DK Travel : Marrakech : Itineraries

A day by the sea

Morning

It is possible to do Essaouira as a day trip from Marrakech. You can get an early morning CTM bus from gare routière or a grand taxi from a rank behind the bus station and arrive by 10 or 11am (although Essaouira is worth at least a couple of days if you can spare the time). You will probably enter the city from the Bab Marrakech and follow Rue Mohammed El Qorry to the main crossroads of the medina, which is also the middle of the souks. Walk south down Avenue de L’Istiqlal, taking a right turn into busy, shop-lined Rue Attarine. A first left then leads down to Place Moulay Hassan , a great place for a snack at one of the many cafés. Follow the squawks of the seagulls south to the port and a lunch of grilled sardines.

Afternoon

From the port, backtrack to Place Moulay Hassan but take a left at the famed Taros and follow the narrow alley, Rue de la Skala, on the inside of the high sea wall. There are some interesting boutiques here. After a short walk, a ramp leads up to the ramparts for a wonderful view. Descend and then continue to the mellah, the old Jewish quarter. Find your way back to the souks and again follow Avenue de L’Istiqlal south. Take a left along Avenue du Caire, exiting by the Bab Sbâa and turning left for the beach. The Chalet de la Plage is perfect for an early (or late) dinner by the ocean.
A Day in Taroudant

Morning

Though Taroudant resembles a more ramshackle Marrakech at first sight, it has more of an African than Arab identity. Unlike most other Moroccan cities, it was never under French occupation and so doesn’t possess a European quarter. Begin your exporation of the city on Place El Alaouyine, known by its Berber name as Place Assarag. Follow Avenue Mohammed V south of the square and head east into Souk Arabe, famed for its antique shops. At the souk’s edge, Boulangerie El Widad offers tasty Moroccan pastries. South of the main street, across Place El Nasr is Souk Berbère the main fruit and vegetables market. Return north up Avenue Bir Zaran and take a right on Avenue Moulay Rachid; sample the tajines at Chez Nada.

Afternoon

As you walk east on Avenue Moulay Rachid through an orange tree-lined path, you will come upon the triple-arched Saadian Gates at Bab El Kasbah. These lead to the walled kasbah quarter built by Saadian Sultan Moulay Ismail when it was the capital of the Saadian empire. The poorest part of town, it used to house the governor’s palace, now the very chic Hotel Palais Salam . Stop at the hotel for a snack and then make your way back to the Bab El Kasbah. Hop into one of the waiting calèches and for a small fee, do a circuit of the city walls. You can take the calèche back to Place El Alaouyine or your hotel.
Hidden Marrakech

Morning

Wrong turns and too many distractions make it impossible to plan a walk through the souks, which you should explore by yourself. On another day, head up Rue Mouassine. At the first crossroads, look left: a lantern dangles above the door of the Kssour Agafay , the city’s exclusive “members’ club” (ask and you might be allowed to look around). Continue north and take the next left, then the first right to the gem that is Dar Cherifa . Return to Rue Mouassine and turn left at the T-junction. Take the first right through a low archway; follow the alley left and then right to No. 22 and ring the bell for Ministerio del Gusto, a studio and gallery (9am–noon, 4–7pm). Back on the main street, take a left to the Mouassine Fountain and then start heading northward. Stop at the Café Arabe for lunch.

Afternoon

Ahead of the café is the fondouk made famous in Hideous Kinky . The Shrine of Sidi Abdel Aziz is barred to non-Muslims, so take a left. On Rue Dar El Bacha, you will find many antique emporiums and the Dar El Bacha. Along Rue Bab Doukkala, stop at the shopping emporium, Mustapha Blaoui . Walk west past the Bab Doukkala Mosque, through a street market to the Bab Doukkala gate and the exit from the medina; this place is packed with taxis – it is 10 Dh to Jemaa El Fna.
Old city to New

Morning

Start next to the Koutoubia Mosque and head up Avenue Mohammed V. After a few minutes you will come to Ensemble Artisanal on the right, a government-run souvenir store. Over the road is the Parc Abdelsalam known as “Cyber Park”, after its newly-installed internet booths. Exit the medina from Mohammed V through the Bab Nkob, plunging into the large traffic island, Place de la Liberté. A second left after the traffic junction, followed by the first right, will lead you to historic Église des Saints-Martyrs de Marrakech . Continue north up Avenue Yacoub Marini to reach Jnane El Harti park. Lunch at the Grand Café de la Poste , hidden from view behind the main post office.

Afternoon

The road next to McDonald’s leads to the Marché Central ,, a worthwhile 15-minute detour. Return to Mohammed V for some of the best shopping in town, particularly around Rue de la Liberté . The next major traffic intersection, Place Abdel Moumen Ben Ali, is overlooked by two pavement cafés: Les Negociants and Atlas ; if you’re after some authentic Moroccan food, try Al Fassia on Boulevard Mohammed Zerktouni. You have the option of several good restaurants if you fancy a meal (see Restaurants, Cafés and Bars ). A taxi back to the medina will cost around 10 Dh.
South to the Desert

Day One

From Ouarzazate, the road continues south through the Drâa Valley down to the administrative town of Zagora. A drive of about four hours, stop over at Tamnougalt, a dramatic ksour (fortified village) 10 minutes off the main road, 5 km (3 miles)after the small market town of Agdz. Further south is the Glaoui-era Kasbah Timiderte. Zagora itself is dominated by Jbel Zagora, a rocky outcrop at the town’s end. The lively market held on Wednesday and Sunday teems with dates, grown in abundance here. Just south of the centre is the pretty hamlet of Amezrou. Nearby, the Kasbah des Juifs is inhabited by Berber silversmiths (the Jews who lived here are long gone). Zagora’s most famous attraction is at the town’s exit: a sign with a camel caravan that simply reads, “Timbuktu, 52 Days”.

Day Two

The village of M’Hamid is 96 km (60 miles) further south of Zagora. En route, Tamegroute’s mosque-and-shrine complex is off limits to non-Muslims, except for the library with its fine collection of ancient manuscripts. Five kilometres (3 miles) further on, you will see the first of the sand dunes at Tinfou. The best dunes, however, can be accessed from M’Hamid, a sleepy outpost at the road’s end – a one-street settlement, it feels like it’s at the end of the world. Desert trips, from excursions of a few hours, to expeditions lasting few days, can be arranged from here.
To the palaces

Morning

Start on Jemaa El Fna . On the south side is an arch that leads through Rue Riad Zitoun El Kedim . This area is mainly inhabited by locals and there’s an absence of souvenir and trinket vendors. At the southern end of the street, several places sell items fashioned out of old car tyres, from the purely practical (buckets) to the quirky (stylish mirror frames). Over the main road, is the Marché Couvert , a fruit, vegetable and meat market, worth a quick look. Then just southeast is the Place des Ferblantiers , a paved plaza surrounded by metalworkers, with a gate that leads through to the haunting Badii Palace . After visiting the ruins, grab a cheap snack on the northwest corner of Place des Ferblantiers.

Afternoon

Wander through the Souk El Bab Salaam before heading back north up the Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid. At the end of the street, on the right is the gateway to the Bahia Palace but anyone pushed for time should turn right and take the first left to the excellent Dar Si Said Museum. Along Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid to the left is Riad Tamsna, worth dropping in to shop, have a cup of tea or simply admire. Further north is a good little boutique, Jamade . Pass by the Cinéma Eden, one of the city’s few open-air picture houses, and bear left to re-emerge onto Jemaa El Fna.