Looking for excitement? Well then if sword swallowing, belly dancing and fire-eating are on your list of “must do’s” then a trip to Marrakech and Morocco might well be the perfect holiday destination.
Marrakech is known as the “Red City”, and is the former imperial city in Morocco.
It’s so close to Europe on a good day you can see its shores. So close you think it might succumb to Western charms. But Marrakech, and Morocco itself, is set apart with its strange, almost mystical traditions. Here you will find a unique holiday destination just waiting to be discovered.
Start exploring at the very heart of Morocco – in the ancient trading town of Marrakech. Dusky red city walls encase the town, whilst inside soaring minarets of palaces cast their shadows upon the main square – Djemma el-Fna.
The square is where the town’s main trading takes place. Here you can mix with fire-eaters, belly dancers and the occasional snake-charmer if you’re brave enough.
The square is an example of Morocco’s unpredictably. Tourism is vital to the country’s economy and in most countries a vast space like this would be chock-full of everything to please western taste and to attract its money.
Not here – apart from the snake charmers and water sellers who make their living from the few coppers they get from posing for photographs, there is little sign of any compromise to Western taste.
An evening of entertainment As the sun goes down, story-tellers, sword swallowers and henna tattooists take to the square. Small groups of musicians strike up a tune whilst belly dancers twist their hips to the beat.
For as little as a few pounds the local food vendors provide a feast of Tajine stews, kebabs, couscous and spicy local delicacies. Here you can sit and enjoy mouth-watering food on wooden benches illuminated by lanterns.
Seek out the souk Bargain hunters will love the Moroccan souks. Although be warned, haggling for a bargain with the experienced traders can be a challenge in itself. Here you will find an enormous array of goods with everything from jewelery to rugs, from pottery to perfume.
Although fairly compact, the vast array of long side streets mean you need at least a day to explore. Once you’ve spent a few hours and picked up the local ways you’ll find it easier.
It is relatively easy to get around in Morocco and there’s so much to see – and never enough time. With the imposing Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert within reach by excursion, a trip to Marrakech is the perfect introduction to Morocco.
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