Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hidden Marrakech
Morning
Wrong turns and too many
distractions make it
impossible to plan a walk
through the souks, which
you should explore by
yourself. On another day,
head up Rue Mouassine.
At the first crossroads,
look left: a lantern dangles
above the door of the
Kssour Agafay (see p45) ,
the city's exclusive
“members' club” (ask and
you might be allowed to
look around). Continue
north and take the next
left, then the first right to
the gem that is Dar
Cherifa (see p67) . Return
to Rue Mouassine and
turn left at the T-junction.
Take the first right through
a low archway; follow the
alley left and then right to
No. 22 and ring the bell for
Ministerio del Gusto , a
studio and gallery (9am-
noon, 4-7pm). Back on the
main street, take a left to
the Mouassine Fountain
(see p67) and then start
heading northward. Stop
at the Café Arabe (see
p71) for lunch.
Afternoon
Ahead of the café is the
fondouk made famous in
Hideous Kinky (see p67) .
The Shrine of Sidi Abdel
Aziz is barred to non-
Muslims, so take a left.
On Rue Dar El Bacha, you
will find many antique
emporiums and the Dar El
Bacha . Along Rue Bab
Doukkala, stop at the
shopping emporium,
Mustapha Blaoui (see
p70) . Walk west past the
Bab Doukkala Mosque ,
through a street market to
the Bab Doukkala gate
(see p19) and the exit from
the medina; this place is
packed with taxis - it is
10 Dh to Jemaa El Fna.
Souk des Teinturiers
hides are turned into leather. The
work is done by hand and
involves the hides being soaked
in open vats, which look like a
paintbox of watercolours from a
distance, but up close smell foul,
like cesspits. The guides who
show visitors around hand out
sprigs of mint to hold under your
nose. If you venture this far, pay
a visit to the Bab Debbagh,
which is located nearby (see
p19) . d Map L1
) Dar El Bacha
This is the former residence
of Thami El Glaoui (see pp33 and
96) , the much feared and little
loved ruler of Marrakech and
southern Morocco during the
first half of the 20th century. This
is where the Glaoui entertained
guests such as Winston Churchill
and kept his extensive harem.
But beyond the colourful history
associated with the place, the
complex veers towards the
tawdry. Parts of the palace,
currently closed to visitors, are
set to open as an archaeological
museum. d Map J2 • Rue Dar El
Bacha • Open 9am-2pm Mon-Fri • Adm
69
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