Mesmerised in Marrakech
- Rhoda Phillippo Harrington
- Oct 8
- 12 min read
Photos courtesy of @THarrington
We flew to Marrakech from Athens with Aegean Airlines. We are there for our son Josh’s wedding the following week – his lovely wife-to-be Jihane is from Morocco and we are looking forward to this North African experience (see blog Family Extravaganza for details of the wedding). We changed some money at the airport as credit cards are accepted in very few places and it was not possible to change money in Europe before we arrived. Our pick up was relatively smooth although we did have a funny name wrong spelling at Marrakech Airport. We arrived in Marrakech late morning and our taxi dropped us off at a school telling us that he could get no closer to our Riad. The taxi ride in from the airport immersed us in the noise, driving and hubbub that was to become the norm over the next 10 days. A bit bemused as we stepped out of the taxi, four young boys materialised with a cart for our suitcases and proceeded to show us the way to our Riad which was a couple of hundred metres away past tiny shops and cafes along narrow alleys.
The alleys were shared by donkeys doing construction transport, motorbikes, bikes and pedestrians so you needed your wits about you. Arriving at the Couleur Medina Riad https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/22828351?check_in=2025-04-29&check_out=2025-05-07&guests=1&adults=9&s=67&unique_share_id=6dad0f49-8cd8-4fbf-9f24-d21aaf8f1bbf Tim went to tip the boys only to be told that they needed more money as there were four of them! However this did seem to buy us their time, protection and directions for the rest of the week and they didn’t seem to go back to school that week either! Inside the Riad was a tranquil escape from the hubbub outside. We were greeted by Hassan and Milouda who will be our hosts for the time we are there – they were still getting our place ready so we left our suitcases and headed to Le Terrasse du Jardin https://www.laterrassedujardin.ma/ for lunch (a Hassan recommendation). We opted for a tagine of course!
Back at the Riad we got ourselves settled in. It has four levels – a ground floor with a pool, living room and kitchen/dining area. The roof is open so birds fly through occasionally. On the first floor are four ensuite double bedrooms all decorated differently and beautifully. Up some stone stairs is a floor with a jacuzzi, outdoor seating area, Haman and massage room and another kitchen. Then on the top floor are sun loungers and another pool. We spend a quiet few hours after we had unpacked enjoying the jacuzzi and sunshine and listening to the unfamiliar sound of the call to prayer. Then we headed off to meet up with Josh and Jihane at +61 https://plus61.com/, a restaurant owned by Australians. The food is quite simply superb. We try the white fish crudo, hummus, roasted broccoli and prawn toast and enjoy catching up with all their news and agreeing our jobs for the next few days.
The next morning we headed out to find a coffee which we ended up getting from a van in the nearest square. After making a video for my sisters and Cameron (one of Josh’s groomsmen) on how to reach the Riad (where they will also be staying for the wedding) so that they too didn’t ended up paying the four boys! we had a wonderful massage at the Riad (arranged by Hassan) and then a nice wander around to try and get our bearings. We eventually found a rooftop restaurant for lunch which served alcohol (which is not easy in this largely dry country) recommended by the Lonely Planet guide – https://undejeuneramarrakech.com/. We discover the wonder of the souks – all colours and smells and busy and mental, a real treat for all the senses. My sister Lydia and niece Mackenzie arrived while we were at lunch so we headed back to say hello and once they were unpacked walked the short distance to Ben Youssef Medersa mosque https://www.medersabenyoussef.ma/.
Built in 1565 the Medersa was for four centuries attended by students in various sciences, and fields from all over the world. The mosque’s architecture reflects the splendour of Essadi art, making it the most amazing architectural masterpiece. It consists of a courtyard decorated with a water basin with two bronze jets. In the wings are hallways with ceilings bearing the upper floor bedrooms and in the middle there is the prayer room. The materials used are carved cedar wood from the Atlas, Italian Carrara marble as well as plaster and Moroccan Zellij tiles. It is one of the most beautiful buildings we have ever seen. Back at the Riad we relaxed in the sun as Milouda was cooking us a traditional Moroccan meal of chicken tagine, salad of cucumber and tomato and also a dessert of avocado pudding – check out the recipe here!
https://www.lahbco.com/snacks/roseavocadopudding#google_vignette. Milouda is 6 months pregnant and an amazing cook. She is the housekeeper while Hassan is the organiser.
We have booked a day trip to the Atlas Mountains the next day so head out early to catch our minibus. We booked this one with Get Your Guide as it was a small tour in a comfortable minibus and Lydia and Mackenzie were coming on the trip with us https://www.getyourguide.com/booking/NDTVQ4KIJDGM1Z3M8QLHLZIGDM8VV1OM (provided by Vibrant Vistas Marrakech). With us and the guide Ali are four Portuguese ladies, a German couple on their honeymoon and a an older couple from the UK called Paul and Jan. As we leave the city behind the landscape changes quite quickly into a very rural and much less populated vista. We start to steadily climb into the mountains. The tallest mountain in the Atlas range is Mount Toubkal which is 500m higher than Mount Cook in New Zealand and there are ski resorts there. We head up into the Ourika Valley and stop at the Argon Oil Cooperative which is a place of work for local women.
