Marrakesh and the High Atlas Mountains

Pearl of the South, Jewel of the South, The Red City – all just a few of the nicknames Marrakesh has acquired over the years.

Marvelous Marrakesh

Part Berber, part Arab and part African, Marrakesh is the heartbeat of Morocco where palaces and monuments of unrivaled refinement sit serenely alongside snake charmers and Gnaouan drums, pulsing constantly from Djemâa el Fna Square (pronounced Jema – the ‘D’ is silent) – one of the most exuberant marketplaces in the world. The city is also home to luxury hotels, sophisticated bars and exotic restaurants.

Djemaa El Fna, the Heart of Marrakesh

The city’s main square, Djemaa El Fna, is home to a multitude of street-artists and food stalls. Over the years the square has become the beating heart of Marrakesh, where fire-eaters, acrobats, snake-charmers and street musicians perform at every turn.

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Yves Saint Laurent Museum

Jardin Majorelle (Majorelle Gardens) was originally designed in 1924 by French artist Jacques Majorelle. After taking up residence in Marrakesh, Majorelle transformed the property’s existing garden into a tropical paradise, surrounded by vivid cobalt blue buildings with verdant exotic groves, lily-covered pools, and enormous sculptural cacti.

Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge fell in love with the colors of Marrakesh and therefore resided here for some of the most beautiful years of their lives. They purchased the gardens and built a villa on the grounds in the late 1970s.

The peaceful garden settings offered a variety of exotic plants such as bamboo, cacti, bougainvillea and palms. Streams and fish filled pools flow through the tranquil gardens.

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Near the Majorelle Gardens is the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, where the most precious YSL works are gathered. (no photos allowed inside)

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Marrakesh Nightlife

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The Secrets of Moroccan Cuisine

For our final 2 nights, we headed to the countryside outside of Marrakech. But on our way, we stopped for a cooking class where Chef Tarek welcomed us to his little garden outside Marrakesh to reveal the secrets of Moroccan cuisine. It was so much fun to roll up our sleeves and take part in the preparation of today’s lunch and learn about a new cuisine.

We also learned about the cultural significance of the ‘sugar loaf’ or ‘sugar cone’ in Morocco. A sugar loaf usually weighs about 2 kg (4-4.5 lbs), and its conical shape is determined by its production process. In Morocco sugar loaves are offered on the occasion of a marriage proposal (two sugar loaves, or more to show you love her more!), weddings, births, or visits to persons celebrating their return from the pilgrimage to Mecca.  It is said that sugar loaves symbolize joy, sweetness and friendship.

Following Chef Tarek’s instructions, we learned how to make a delicious tagine, before settling down to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Pretty tasty if we do say so ourselves!

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Kasbah Tamadot and the High Atlas Mountains

Here in the gorgeous High Atlas Mountains, North Africa’s greatest mountain range, we experienced another side of Morocco: the amazingly dramatic scenery of the mountains and the ultra-posh hotel Kasbah Tamadot, a Sir Richard Branson Virgin Hotel, a unique experience blending two different worlds: traditional Berber and modern luxury.

Kasbah Tamadot sits in an idyllic location nestled high among the breathtaking High Atlas Mountains just outside of Marrakesh, creating an immense sense of privacy. The property is the former home of Luciano Tempo, who filled it with beautiful antiques of Arabic, Oriental and Indian origin. Sir Richard and his mother Eve spotted the sprawling kasbah while on a hot air balloon journey, and proceeded to covert it to a unique and luxurious Moroccan retreat less than an hour from Marrakesh and the international airport.

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We did several great hikes in our short few days in the foothills of Djebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in the Atlas Mountain range and the highest in North Africa. The setting is quite dramatic, with good views to Toubkal Mountain, and out over the valley with its clusters of villages dotting the valleys.

Our hike to Aroumd, the highest village in Morocco

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The Exquisite Kasbah Tamadot

In 1998 the Kasbah was purchased by Sir Richard Branson and wonderfully restored to become one of the most luxurious properties in Morocco. Tamadot is full of peaceful courtyards, hidden staircases, landscaped gardens and breathtaking views.

Many of the staff members come from the surrounding Berber villages, giving us a sense of staying in a Moroccan home rather than a hotel. Our decadent rooms were all individually-decorated using traditional Moroccan furnishings and antiques whilst the restaurant, bars and outdoor infinity pool all offered stunning panoramic views.

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Final Thoughts on Morocco

Morocco exceeded our expectations in every regard. Coming from Egypt, perhaps we can be forgiven for being surprised at how modern, cosmopolitan and, well, European, Morocco is. It is, after all, only a few miles from Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar, and was colonized by both Spain and France for a long span of time. Though almost entirely Muslim, the people we talked with seemed not only tolerant of other religions, but rather more secular than religious. It seems a goal of the political scene to keep separate from religion.

But Morocco also holds on to many historical and traditional ways of life, be it Berber- or Arabic- or African-rooted traditions. Which may be to some extent for the sake of the tourism they attract, but still… it made for a diverse, interesting and unique country to chalk up as #83 for Mark and #82 for Shauna. In this uncharted age of COVID-19, we may not add to the list for awhile, so for now, we cherish the memories of previous travels, and dream of ‘what’s next’?! Be well friends.