Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
28
Panna Gelato
A2
Drinking & Nightlife
E5
30
Comptoir
D4
31
Djellabar
C3
32
Theatro
C5
Shopping
D1
E4
A2
SQUARE
Djemaa El-Fna
( approx 9am-1am, later during Ramadan)
Think of it as live-action channel-surfing: every-
where you look in the Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakesh's main square and open-air theatre,
you'll discover drama already in progress. The hoopla and
halqa
(street theatre) has been
non-stop here ever since this plaza was the site of public executions around AD 1050 -
hence its name, which means 'assembly of the dead'.
By 10am, the daily performance is underway. Snake charmers blast oboes to calm hiss-
ing cobras; henna tattoo artists beckon to passersby; water-sellers in fringed hats clang
brass cups together, hoping to drive people to drink.
The show doesn't peak until shadows fall and 100 chefs arrive with grills in tow, cueing
musicians to tune up their instruments. This is a show you don't want to miss - but stay
alert to horse-drawn-carriage traffic, pickpockets and rogue gropers. Arrive early in the
evening to nab prime seats on makeshift stools (women and elders get preference).
Applause and a few dirhams ensure an encore. It's a bargain show, and critically ac-
claimed too: for bringing urban legends and oral history to life nightly, Unesco declared
the Djemaa el-Fna a 'Masterpiece of World Heritage' in 2001.
Koutoubia Mosque
MOSQUE