Marrakesh Madness

My first trip to the African continent was a sensory blur of mountains, camels, food and markets wrapped together like some addictive drug – and I want back.

Low cost flights between Marseille and Marrakesh and cheap accommodation meant that visiting Morocco with teacher friends was a must this past school holiday. Return flights to the south of France are as low as 100 euro and with a wide selection of Riads in the Medina, you are able to choose a relaxing and warm Moroccan home, without the hassle of haggling.

Souks

My friends and I stayed in the Medina, just a two minute walk from the impressive Djemaa el-Fna square, and I would recommend finding a hotel here above any other area. The vibrancy of the old city centre, with its thriving souks and maze of criss-crossing alleyways is an unparalleled experience. Together, my group spent the best part of our first afternoon attempting to navigate this complex web of market stalls, with limited success, but much hilarity all the same. At one point, a shop keeper attacked me with a pashmina, because how could I be out in a T-shirt in February? (Answer, the daytime temperatures were a very pleasant 24 degrees and sunny.) A little while later, one of the many children around the Medina offered us a “guided tour” so as we could find our way back to the Square, and we could not shake him until we agreed. His tour took us nowhere near our starting point, but we found several artisan stalls and more impressively, the tanneries which show some of the skilled craftsmen at work.

Djemaa-el-Fna

Djemaa-el-Fna itself is an animated and effervescent central hub for all Marrakesh life, no matter what time of day or night. This truly would be the square that never sleeps. During the day, the place is populated with story tellers, musicians, snake charmers, and monkey tamers, and at night all manner of food stalls take over, offering the very best Moroccan cuisine at the cheapest of prices, as each and every stall owner hollers at you to try and pitch his food. Follow your nose, it will lead you right. I had some excellent tagines and grilled kebabs in these markets, for under 5 euro each.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

Aside from the bazaar bargains, there are number of architectural delights to be discovered around Marrakesh. One particularly impressive complex was the Ben Youssef Madrasa, an old university campus in the city centre. The university was embellished with engravings in Arabic, brightly coloured tiles, and fountains that served as much to provide an ambience of peace as to cool the courtyard. The Marrakesh Museum also offers an interesting collection of work from artists whose reputation has not yet become immersed in European culture, providing a refreshing perspective on Moroccan life.

The Majorelle Gardens

For a quieter affair, I would highly recommend a visit to the Majorelle Gardens, sometimes referred to as the Yves Saint Laurent Gardens after the iconic French designer, whose home can be found adjoining this wonderful quaint environment. Here, exotic plants from around the world are combined with vivid works of art that adorn the pavilions and museums. Most impressive is the “Love Gallery”, a collection of Saint Laurent’s posters and campaigns to promote universal peace. Amidst the fountains, the lakes, and the gentle guitar music, you easily find yourself removed from the madness of Marrakesh.

The lunch view in the High Atlas Mountains

To escape completely, there is no better experience than a trip to the Atlas Mountains, where scenic views, Berber villages and remote waterfalls are all part of the diverse picture that makes up this perfectly preserved piece of natural Africa. The mountains, the tallest peaks in Northern Africa, and the second after Kilimanjaro, command panoramic views out for miles and miles, and villagers here are completely removed from modern trends, but are amongst the most friendly and helpful we met. My friends and I were fortunate enough to stop for food in a Berber home about two thirds of the way up the mountains, being able to dine al-fresco with scintillating scenery that bore little resemblance to European landscapes.

An overwhelming whirlwind of a trip that left a headache on all the senses, Marrakesh seems to live in technicolour rendering entire swathes of Europe simply black and white by comparison. 

Whilst in the High Atlas Mountains