Add to FavouritesMarrakesh City of Palaces, Gardens, Artists and Artisans
19 February 2023
7 days from £3,890pp
Stroll labyrinthine alleyways laced with the aroma of spice and perfume, take in architectural wonders of heart-stopping beauty and surrender to the timeless romance of this captivating city, where Africa, Europe and the Middle East converge.
- Stroll the city’s UNESCO-listed; including the Medina (old city), souks, historic mosques, madrasas and Museums.
- Private visit of the Villa Oasis with lunch
- Learn about Moroccan culture as you talk to artisans, stallholders, and Moroccan cuisine.
- Experience Morocco’s high mountain.
- Learn how the local Berber women extract argan oil.
- Visit the Berber market and village of Setti Fatma.
Founded almost 1,000 years ago by the Almoravids, an imperial Berber Muslim dynasty, Marrakesh is one of the great cities of the Maghreb. By the 12th century the city was thriving and had become the capital of the Almohad caliphate, a mighty empire which stretched up across North Africa and into Spain. Imposing walls, made from the rust-hued earth of the surrounding plains, were constructed to protect the city, simultaneously providing it with a moniker – the Red City. Within these walls, under the strong architectural influence of the Almohads, construction continued apace. Fine gardens and palaces were laid out and mosques, such as the awe-inspiring Koutoubia, rose from the ground. The city was a major centre of trade, religion and culture and although this boom-period eventually met its decline, a second resurgence came in the 16th century, under the reign of Saadian sultans who further embellished the city with jewels such as the El Badi Palace.
Despite the fact that, or perhaps because, Europeans were not freely allowed to enter the city until the late 19th century, a romantic European fascination with Marrakech has always endured. French colonisation during the first half of the 20th century brought not just the language (still widely used) but also a stream of glamourous Western visitors, some of whom, such as artist Jacques Majorelle, left their own indelible mark on the city. The rediscovery and restoration of Majorelle’s garden and villa by the fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent in the 1980s is just another glittering example of the potent allure of Marrakesh to the outsider. Stroll labyrinthine alleyways laced with the aroma of spice and perfume, take in architectural wonders of heart-stopping beauty and surrender to the timeless romance of this captivating city, where Africa, Europe and the Middle East converge.
Your Accommodation
Riyad El Cadi
Overview
A typical Marrakech Riad: at Riyad El Cadi. A tour through courtyards, staircases and corridors of seven traditional houses forming the Hotel Riyad El Cadi gives a good impression of the ancient and pure forms of traditional Moroccan architecture. Riyad El Cadi is situated in the heart of the Medina (Old Town), at the end of three cul-de-sacs. Thanks to these three entrances and the very central location in a secure part of the old town, you can reach all destinations in the Medina within a very short time. The El Cadi Riad Marrakech is not a hotel with indistinguishable rooms, but a guesthouse where all rooms are individually created.Room Facilities & Amenities
- Ground floor rooms are not air conditioned but due to the traditional architecture not too warm during summer periods.
- All rooms have private bathrooms with bathroom amenities based on argan oil, bathrobes, slippers and hair dryers.
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