{"id":63615,"date":"2026-08-31T15:59:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T12:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/pyat-tcvetov-magriba-puteshestvie-v-marokko\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T21:21:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T18:21:00","slug":"pyat-tcvetov-magriba-puteshestvie-v-marokko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/en\/pyat-tcvetov-magriba-puteshestvie-v-marokko\/","title":{"rendered":"Marrakech – a city of colors, spices and red walls: what to see and where to go for one day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bright spice pyramids, copper lanterns, carpets in all shades of red, blue doors, orange juice right in the middle of the street, mint tea in small glasses and pink-ocher walls that turn almost golden in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is impossible to look at Marrakech calmly. To be honest, Marrakech scared me a little at first – like a hive in which the rhythm of life lives according to its own rules. We drove into the city by car and had a hard time moving around the city. We found parking outside the Medina in advance (and did it right), and then immersed ourselves in the world of colors, aromas and noisy merchants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only later did I realize that this city needs to be listened to, smelled, tasted and even tolerated a little<\/strong>. Especially when everyone around you wants to help you with something (for money). Or when a scooter speeds past you through the narrow streets of the Medina, a seller tries to sell a carpet, and a call to prayer sounds from the minaret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This city does not try to please. It simply lives its own life \u2014 noisy, bright, a little chaotic, and beautiful in its own way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to plan a trip to Morocco \u2013 transportation, accommodation, itinerary, money and interesting places<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Marrakech – a new destination for long weekends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Marrakech is called the Red Capital of Morocco<\/strong> because of the color of its traditional walls and houses. And indeed, it seems as if the city was built from one huge lump of terracotta clay. But it\u2019s worth stepping outside the door of an ordinary riad and a completely different world opens up before your eyes: a cool courtyard with a fountain, zellige mosaics, carved wood, orange trees and silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is this contrast that makes Marrakech so special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan to fly in for three or four days, stay in a beautiful riad, get lost in the medina, and then take a day trip to the Atlas Mountains or the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red City and Jemaa el-Fnaa Square<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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The first point of your acquaintance with Marrakech will almost certainly be the medina<\/strong> – the old city behind high mud walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its walls stretch for about 19 kilometers. Inside is a labyrinth of narrow streets, souks, craft workshops, palaces, mosques and riads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here it is better not to try to immediately understand where you are. Just walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn into one small street – there they sell ceramic plates<\/strong>. Turn into another – and in front of you are dozens of leather slippers. A few more steps – and you find yourself near a workshop, where a man sits right on the street and carves an ornament on a tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jemaa el-Fnaa<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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And then suddenly you come out onto Jemaa el-Fnaa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the day the square seems quite ordinary. But towards evening it changes literally before your eyes. There are vendors, musicians, street cooks, storytellers, orange juicers, huge plates of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is no longer just a square, but a huge open-air theater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNESCO has included the cultural space of Jemaa el-Fnaa in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – precisely for this incredible combination of oral tradition, music, performances and everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best time to come here is before sunset<\/strong>. Go up to the terrace of one of the cafes around the square, order mint tea or orange juice and just watch as Marrakech prepares for the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First the square turns golden in the sun. Then the lanterns are lit. It begins to smell of spices, grilled meat and smoke. There are more and more people around. And suddenly you realize: this is why Marrakech was worth seeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suky is a place where it is easy to get lost, not only on the road<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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From Jemaa el-Fnaa, the soky begin – a huge shopping labyrinth of the medina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They sell literally everything you can imagine as a souvenir from Morocco: carpets, leather bags, grandmothers, lanterns, ceramics, spices, baskets, jewelry, fabrics, argan oil.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the most interesting thing is not to buy, but to simply watch. How a master dyes leather. How a huge carpet is folded. How a plate is painted by hand. How a seller mixes spices on a small bench among dozens of jars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And, of course, haggling<\/strong>. In Morocco, bargaining is part of the game. Just because a seller tells you the price right away doesn\u2019t mean the item is worth that much. Smile, offer your price, and take your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you don\u2019t want to buy, don\u2019t show too much interest. