Marrakech and the Atlas

The red city at the bottom of the Atlas, right in the center of Morocco.

Finally Marrakech! Morocco has always fascinated me and I have wanted to visit the red city for many years. Founded in 1070-72 by the Amoravidas, it was the political, economic, and cultural center for many years. It is a pleasant surprise for those who, like me, love the contrast of ancestral cultures.

Despite being the most visited destination, Marrakech is not the capital of the country, that is Rabbat. Still, Marrakech is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating places I've ever seen, taking into account its genuine culture, architecture, and unique people.

I already knew that Moroccans in general and the vendors in the souqs were quite persuasive when they sensed a business opportunity, but I was also aware of their great friendliness and simplicity, as this was not my first time in Morocco.

However, as almost 98% of the Moroccan population is Muslim, I took this fact into account when choosing precisely the time of Ramadan for this trip. So we chose to wear clothes that covered the legs and shoulders, especially for women. I saw, however, tourists who didn't have the same concern but I felt that respecting traditions and having common sense can be the key to success and that's the most important thing...

The hotel

A 15-minute drive from the bustling Jemaa el-Fnaa square and overlooking the Atlas is the Iberostar Club Palmeraie Marrakech. This pleasant hotel with manicured gardens combines modern architecture with a traditional style and was our choice for charging batteries between tours of Marrakech and the Atlas.

The hotel's warm orange tones contrast with the blue of the sky, the green of the palm trees, and the white of the snowy mountain tops, giving the place an exotic air. They make you feel at home around here and everyone is very helpful.

In the morning, the pool is full of towels marking the places, in the style of the Caribbean, but it made little or no difference to us because the objective was to head to the center and discover, between streets and alleys, the city that was once the capital of the kingdom of Morocco.

Although Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, in this hotel we don't have the limitations that religion imposes and therefore food was not a problem. And that's why each day of this trip started with a nice breakfast, where nothing was missing before facing the typical bustle of this place...

Marrakech

The red clay walls surround the medina and extend for 19 km. It is them who give the nickname of Red City to Marrakech. El Koutoubia mosque is the center of the city and from here to Jemaa el-Fna square it's a short hop, between carts, musicians, snake charmers, and orange juice sellers who shout to the crowd to get the attention of tourists...

The city itself also has a newer part where there are good and modern hotels, shopping centers, and luxury goods stores, and where many wealthy French people have houses that they occupy for part of the year. As this is a more exclusive and well-kept area, it is certainly not what makes so many people visit Marrakesh...

The old part of the city, on the other hand, seems to have stopped in time but maintains a lively dynamic that we can only experience here. No monument particularly impressed me, and what is extraordinary is the culture itself, so rich and different from who we are. There are only a few meters between the Koutoubia Mosque and Jemaa el-Fna square and this is the center of the world, where everyone walks and where the contrast is most evident.

Saadian Tombs

Near the Moulay el Yazid mosque, the queues are long but we still manage to see the Saadian Tombs, close to the Jewish quarter. These are tombs dating back to the Saadian dynasty when Ahmad Al Mansur was Sultan (1578-1603). These remained obscure until 1917 when they were discovered. Here there are two mausoleums with twenty-four tombs, including that of Ahmad Al Mansur himself.

Bahia Palace

The Bahia Palace was built in the 19th century and its owner, the Grand Vizier Si Moussa, wanted the palace to be as opulent as possible. Unfortunately, only a small part of the more than one hundred and fifty rooms in the palace are open to the public and all of its rooms are empty. The palace is located inside the Medina of Marrakesh, very close to the Jewish quarter, and is perhaps the best-preserved monument to visit in the city.

Jewish Quarter

Mellah (Jewish Quarter)

The Jewish Quarter, or Mellah, of Marrakech (currently Hay Salam or "neighborhood of peace") is witness to the peaceful stay of these people here after being expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century. It is a typical area with a lot of shops very close to the Bahia Palace and which impressed me. It is interesting to walk through its streets and, even feeling that it is one of the poorest areas of the city, it is quite genuine. Nowadays, the Jewish community in Marrakesh is reduced, as many went to Israel after its founding.

