Home to the busiest square in Africa and the world’s most beautiful doors, Marrakesh is an old realm where fantasy and reality never find a divide. The medieval medina, with its red fortified walls and tiny alleys, houses a community of snake charmers, fortune-tellers, and herbal-potion masters that bring Arabian legends to life. We spent a whole day roaming across the city’s many souqs to discover the charms of this fascinating town.
Set in the heart of town, the Ali Ben Youssef medrasa is an old Islamic school where young boys used to learn Qur’an. You can still visit the tiny dormitory cells that lean towards this exquisite courtyard carved in cedar, marble and stucco.
As we made our way through the city’s red alleyways, we stumbled upon one of Morrakesh’s most exquisite doors. Decorated with ceramics, wood and marble, Morocco’s doors are unmatched anywhere in the world.
Entering a Riad, the traditional Moroccan house built around a central courtyard, seems like taking a step into “One Thousand and One Nights.”
Unlike the traditional mint tea drunk all over Morocco, Berber tea is filled with all kinds of herbs, which are heated in small silver teapots and then poured into these graceful tiny teacups.
Ginger, turmeric, and cumin are among Morocco’s favorite spices for cooking. But it’s not all powder in Marrakesh’s souq: the wool market, the copper market, the silver and the cosmetic souk cater to every need.