> City of Marrakech

As eternal as the snow on the highest peaks, as majestic as the Atlas Mountains, as steeped in history as the palm trees in its land, Marrakech is the final touch of an unchangeable and beautiful picture.

The greatest Kings fought over it, noble dynasties inherited it, wise men, craftsmen, architects, painters and sculptors of all ages built princely palaces, mosques, gardens and Medersas there.....

Marrakech: the imperial city that has given its name to Morocco.

Berbers and Arabs unite here to mingle with the nomads and mountain people, crafts flourish and it is a merchant's paradise.

And then there are palaces, hotels, riads, restaurants, golf courses and a casino: Marrakech is the capital of Southern Morocco.

For the thousands of beauties gathered here over thousands of years, for the sheer joy of the senses, you cannot miss Marrakech.

Carts overflowing with oranges and grains, women arriving from the Anti-Atlas to sell their baskets, storytellers, musicians, dancers, public scribes with their black umbrellas, fortune-tellers, potion sellers, healers and ironmongers..all contribute to the extraordinary spectacle that is commonplace in Marrakech.

Then the entertainers make way for the tavern-keepers. One after one, they light up. It is time, in the starry night, for the moon to come out and play the role is was meant to play: to be the one thousand and first lantern to light up the Jemaa el Fna square.

Marrakech awakens, as it has does every morning for the past 800 years, with the same singsong inflection, the call of the muezzin echoing downwards from the 70 metre tall Koutobia, the spiritual beacon of Marrakech. The sun awakens over Marrakech and a multi-coloured crowd invades the winding streets of the medina. The crowd presses towards the Mosque nestling up against the Medersa. This gigantic and superb Mosque was founded by the Merenid sultan Abou el-Hassan (1331 - 1349) and is one of Marrakech's most extraordinary monuments.

The sun lights up Marrakech.
The rays of the sun illuminate the pink marble of the fountains, invade the cobbled courtyards, reflect on the magnificent decorations and warm the turquoise, greens, and whites of the mosaic, to finally lose itself in the stuccowork of the Bhaia and Dar Si Said Palace, now a museum that holds the quintessential masterpieces of Moroccan art.

The legendary sun of Marrakech contrasts with the Saadian tombs accentuating their cold beauty.

It illuminates the remains of the Badii Palace and, at times, in a superb mirage, reveals the splendour of former glories to the blinded visitor: marble, gold, and onyx that were once exchanged for sugar by Ahmed el Mansour (1578 - 1603) the most illustrious Saddian ruler.

In a blazing sky silhouetted by the eternal snows of the Atlas Mountains, the perfect proportions of the Menara pavilion may be reflected in the still waters of the lake. From another time.

At the copper souk where the metal is hammered by a blacksmith wearing a serious and concentrated expression. Or perhaps it was the Laghzal souk reserved to wool merchants. Or maybe the el Btana souk with its sheepskins. Or even the Zarbia souk where carpets and kaftans are sold to the highest bidder...

Definitely another world. Where the smell of saffron, cumin, black pepper, ginger, verbena, cloves and orange blossoms charm the nostrils. Where sacks of almonds, nuts, fava beans, baskets of dates and olives are piled high while the ironmongers line up pots of henna, ghassoul, bottles of rose extract, jasmine, mink, khol, pieces of amber and musk along the shelves....It is the souk of Marrakech!!!!!

Beyond the ochre-coloured ramparts, the rhythm changes, as do the colours. The humming of the wind among the leaves, the chirping of the birds, the intoxicating perfumes of and honeysuckle and the intense fragrance of the famous roses of Marrakech, here, nature is a haven of peace, beauty and meditation, grateful to man for quenching its thirst since 1106 thanks to an ingenious system of canals, wells and exploitation of the spring water: 13 000 hectares of vegetation, 180 000 palm trees and a prestigious golf course, this is the famous "Palmeraie de Marrakech".

Further on, the Agdal orchards stretch out behind the Royal Palace, the setting for a series of magnificent festivals. With the alternating of the seasons, the trees are covered with divine fruits, beautiful and succulent oranges, figs, pomegranates, olives...

The garden of Majorelle is located near Bab Doukkala where giant bamboo trees, yucca trees, papyrus trees, palm trees, banana trees, cypress trees, philodendrons and bougainvillea flourish. There are also the incredible cacti whose natural colours pictorially challenge the blue facade of Villa Majorelle.

Seen from Marrakech, the mountains with their imposing mass and snow capped peaks seem unreal and magical. Only 20 km are needed to partake in unforgettable excursions and discover the vastness, diversity and splendour of the changing landscapes of the Atlas mountains.

To the south east of Marrakech, through the friendly Berber villages of Aghmat and Dar Caid Ouriki.

Follow the road lined with terraced gardens along the wadi Ourika until reaching Arhbalou. And once you get there, what a scene! Turn right towards Oukaimeden (2600 m)... the famous winter sports centre is only 74 km from Marrakech..or admire Setti Fatma and its century-old walnut trees..dive into the invigorating waters of its seven waterfalls.or continue towards Annameure, the village of the Ait Oucheg tribe, and hire mules to climb up to Djebel Yagour, an important stage of Morocco's ancient history which boasts over 2,000 rock paintings.

A new scene can be found to the south. 47 km from Marrakech on the road leading to Taroudant. This is the typical Berber village of Ansi, where people come to barter every Saturday, the mythical day of the souk. Towards Ouirgane, the landscapes resemble the American canyons. Dizzy gorges lead to Imlil, a charming mountain village. Excursions to the National Park of Toubkal depart from this point with climbs to the summit (4165 m) of North Africa's highest point or the Tazaghaght plateau at an altitude of 3,800m. A desert of stone so high that it looks down at the clouds.

To the East of Marrakech, there is water everywhere! The Ouzoud Falls, where the water plunges more than 100 meters. The wadi Mehasseur, straddled by the natural bridge of Imi-n-Ifri, "the gateway to the abyss" in the Berber land, which falls among enormous rock formations to end in the Ait-Aadel dam surrounded by red-coloured hills.

Each year, the ruins of the Badii Palazzo lend their magnificent setting to the national festival of popular arts. Musicians, dancers, singers, costumes, jewellery, personal and religious ornaments are exhibited.

Jewellery in wrought silver, oil lamps in Taroudannt stone, embroidered leather, rustic vases and crockery, marble, jars, boxes, Berber jewellery: a waking dream. Don't miss the best room of them all: the carpets alone are worth the trip.

Tangia: the good traditions.
This is the name given to a round terracotta pot and an exquisite stew of mutton and spices that cooks slowly, buried in the hot ashes throughout the night. A real delicacy.

The atavistic gestures of the tanners.
Nothing has changed for centuries in the tanneries of the souk. Amid skins laid out under the sun on straw, near the vats, the craftsmen have always used saffron to make yellow, poppies to make red, indigo to make blue and antimony to make black. A look at the past, don't miss it.

In the calash along the Palm groves.
A galloping horse, the caress of the light breeze on your face, the view of the palm trees silhouetted against the blazing sky..moments of rare beauty. It is the most romantic stroll in the whole of Marrakech.