Things To Do in Marrakech

The majority of Marrakech's attractions lie within its ancient city walls and are best located from the focal point of Jemaa el Fna. As you walk past the snake charmers and orange juice stalls and tentatively enter the maze of alleys and lanes leading off in seemingly haphazard directions, you come to realize that you are well and truly in the medina. Some of the sights south of Jemaa el Fna are scheduled stops on the City Sightseeing bus tour, but for the very worthwhile places of interest north of Jemaa el Fna, such as the souks, Ben Youssef Medersa, and Marrakech Museum, you'll have to rely on foot power. Outside of the medina are the gardens Agdal, Menara, and Majorelle, the latter known for its photogenic cobalt-blue building as well as its gardens.

Chill . . . & Have a Hot Mint Tea

Morocco's medinas are amazing, though sometimes daunting, places to explore. Particularly in Marrakech, however, visitors try to pack too much into the day and furiously rush around ticking off the sights, bartering for souvenirs, and clicking away on their camera without realizing they are missing the one must-have experience -- the medina atmosphere. If you can, take some time to unwind in a nearby cafe and sip on a sweet, piping hot atei benna'na' (mint tea). The drink is an institution all over Morocco, and even at the most local of cafes a ritual is often followed.

A small pot (be careful of the hot handle) shouldn't cost more than 10dh, and the first glass should be poured from an arm's-length height, repotted, and poured again to both aerate the liquid and properly mix the flavors of tea (first introduced in Tangier by the English during the Crimean War), fresh mint, and sugar. This ritual can vary in length of time and height of pour, depending on your location and the inclination of your waiter or host. The flavor and sweetness can also vary greatly, but you can be almost certain that your tea will come presweetened unless you order it "la sukka" (pronounced "la soo-ka").

In Marrakech's medina, try Café des Epices on place Rahba Kedima; the terrace of Café-Restaurant Argana on place Jemaa el Fna; the literary cafe-cum-art gallery Dar Cherifa on Derb Cherifa Lakbir, off rue Mouassine (tel. 0524/426463); or the air-conditioned salon de thé at the back of Patisserie des Princes halfway down rue Prince Moulay Rachid. For a spicy cinnamon chai, look for the hunja stalls, with their big copper urns, that roll onto the southern edge of Jemaa el Fna around 5pm daily.

Get on the Bus

The arrival of the international sightseeing bus franchise City Sightseeing (tel. 0524/339637; www.city-ss.com) in Marrakech is proof that the city is positioning itself as a major player among the world's tourist destinations. The bright red, open-top, double-decker bus offers two continuous hop-on, hop-off circuits -- "Marrakech Monumental" (18 stops) and "Marrakech Romantique" (7 stops) -- on a first-come, first-served basis. The buses are equipped with a multilingual -- English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Moroccan Arabic, Portuguese, and Spanish -- audio system that provides a brief commentary of the major points of interest. Of the two circuits, the "Monumental" is by far the more popular, as it includes stops in both Guéliz and Hivernage (including the Menara Gardens) as well as within the medina. The "Romantique" heads out to the palmeraie and golf courses via the Majorelle Garden, and is more of a scenic drive.

Tickets for each circuit, valid for 24 hours, can be purchased at the pickup/drop-off points and cost 130dh adults, 65dh kids 6 to 13, and free for 5 and under. Should you wish to spread your sightseeing over 2 days, tickets valid for 48 hours are available for 200dh adults and 100dh for kids 6 to 13. The Monumental circuit runs every 30 minutes from 9am to 7pm and lasts about 30 minutes. The Romantique circuit takes 1 hour and 10 minutes and runs from 1 to 4:30pm (5:30pm Apr-Sept). Both circuits pick up at the ONMT tourist office on place Abdelmoumen Ben Ali in Guéliz, while the most accessible pickup points for Monumental include Jemaa el Fna; the Saâdian Tombs and Palais Bahia in the medina; Hotel Le Marrakech and McDonald's on avenue Mohammed V; and the hotels Royal Mirage, Le Méridien, and Andalous in Hivernage.

Nobody leaves Marrakech without buying something. Although some particular crafts are better procured elsewhere -- ceramics from Fes and silver jewelry from Tiznit -- most travelers come here to make their purchases. Almost every form of Moroccan arts and crafts can be found among Marrakech's labyrinth of shops. Leatherwork, brassware, and copperware are traditionally of high quality and reasonable cost in Marrakech, but there's so much of everything here that it's easy to suffer from souk overload. An initial visit to the Ensemble Artisanal, on avenue Mohammed V between Jemaa el Fna and Bab Nkob (tel. 0524/443503), can help to overcome this. Here, you can see skilled craftsmen and women at work and browse among the many items for sale without the pressure that you may encounter in the souks. Unlike the medina's shops and souks, the prices here are more or less fixed, although slightly higher. The atmosphere here is usually very relaxed, almost calming, and there's a small cafe should you wish to sit awhile. If anything, coming here before you begin your serious souk shopping gives you an idea of the maximum you should pay and, just as importantly, what to look for in terms of quality and workmanship.

