Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MARRAKESH
POP 1,070,800
From the moment you arrive in Marrakesh, you'll get the distinct feeling you've left
something behind - a toothbrush or socks, maybe? But no, what you'll be missing in Mar-
rakesh is predictability and all sense of direction. Never mind: you're better off without
them here. Start at action-packed Djemaa el-Fna and head north into Marrakesh's maze of
souqs, where Berber tribes once traded slaves, gold, ivory and leather, and where modern
tourists scour people-packed alleys for carpet bargains and
babouches
(leather slippers).
Look carefully, and you'll also spot a number of creative new boutiques and galleries. They
signify the evolving face of the medina as a new generation of craftspeople and artists try
to connect the city's hankering for modernity with its traditional craft heritage.
Beyond the souqs, the medina is an ideal place to explore private palaces and riad man-
sions, many of which now provide the city's most atmospheric accommodation. But it's
worth leaving the old city occasionally for dinner, drinks and art galleries in the ville nou-
velle (new town), mountain bike rides in the
palmeraie
(palm oasis) or horse-riding and
weekend retreats in the Agafay Desert and Ouirgane.