Koutoubia Mosque

The Koutoubia Mosque, built in pink sandstone typical of the city, surprises with its beauty and size, being the largest mosque in Marrakech. It was initially built in the mid-12th century, but there was an even older building on the site. Its minaret rises 77 meters high and is still the tallest structure in the city. Its architecture also served as a model for the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat.

Its name means Booksellers' Mosque, as there were a lot of "kutubiyyin" booksellers around here when it was built.

Medina

The Souks or traditional markets of the Medina of Marrakech are all located in the center of the old city and can be easily visited by entering Jemaa-el-Fna square. Thousands of artisans gather here and it is a must for anyone visiting the city. The rule is to haggle and take your time, as everyone hopes to get the best deal. In the Souks, we can find everything and they are divided into zones according to goods, fabrics, metals, leather, spices, etc.

Unlike Fez, here the Medina tour can be done without guides as it is completely safe!

Jamaa el Fna square

This square is the center of the world in Marrakesh and is bursting with energy and animation almost 24 hours a day, but at night it turns into something surreal.

When the sun goes down, a cloud of smoke rises in the square and by that time the improvised restaurants that are erected every day have already been set up, where nothing existed before.

It was here that the city was born in the middle of the 11th century, and it was precisely in this place that those condemned to death were executed. In the square, there are carts and horses and there are snake charmers, storytellers, and monkeys, there are women getting henna tattoos, there are dancers mixed with jugglers, there are sellers of tea, fruit, couscous, musicians, and other characters that wander in a festival of color, sounds, and aromas.

This area of Marrakesh deserves to be visited during the day and then at night to appreciate how it changes, but it continues to receive people from all corners.

Ourika Valley

When visiting Marrakesh, you cannot miss the Atlas due to its proximity to the mountain range that rises to over 4000 meters and stretches over 2400 kilometers through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Ourika

And so there we went in the company of a local guide to Senti-Fatma, the last town that can be accessed and where the road ends. There are about 40 kilometers that take about an hour to cover. As we approach the mountain, the landscape changes and fields with large olive groves give way to a well-defined valley where some houses seem to test gravity, such as the place where they were built.

Setti-Fatma is a kind of seaside resort for Moroccans. Here, in the summer, when the heat sets in, the Ourika River, with its fresh water from the melting ice, flows down from the mountain and serves as a source of refreshment for entire families. In open-air restaurants, typical Moroccan dishes are cooked.

It is from here that the trails go up, allowing you to visit the famous waterfalls of the Ourika River. Without knowing exactly where we were going, we went up there with our guide. The area has a population of monkeys said to be of the same family as those in Gibraltar and Algeria, but we didn't see any. We also visited 2 waterfalls but felt that it was not advisable to insist on continuing, as in addition to not being equipped with suitable footwear or clothing for climbing, common sense dictated not to take more risks than necessary... as the slope of the route had areas that tested our courage. LOL

We had to help each other and that was the only way to complete the journey without any problems... but it was worth it.

The prize was a magnificent panoramic view over the entire valley and the village.

We also visited a Berber pharmacy, where we were able to have a natural medicine class where we were shown all kinds of herbs, teas, soaps, creams, and oils for all kinds of needs... The difficult thing is to leave without taking a package of anything...

We also had the opportunity to visit an artisanal Argan oil cooperative, managed by women and where we can observe the different stages of its traditional production.

This famous oil, much sought after by beauty laboratories around the world, has been used for centuries by Berber women for its exceptional cosmetic and culinary properties.

This tour contrasts with the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. The Ourika valley has a series of douars (Berber villages) and is the refuge to face the sweltering heat so characteristic of Marrakesh.

As the day went on and the temperature rose, the river flow also increased as a result of the snow melting more quickly. The trails made of stones inside the river where we had passed before were no longer visible and thus made it impossible that day for anyone else to climb the mountain.

However, around here, life moves at the same speed and nobody seems to be too worried. Vendors and guides are concentrated in the village and interact with tourists, always smiling easily.

At the end of the day, we returned to Marrakech, stopping at some places where we could appreciate the rich local handicrafts and where we could still appreciate the mountain now dressed in the magnificent tones of late afternoon.

And finally the return, this time to Seville, from where we had started this trip. A very culturally enriching trip remains for the memory.