A Dozen Photos that’ll Make you Want to Visit Marrakesh

I’m from Texas and know heat, but I might have gotten a little soft living in France. After all, 90 degrees is considered a heatwave in Paris. Walking through the medina, the sun beat down through the hazy air. Heat radiated from the pavement, searing my legs. August is not the ideal time to visit Marrakesh, but I was happy to be there nonetheless.

A flight from Paris to Marrakesh takes around 3:30 and usually costs less than €200. Why I’d never taken the time to visit Marrakesh before is beyond me. Perpetual sweating told me that I should have chosen a month where swimming pools weren’t close to the boiling point, but c’est la vie. Like the locals, I got out in the mornings and evenings and lounged in the air conditioning and pool during the hottest hours.

Despite the fact that my trip to Marrakesh felt like five days in a dry sauna, I loved the city. The French, Berber, and Arabic cultures are blended to create a place unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. The cuisine has become one of my favorites, most notably for its creative use of spices. Architecture in the ‘Red City’ is vibrant, ornate, and sometimes otherworldly. Often I felt as if I was walking inside of an opulent jewelry box, and others, it was like walking back in time. Old meets new. Grit meets glamour.

Marrakesh is a gift to the photographer. Colors are brighter and daily scenes play out as if they’re scripted specifically for the camera. Even an average photographer like myself managed to capture plenty of nice clicks. Here are a dozen of my favorite photos that will make you want to visit Marrakesh, too.

Four Seasons Resort Marrakesh

My trip was part vacation and part work. I was on assignment for Four Seasons Magazine writing about Moroccan food. For the first three nights, I stayed at Four Seasons Resort Marrakesh. The expansive property is located outside of the medina, so it’s a place for true tranquility. Literally an oasis within the desert, the Four Seasons is lush. The dramatic fountain lined with palm trees was the view I enjoyed each morning for breakfast. My suite overlooked the massive pool, where I spent the afternoons plunging into the water, eating frozen fruit, and trying to keep my iPhone from overheating.

The Medina Souks

The souks in the medina {old town} seamlessly blend together like an American city and its suburbs. The only real way for a visitor to distinguish between them is by the products that are being sold. From lamps to leather and spices to silk, there’s plenty to ignite your imagination and set your wallet on fire.

Dive deeper into the depths of the souks and you’re likely to see the craftsmen {and boys} working. You’re also likely to get lost. It’s a maddening maze, but there are plenty of young men willing to lead you out…for a small fee. But isn’t getting lost part of the fun? It’s like pushing doors in Paris. Around each corner lies a new adventure and a possible treasure.

There are said to be more than 3,000 souk stalls, but this area isn’t just for shopping. It’s a peek into the lives of people who live and work in this labyrinth. With the exception of the height of the heat, there’s a perpetual buzz. Throughout the day, bread is cooked and delivered via wooden carts, and noisy motorcycles navigate the narrow alleys, weaving through the throng of people. Time spent in the Marrakesh souks is organized chaos at its finest.

Tanneries

I couldn’t visit Marrakesh without seeing the tanneries. Known for its leather production, the tanneries are a big part of the souk landscape. Finding them wasn’t so easy, but again, there were plenty of eager Moroccans willing to lead the way {for a fee}. Truth be told, I could have simply followed my nose, but the information about the leather production was worth the small price.

Before entering the tanneries, I was handed a sprig of mint, which would help cover the stench. The foul smell wasn’t coming from the cow hides baking under the August sun, but instead the diluted pigeon poop used to soften the hides. The first process is known as iferd and lasts 3-6 days, depending on the season. This is when the hides soak in the aforementioned pigeon poop fermented with tannery liquid waste. After, the hides are wrung out and the hair is scrapped off. Then, the hides are placed in pits filled with lime and argan-kernel ash, where they’ll stay for 15-30 days.

During the qasriya stage, the hides are washed and soak another day in water, and you guessed it, more pigeon poop. This makes the leather more pliable. In the fourth stage, the hides are scraped with broken pottery pieces, which preps them for the dye. Applied only by hand, the dyes are made from natural resources, such as fruits, vegetables, and trees. For proof, one only has to look at the workers, whose arms are stained a rainbow of colors up to their elbows. After drying in the sun, the hides are stretched between two ropes, making them more supple. From there, the leather is turned into poofs, babouche slippers, bags, and coats.

