The mysterious city of Morocco

The first thing to notice in Marrakesh is the color: red. It is red everywhere: buildings, city walls, palaces, even mosques. The founders of Marrakesh have spread so much blood that this redness is its reflection. Djeema el-fna at dusk is a highlight of itself. El Badi and Bahia palaces, Saadian tombs are also other musts of Marrakesh. Of course, you can't say that you have been to Marrakesh until you have been lost in one of the Souks. Jardin Majorelle, Bin yusuf Medrese, Koutubia Mosque are other highlights, even though you are not allowed in the mosque if you are not Muslim.

Quick Tips:

Moroccan cuisine is something you should not miss during your visit: tagines, couscous, and the sweet mint tea afterwards with famous Moroccan cookies. Moroccan wine is also surprisingly tasty. Milk with amandels, dades and orange scent is a great snack (jus D'amande).

There are some great restaurants in Marrakesh, so if you leave this 'healthy eating' madness aside, you may have the food of your life.

In Marrakesh you must stay in a riad: these traditional architectural miracles are clean, silent, comfortable and cool.

Best Way To Get Around:

In Athens, in Istanbul and other places, I could avoid taking a taxi. But in Marrakesh, you need them. Here are the rules in mind:

1. Taxi is a thing to go from A to B. You did not even get in, but the driver starts talking and talking, wants to be your guide for the day, makes endless offers, but he does not seem reliable enough. You just leave him, go a few meters, turn the corner and you will get a better taxi. There are so many of them, mainly in front of touristic places like Jardin majorelle and Djemaa el Fna.

2. Before you get in, he tries to agree on a price with you - like one asked to take us to bus station for 30 dirham. Don’t believe him. Meter is always cheaper – the one we took to bus station for 5.6 calculated by the meter.

3. If a driver tells you that the distance is too short or meter is not working, don’t believe, just get out. He will rip you off 100%.

4. Never go to a restaurant or hotel offered by a taxi driver.

5. From Friday afternoon it gets harder to get a taxi and Saturday nights is very difficult.

Located five minutes away from the Djeema el-fna, this riad is a great opportunity to get acquainted with Marrakesh for its central location, discreet architecture and excellent hosts who do anything to make you comfortable. They will pick you up at where you want and you will be welcomed with small gestures like tea and cookies on the house. They will make reservations or arrange a hammam (Turkish bath) for you. Dutch owners have the eye for detail and rooms are decorated tastefully. Authentic and creative breakfast is served on the terrace.

They will also inform you about riads. Built between thick and high walls, these miracles of Moroccan architecture take care that no noise or dust can come into the house. There are no windows for outside but a beautiful garden in the middle. Once upon a time, big families would live in these houses. Married girls would leave the house for the mother-in-law's house and a new couple would get a room. And once upon a time it was also very inappropriate for ladies to go out, for any reason. So the roof or the terrace was the place of the woman. That was the place where they met each other by jumping over neighbors’ roofs to socialize. It was not allowed for men to go to the roof out of respect to other families.

Staying in a riad is an experience you should not miss in Marrakesh. Not only for the atmosphere and the feeling but also for the fact that the rooms are so cool in summer as if an air-conditioner is working inside.

Excellent opportunity to experience traditional Moroccan cuisine with Moroccan wines. Wash your right hand with the water brought to your table. This is more ceremonial today than practical reasons.

Tajine was a bit too fat, but that's the way it should be, I am told. Decoration is very elegant and general atmosphere of the restaurant is very romantic.

When it was built by Ahmed El Mansour in the 15th century, this building was considered the masterpiece of Islamic architecture and the city had reached its peak of civilisation. Unfortunately, it has been destroyed by Moulay Ismail, like most of the city. Today, there is little left of this marvellous building: just the big red walls and a garden in the middle. Storks have made nests on the walls and you can go up the tower to enjoy views of Marrakesh.

Entrance to the Souk of Marresh starts at the north of Djeema el-Fna. Make sure that you have no false guide while you are entering the souks because if you do so, he will get commission from everything you buy!

There may be some locals chasing you to hire them at the entrance, but once in the souks, you should be left alone.

There are carpet souks, carpenters, dyers souks, spice souks where you can also see very unusual material which locals still use in witchcraft and mostly illegal in many countries (teeth, and parts of rare animals), babush (colorful slippers) souks can all be visited. You should have the courage to negotiate in souks. Even though I was told to pay half of the first told price, you may get in touch with reasonable sellers sometimes who tell you a good price at once. But once I could not find the appropriate price for a teapot. The prices I was told were mainly European prices. Fortunately, there is a big retailer in Morocco called Marjane, so I have found my teapot against affordable prices. So you can keep it as the last option in case souks are not for you but you’d still like to take something with you of this country.

Built by a smart vizier in the 19th century, El Bahia palace is almost fully preserved to this day. This man had four wives and he built a home for these ladies where each have their own quarters and would not run into each other in daily life. There are cool gardens in the middle of every quarter with orange trees. Even though visual some decorations are really exaggerated. Don't miss the tiles, wooden doors and the ceilings.

This strong building was built in the 14th century to serve as an Islamic university. Please note that Islamic civilisation was living its best times in the 14th century: not yet corrupt with false ideas, free thinking and creativity was encouraged as well as astronomy and medical practices. 900 students could study in this building at once. Serving as a boarding school to all these students, there was of course competition to get the best room. Popular students, darlings of the teachers would get large rooms with street or garden view, while others would have to share small, dark holes.

These gardens were almost forgotten when artist Majorelle has passed away. Fortunately Yves Saint-Laurent has renovated this garden. Today a contradictory color: blue is common in the garden because Marrakesh is a red city. There are small ponds and shadow for hot summer days. There is also a museum of Islamic art in this garden. Jardin Majorelle is getting more popular each day, therefore it is a better idea to visit early in the morning before French fill it in. You can then hear the birds and sound of leaves in the cool morning breeze.

These are the only things which have survived the anger and terror of Moulay Ismail in the city of Marrakesh thanks to his respect for the dead. These were locked and were not opened except for the burial of mad Sultan Moulay Yazid in 18th century. They were discovered by the French, and one of the oldest well-preserved monuments in the city. There are simply graves of Saadian kingdom family inside a beautiful building which is covered by tiles.

Please note that visiting gravesites is a taboo for Moroccan and Islamic culture, so it is kind if you dress conservatively and be silent.

It is not like anything I have seen. Formerly, each Moroccan city had a central square were criminals were punished and men could socialise after work day at dusk. It is a question why this tradition has survived in Djemaa al-Fna while it has disappeared in other places.

You can eat at one of the food-stalls. Each has a number so you can remember it next day. There are almost all type of food sellers: sheep heads, kebabs, orange juice, dried fruit sellers.

There are women making henna - don't worry, it will go off in two weeks if you wash as much as me.

There are the dentists, witch doctors to consult your troubles, singers, dancers, magicians, snake charmers and water sellers.

Beware that every photo you make here will cost you bucks. Especially beware the snake charmers who throw the snake on poor tourists and ask for a huge sum to take it back. If you want to eliminate the hassle, go up at one of the cafes around the square to watch the party.