Marrakech has become the Moroccan tourism capital in the latest ten years, so it is quite usual to have tourists all over the year. Marrakech is known as the red city and is one of the most important former imperial cities in Moroccan history, with its alleys and minarets. It is inside the Medina that the life of the people who live there takes place and where the tourists enjoy to be. Outside the Medina there is the modern city. Thus, Marrakech turns out to be the perfect combination between the new and the old. You can leave Marrakech, but you will always remember it by its odours, its music, its people and its life.

In Marrakech, almost everything is negotiable and you have to be prepared for the art of bargaining, which is culturally disseminated among the Moroccans, but do not engage in such a campaign if you are not willing to buy, otherwise it would be offensive. Djemaa el Fna is the most exciting place to be in Marrakech, the place where everything happens. It is the main square of the city, [and a place] where locals and tourists have fun together. As you arrive in Djemaa el Fna, if it is daylight there are the orange juice stalls, chained apes so you can photograph them, and sellers of almost everything such as handbags, shoes and food. The water sellers are a picturesque attraction of the square with their large hats and colorful clothes. There are also the snake charmers – you have to pay to photograph them. Everyone tries to sell you something and you have to bargain.

At night, the square wakes up for another life. There are more people seeing the dancers, the musicians, the story-tellers with Berber tales and peddlers. At night, part of the square is occupied by dozens of food-stalls that are like restaurants in the open air. Djemaa el Fna is Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, to protect their traditions and cultural diversity. Near Djemaa el Fna, you will also find the souks, that are like shops to buy everything you want. Djemaa El-Fna is surrounded by labyrinths and alleys of souks covering all the Medina.

If you want to stay inside the Medina you have to stay in a Riad that is a typical Moroccan house. Outside the Medina you have a new city. With hotels and modern restaurants, bars and discos where tourists have fun. If you want, you can go on a tour in a caleche (a carriage with horses) and discover the inside of the Medina. You have to be careful so you don’t get lost inside the souks when you go shopping.

Most Moroccans are tourist-friendly. The inhabitants of Marrakech are used to the tourists so they try to earn money by giving directions. You don’t have to accept that. Just say no, if you don’t want to. Some of them will often lead you round in circles or take you to places you don’t know to increase the amount. Others will also say that the souks are closed so that they can take you to other souks, where they have discount. However, Moroccan can’t guide foreigners without a license and police is usually in control of the situation.

Moroccan Gastronomy – Eat well in Marrakesh

Once you are at Morocco you have to try its unique gastronomy. The most famous Moroccan dishes are the Pastilla, the Couscous or the Tanjia with their several variants. You have to taste the traditional Marrakchia Harira, and then you have a lot of couscous in the major main courses. The Harira is a soup with lentils and vegetables, and with lamb. It is specially known for breaking the fast, during Ramadan.

The chicken with vegetable couscous or with almonds is another well-known plate. Marrakchia tanjia and M’charmel Fish Tajine and the Makfoul Lamb Tajine are only a few examples. For dessert you can try dry fruit couscous, milk and almond pastille e citrus fruit salad with orange tree blossom.
And you can drink the mint tea at any time. There is a row of tea sellers in the Djemaa El-FnaSquare.

In Marrakech, despite having many modern restaurants, you can also try the traditional cuisine in the open air stalls of Djemaa El-Fna square. They are licensed and it is safe to eat there. They also have the prices tagged in the menus, drinks are usually not included, so you can have a clue of how much you are going to pay, a well needed break from all the bargain done during shopping.

Stay with us during our time in Marrakesh. We offer a calm atmosphere and the best of comfort.

Find out more about our Riad in Marrakech

Riads in Marrakech and its peculiarities

Normally, the Riads are invisible for the tourists, because they are kept closed – like your own house and not like a hotel – and their beauty lies totally inside.

Staying in a Riad inside the Medina you can be nearer the Djemaa el Fna square and souks. The Riads are the ancient and traditional houses, with interior gardens, fountains and terraces. They were abandoned by the rich families that moved to other cities and now are restored.

There they make you feel you are at home. You can get comfortably seeing television on the living room, and rest in your room, or making chat with another guests.
The Riads offer you a Moroccan breakfast and some of them suggest a typical Marrakech dinner, as if you were at your own place.

The Riad Kniza is dated from the 18th century and completely restored. Dar Thania is a two-hundred-old Riad restored and it has only 3 rooms (with individual bathrooms), and that’s why it is so quite charming. You have to walk about 10 minutes to get to the Djemaa el Fna Square.

You can also stay in hotels mainly outside de Medina. There are many and with different rates starting from 13€ per person.

The traffic in Marrakech is a little bit chaotic so you have to be watchful to the inattentive pedestrians or disorganized roundabouts.

