Marrakech Travel Guide

This great little patisserie and juice shop is on Rue Dabachi about 50 metres west of Chez Chegrouni (the NW corner of Djemma el-Fna) – the sign is in Arabic only but you’ll know it’s the one because it’s just at the corner of Route Kennaria D. It is open all day but particularly humming with life at about 10-11pm.

Join the locals in choosing what to have in your freshly made smoothie/milkshake. Try milk and almonds (lait et amandes), or peach and plum (peche et prune), or a mix (panache – pronounced panashee). Ask for it without sugar if you prefer (sans sucre). The fruit is wonderful. They also do pastries, yoghurts with fruit etc. And they’ll make up boxes of Moroccan mini-pastries for you to take home for your friends – a big box holds up to 500g (the cost is very reasonable – think it was 60 dirhams per half kilo). Smoothies and milkshakes are around 9 dirhams each – excellent value for money.

The taxi, the best choice!
Once you’re in Marrakech and need to get through the city, the best option is to take a  taxi. (Unless you don’t mind walking a lot, in the dusty heat and traffic). But be careful with the taxi! Here are some tips / ideas to take into account when taking a taxi:

Haggle the price before boarding!
It’s very important that before getting into the taxi that you bargain with the taxi driver, because in Marrakech there are no official charges, each taxi driver will charge what they think is right, or what they think they can get….. And if you see a tourist, you may want to charge much more than it the trip is worth.

For example, if you’re in the Jemaa el Fna square (which is right in the heart of the medina) and want to go to your riad (suppose the riad is a half-hour walk from the plaza) the trip should not cost more 20-dh (2 euros).   It’s really up to you if you think an extra 10 or so is worth haggling over and remember, petrol costs are rising and prices do rise every year. 

At night it is more expensive
The night taxi journeys are more expensive than days, although there are no formal charges to indicate this. When you want to take a taxi at night taxi drivers will tell you a price, and you’ll see that for the same route they will want to charge you double. Try just a little haggling, you should not pay twice because it has got a little darker!

Find yourself a taxi
In Marrakech, the task of finding a taxi is like going on shopping in the sales.  We must look for many items before getting one, it’s worth it because careful buyers will get the best price.

Above all, remember who it is you who is going looking for a taxi, and not the other way around: often unemployed taxi drivers hang around corners and you will see by the way you walk or look that you’re looking for a taxi. Avoid climbing into these taxis, because it will be more expensive than if it is you who are looking for the taxi.

13 Derb deffa ourbaa Quartier Laqssour
Marrakech medina MAROC

Tel: 00 212(0) 24 44 43 14
Mobile: 00 212 (0) 71 38 95 35
Email : reservation@riaddollardessables.com

Located in a renowned area, only two minutes from the famous « Jema el Fnaa square » the riad DOLLAR DES SABLES is a traditional morrocan mansion. It has just been refurbished to a high standard by local craftsmen with rigorous respect for the marrocan style with traditional materials such as ceramic and tadelakt.

Rooms are located on 3 floors.
Patio level ZAHIA : Spacious twin room with tadelakt bathroom and ceiling fan.
1st floor, 4  Double rooms :” Safia,Salma,Bahia, Lalitha” all with high comfort
(Please note that  2 rooms can become connected rooms, according to the customers’s desire.,” Lalitha” and “Safia”)
On the terrasse level, the Dollar des Sables Suite which offers a very high standard with luxurious and refined decoration. The bathroom has an arched roof and a rounded bath.

Souk Cuisine offers you the opportunity to learn to cook as the Moroccan do at home. Cooking with Moroccan woman will be very inspiring. An example of dishes you will learn how to prepare are:

Zaahlouk of courgettes
Briouates with vegetables
Tagine with Lamb and quince
Tagine with ‘Boulette de Sardines’

Souk Cuisine is run by the very friendly Gemma Van de Burgt, from Netherlands will coach you during this cooking-day experience.

The day starts at 10 am with a trip to the market (the souk) to buy locals home-grown goods, food according to traditional methods. You’ll learn in spot how to find the best products, by looking , feeling, smelling & tasting.
The cooking is in the courtyard of a Riad, under banana trees

All takes about 4 hours & then try your own cooked dishes, with a glass of Moroccan wine.

Price per person is : 350 dirhams. This includes shopping, cooking with Moroccan women, lunch at least four dishes, recipes you can take home, dutch/english/french coaching, water & tea at your discretion and 2 glasses of wine.

Minimum number of person is 2, maximum is 12

When:14 – 19 Jul 2008 (annual)
Where:MarrakechCost:Various
Opening Hours:Various

http://www.marrakechfestival.com (french website)

A foretaste of the 43rd edition, a popular festival immersed in a city in celebration of 14 to 19 July 2008.

The festival covers its 43rd edition in an original format, powerful, innovative and popular. In the continuity of the 42nd edition, the next edition will preserve the popular arts in all their authenticity, will celebrate a heritage alive of inestimable value, for the sake of sharing with an audience in search of the events When popular, authentic and quality.

To announce the festival, a grand procession to the sound of traditional instruments, will help to attract and unite the local people and guests of the town red.

Stages are installed in the city, including historical places of the town red, as the Badi Palace and Dar Si-said

The official opening of the Festival will be held at the Palais Badi July 15, 2008. A magnificent spectacle, in a single framework, will stage the popular arts in a new theme. A choice to present the groups of artists and musicians in an appropriate framework. The Badi Palace, with its architecture and its prestigious public places, is the living theatre where the event takes place and where 200 000 spectators are expected each night.

A Bab Ighli from 17 to 19 July 2008, a large stage merger new generation artists and popular Moroccan renowned host more than 40 000 spectators each night.

To animate the entire city, the 2008 edition has scheduled 6 scenes in the districts of Daoudiate, Garden of the Harti, Sidi Youssef Ben Ali, M’hamid, Hey Bab El Massira and Lakhmis. These districts are colorful feast by troops traditional daily.

One of the ambitions of the festival, to revive and continue the traditions and artistic expression of Moroccan women. The 43rd edition brings honour Moroccan women with 2 evenings Dar Si Said gente devoted to women, which will unite artists and audiences purely feminine.

The festival also aims to promote culture alive through original events taking place at the Theatre Royal, such as contests (ghiyata, hanna, gnawa…) and exhibitions.