Outside the medina's walls in Guéliz, along avenue Mohammed V, you'll find some chic boutiques offering the latest in European fashion, leatherware, and beauty products. The tree-lined west end of Rue de la Liberté also offers an enticing assortment of quality shops, purveying everything from unique homewares and African-Oriental antiques and objets d'art to a traditional tapis (carpet) dealer and a Belgian chocolatier. For fresh produce, groceries, toiletries, and alcohol, Acima supermarket, on the corner of avenues Mohammed V and Abdelkarim el Khattabi (tel. 0524/430453), is open daily from 9am to 10pm. Farther along avenue Abdelkarim el Khattabi is the Western-style, air-conditioned Marjane Hypermarket (tel. 0524/313724). Open daily from 9am to 9pm, it sells everything from groceries and general foodstuffs (including bacon) to cookware and computers. There's also a well-stocked liquor store here that stays open for non-Muslims during Ramadan, as well as a bank with an ATM, a McDonald's, and a photo store. They also have a second store on the outskirts of the city on the Marrakech-Essaouira road with the same hours.

If you are intimidated by shopping in the medina, think about hiring an official guide for half a day. All of my recommended Marrakech accommodations will be able to organize an English-speaking guide for you. Although he (I have unfortunately yet to meet a female guide in Morocco) may direct you into shops where he will earn commission from your purchases, remember that if you don't buy, he won't earn, so he is playing for both sides, so to speak, which can ultimately be to your benefit. Although bartering is considered compulsory practice, don't get too hung up on it. Before you begin, ask yourself how much you'd like to pay for the item. Keep that figure in mind if you start feeling pressured to pay far more than you had planned, although check yourself if you find you're haggling over a difference in price that, when converted back to your native currency, is relatively small and not worth the stress. Remember, you can always walk away. Take no notice of the shopkeeper's bleeding heart story or over-the-top displays of frustration and temper. Make your purchase a happy memory.

Caution: As in other parts of Morocco, it's best not to rely on being able to use your credit card when shopping. Some shopkeepers, especially the carpet emporiums, will have the necessary equipment, but when paying for smaller purchases, cash -- usually dirham but sometimes euros or dollars -- will be the only form of payment accepted. If you are using your credit card, be aware of the full amount being charged to your card prior to signing off the transaction. Some shopkeepers will record the purchase amount in dirham, so be aware of the current exchange rates. I recently heard from one traveler who was assured by the shopkeeper that she could pay with her credit card over six monthly installments and signed six separate transaction slips, only to find out a few days -- and many miles -- later that the shopkeeper had processed all six payments simultaneously; there was no credit left on her account.

Beauty

The benefits of argan oil (produced from trees exclusive to southwest Morocco) are only beginning to be known in the Western world, but you can get a jump on everyone at two new shops in the medina. Tip: If you are anywhere near the Acima or Marjane supermarkets, have a look at their argan oil and spice collection. Although obviously lacking the medina shopping atmosphere, you are very likely to find the same products at a fraction of the price.

Spices & Herboristes

Stalls and small shops within the medina selling spices can be instantly recognized by the tall, cone-shape mounds of red (paprika), yellow (turmeric), and green (henna) on display at their entrances. Spices are an essential item in everyday Moroccan cooking, so their availability is widespread and therefore not as exhilarating of a shopping experience. Prices should be fixed (around 20dh per 100g/ 1/4 lb. for any standard spice) and the transaction swift, though in the more touristy areas of the medina, the shopkeeper may attempt to fleece you.

Providing far more entertainment are the medina's Berber chemists, or herboristes, who display animal skins, dried herbs, and caged tortoises at their entrances. Generally open every day from 9am to 7pm, they also sell spices, including a mixture of 35 different varieties known as ras el hanout. However, they specialize in herbal medicines and oils. Constipation, diabetes, weight loss, depression, bladder, liver or skin problems, and impotence are just some of the ailments that can be miraculously "cured" with the concoctions that are paraded in front of you. A good herboriste is a pharmacist, salesman, and entertainer all in one.

Carpets

Souk Zrabia -- You can't beat this place for pure selection. Inside this covered souk are up to a dozen shops selling every shape, size, and color carpet, rug, and kélim (tapestry-woven rug usually with a Turkish design) available. The pressure to buy can be quite intense, but if you truly wish to purchase, this is the place. Prices vary greatly due to the quality of both craftsmanship and negotiation, but small kélims can go for as little as 1,000dh; medium Berber rugs (2*2m/6 1/2*6 1/2 ft.) for 5,000dh; and a 4X4m (13*13 ft.) reversible carpet can sell for 32,000dh.