We first see how the nut is ground up into a paste and then enjoy a breakfast which is all made from the edible versions of the product including the tea and a paste which is quite like peanut butter. Then we sample an amazing range of beauty and medicinal creams made from the oil. Of course we have to purchase so I get one that is meant to be a natural form of botox! and Tim and I buy a couple for our various ailments.
Our next stop is for a 90 minute hike up to the waterfall in the valley Setti Fatma. We are guided by Ahmed who is a real mountain goat and ensures that we all safely find our way on what is quite a tricky path in places and it is very busy with many walking groups. We pass various small restaurants and places where you can get dressed up in traditional costume and have your photo taken.
The waterfall is spectacular and we see someone propose up there. Back at the bottom we head to one of the Setti Fatma restaurants for lunch at the edge of the river where we watch monkeys on the cliffs opposite trying to get across to steal our lunch and the waiters throwing bread rolls and then stones to scare them off. There are traditional Moroccan music players with quite an array of instruments and we eat tagine and couscous. Before getting the bus back home I am approached by Ali to ask if I would be willing to do an interview with a TV camera crew who are doing a piece on why people choose to visit Morocco – so of course I oblige! No one I know will probably ever see it.
Josh was at the Riad when we got back as he had time to kill before heading off on his stag – it was nice for him to catch up with cousin Mackenzie as he hasn’t seen her for many years. He gave us several wines which we are to transport to the Beldi Country Club (the wedding venue) for the wedding as he and Jihane want to have wines representing the countries that are special to them (not easy to find in Marrakech but they have managed it). After a brief spell up on the rooftop of our Riad we head out to walk through the souks to the main square, Jemaa El-Fnaa Square https://jemaa-elfnaa.com/.
Jemaa El Fnaa, the vibrant main square of Marrakech, has been the cultural and social epi-centre of the city for centuries. Established in the 11th century by the Almoravid dynasty, this iconic plaza has witnessed the evolution of Moroccan history, becoming a melting pot of traditions, arts, and commerce. The square’s origins trace back to the founding of Marrakech itself around 1070 by the Almoravids. Originally, it served as a meeting point for traders, travellers, and locals, a place where goods from across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East were exchanged. The name “Jemaa El Fnaa” is believed to mean “Assembly of the Dead,” possibly referring to public executions that took place there during its early days, a reminder of the square’s tumultuous beginnings. Over the centuries, Jemaa El Fnaa has transformed into more than just a marketplace; it has become the heart of Marrakech’s public life. By day, the square buzzes with activity as vendors set up stalls selling everything from spices and textiles to traditional medicines. As the sun sets, the square truly comes alive, morphing into an open-air theatre where musicians, dancers, storytellers, and performers entertain both locals and visitors. This unique blend of commerce and culture has made Jemaa El Fnaa an essential part of the city’s identity. Made a UNESCO world heritage site in 2001, today, Jemaa El Fnaa is a symbol of Marrakech’s rich heritage. It is a place where the past and present converge, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into Moroccan life. Unfortunately, Mackenzie has a wee bit of a panic attack with the huge number of people in the small alleyways and at the square. The square is a jumble of food stalls offering everything from snail soup to tagine and we walk right around. Tim is persuaded to get close with the cobras and to ease Mackenzie’s anxiety we decide to have dinner in a rooftop restaurant Café Kessabine https://www.facebook.com/cafekessabine/ which is just off the square where we can still see everything that is going on.
We walk back through the souks afterwards and think that we are beginning to get the hang of the direction home – I don’t think we ever took the same route on any day!
The following day we had another wander through the medina as one of our jobs was to pick up the groomsmen suits from some of Josh’s friends, Khadija, and get them pressed/cleaned. We meet Khadija, Mior and Ilo and Christine as well as Mac’s (Mior’s husband and another groomsman) dad, step mum and aunt. After doing this I paid $75 for coffees (they saw me coming). Then Tim and I went to Jardin Majorelle and the YSL and Berber museums https://www.jardinmajorelle.com/.
The gardens are just beautiful and the flowers a stunning contrast to the blue of the buildings. They were bought and restored to their original beauty by Yves Saint Laurent and his business partner Pierre Berge in 1980. Every year from 1966 Yves Saint Laurent spent two weeks in Marrakech to design his haute couture collection. Morocco had a great influence on his work and his colours. The YSL collection in the museum owned by the Pierre Berge and Yves Saint Laurent foundation has no equivalent in the world of fashion. In the Berber museum you aren’t allowed to take photographs however I managed to quickly snap one of the amazing headwear and jewellery.