The majority of renting companies are where you need them: in the airport, city centre or railway station. If you enjoy driving then you can rent a car to explore the surroundings, because the roads are normally safe. You can also get one 4×4 to go explore the mountains. You can rent a car from 30 euros per day.

Check our prices for our rooms in Marrakech

Sometimes, on holidays, it can be cheaper to rent a house then to be in a hotel. Specially if you are travelling with family or a group of friends.

You can rent a huge house with a swimming pool for the hottest days for six persons for 350 euros/pax per week, so it’s 50 euros for each night in a house with swimming pool. But you can get a lot cheaper accommodation if you stay in a modest house or apartment in the city centre.

Marrakech is the perfect city to go on holidays. The “red city” has a singular life and is now very used to have tourists. The smell of incense and the sound of the local music is always in the air. The Djemaa el Fna square is where everything happens. During the day you have the wagons selling fruits and juice and at night you have the street restaurants, serpent charmers and storytellers. But Marrakech is a unique and exotic city, where you will not forget the sounds and colours. The ancient Medina, the monuments, the souks where you can go shopping, and the nearby Atlas Mountains are certainly points of interest worthy any traveller visit.

There are a lot of things to see and do. Besides the touristic visits to get to know the city, inside the Medina and outside its walls, there are plenty of restaurants to taste the Moroccan food or other kinds of cuisine. Because you are on holidays you have to try a Hamman or a place with Moroccan massages.

But Marrakech doesn’t forget who likes to enjoy the night. There are a lot of modern clubs and lounge bars outside the Medina with international music or some more traditional clubs. Some of the lounge bars are in the terrace of hotels.

Marrakech is a very well known touristic site. So, not rarely, a new restaurant pops up in the city. The culinary diversity is also growing. You can find French, Japanese and Italian cuisine, but remember that lamb is the meat normally used. Riads usually offer a typical Moroccan dinner.

Outside the wall of the old town is Al Fassia with the typical Moroccan cuisine. In the historical quarter is situated La Maison Arabe, one of the first restaurants of Marrakech. Still overlooking the square, you can eat Moroccan cuisine at the Kasbah La Rotonda Restaurant.

Inside the Medina you can experience Café Arabe, indicated as one of the best places to eat. For Indian food we suggest Les Jardins de Bala, a very fancy place. If you are a fan of the creative cuisine you should try Mama Ti Lee, also inside the Marrakech Medina.

If you are vegetarian or vegan don’t miss Earth Cafe in Riad Zitoun Kedim.

Taroudant is a small city in south Morocco, in the well known region of the Souss Berbers. You can visit the covered market, some palaces and enjoy the ancient castle walls surrounding the city.

In Marrakech, you can attend some Moroccan Food Workshops every here and there, and you can have a cooking experience that gives you a simple insight of Moroccan food.

There are many places in Marrakech where you can have cooking lessons and most workshops are open to all those staying in Marrakech.

La Maison Arabe is one of the places where you can have cooking lessons. It is open not only to hotel guests, but also to all those staying in Marrakech. There are half-day classes, where they teach the secrets of Moroccan cuisine. Normally, they go to the market to buy spices. At the end everyone eats what they have cooked together: teacher and students.

The workshops are for beginners or professionals. Everyone who wants to learn how to make Moroccan cuisine should attend these because Marrakech is the best place where you can take the Moroccan food workshops.

Le Riad Monceau is another place where you can take the Moroccan food workshops.
You can contact Riad Paula for accommodation in Marrakech during your culinary workshops.

Marrakech is famous for its exotic atmosphere offering couples the perfect romantic scene. Exploring the old city along with your partner is something unforgettable as you’ll find yourself sharing incredible and unique experiences with the one you love. Having a romantic diner in Marrakech is something you can prepare in advance. Many good quality restaurants have the perfect ambiance for the perfect night, or, ask us at Riad Paula to arrange all for your last night in Marrakech – with a very romantic dinner.

Before you take your beloved one to a romantic restaurant, you can rent a caleche (carriage with horses) and go around the city. You will find a lot of caleches available to be rented in a garden visible from the Djemaa El-Fna Square and near the Koutoubia. Take this advice: you should agree on a price before setting off around DH 80 for an hour, but they can make discounts.

Despite of all agitation that Marrakech provides, it is possible to have a romantic dinner in the city. You can also ask for a dinner in the Riad you are staying at and enjoy a meal on the patio or terrace. The restaurants near the Djemaa El-Fna Square, on terraces, are also very romantic, particularly at the warm nights of Marrakech. For a more exotic kind of romantic dinner you can venture out to the mountains in the desert, for a few days.
If you are a more down-to-earth person, you can rather try one of the many romantic restaurants. For one, there is the restaurant Dar Marjana, that has live Moroccan music and a belly dancer and also beautiful decoration with outline of hearts and rose petals. Le Tobsil is another romantic place to have dinner and also delights you with live music.