MVMT's new Marrakesh Page
by MVMT
It was the end of Ramadan, so the city was quiet during the day, despite holiday visitors, and came alive at night, when the renowned square, Jemaa el Fna, was transformed into a theatrical scene of food stalls where busy cooks worked at charcoal grills, Berber storytellers regaled their Moroccan audiences and snake charmers sat on the ground surrounded by the curious.
The trip started in Marrakesh; and then made the spectacular four-and-a-half-hour drive south in a rented car over the Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate and the picturesque Valley of the Draa, afterward flying from Ouarzazate to Fez.
Throughout the trip, we were struck by the perfect winter climate — 60 to 65 degrees in the daytime, cool at night — and the remarkably preserved Moroccan culture, seemingly untouched by modern mores or mall blight.
And everywhere, the beauty of Moroccan architecture was reveled, and the fact that in the old quarters of Marrakesh and Fez, grand houses and small palaces are being converted into wonderfully beautiful restaurants, small hotels or B & B's. Here, the Arabian Nights fantasy is based in reality. Time and again, whether at a museum, a historic monument, a restaurant or small hotel in the old quarter, you would step out of a dusty, hectic street into a cool hallway leading to a courtyard with a fountain or a small garden, surrounded by white walls brilliant with patterned tile or pierced with improbably delicate windows.
When Morocco was a French protectorate (from 1912 to 1956), the colonial government maintained an active program of historic preservation. It is very impressive to see that now so many individual owners or entrepreneurs, some of them Moroccan, were restoring and converting buildings in the old sections, rather than in the neighborhoods established by Europeans.
Of course, the country has long had its legendary grand hostelries, the Mamounia in Marrakesh, the Gazelle d'Or near Taroudant and the Palais Jamai in Fez. A luxury resort opened this spring 20 minutes outside Marrakesh, the vast and stunning Amanjena (part of the Amanresorts group). The most exciting things were the renovations or reinterpretations of old Moroccan buildings that have been carried out in or near the medinas.
One of the pleasures, and sometimes frustrations, of finding a restaurant in the medinas of Fez or Marrakesh was making our way on foot or being let off by a taxi in a dusty, dim street in front of an unpromising high blank wall. But then either a large door would quietly open, or a robed attendant would appear, leading us through the entrance. Invariably, we were in another magical interior.
This is the delightful game of inside- outside that plays out in the old quarters of Morocco, where you go from the sunny, noisy hustle of the souk or a dusty roadway into the shadowy coolness of hallways of tile or filigreed stucco. In the many palace museums, long sequences of rooms are punctuated by small interior gardens.
Photos
Al Baraka (2009)
Jemaa el Fna, Marrakesh
Santo in Dar Mimoun
nice seat in the back looking out to Marrakech
Forum Posts
Sun set in Desert
by Paulo_Pinto
WE are 4 people going to Marrakesh for 6 days in March 2011
we would like to visit and even sleep 1 night in desert to see the sunset.
Where to go ? it could be 2 or 3 hours from Marrakesk by car
regards
Re: Sun set in Desert
by vtveen
For the desert you will have to travel either to Mhamid (about 350 'km) or Merzouga (more than 400 km).
You will have to cross the Atlas Mountains and the drive will atke much more than 2 or 3 hours.
We saw the sunset in Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) with a camel ride from our hotel; no need to sleep in the desert to see the sunset.
Happy travels
Jaap
Re: Sun set in Desert
by earthflyer
Merzouga is the best but I have not been to Zagora.
You won't get far with a 3 hour drive, it will take at least 4-5 hours just to get across the Atlas Mountains to Quarzazate but a worth while trip.
From there you can go to either Zagora or Merzouga with is far away, a days ride at least. I have many pictures of the sand Dunes on my VT pages of Merzouga and sunsets.
Sounds like you need to re-think your plans a little.
Re: Sun set in Desert
by vtveen
Be aware this Tinfou Dunes are not the 'real' Sahara, but just one dune.
Even Erg Chebbi - nearby Merzouga - wasn't the Sahara as we expected. It is also an area with sand dunes - about 25 by 5 km's. Although a little bit disappointing we liked the scenery.
Re: Sun set in Desert
by angiebabe
If you have 6 days you have more than enough time to see Marrakech and then head off on a good circuit to see some mustsees that are along the way to the desert and back - I have some tips in my Morocco page about doing this. You would still have time to get to Essaouira if you wished but as March is a beautiful month with flowers I would miss Essaouira and include in a circuit picturesque places to see flowers that way and come back via Agdz to Taliouine to Taroudant and down to Tafraoute and back up via the fast road from Agadir. it would be a beautiful circuit.
With 4 of you you can have a nice night out in the desert with camels - or walk up the dunes yourself from a nearby hotel - but the whole stay out is nice and see both sunset and sunrise.
let me know if you have some more questions but I would recommend that you have a read around our travel pages - with a rating and ranking system for any appreciation thanks - and also get a good guidebook such as the Lonely Planet or the latest edition of Footprints is very good and perhaps add the DK eyewitness guide book to whichever you choose.
Re: Sun set in Desert
by cabeyp
As already stated you will not manage to get to the desert within 2-3 hrs.
The nearest desert experience is Tinfou but you might be disappointed as it looks like trucks have brought in a pile of sand to create a dune and the camels have been placed at the bottom to create the setting.
Merzouga is the only place that offers you the genuine Saharan desert experience. It is doable with 1 night stay but it is a very stressful trip and you would probably not enjoy the journey. Mainly because most people end up sleeping through the majority of the drive and missing all the beautiful scenery.
March will be a comfortable time to stay in the desert.
Re: Sun set in Desert
by Paulo_Pinto
Thanks everyone..all of your answers were very helpful..now i have to « study » better what to do ..
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