Djamaa El Fna - Square, Marrakesh

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Excuse some of the photos, although I suppose they have a rarity value! Not often you'll see this place looking rainswept or empty!

The hub of the city and not to be missed. All kinds of vendors, snake charmers, monkey handlers, henna applicators and story tellers. Hustlers and con men too!

Don't allow a snake around your neck or a monkey on your shoulder unless you're willing to pay (and extra for a photo!)

Fun during the day, and hots up at night. It's worth having lunch/dinner/drinks/coffee in a place which has a balcony overlooking the action.

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Sooner or later it seems, all paths in Marrakesh lead to the Djamaa el Fna. The name (sometimes spelled “Djemaa el Fna” or “Jamaa el Fna”) means “Assembly of the Dead” in Arabic but a visit here suggests life in all its vibrancy. To call this the city’s main square doesn’t begin to do justice to it. This is a meeting place, a shopping centre, a performance space, a happening. It is surrounded by restaurants and cafés, each with a roof terrace to offer a ringside seat from where to observe all the action, but better by far to get immersed in it all yourself.

Here is a snake charmer with a sleepy cobra waiting for tourists’ dirhams before luring him into action. Here is a man with a monkey wanting payment to pose with him perched on your shoulder. And over there a colourfully dressed water-seller is making more money from posing for photos than he ever will from selling water.

Rows of stalls sell dried fruits; others freshly squeezed orange juice. Women offer to decorate your hand with henna, and men to shine your shoes – even if you are wearing trainers. You can buy a leather handbag or a packet of tissues, a lantern or a cigarette lighter. Mopeds weave past pedestrians, men push carts and donkeys pull them, horses trot past with tourist passengers perched in the caleche behind.

Over it all towers the minaret of the Katoubia Mosque, the tallest building in the city, and at regular intervals the call to prayer rings out above the hubbub. But that one spiritual note barely seems to make an impression on all the secular activity at its foot, although the faithful no doubt pause briefly in their actions before returning to earthly matters of commerce and enterprise.

Come here with an open mind, and with your wits about you. If you are unused to travelling “out of your comfort zone” you may find it unnerving at first, but take your time, watch from the sidelines for a while, and you will soon get a sense of how best to experience this place. You will probably be hassled for money, and almost certainly to buy (juice, water, henna decoration …) but say no firmly and if necessary move away – there are many other tourists and the would-be seller will soon pass on to the next one. Of course you must watch your possessions, but that is true in any crowded city square, anywhere in the world. And remember that a small sum to you can mean much more here, so if you really want that photo of a snake charmer or water-seller by all means pay a fair fee – it will bring back great memories long after your visit so will be worth the outlay.

At night the square is even more vibrant – but that is a subject for another, Nightlife, tip …

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I wasn't sure whether to put this under things to do or tourist traps! Obviously if you go to Marrakech you have to go to Jemaa el Fna. The Jemaa el Fna is the geographical, social and cultural center of the Medina full of the odd and unusual – but seemingly all geared to the tourist.

There are musicians, snake charmers, monkey handlers, etc. all trying to persuade you to give them money for taking a picture. Most of the activity is at night when food stalls set up and open, but there are still plenty of people around in the day and the souks are open during the day as well.

We walked through the square and before we knew it, a man approached Sandy, wrapped a couple of snakes around his neck, stuck a fez on his head, and waited for me to take a picture. Once we realized the game, we were able to avoid the scams. It’s really a shame because you can easily imagine what the square was like hundred of years ago. People gathered, there was food, and storytellers, and it was a true experience. Now it seems like a staged circus.

The maze of souks is still very interesting. All sorts of things for sale - loved the shoes and tangine crockery, the huge cones of spices, the buckets of delicious olives, etc. If you plan to shop do walk around and compare prices - the can really vary from stall to stall. At some the price was several times more than at another. However, if you see something you really, really want, buy it then because it may not be so easy to find the same souk again.

Try some of the olives or sweets, juices, snail soup, etc. One of the nicer experiences is going to the second floor of one of the open air cafes surrounding the JEF. Order a cappuccino and enjoy people watching!

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Gueliz is the newtown area of Marrakech. The area was designed and built early this century by the French with wide streets and boulevards. Today it is a modern business district about as remote in looks from the old part of they city as you can get. There are numerous bars and clubs both in hotels and on Mohammed V Ave. The name Gueliz comes from a nearby small mountain.

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If you are in Marrakech you'll have to try the fresh orange juice. It's only 10 dirhams for a big glass, it's good and it's healthy.
You can't miss the orange stalls at the Djemnaa el Fnaa. There are so many of them!
We always had our glass of vitamins at the number 25 stall, where a nice young guy runned this small company.

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This beautiful gate is the traditional entrance to the Kasbah, named after the black slaves brought from sub-Saharan Africa.

The gate was built in 1185 and is one of the very few stone structures. It is in distinctive contrast to the mud brick city walls.

It was disappointing that our visit coincided with Ramadan religious festival as activity in the square during the day was considerably reduced. However there was still some business open and what surprised me was the hot bread cart was kept busy.

The photo shows the square as sparse, however we were informed that normally this square would be very active during daytime.

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We visited the main square around lunch time during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Our guide informed us that Djemma el-Fna square normally would be a hive of activity, however due to religious fasting most food stalls and activities will not appear to sunset when the fast is broken.

We found the snake charmer with his 3 or 4 snakes in the middle of the square, the Cobras moving around under the "spell" of the music. Quite a sight and one that you have to pay for if you wish to take a photo. A few Dhiram will charm him and you can take a few photos. Beware if you do not give him some cash and attempt to take a photo.