Marrakesh

Founded in the 11th century, Marrakech was once the capital of an empire that stretched from Spain to Senegal. In days of old, Marrakech’s location on the crossroads of ancient caravan routes from Timbuktu made it a key destination for trade and reprieve for weary sub-Saharan traders carrying gold, salt and slaves bound for Europe. Today, Marrakesh is a reverberating collision of Africa and Europe, west and east, bohemia and high culture, Arab cities and Berber villages. Framed by the snow-capped Atlas mountains, thousand-year-old palm groves, and wrapped in faded red, ochre walls, Marrakech casts a magic spell. One’s senses are stimulated by the brilliantly colored spices, entrancing music, rich folds of carpets, delectable cuisine, whirling dervishes, intertwining tile geometries, perfumed gardens shimmering in still waters of reflecting pools.

At the center of the crossroads is the legendary Djemaa el Fna square. Now on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, the square hums and pulsates with mystery, magic, and possibility. By day, one feasts eyes and more on succulent dates, the freshest orange juice, alchemists, acrobats, plier-wielding “dentists.” At sunset, the carnival atmosphere comes alive, with food vendors setting up scrumptious specialties, while dancers, fortune-tellers, musicians, and snake charmers take over the rest of the space. Radiating from the Djemma el Fna are narrow lanes of the medina providing entrée to the labyrinthine medina, which hides sultans’ palaces, the ornate mansions, and a lively souk. The maze of alleyways leads to tiny shops flaunting Berber carpets, kilims and caftans, leather goods, silver jewelry, copperware, other handicrafts, stylish dresses, medicinal herbs, and gorgeous antiques.

In keeping with the city’s dynamic character, the vogue for all things Moroccan in the international fashion and design world has made Marrakesh the darling of international stars (and their stylists), who have descended in search of chic shopping and more. Many make second homes here, in small palace-style riads featuring traditional Moroccan craftsmanship combining simple Berber style with elaborate Moorish design. This attraction is nothing new; for centuries, artists and statesmen from Winston Churchhill to Yves Saint Laurent have been captivated by Marrakech. Marrakesh’s most magnificent garden, the Jardin Majorelle, was founded by the famous couturier in 1919. The city held its first International Film Festival in 2002, now an annual event showcasing Morocco’s increasing importance in film production and providing another excuse to take in Marrakech’s sensuous delights. Rejuvenate overnight in a charming riad (beautifully restored palaces from the 15th to the 19th centuries) or one of the city’s famous luxury hotels. Marrakech’s proximity also makes it an ideal base for excursions to beaches, the Atlas mountains, or the Sahara beyond.