Marrakech, also known as the Red City, is a fascinating and lively city at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The medina of Marrakech is a maze of narrow streets, colourful souks and traditional craft workshops. The city offers both daytime and night-time entertainment, with the Place Jemaa el-Fna bringing together street artists, monkey breeders, snake charmers and musicians. The city also boasts many historic and cultural sites, such as the Bahia Palace, the Ben Youssef Medersa, the Koutoubia Mosque and the medina gardens. Marrakech is also home to many luxurious gardens such as the Majorelle Garden, the Secret Garden and others. Marrakech is famous for its traditional hammams, luxury spas and delicious cuisine. Marrakech's surroundings offer a wealth of outdoor activities. The red city offers a unique sensation for visitors.
Marrakech is one of Morocco's oldest cities, with a history rich in culture. Founded in 1062 by the great sultan Youssef ben Tachfine, the city played an important role in trans-Saharan trade, culture and religion. The city was the capital of the Almoravids and Almohads, and was home to a large number of poets and artists over the centuries. Marrakech has survived rebellion and invasion, and today it is one of the most visited cities in Africa, offering visitors a unique experience of historical heritage, culture, crafts and traditional cuisine. The city is loved not only for its cuisine, cultures and history, but also for its story-rich squares, which attract visitors from all over the world.
The lamb tagine is a well-known dish in Moroccan cuisine, and is a speciality of Marrakech. This meal is prepared with lamb cut into pieces, vegetables and spices, all cooked over a low heat in a tajine. It is often accompanied by Moroccan bread and mint tea. Lamb tagine is a delicious dish.
Jemma el Fna is a square in the old medina of Marrakech. It is one of the most famous and liveliest squares in the world, offering tourists a miraculous spectacle of Morocco, surrounded by numerous historic buildings such as the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palace and other tourist sites. During the day and at night, the square is animated by street artists of all kinds, acrobats, snake charmers and monkey breeders. Visitors can also enjoy a wide variety of traditional Moroccan dishes from the many food stalls that grace the square.
The Ouzoud waterfall is a very popular natural attraction located in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. This 110 metre high waterfall attracts tourists from all over the world to observe a lush forest during a short walk, the waterfall offers an impressive spectacle for visitors. Travellers can take a dip in the natural pool, enjoy a delicious meal or take a boat trip to get a closer look at the waterfall.
The Bahia Palace, in the medina of Marrakech, is an enchanting palace founded in the 19th century by the grand vizier Sidi Moussa. This palace shows tourists what Moroccan art is all about. The walls of the inner courtyard are covered in zellige, the lush gardens and the many decorated rooms of the Bahia Palace are a real marvel for visitors. Now open to the public, the palace is one of Marrakech's main tourist attractions.
Quad biking in Marrakech is an attraction not to be missed, as it transports you to the heart of Morocco's majestic landscapes. As you speed along on your quad bike, you'll get a great dose of adrenaline as you travel from desert expanses to lush green valleys. The thrills of this activity will mix with your senses as you traverse obstacle-filled tracks, while admiring the breathtaking scenery that stretches as far as the eye can see. Whether you're a thrill-seeker or just a tourist, quad biking in Marrakech will give you an adventure like no other.
The Majorelle Garden is one of the many lush gardens in Marrakech. Created by the painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s, the garden was renovated in the 1980s by the famous architect Bill Willis and purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. The garden is famous for its magnificent plants, relaxing areas and bright blue colours. The Majorelle Garden offers a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech and a chance to discover the culture and history of the region.
The Sahara is the largest and hottest desert in the world, covering more than 9 million square kilometres of North Africa. The desert is well known for its magnificent sand dunes and extraordinary hills. Tourists love to go camel trekking, and the Sahara is also home to numerous archaeological sites and the remains of ancient civilisations dating back several centuries. Travellers can now explore the natural beauty and culture of the Sahara.
A camel ride in Marrakech is certainly one of the attractions not to be missed if you are visiting Marrakech. Visitors can get on the back of a camel and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Marrakech palm grove or the deserts in the traditional way, which means that you will be dressed all in blue, during which time you will be able to take in the magnificent sights that nature has to offer. Camel rides last from 30 minutes to a full day. This excursion is a great way to discover the natural beauty of the palm grove.
The Secret Garden is a historic garden located in Marrakech, comprising 2 large gardens with pavilions, fountains and huge areas for relaxing. The garden was renovated and opened to the public in 2016, with art exhibitions and traditional music concerts taking place in the secret garden, making the Secret Garden a site not to be missed.
The Koutoubia mosque is a monument that symbolises Marrakech. Its 70-metre-high minaret is the tallest in Marrakech and one of the tallest in Morocco. The mosque is off-limits to non-Muslims, but visitors can still view the mosque as an architectural masterpiece while strolling through the gardens of the medina to enjoy a breathtaking view of the minaret. The Koutoubia Mosque is a must-see if you're visiting Marrakech.
The Ben Youssef medersa is an ancient Muslim school in the medina of Marrakech. Built in the 14th century and then transformed into a museum in 1982, the medersa is well known for its traditional architecture and magnificent zelliges. The medersa's courtyards, rooms and prayer hall are richly coloured and adorned with mosaics, structures and Arabic calligraphy, making this palace one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in Morocco. Tourists can admire the architecture and decoration of this magnificent palace.
The souks of Marrakech, located in the medina, are a place not to be missed by visitors to the city. The souks are divided into several narrow streets specialising in different types of products. Craftsmen and shopkeepers display their wares along the sides of the streets, trying to tempt tourists into buying one of their products, creating a lively and charming atmosphere. Tourists can buy souvenirs, gifts, clothes such as a jelaba (a kind of long dress with long sleeves and a bonnet), fabrics, jewellery, typical Moroccan instruments and lots of other things. You can also negotiate prices with the traders. The souks of Marrakech are very bustling and visitors love it.
Ben Youssef is an important figure in Moroccan history, famous in particular for having been one of the best-known sultans of the Almoravid dynasty, who ruled the Maghreb and Andalusia in the 11th and 12th centuries. He is also famous for having created the first medersa in Marrakech to bear his name, the Ben Youssef medersa, now a museum. Ben Youssef was born in Tlemcen, in what is now Algeria, towards the end of the 11th century. He was educated in Cordoba, Andalusia, before returning to the Maghreb, where he served as governor of various Moroccan cities before becoming sultan in 1061. Under his reign, the Almoravid empire expanded to include much of North Africa and Andalusia, and enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity. Ben Youssef was a great patron of the arts and sciences, and encouraged the construction of several public buildings, including mosques and medersas. The Ben Youssef medersa, which he founded in Marrakech, was one of the most important in medieval Morocco, and brought many students from all over the Maghreb and Andalusia. Today, the medersa has been renovated and transformed into a museum, which houses an important collection of objects and artefacts from medieval times, as well as temporary exhibitions devoted to the rich history and culture of Morocco.
Ben Youssef ruled the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty that reigned over a vast empire in north-west Africa and the Iberian Peninsula in the 11th and 12th centuries. This dynasty is famous for having established Marrakech as its capital and for having built many of the city's most famous monuments, including the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Medersa. Under Ben Youssef's leadership, the Almoravids extended their empire by conquering vast tracts of land in Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and Spain. They also played an important role in the spread of Islam in the region, imposing their vision of religion and building mosques and Koranic schools in all the towns they conquered. The Ben Youssef medersa in Marrakech was one such school, built to teach the principles of the Islamic religion to the students of the medina. Today, it is considered one of the most remarkable examples of Islamic architecture in Morocco.