Day 5 - Marrakech

Brief Info
Marrakech or Marrakesh, known as the "Red City", is an important and former imperial city in Morocco. The city is the capital of the mid southwestern economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz which is located at the foothills of the snow capped Atlas Mountains.

Like many North African cities, Marrakech comprises both an old fortified city (the medina) and an adjacent modern city (called Gueliz) with an approximate population of 1 million habitants. It is served by Menara International Airport and a rail link to Casablanca and North Morocco.

Marrakech
Our last stop in Morocco is the legendary city of Marrakech. Using the train between Fez and Marrakech is now the cheapest and the most comfortable way to travel between the two cities. The journey is around 7 hours, so the wisest choice seems to be travelling at night in order to save time. With its honeycombed alleys and minarets quivering in the moonlight, Marrakech seems to hold a carnival that has lasted for thousands of years and shows no sign of stopping now. Marrakech is one of the world’s enchanted places where time becomes suspended, and through its open door, you catch a glimpse of the past so rich and so remote, and yet so palpable.

Our first stop in Marrakech is Djemaa el Fna, Marrakech’s pulsating main square. Djemaa el Fna means the “Assembly of the Dead,” or “Judgement Day Mosque,” and it is indeed as crowded as it sounds. The Djemaa is a spectacular pageant of singers, tumblers, sorcerers, herbalists, raconteurs, preachers, and snake charmers, all competing for your eye. You can watch this grand performance where the past interlocks with the present for hours. But if you happen to get tired, you can always observe the spectacle from one of the overlooking rooftop cafes. Marrakech is a Berber rather than Arab city. It traditionally hosted Atlas tribes, Maghrebis from the plains, Saharan nomads and slaves from beyond the desert. It was founded around 1062 by Youssef bin Tachfine of the Almoravide dynasty, but it was his son Ali Ben Youssef who brought architects and craftsmen from Cordoba to build palaces, baths and mosques, a subterranean water system, and in 1126, the first circuit of walls were raised from “tabia” - the red mud of the plains.

Focus of every approach to the city is the Koutoubia Mosque’s minaret, Marrakech’s crowning centrepiece, whose 69-metre-high tower is visible from all parts of the city. Leaving the mosque behind, we are now going to head towards Marrakech’s old town. Agdal, Majorelle (Yves St. Laurent Gardens) and Menara Gardens, located near the edge of the Medina, where it is both cool and very still. By far the best way to visit these sights is to engage one of the horse-drawn carriages. But to see the marvels of Marrakech’s Medina – all two square miles of it - you must go on foot. It is in the hurly-burly of the Medina where you will find the masterpieces of Marrakechi art.

If you would like to experience the North African nature rather than the architecture, you can always plan a trip to the High Atlas, a mere 30 km south of Marrakech, and watch the 4127 metre high, snowcovered peak of Toubkal from the Berber village, Asni. In the evening, when you come back to town, be sure to wander into Djemaa el Fna. You can go to one of the roof top terraces, take a glass of mint tea, and recall the best moments of your five-day journey while watching the sun set behind the Minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque. And remember, five days is never enough to fully indulge in the mysterious atmosphere, exotic scents and the exciting nature of Morocco. Once you have witnessed the captivating beauty of Moroccan cities, you’re sure to be back for more…