UNESCO heritage listed Marrakesh Medina is an authentic and exotic place to visit. Staying inside its nearly thousand-year-old walls is the best way to achieve maximum absorption into all things Moroccan in this north African city.
The Medina is home to historic buildings, souks (markets), housing and businesses and is a snapshot into life in Marrakesh.
Each morning, I am woken by the calls to prayer from the local mosque and it makes for a perfect alarm clock.
Often referred to as the Red City for the clay used in the ancient walls and buildings, the Medina is an old Islamic capital which dates to the 11th century. It provides endless fascination for tourists whether it’s from observing the locals, the architecture, the shops or the winding alleyways. These alleyways were originally designed to confuse invaders and today tourists are often overwhelmed navigating through the ancient city.
Cue in digital maps on the phone. It is an absolute essential item to navigate around the Medina if attempting to do it without a guide. Walking through the alleyways allows you to capture the daily life of the people and the hundreds of years of its history. Interesting many businesses had ‘no photos’ signs outside their shops and we found this particularly in an alleyway of metal workers. We of course respected their wishes but it was so interesting seeing their daily grind.
Jemaa el-Fna is the famous main square of the Medina and whatever the time of day it is bustling with food stalls, hawkers, performers and snake charmers.
We visited it both during the day and night but at night it really seems to come alive.
A new destination and one as exotic as Marrakesh allows you to savour moments, whether that be food, architecture or the local people.
Savouring moments in time, particularly when they involve food, is one of the best things about travel…
In Morocco the day starts with a genteel mint tea, actually anytime is mint tea time.
The mint tea comes in a variety of styles; from fresh mint stuffed into a tea pot with very hot water poured over it – to a large variety of dried mint teas. Most brews have already been sweetened taking the edge off the drink and this particularly is the case for the dried mint varieties.
Moroccans take their tea time seriously and most especially the pour – any opportunity to show off pouring skills is taken and the mint tea experience is theatrical – one which must be appreciated and praised even down to the pretty glasses it is served in.
Spices are big in Moroccan food, and the souk is home to many stalls selling an array of spices. One of the most expensive is saffron which is used extensively. It is an essential spice prized for its vibrant yellow colour and earthy taste.
The country is famous for its tagines – the conical lidded earthenware pot which cooks all manner of delicious stews also called tagines.
From vegetables to fish, chicken or meat, just about anything is slow cooked in one of these unique vessels.
My favourite dish is the saffron chicken – it’s delicate but still has some punchy flavours particularly from the preserved lemon.
The vegetable tagines see just about every vegetable available cooked with a variety of spices and often dried fruit.
One of my favourite meals we enjoyed was lunch at a local restaurant at Tassoulante heading to Ghamte just out of Marrakesh.
On one side there is a grill and at least 30 tagine and earthenware pots holding a variety of dishes and on the other side is a butcher’s shop.
Here you choose your own meat. It is butchered and sent off to be cooked up on the barbecue.
Our table was laden with freshly cooked lamb, various tagines and vegetables. It was a unique experience and a delicious one too.
Coffee is also important in Marrakesh and we know this for a fact when we stopped at the Ben’z Coffee Shop on the side of the road, to find coffees served from a rather fancy coffee machine in the boot of a Mercedes Benz.
There was life in this old Benz and customers can enjoy the brew on a small table roadside or sitting in the back of the car. Only in North Africa!
The French left Morocco in the 1950s after more than 50 years of running the country as a protectorate but their presence is still felt with much of the population speaking the language and many food outlets serving French cuisine. French butter is served as a staple and I enjoyed one of the best baguettes outside of France.
Marrakesh is fun – there is much to see, delicious food to eat, exotic items to purchase in the souks and friendly people – it was a great introduction to north Africa.