Today's Marrakech seems to be living two lives, both as a playground for international jet-setters and a place where tradition still runs deep (most bars and nightclubs still close down for the month-long Ramadan fast). This dichotomy is most visible when surveying the available options for a night on the town.

Those seeking a taste of old Morocco should spend at least 1 night at Jemaa el Fna. Arrive before evening to watch the sunset, followed by an array of musicians, storytellers, and dancers. After you've sampled the square, stroll along the adjoining rue Prince Moulay Rachid, or take a seat on Abd el Moumen Square (in front of the Koutoubia Mosque) and end the night with some prime people-watching.

Culture seekers should coincide their visit to the city with one of Marrakech's festivals, while those who prefer a night of dancing and drinks will find everything from lounges to what claims to be the biggest club in Africa.

Bars

There was a time when most watering holes in the city were either of the all-male, sawdust-floor variety or the exclusive domain of the more expensive hotels, but nowadays there's a fair smattering of sophisticated, chic establishments where both genders can enjoy a drink without hassle.

Within the medina, choices are limited if you don't wish to have a meal with your drink. There are small stand-alone bars at Cafe Arabe and Narwama, while next to the Mellah is the Asian-chic Kosybar, place des Ferblantiers (tel. 0524/380324; http://kozibar.tripod.com), which is hugely popular. This former riad offers something different on each of its three floors. The small ground-floor bar, decorated with a zebra-skin hide, is a great spot for an evening of drinking and dancing. The second level combines shades of ocher and olive with heavy, dark-wood furniture and the original zellij flooring. On the terrace you'll be rewarded with a superb view of the medina, the top of the El Badi Palace, and the resident flock of storks who regularly cruise by at eye level. The terrace has heaps of comfy lounges and is a great place to chill out with a cold beer or a bottle of wine (the selection must be one of the largest in the country, no doubt thanks to the owner's family connection to the award-winning Les Celliers de Meknès winery). Kosybar is open daily from noon to midnight. Also on place des Ferblantiers is Le Tanjia (tel. 0524/383836; www.letanjia-marrakech.blogspot.com), which has a small and popular ground floor bar. Tucked away in a corner you'll encounter the in-house band, belting out mainly Moroccan and European music. Catch the barman on a generous night, and the shots of spirits have been known to increase in size as the night wears on. The restaurant upstairs (one floor indoors plus the roof terrace) offers very good fare, mostly Moroccan, and most nights your meal is accompanied by a belly dancer or two. It's open from noon to midnight.

For surroundings a little more distinguished, there are a couple of piano bars worth a visit. La Maison Arabe, 1 Derb Assehbe, off rue Bab Doukkala (tel. 0524/387010), is one of the larger riads within the medina. Its sub-Sahara-theme lounge has a stylish cocktail list. The lighting is low and the atmosphere reserved, making this the perfect spot for an aperitif or nightcap. The aptly named Piano Bar, within the mammoth Hotel les Jardins de la Koutoubia, 26 rue Koutoubia (tel. 0524/488800), is very low-key and rarely busy in the evening. The bow-tied staff members are pretty much at your disposal, while the resident piano player tries out his best Frank Sinatra impersonation. Come here if you want somewhere to drink and talk without the fuss and noise of the outside world.

In Guéliz, the restaurants Le Grand Café de la Poste, Kechmara, and Café du Livre are great places to enjoy a drink. If you're simply looking for a refreshing ale during the heat of the day, inside the Grand Café de L'Atlas, avenue Mohammed V at place Abdelmoumen Ben Ali, is a bar where Moroccan men and the odd tourist can sink one down away from the public eye. The compact Le Lounge, next to the Diwane Hotel, 24 rue Yougoslavie (tel. 0524/433703), is Daniel Guillard and Christian Hofer's affordable, unpretentious lounge bar that nightly attracts a loyal set of locals as well as a few stray tourists. The staff members are young, pretty, and friendly; drinks are served either in the downstairs lounge or the smoky upstairs mezzanine. The interior is sleek and modern, with black and red throughout. The music is largely dance, house, or funk, and widescreen TVs show the latest music videos. There's a reasonable menu, including tapas, available, and most diners prefer to take their meals under the covered alfresco terrace.

Out in well-to-do Hivernage is the icon of Marrakech nightlife, Comptoir Darna, rue Echouhada (tel. 0524/437702; www.comptoirdarna.com). The two-level former villa is renowned for its sexy Franco-Asian groove and is one of the places to see and be seen. Low lighting, scented candles, and Moroccan lamps are strategically placed in the ground-floor restaurant. Diners can choose from low-lying tables under the Berber tent, or inside the charcoal and ocher restaurant proper. Head out to the small garden where you can lounge on the lime, orange, and red cushions and heavy Berber carpets. A wide, central staircase leads up to the real reason to come here: the haremlike bar decked out in charcoal, orange, and burgundy veils where resident and guest DJs spin the latest in Euro-Arabian dance music. Oh, and did I mention the exotic dancers? Dress hot and arrive thirsty (and bring plenty of money).