Ben Youssef Madrasa

Through a small, non-nondescript arched entrance was a lovely surprise: Ben Youssef Medrasa. The nearly perfectly square building was once one of the largest Islamic colleges in North Africa. Within, the painted ceramic tiles and ornate plaster cornices led to a swift jaw drop. The carvings surrounding the open-air courtyard are beyond ornate, with geometrical patterns that left me mesmerized. On the second floor, to the east and west sides, I watched visitors having their photos taken among the mashrabiyas. Given the chance, I declined the same photo. I didn’t want to mess with perfection.

Bahia Palace

With 12:00 pm and the ridiculous afternoon heat quickly approaching, I walked into the Bahia Palace. Somehow, the scorching heat subsided; I was already impressed without seeing a single mosaic tile. Meaning ‘Beautiful Palace’, the Bahia Palace is just that. Set on two acres and comprised of 150 rooms, the palace was originally built in the late 19th century for Si Moussa, chamberlain of Sultan Hassan I. Enlarged and passed down to other Moroccan rulers, it became the home of the resident general of France in Morocco during the Colonial period. It was the French that added electricity, heating, and fireplaces.

Today, it’s open to the public for visits and is home to the Moroccan Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Keeping with its royal origins, King Mohammed VI and his family sometimes stay in the Bahia Palace. I can’t say I blame the king. With all of the orange trees, fountains, carved stucco and cedar, Technicolor windows, and floors covered in zellig tiles, I’d happily trade my Paris pad for a few nights in the Bahia Palace, too.

Majorelle Gardens

At 9:00 am, I stood in line waiting to get inside the Majorelle Gardens. Strategically situating myself beneath the water misters kept me from hopping in a cab and heading back to Riad Les Yeux Bleus {I HIGHLY recommend this riad} for a dip in the pool. The line moved quickly, and I couldn’t visit Marrakesh without seeing arguably one of the most gorgeous places in the city.

Forty years of work by Jacques Majorelle went into developing this garden compound in the Red City. The French painter began creating the botanical oasis in 1923, which features a bright blue Cubist villa, where he lived with his wife until their divorce. During the property’s second life, it was purchased and restored in the 1980s by the famous French fashion designer, Yves Saint-Laurent and his partner {both in love and business}, Pierre Bergé. In 2008, when Saint Laurent died, his ashes were spread at Majorelle.

Indeed, the Majorelle Gardens were worth the wait. The multitude of ‘exotic’ plants, vibrant colors, and water features draw the lens like a moth to flame.

Jemaa el-Fnaa

Think of Jemaa El Fnaa as Main Street in Anytown, USA. It’s the hub of not only the medina, but Marrakesh. My first look at Jemaa El Fnaa was overwhelming in every way. It was hot, which I’ve clearly established. It was packed, loud, and frenzied. My senses were overwhelmed, but in the best possible way.

The vast, wide-open space was filled with street artists, storytellers, musicians, and food stalls. From grilled meats to nuts to snails, Moroccans were bellied up to temporary tables enjoying the evening. Originally, this public square was built by the Almohads and where public executions were held. On this night, the only possibility of death, I thought, would be from heatstroke.

Have I mentioned that Marrakesh in August is hot?

 

Outside the Medina: Four Seasons Resort Marrakesh

Inside the Medina: Riad Les Yeux Bleus 

 

[map autofit=”1″] [pin tooltip=”Four Seasons Resort Marrakesh”]Avenue de la Ménara, Marrakesh, Morocco[/pin] [pin tooltip=”Ben Youssef Madrasa”]Rue Assouel, Marrakech 40000, Morocco[/pin] [pin tooltip=”Bahia Palace”]Rue riad zitoun el-Jedid, KASBAH, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco[/pin] [pin tooltip=”Majorelle Gardens”]Rue Yves St Laurent By A-Maps، Marrakech 40000, Morocco[/pin] [pin tooltip=”Jemaa el-Fnaa”]Rue El Ksour, 38, Marrakech 40000, Morocco، Marrakech 40000, Morocco[/pin] [pin tooltip=”Riad Les Yeux Bleus “]7 Derb Elferran Bab Doukkala, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco[/pin] [/map]

 

 

Note: There are affiliate links in this post, meaning I make a small commission if you make a purchase through my links. It costs you nothing more, but helps keep me stocked in French wine {and a roof over my head}.