It presents a panorama of the extraordinary creativity of the Berbers (Imazighen), the most ancient people of North Africa. More than 600 objects, collected from the Rif Mountains to the Sahara by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent, attest to the richness and diversity of this vibrant culture, which is still very much alive today. We had lunch at the Café there – Bousafsaf and drank a lovely green mint and avocado drink. While we were there the fantastic news of our newest family addition, grandson Leif Elton’s birth came through – born at 11:18am that day at a solid 8lbs, mum and bub both well.
We headed home and decided to catch a taxi to the Clock Cooking School where we had booked for a traditional Moroccan cooking lesson that afternoon. Hassan organised the taxi as he does everything. Cafe Clock https://www.cafeclock.com/ was founded by Mike Richardson following a brief visit to Fez in 2006 that was to become a lasting love affair. Named for the centuries old water clock that occupies the facing wall to the Bou Inania Madrasa in Fez it fast became a cultural hub in the old city. The concept has since expanded to the venue we visited in the Kasbah of Marrakech. Aside from serving great food and drinks, their purpose is to enable visitors easy access to the amazing and diverse culture of Morocco through music, art and cuisine. The cafes are converted from extraordinary medieval houses with great respect for local architecture and design details. Our teachers at the school are Mohammad and Fatima, both have worked there since 2015. The school provides opportunities for young adults to train and get into a profession. Mohammad is the instructor and translator for Fatima who is the chef. The school also has other cultural classes, traditional storytelling and impromptu music events. We choose four dishes to make and then we head out to the nearby souks to buy our ingredients. We have opted for a soup – harira, beetroot salad – shlada d l’barba, vegetable tagine – tagine b l’khodra and macaroons – ghriba dl’3sel. We learn such a lot about how to cook these traditional dishes and I know that I will use these techniques again back at home. Once we have cooked this we sit down to our fabulous meal and are joined by Cam who has made it from Australia just in time to sample our dinner! We opt to walk home through the souks to give Cam his experience of the Medina and have a well-deserved couple of wines together when we arrive back up on the rooftop.
Saturday dawns and Tim and I are moving to the Beldi Country Club https://beldicountryclub.com/ which is to be the wedding venue so we pack up and head for breakfast with Lydia, Mackenzie and Cam at Le Jardin https://lejardinmarrakech.com/ where the service is slow but the food lovely. As we head home we pass Dar Timtam! a tea salon. This time we walk through a different square – Rahba Kedima Square – we are slowly working out which bits of the souks sell different types of things. We made a shopping list of the little bits and pieces that we want to get for people and plan to do this after the wedding celebrations are over. Hassan organised a taxi to take us to a laundry and dry cleaner that I have found where after some hilarious three way conversation between the men that work there, the owner (on the phone) and myself we leave the groomsmen suits, hopeful that they will be there when we return to pick them up! Then it is on to the Beldi – we were somewhat embarrassed by the huge number of wine bottles we were bringing in so we hid them in our suitcases making them very heavy. Our room is lovely, off of a quiet courtyard and with a little outdoor garden at the back. We have booked spa treatments – a Haman, a facial and a massage – which are all quite something especially the scrub and Haman treatment. We finished off the day by wandering around the Country Club with its many pools and beautiful gardens. Dinner that night was just the two of us in the hotel which was lovely.
The Beldi Country Club is an amazing wedding venue (see the blog A Family Extravaganza for details of the wedding). It is a vast area with several pools, beautiful gardens, its own souk for those that don’t want the hustle and bustle of the Medina, and two lovely restaurants. It is host to weddings or events every day that we are staying there, with lots of beautiful glass houses and traditional rooms for these events. The wedding includes a cocktail welcome event the day before at the Kosybar https://www.kosybar.com/ and dinner for the wedding party at the jazz riad restaurant Le Bistro https://www.riad-monceau.com/.
After the wedding we have one day left in the Beldi Country Club and with Josh and Jihane. We head into the Medina to say goodbye to my sisters and nieces as they leave at various times today. We go for brunch at Broc the Kazbah
https://www.facebook.com/brocthekasbah/?_rdr which is a nice way to end our time together.
After finalising the Riad bill with Hassan (a nice touch as he just keeps a running tally of taxis, massages etc and you settle up at the end) we wander through the souks one last time and complete our shopping – a tagine, coasters, fridge magnets, shoes for Ivy and a drum for Vinny, postcards, ras el hanout spice - and can’t avoid being dressed in head scarves by an entrepreneurial vendor – we manage to avoid buying them! Then we head back to the Beldi Country Club to say cheerio to Cam before he heads back to Australia and chill out by the pool for the afternoon. In the evening we head back to the medina and have a lovely meal watching the sunset with Josh and Jihane at Terrace de l’espice https://www.terrassedesepices.com/. It is the most beautiful evening and the cocktails and food are a wonderful way to top off what has been a magical time here. Afterwards we wander through a small souk and Jihane’s amazing negotiation skills help me to purchase two mini tagines for salt and pepper!
Marrakech has been more than we ever expected – a real treat for every sense.
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