Dance Clubs

Up until a few years ago, Marrakech's nightclub scene had become quite seedy, but recently some very classy (and very expensive) clubs have opened up in tune with the general trend that is sweeping the city. Most are located in Hivernage or farther out in a new zone hôtelière on boulevard Mohammed VI. They usually don't get busy until after midnight and may charge admission ranging from 150dh to 300dh, which includes your first drink. Alcohol is generally available at exorbitant prices, and although the city is inundated with tourists for the greater part of the year, the dance clubs are mainly the domain of European residents, seasonal visitors, and young well-to-do Marrakchis. Come dressed to impress.

Consistently one of the hottest places in town is Theatro, inside the Marrakech Casino at the Hotel es Saadi on avenue Quadissia, Hivernage (tel. 0524/448811; www.theatromarrakech.com). Converted from an old theater and with the original stage still intact, this place, at times, rivals Europe with its unabashed on-stage hedonism (visualize seminaked people lounging around on four-poster beds surrounded by flame throwers). At other times, it's simply a high-end techno dance club and a good place to show off your best moves.

Out past Hivernage is Pacha Marrakech, Complexe Pacha, boulevard Mohammed VI (tel. 0524/388400; www.pachamarrakech.com), which bills itself as the biggest club in Africa (and possibly the loudest). This kasbah-style club, an outpost of the clubbing giant Pacha in Ibiza, pumps out 50,000 watts of DJ-mixed music that pulses through your body (it even makes your nose vibrate). It boasts two formal restaurants and a huge swimming pool (more for trying to look good next to rather than to actually swim in) in addition to its neon cavelike nightclub, with its large open spaces decked out with exotic rugs, high ceiling, and low-lying sitting areas. Nightclub die-hards will be at home on the tented dance floor that often looks like a giant circus ring complete with shirtless Europeans, while those hankering for more lounge than thump will gravitate to the separate chill-out lounge. Monday night is Ladies Night, but it can be a bit quiet during the week, so try to go on Saturday night when international guest DJs are flown in.

Farther out, on the Ourika road, is Bô & Zin (tel. 0524/388012; www.bo-zin.com), which can be a bit hit-and-miss with its cuisine (mainly French and Thai), served within the various rooms inside. However, it definitely hosts a pretty good late-night party, with both a resident DJ and guest musicians out in the garden. During summer it's usually packed with beautiful people being served by beautiful staff -- it's definitely pretentious but go there to have fun, dance to last year's hit pop tunes, and to see how the other half lives in Marrakech.

Live Music

For the ultimate in live music, look no further than the nightly concert on Jemaa el Fna. Besides this obvious choice, live music in Marrakech seems to revolve around troupes of Andalusian or Gnaoua musicians performing as part of a dinner show, like that at Palais Chahramane, or one-man synthesizer shows in the smoky (and usually depressingly empty) bars of some expensive hotels. Unfortunately, live offerings of any other genre, such as jazz, Latino, reggae, or even simple rock and pop are largely absent in Marrakech.

In Guéliz there's Montecristo, 20 rue ibn Aïcha (tel. 0524/439031; www.montecristomarrakech.com). Although it takes itself far too seriously and the food is nothing special, the saving graces for this two-story, floodlit mansion are the shedlike Bar Latino and the even smaller Bar Africaine, where two to three times a week live music generally pumps out from late evening until the early hours. The number of high-class prostitutes in residence can be a concern, but if this doesn't trouble you, drink and salsa the night away. Irregular offerings of live reggae music can sometimes be found at the earthy Mama Afrika Café, off avenue Mohammed V on rue Oum Errabii (tel. 0524/438790). Only recently opened but already a favorite for young Moroccans and international backpackers, this small, smoky, Caribbean-style lounge-cafe is decked out in bamboo and reeds with a smattering of wooden tables and benches, as well as a few tables on the front pavement. It's one of the few places in Morocco where I've seen females openly smoking, which reflects the relaxed and friendly vibe that emanates from within. Only nonalcoholic drinks such as milkshakes, fruit cocktails, and tea are served, as well as a small selection of sandwiches, salads, and ice cream. It's open Monday to Saturday from 8am to midnight, and Sunday from noon to midnight.

Live classical music (both Andalusian and European) sometimes makes its way to Marrakech, generally courtesy of the Institit Français, Route de la Targa on the outskirts of Guéliz (tel. 0524/446930). Keep an eye out around town for posters promoting upcoming performers.