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a carpet shop with a cup of mint tea in your hands before you know it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Koutoubia Mosque – the symbol of Marrakech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It’s easy to get lost in Marrakech<\/strong>. But there’s one landmark that always helps you figure out where you are. It’s the Koutoubia Mosque with its huge minaret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s about 70 meters high and can be seen from different parts of the city. The mosque was built in the 12th century and is considered one of the best examples of Almohad architecture. Non-Muslims are not allowed inside the mosque, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a beautiful garden around it, and the minaret itself is especially impressive in the evening when it’s lit up. And another thing you can’t miss in Marrakech is the call to prayer. It rings out from the minarets several times a day and gives the city a special vibe. It’s especially beautiful early in the morning, when the medina is still almost empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bahia Palace – fabulous Morocco at your doorstep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you want to understand how wealthy Moroccan families lived, go to the Bahia Palace<\/strong>. From the outside, it doesn\u2019t make the impression you might expect from a palace. But once you step through the door, a different world begins. You\u2019ll see marble floors, carved wood, painted ceilings, mosaics, courtyards, fountains, orange trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name Bahia translates as \u201cbrilliance\u201d or \u201cradiance,\u201d and it\u2019s hard to think of a more accurate word for this palace. Here, you don\u2019t want to run from room to room, taking pictures of everything in a row, but just sit somewhere in the shade and examine the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Marrakech, you generally need to learn to look up, down, and around. Because sometimes the most beautiful things here are not in front of you, but above your head \u2014 on the ceiling or doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ben Youssef Madrasa is one of the most beautiful buildings in Marrakech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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After the hustle and bustle of the souks, the Ben Youssef Madrasa<\/strong> seems almost unreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This former Islamic theological school was founded in the 16th century by the Saadian Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib. The building had 130 student rooms arranged around a large courtyard. And that courtyard is the main reason to come here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The green and white mosaics, carved cedar, Arabic calligraphy, stucco and water in the pool in the center create the same image of Morocco that we imagine when we think of the East. You can spend half an hour here, or you can linger for much longer. Especially if you come early, before the tour groups fill up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Majorelle Garden – a bit of French Morocco<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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After the red walls, narrow streets and noise of the medina, it’s worth taking a break. The Majorelle Garden<\/strong> is perfect for this. It was created by the French artist Jacques Majorelle, and later the garden became associated with Yves Saint Laurent <\/strong>and Pierre Berg\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, Marrakech suddenly turns blue. In the middle of dense greenery stands the famous building of a rich cobalt color, surrounded by cacti, bamboo, palm trees, ponds and exotic plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of those cases when a photo on Instagram does not exaggerate the beauty of the place. But there is a nuance: the garden is very popular, so it is better to plan a visit in advance and not count on a lonely walk among the cacti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La Mamounia – hotel from Arabian tales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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La Mamounia<\/strong> \u2014 is a legendary five-star palace hotel in Marrakech, considered one of the most luxurious in the world. It was built in 1923 on the site of 18th-century royal gardens that Prince Moulay Mamounia received as a wedding gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This hotel is a masterpiece of Moorish and Art Deco styles. Over the centuries, it has hosted royalty, world leaders (including Winston Churchill, after whom one of the bars is named), and film stars. The hotel’s gardens cover nearly 7 hectares and are a true oasis in the middle of the bustling city. The photo shows its famous indoor pool area and spa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to get to hotel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Well, firstly, here you can book a room that will include a visit to the SPA and the entire hotel area. Accommodation in this hotel costs a lot of money, so you can get here in other ways. There are some variants:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book a table in a restaurant or bar: The hotel has several luxurious establishments, including the famous pastry shop Le Salon de Th\u00e9 par Pierre Herm\u00e9 or an Italian restaurant. Booking a table gives you access to the territory of the hotel-palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or buy a day pass (Day Pass): The hotel offers special day packages for non-residents. There are usually two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n