Marrakech Medina.
Lying in the shadows of the high Atlas Mountains with the Agafay desert stretching out towards the horizon, this city relishes its role as an oasis among the harsh surrounding landscapes. The lush hidden gardens of the Riads and palaces of the central medina known since medieval times to give sweet respite to the weary traveller.
Often called the ‘Ochre City’ for the striking red colour of its buildings, the burnt oranges, coral pinks and baked terracotta palette giving the town a uniqueness of feeling somewhat alien to a mind conditioned to the subdued hues of European towns and cities. Flashes of bright turquoise, green, gold and royal blues treating the eyes to a never ending feast of colours around every corner.
This feeling of sensory assault is certainly one which can take a bit of getting used to, but once embraced can turn the Medina into a labyrinth of chaotic splendour. The smells of spices and cooking, hashish and often petrol fumes, the sights of the souks and the streets and sounds of this bustling metropolis vie busily with each other for your attention, just as the hawkers and street vendors who grasp for your consideration with cheeky turns of phrase or brash flattery.
These experiences feel as if they have not changed since the founding of the first city on the site of the Medina almost a thousand years ago, its red brick walls raised to protect its status as a major and rapidly expanding trading centre for the North West and Sub-Saharan Africa. The great souks still operate in the same location with the same vigour and the same energy as they did a millennia ago, an adventure through their narrow passages a must do to find the treasures on offer as the locals whizz past on their antique, spluttering scooters.
Not just a city of chaos and noise, the Riads (where most choose to spend their visit to the ‘Rose City’) offer peace away from the charming disorder of the outside world. A central courtyard, often featuring a pool or garden looking up towards the clear blue of an untroubled sky above, offers a nucleus of calm after a day’s exploration. Furnished with sweet mint tea and a tray of pastries one can gather together the day’s myriad of experiences before retiring to one of the traditionally decorated rooms which branch off from this island of tranquillity.
This theme of spaces of hidden quiet is one which seems to have been mastered in the Medina, its streets never telling the full story of what it has to offer. The lush gardens and lavishly furnished oases of the Dar El Bacha Palace and Le Jardin Secret offer respite away from the chaos; fruit trees, fountains, pagodas and the astonishingly beautiful symmetry of the Islamic mosaics which wrap the buildings and walkways call on you to while away the hours in their shade and splendour. The Dar El Bacha additionally plays host to the Bacha Coffee House, founded in 1910, which acts as a time capsule back to the golden era of exotic imperial exploration and it is well worth sampling one of their over 200 hand roasted arabica coffee beans and blends with a sweet treat or two in the gorgeously restored café.
The Medina is a circus of play for the senses; the food is fantastic, the sounds of the city enamouring and the hospitality of the locals charming. Leaving this city can feel both a chore and a blessing for the richness of its activity can only be sustained for so long, but it will always call you back with the addictiveness of its madness.
