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    Insight Guides Explore Marrakesh (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides Explore Marrakesh (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides Explore Marrakesh (Travel Guide eBook)
    Ebook504 pages1 hour

    Insight Guides Explore Marrakesh (Travel Guide eBook)

    By Insight Guides

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    About this ebook

    Insight Explore Guides: pocket-sized books to inspire your on-foot exploration of top international destinations.

    Experience the best of Marrakesh with this indispensably practical Insight Explore Guide. From making sure you don't miss out on must-see attractions to discovering hidden gems, including exploring the city's medinas and souks, the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking routes will help you plan your trip, save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating city

    - Practical, pocket-sized and packed with inspirational insider information, this will make the ideal on-the-move companion to your trip to Marrakesh
    -Enjoy over 12 irresistible Best Routes around the city
    -Features concise insider information about landscape, history, food and drink, and entertainment options
    -Invaluable maps: each Best Route is accompanied by a detailed full-colour map, while the large pull-out map provides an essential overview of the area
    -Discover your destination's must-see sights and hand-picked hidden gems
    -Directory section provides invaluable insight into top accommodation, restaurant and nightlife options by area, along with an overview of language, books and films
    -Inspirational colour photography throughout

    About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInsight Guides
    Release dateApr 1, 2019
    ISBN9781789198072
    Insight Guides Explore Marrakesh (Travel Guide eBook)
    Author

    Insight Guides

    Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon. 

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      Book preview

      Insight Guides Explore Marrakesh (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides

      How To Use This E-Book

      This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With ­top-­quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the world’s most exciting destinations.

      Best Routes

      The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destination’s many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights, and there are also ex­cursions for those who want to extend their visit outside the city. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.

      We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments – options are shown in the ‘Food and Drink’ box at the end of each tour.

      Introduction

      The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.

      Directory

      Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised A–Z of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafés and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here are some nightlife listings, plus a handy language guide and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.

      Getting around the e-book

      In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

      Maps

      All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

      Images

      You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

      © 2019 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

      Table of Contents

      Recommended Routes For...

