streets as tradesmen shout out to excited tourists who lose themselves to the rose-tinted hues of the city.
As you can see in these Marrakech photos, all buildings in the city are colored salmon pink to match red-clay earth. The color of the city doesn’t come from some deep-seated philosophy, but rather from the simplest of materials of architecture - Red Earth. Tabia is a mix of red mud and water from the Hazou plains.
It takes a little walk down to the city square to be able to achieve the rose-tinted view of this city. Snake charmers, hawkers, and musicians line the street, adding to the old world charm of Marrakesh. The rose-hued pink walls and the old heritage found at large seem almost like a scene out of Casablanca. Perhaps only a city so mystical and alluring in its ambiance could evoke a timeless romance!
Marrakech is one of those rare places that you need to see in person, to feel it so to say. As a matter of fact, in Marrakech, you need to be an observer and let the city surprise, overwhelm, and even shock you. Marrakech has been long open for travelers from all over the world.
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Although Marrakech is nowhere as big as London, Paris, or New York, its lifestyle and cultural heritage is in no way inferior to those in other popular destinations. Today Marrakech is one of the busiest cities in Africa. With just a 2-3-hour direct flight, Europeans visit the city regularly. Travelers from other regions of the world normally devote at least a few days to the city. Short weekend adventures mostly focus on shopping. Their longer trips usually involve immersing themselves deeper into Moroccan culture.
Marrakech is the fourth largest city in Morocco. It was founded in 1062. A few times in its long history, the city was the capital of the kingdom.
Two districts of Marrakech significantly differ from each other. While the Guéliz resembles European cities in everything from architecture to transportation, the Medina stays true to its ancient roots. Here, the streets are mostly very narrow, allowing for only people, carriages, and motorcycles to enter them. The buildings are rarely high. While more men prefer European clothes, women still stick to djellaba and hijab.
Finally, remember that Marrakech is a city with a double soul. It wouldn’t be honest to pretend the city is only idyllic. The streets often smell unpleasant. The main square and central streets have somewhat lost their authenticity. The authentic life of Morocco still flows through Marrakech-you just need to know where to look.
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Jemaa el-Fna Square in Marrakech
Key Landmarks and Attractions
Jemaa El Fna Square
Jemaa El Fna Square is the heart of the city. The square is recognized by UNESCO as an oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The square constantly changes throughout the day. At sunset, food stalls begin to set up. Don’t miss the chance to try Moroccan street food at least once. People gather around these performers. It’s impossible not to take part in at least one of these shows. For the less adventurous-or really for everyone-it’s worth grabbing a seat on one of the rooftop terraces overlooking the square to watch the show from above while sipping mint tea. Le Gran Balcon du Café Glacier and Café de France are the oldest.
Koutoubia Mosque
Koutoubia Mosque is the tallest building in Marrakech. It reaches 70 meters (23 feet) in height and is considered one of the most important landmarks of the city. Photos don’t do it justice. The stunning structure has been intriguing many visitors of the city who can admire it from outside. The mosque’s minaret is the symbol of Marrakech. The Koutoubia Gardens are free to visit. Citrus trees, bougainvillea, and palms line this relaxing place away from the city chaos.
Majorelle Garden
Marrakech might be known for its signature salmon pink shades, but its Majorelle Garden impresses with a vibrant pop of color that ranges from cobalt blue, bright shades of yellow, orange, and red. The garden was the biggest project of French painter Jacques Majorelle who came to Marrakech to improve his health and fell in love with the city’s vibrancy and authenticity. The artist had been pouring his creativity into the garden for forty years. Later, however, his unstable financial situation forced him to sell the property. It was the saddest period in the life of the garden. At some point it almost fell victim to a real estate project and became a hotel complex. To save the property, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge bought the Majorelle Garden and restored its former glory. After Yves Saint Laurent’s death in 2008, Pierre Berge donated the Majorelle Garden to the Foundation Pierre Berge - Yves Saint Laurent.
Bahia Palace
Bahia Palace is one of the favorite destinations in Marrakech for photo enthusiasts. The place was built in the late 19th century. Today, it’s one of the greatest examples of traditional Moroccan architectural style. The Bahia Palace includes 150 rooms, lavishly decorated with carved stucco and cedar wood.
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Courtyard of Bahia Palace in Marrakech
Badi Palace
Our favorite site was the Badi Palace - the entrance is a bit hidden, but once you make it inside the walls, you are treated to beautiful sites of what remains of a 16th century palace. The palace was once thought to have had 360 lavishly decorated rooms, several large pavilions, a courtyard, and a large pool. Each of the galleries are superbly curated. You can tour the old dungeons. The king's former reception hall has been preserved as it was discovered. One gallery displays the history of the ongoing archeological and restoration work on the site. Finally, the enormous reflecting pool and sunken gardens are an awesome spectacle.
Secret Garden
Much, much, much smaller, but just as cool as Badi Palace was the Secret Garden. It's amazing to see the amount of care and effort that goes into restoring some of these sites. In the case of the Secret Garden (which has a nice rooftop café that overlooks the garden), the restoration included returning to full operation an irrigation system fed by a still functional natural spring Roman aqueduct. Amazing!
Culinary Experiences
We ate more than enough food, returning multiple times to the Zeitoun Cafe (so much so, that we were on a first-name basis with the staff after only two days!). Their food was very good, but not the best food we've had in Morocco, but their service was top notch. We enjoyed friendly conversations in Arabic with the waitstaff and the manager, and they made the best ice cream sundae (get the Orientale - you won't regret it)! On our first day in Marrakech, our goal was to have lunch at the Earth Cafe, a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. It was honestly one of the top 3 vegan/vegetarian restaurants we've eaten in! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food was awesome and the prices were super cheap.
Practical Considerations
Being one of the most popular places in Morocco among tourists, we experienced the highest level of "annoyance" here with taxi drivers and vendors. Even using Moroccan Arabic with taxi drivers, they refused to use their meters, and ripped customers off left and right. We had one taxi driver agree to use his meter, then proceed to drive us the "long way" to one part of town. And another who used the meter and proceeded to drop us in the complete opposite direction of where we wanted to go (we don't know if this was intentional or an honest mistake), and then no taxi would return us for a reasonable fare. So we ended up walking back...
Finally, remember that Marrakech is a city with a double soul. It wouldn’t be honest to pretend the city is only idyllic. The streets often smell unpleasant.
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