Ryad Yacout

The best Henna Lady in morocco?

by annie412

So for my last two trips I have gone back to the same lady, she charges what equals only about £5.00, and does a very good henna tatoo. I'd advise you to wait and have it done at the end of your holiday.

Some people will tell you the henna is black, but later that evening when the henna falls off you will soon realise that it is weal brown henna and will mark your hand for a couple of days max....it might last for two swimming pool dips, and doesn't look very nice on your hand!

However the lady I found is lovely! This year, I looked for her and eventually found her, I arranged for my hotel to write her a letter in Arabic. She couldn't read but people on Stall 22 read it to her, she was really pleased because the letter was praising her work and told her how pleased I was last year.

Myblack henna tatoo lasted approx 30 days, you have to be careful with black henna, it can be very powerful and damage/burn your skin. However this ladies work is very good.

From the Airport....

by Donna_in_India

If you are arriving at night, it's a good idea to have transportation arrangements pre-booked either through your hotel or privately otherwise you will be swarmed by taxi drivers (some not so honest!).

We had a nightmare of a time. Not only did we get ripped off, but the driver dumped us at the JEF with our suitcases and sort of pointed us in the direction of our riad. (We never made it!)

Rooftop Views of Koutoubia Mosque

by suvanki about Restaurante Islane, Marrakech

This restaurant was booked by our tour guide on our first night in Marrakesh as part of our 8 day Marrakesh and The Sahara Tour.

We were led up stairs to the roof top restaurant, which has views of the Koutoubia Mosque opposite.

Although the restaurant doesn't have a wine list, our guide had arranged for several bottles of beer and wine to be chilling in the fridge for us.

You could purchase beer and wine from one of the supermarkets and take it with you I guess

A varied menu of grilled meats, fish; tagines etc.

There was a mixed clientele (besides our group of 16 + Mohamed our guide), young couples, family groups - mainly locals or visiting Moroccans.

The restaurant was in a good location, with the Koutoubia Mosque illuminated, and the call to prayer, making it more atmospheric. I hadn't any complaints about the restaurant, but I was eager to escape and get to Djemma el Fnaa.

The restaurant is above the rooms of its Hotel.

Apparently the Hotel Islane is a 3* hotel, with cheap rates. I've read reports that would suggest this is good as a cheap base for exploring Marrakesh, but is a bit dingy, with street noise if Your room is at the front. I enjoyed a mixed fish grill. (800dh)

Bluetiful gardens !

by Bigjones

This wonderful garden was created by French painter Jacques Majorelle (1866-1962) in 1924 and opened to the public in 1947. It was then bought and renovated by designer Yves Saint Laurent who founded a small Islamic art museum on site and established a trust to ensure the garden's future existence.

The garden is so peaceful, it contrasts a lot with the rush and bustle of the city streets ! It is very pleasant to walk through the various pathways and viewing areas and admire the palms, cacti, bamboo, bougainvilleas and other exotic plants that were collected throughout the world by J. Majorelle, one of the most important plant collectors of his time. It's really stunning but much of the impact is created by the vivid colour of its structures known today as "bleu Majorelle" which contrasts with the green of the plants.

Garden/museum : +/- 2 euros
Open everyday from 8 a.m. to 12 and from 3 to 7 p.m. in summer, from 8 a.m. to 12 and from 2 to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.

Marrakech, not only a '1001 night fairy tale'

by vtveen

Marrakech was our first visit to Africa as well as to the Arabic world. So we were rather excited what to expect and what to see after reading a lot (VT, travel magazines and books) and having visited an exhibition in our home country about the treasures of Morocco.
In the meantime we visited Marrakech for a second time as a starting/finishing point for a trip to Merozuga/Erg Chebbi.

Sometimes it turned out to be a part of the ‘thousand and one night fairy tale’, especially when strolling across the Jemaa el Fna or the small alleys in the medina and the souks, or when visiting one of the palaces or museums (it is just such a pity non-Muslims are not allowed to visit mosques and other Islamic sites in Morocco).
On the other hand Marrakech can be a kind of nightmare, for instance the absolute crazy traffic in the city, the sometimes annoying and pushy people (you never know if somebody is really friendly and helpful or just want to earn some Dirhams). And I’m absolutely sure we would have bought more gifts ands presents when we could have browsed by ourselves without these vendors with their continual annoying special offers and prices.

During our second visit it looked if people were even more agressive and bold asking for more money or tips.

Photography
Although I made a lot of (interesting) pictures I often felt quite uncomfortable shooting photos. You never know if people will be upset when you make a photo, not only from a person, but also when photographing shops, herbs, fabrics or whatever …. and often they are asking (sometimes rather aggressive) for money.
When travelling in the mountains it is sometimes almost impossible to make a (photo)stop, because very pushy vendors or children surrounded us within a minute. In the villages we passed, people were living in such poverty and taking pictures often was too embarrassing.
During our second visit - although I don't like it - I decided to pay people some dirham, which allowed me to make some interesting photos.

Just interested to see some of my pictures: Flickr Marrakech

"City"

It is quite obvious why Marrakech is called the Red City. The red ochre pigment walls and buildings are very dominant, especially in the old city, the walled Medina with its impressive gates. The Medina offers the most of the touristy sights of Marrakech with some palaces, the museums, the souks, the mosques, Jemaa el Fna, but also the labyrinth of alleys, the markets, ordinary street life and ….. much more.
Plan your visit well; especially the sights in the southern medina are closed for three hours during lunch hour.

Marrakech does have another half: the Ville Nouvelle with the area of Gueliz as the centre. It has (or should have) shops, boutiques and sidewalk cafés. To be honest, we were rather disappointed by this part of the city and it is not worth the effort to travel to Marrakech.
We were very happy staying in the Medina; it is much more authentic and the place to experience the ‘real’ Marrakech.

See for tips about the city: 'Things to Do Tips'.

"Atlas Mountains"

We were absolutely surprised by the nearby Atlas Mountains. During our visit to Marrakech we made two day trips into the mountains ((Tizi-n-Test and Tizi-n-Tichka Pass); one by a ‘grand taxi’ and one by rental car. The scenery was sometimes breathtaking with snow covered peaks, winding roads and stunning views.
Along the road we passed small Berber villages, sometimes with a weekly market (we visited the one in Asni on a Saturday) and always with houses in the same colour as the surrounding mountains.

On the way to the Tizi-n-Test Pass we visited the (former) Mosque of Tin Mal, in an isolated setting at the foot of the mountains. This fortress like Mosque is now partially restored. The other day we made it up to the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass and Telouet with its Kasbah of Pasha El-Glaoui.

Both trips were highlights of our visit and I highly recommend exploring also the High Atlas during your Marrakech visit.

See for tips about the Atlas Mountains: 'Off The Beaten Path Tips'.