      Architecture

      Arts and crafts

      Children

      Fabulous views

      Parks and gardens

      Shoppers

      Sporting activities

      Stress relief

      Explore Marrakech

      Development

      The Red City

      Routes out of the city

      Tourism boom

      Rooms to rent

      Work, work, work

      Royal connections

      The cult of king

      Religion

      A garden city

      Food and Drink

      Moroccan cuisine

      Street food

      Staple dishes

      Couscous and tajines

      Pastilla

      Sweets

      The Moroccan menu

      Drinks

      Tea

      Juice

      Alcoholic drinks

      Shopping

      Where to shop

      The souks

      New Town

      Sidi Ghanem Industrial Zone

      What to buy

      Carpets and blankets

      Ceramics

      Edibles

      Beauty products

      Leatherware

      Metalware

      Woodwork

      Activities

      Performing arts

      Hiking and biking

      Golf

      Horse riding

      Watersports

      Ballooning

      Hammams and Spas

      Upmarket hammams

      Local hammams

      Recommended hammams

      Hotel spas

      Popular choices

      History: Key Dates

      Pre-Islam

      Islam and the dynasties

      European encroachment

      Independence

      Modern times

      Koutoubia Mosque and Jemaa el Fna

      Koutoubia Mosque

      The Booksellers’ Mosque

      The minaret

      Jemaa el Fna

      The entertainers

      A ringside seat

      The souks and Ben Youssef Madrassa

      The souks

      Souk Semmarine

      The spice souks

      Souk el Kebir and Souk Cherratine

      Souk des Babouches, Kissaria and Souk Haddadine

      Place Ben Youssef

      Ben Youssef Madrassa

      Students’ quarters

      Prayer hall

      Museum of Marrakech

      Boucharouite Museum

      Moroccan arts and crafts

      Koubba el Baroudiyn

      The Mouassine Quarter

      Starting off

      Mouassine Mosque

      Dar Cherifa

      Mouassine Fountain

      Le Jardin Secret

      Souk Cherifia

      Dyers’ Souk

      Museum of Mouassine

      North along Rue Mouassine

      Shrine of Sidi Abdelaziz

      Dar el Bacha

      Return to the Koutoubia

      The Southern Medina

      Setting off

      Maison Tiskiwin

      Dar Si Said Museum

      El Bahia Palace

      Lavish decoration

      The mellah

      Place des Ferblantiers

      El Badi Palace and the Saadian Tombs

      Setting off

      El Badi Palace

      The Koutoubia’s minbar

      The Kasbah

      The Saadian Tombs

      Rue de la Kasbah

      Lunch and a spa option

      Guéliz

      The main artery

      Bab Nkob and Cyber Parc

      Catholic church

      Place du 16 novembre

      Luxury on Liberté

      Refreshment options

      Centre point

      Majorelle Garden and the Palmeraie

      Majorelle Garden

      Jacques Majorelle

      The garden

      Berber Museum

      The Palmeraie

      The Museum of Contemporary African Art Al Maaden

      The Menara

      The Menara

      La Mamounia

      Tour of the Gates

      History of the walls

      Royal Palace

      Western gates

      Essaouira

      On arrival

      Place Moulay Hassan and the harbour

      The harbour

      Iles de Mogador

      The medina

      Skala de la Ville

      Museums and galleries

      The beach

      Activities

      South of Essaouira

      Sidi Kaouki

      Cap Tafelney

      The Ourika Valley

      Leaving Marrakech

      Anima Gardens

      Tnine Ourika

      Saffron Garden

      Nectarome

      Berber Ecomuseum

      Ourika Valley

      Mountain activities

      Along the Ourika Road

      Setti Fatma

      Hiking options

      Return to Marrakech

      Imlil and Mount Toubkal

      Leaving Marrakech

      Asni

      Marigha

      Mizane Valley

      Kasbah Tamadot

      Imlil

      Kasbah du Toubkal

      Guide services

      Climbing Toubkal

      Tamatert Pass and Tacheddirt

      Over the Kik Plateau

      Lalla-Takerkoust

      Return to Marrakech

      Tizi-n-Tichka to Zagora

      Leaving Marrakech

      Across the Haouz Plain

      The Atlas foothills

      Taddert

      Tizi-n-Tichka

      Telouèt

      The kasbah

      Into the south

      Ait-Benhaddou

      Tamdaght

      Ouarzazate

      Kasbah Taourirt

      Draa Valley

      Agdz

      Kasbah Tamnougalte

      Towards Zagora

      Zagora and Tinfou

      Accommodation options

      Return via Ouarzazate

      Oasis Fint

      Tizi-n-Test to Taroudant

      Leaving Marrakech

      Into the High Atlas

      Lunch stop

      Ouirgane

      The N’Fis river valley

      Off-road options from Ijoukak

      Tin Mal

      The Tizi-n-Test

      Souss Valley

      Oranges and lemons

      Taroudant

      The souks

      Staying overnight

      Return to Marrakech

      Agadir

      Accommodation

      The Medina

      Guéliz and the Hivernage

      The Palmeraie

      Outskirts of Marrakech

      Essaouira

      The High Atlas

      Agdz and Ouarzazate

      Agadir

      Restaurants

      The Medina

      Guéliz and the Hivernage

      The Palmeraie

      Out of town

      Essaouira

      Nightlife

      Music venues

      Bars

      Casinos

      Nightclubs

      A-Z

      A

      Admission charges

      Age restrictions

      B

      Budgeting

      C

      Childcare

      Climate

      Clothing

      Crime

      Customs

      D

      Disabled travellers

      Driving

      Car hire

      Rules of the road

      Breakdown

      Parking

      E

      Electricity

      Embassies/consulates

      Moroccan embassies

      Moroccan consulate

      Embassies in Morocco

      Emergencies

      Etiquette

      F

      Festivals

      H

      Health

      Insurance

      Stomach upsets

      Hours and holidays

      Business hours

      State holidays

      Muslim holidays

      I

      Internet

      L

      LGBTQ travellers

      M

      Maps

      Media

      Publications

      Television

      Money

      ATMs

      Credit cards

      Tipping

      P

      Police

      Post

      R

      Religion

      Islam

      Christianity

      Ramadan

      S

      Smoking

      T

      Telephones

      Time

      Tourist Information

      Tours

      Transport

      Arrival by air

      Arrival by train

      Arrival by road

      Airport

      Transport within Marrakech

      V

      Visas and passports

      W

      Websites

      Women travellers

      Language

      Useful phrases

      Time

      Eating/drinking

      Shopping

      Accommodation

      Emergencies

      Transport

      Numbers

      Books and Film

      Books

      Novels

      History and society

      Travel literature

      Films

      Moroccan films

      Western films

      Recommended Routes For...

      Architecture

      Admire the 12th-century minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque (route 1), be dazzled by the magnificent Ben Youssef Madrassa (route 2), and get lost in the labyrinthine El Bahia Palace (route 4).

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Arts and crafts

      Explore the city’s history at the Museum of Marrakech (route 2), visit the Dar Si Said Museum and Maison Tiskiwin (route 4) and be dazzled by the Islamic Arts Museum in the Majorelle Garden (route 7).

      Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

      Children

      As well as the evening entertainment on the Jemaa el Fna (route 1), kids will enjoy a camel ride in the Palmeraie (route 7) or a trip in a horse-drawn carriage (route 9).

      Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

      Fabulous views

      Get a bird’s-eye view of the Jemaa el Fna (route 1), watch the sunset from the El Badi Palace (route 5), and admire the dramatic scenery of the great Atlas passes (routes 12, 13 and 14).

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Parks and gardens

      Marrakech is renowned for its gardens, from the great Sultanic garden of the Menara (route 8) to the magical Majorelle Garden (route 7) and the lush grounds of La Mamounia hotel (route 8).

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Shoppers

      Spreading north of the Jemaa el Fna are Marrakech’s legendary souks (route 2). For chic boutiques explore the medina’s Mouassine Quarter (route 3) or wander down Rue de la Liberté in Guéliz (route 6).

