A Weekend in Marrakech
Words & Photography by Holly Farrier
There is a myriad of reasons why visitors are drawn to the wondrous city of Marrakech, but its long-standing cultural traditions, intricately designed architecture and unforgettable food frequently top the list. After a trip to laid-back Essaouira a few years ago piqued my interest in Morocco, I had been longing to visit the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.
However, prior to going, I was warned by a number of sources that highlighted the incessant haggling, constant harassment to buy and general overwhelming nature of the place. Luckily, this could not have been further from the truth when I experienced this alluring city for the first time. What I found were bright colours, friendly smiles and a gentle warmth, which were all very welcome having arrived from London in the cold winter months.
The sensory experience of walking through the medina is enchanting, fascinating and addictive. When I was relaxing in my riad, I found myself missing the vibrancy of the city centre. Light streams through the souks to reveal cracked, pale pink walls and a vast array of stalls lining either side of the streets.
Here, you will find locals crouched on steps and stools, cradling mint tea at every hour of the day and enthused to talk to you about their produce or handcrafted wares. Fresh mint tea is drunk at every opportunity in Morocco, poured at a great height for maximum flavour, and copious cubes of sugar added for the locals. I found that it provided the perfect moment to stop at any point in my day of exploring and take in everything around me over a refreshing cup.
The aroma of the mountains of spices, street food stalls serving local cuisine and freshly baked bread rolls swirls through the air and reminds you exactly where you are. Bread is a staple of the Moroccan diet: whether you have it alongside a breakfast of berber eggs (a ceramic dish containing baked eggs in a spiced tomato sauce) or a wonderful supper of fish tagine (the John Dory tagine from restaurant Pepenero is outstanding), you can be sure it will accompany almost any dish.