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Sporting activities

      Go horse-riding or play golf in the Palmeraie (route 7), try quad biking, kite-boarding and surfing in Essaouira (route 10) or hike up Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa (route 12).

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Stress relief

      Loosen up with a massage and scrub in the sumptuous spas and hammams of Marrakech (route 5) or lounge beside the pool at Nikki Beach in the Palmeraie (route 7).

      Alamy

      Explore Marrakech

      Despite the city’s continuing modernisation and ever-growing numbers of tourists, Marrakech still offers a unique and authentically Moroccan experience, set between mountain and desert at the cultural crossroads of Africa and Arabia.

      With all that Marrakech has to offer, it’s difficult not to fall for the place. Accessible yet exotic, and enjoying year-round sunshine, it’s also the gateway to some of Morocco’s most fascinating areas, including the Atlas mountains, and has both snowy mountain peaks and Saharan sands within easy striking distance.

      Place des Epices

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Development

      Set on the Haouz Plain beneath the peaks of the High Atlas Mountains, Marrakech spreads red and low amid palms and olive groves. The city was founded by the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty, in 1060, at the crossroads of intercontinental trade routes linking sea and desert. For merchants and travellers it was the first great city north of the Sahara.

      The Red City

      The adobe walls that the Almoravids built to enclose their settlement still form the basis of today’s impressive ramparts. Extending for some 16km (10 miles) and entered by a dozen gates (babs), they glow in the afternoon sun, earning Marrakech the epithet the ‘Red City’.

      Inside the walls is the Medina (old town), a warren of narrow, tightly packed alleyways and derbs (dead ends). At the heart of the medina is the great Jemaa el Fna, a large irregular-shaped square ringed by cafés and filled nightly with an extraordinary cast of snake-charmers, story-tellers, street performers, acrobats, water-sellers and Gnaoua musicians whose incessant drumming fills the night air with the hynoptic rhythms of sub-Saharan Africa.

      North of the square are Marrakech’s famous souks, piled high with colourful heaps of carpets, clothes, leatherwear, metalwork and many other crafts, still practised here as they have been for generations.

      West of the medina is the New Town (Ville Nouvelle), founded by the French in 1912 following the creation of the French and Spanish protectorates. The contrast between Medina and New Town could hardly be greater, with the old city’s labyrinthine alleys giving way to a neat grid of broad avenues and boulevards. Guéliz is the heart of the New Town and home to many of its best restaurants and shops; south of here, the leafy Hivernage district houses a number of the city’s top hotels, notably La Mamounia.

      Marking the division between the Medina and the Ville Nouvelle is the Koutoubia Mosque, built by the Almohad Dynasty (1147–1248). The soaring minaret, with its distinctive brass pinnacle, is a useful orientation point day and night (when it is illuminated). From here it is a pleasant 30-minute walk along the broad, leafy Avenue Mohammed V to the heart of Guéliz, Place Abdel Moumen Ben Ali. Buses ply the route or it’s around 25DH by taxi.

      Routes out of the city

      Beyond Guéliz routes head west and north, with a motorway stretching 600km (360 miles) to Tangier, at Morocco’s northernmost tip. South of Marrakech roads lead to the two great passes through the High Atlas Mountains: via the Tizi-n-Tichka pass to Ouarzazate, and over the Tizi-n-Test to Taroudant, gateways to Morocco’s deep south and the Sahara. If these are closed after heavy snowfall, the only passage south is via the less interesting Imi-n-Tanoute to Agadir. There is no railway south of Marrakech.

      Tourism boom

      Tourism in Marrakech is nothing new. Writing in as far back as 1938, George Orwell was already complaining that the city had become ‘utterly debauched by the tourist racket’. The city has long had its devotees, from Winston Churchill to Yves Saint Laurent to the Rolling Stones. But it was a programme of sustained investment and public initiatives – from creating parks and gardens to the construction of the Palais des Congrès conference venue and the Théâtre Royal – that really saw the city take off. The liberalisation of property laws to encourage foreign buyers also saw a flood of expats arriving to set up home in the city, and direct budget flights from many places in Europe also helped massively, transforming the city from a (reasonably) well-kept secret into one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations. Fresh initiatives continue with the construction of a third airport terminal and the spectacular renovation of La Mamounia, Morocco’s most famous hotel.

      City wall

      Clay Perry/Apa Publications

      Hand-shaped door knocker

      iStock

      Rooms to rent

      Hotel capacity in the city has increased massively since the mid-noughties, with large chain hotels going up in the Hivernage area and the Palmeraie, and countless medina riads (traditional courtyard houses) being bought and restored by Western expats. The city has absorbed these additions surprisingly well. The large hotels are set well apart, in their own leafy enclave, and the riads are unobtrusive, their idyllic micro-worlds contained behind high walls that are indistinguishable from surrounding buildings.

      There is an ongoing debate about the pros and cons of gentrifying the medina, but by and large it is seen as preferable to the steady dereliction of the old

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