The Medieval site of Aghmat can be found beside the modern village of Ghmat which is 30 km south east of Marrakech in the northern foothills of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Professor Ron Messier, Professor Emeritus Middle Tenessee State University and Senior Lecturer in history at Vanderbilt University and…
The “red hamra” city of Marrakech has been sited as the best African Destination of the Year by the 19th World Travel Awards. The winners of the “World Travel Awards” are chosen by travel agents around the world. The World Travel Awards gives agents the opportunity to select leading travel destinations. Marrakech is the first…
Visit Marrakech, Morocco for an exclusive, luxury women only retreat package September 8th – 14th, 2012. Morocco’s Harem retreat was founded by Sandra Zwollo, a long time resident of Marrakech and passionate believer in women’s well being. On the Outskirts of the fabled Red City of Marrakech, Harem promises to pamper…
La Mamounia is Marrakech’s most iconic hotel. Every square foot La Mamounia is infused with traditional Moroccan design mixed with a modern French modern glamour. Care of Parisian designer, Jacque Garcia, Marrakech’s La Mamounia and its opulent spa boasts an atmosphere rarely seen out site of the “grande dame” hotels…
Jeanette Lowdon, Garden Enthusiast covers Carey Duncan’s work across Morocco’s private and public green spaces. Lowdon recently had the opportunity to interview the well known Landscape Architect, Carey Duncan, at Cafe La Poste in Marrakech. Sitting on the colonial style porch savoring a gourmet lunch, Duncan chatted about her life in Morocco…
Feng Shui Your Way to Morocco for an eight-day retreat with best selling author Jayme Barrett. Experience how the laws of energy can be utilized to enhance your life. A Feng Shui travel retreat is an ideal way to discover Morocco’s great spaces within the “red hamra” city of Marrakech, the…
La Mamounia is a legendary property in Marrarkech, Morocco that radiates with class, tradition and beauty. It is said that stepping into Le Mamounia is akin to a setting of 1001 Arabian Nights. La Mamounia Hotel is a Marrakech institution of Luxury and Flair. Originally the Marrakech palace of a crown prince of Morocco it was converted by the French administration into a hotel in 1923. Named for its 200-year old gardens, which were given as an 18th century wedding gift to Prince Moulay Mamoun by his father, the gardens cover nearly 20 acres and display an incredible variety of flowers and trees
If you’re traveling to Morocco and only have 24 Hours in Marrakech then visiting Marrakech’s lush gardens, spectacular palaces, historical sites, the hippest shops and eating at the hot spots are a must. In 24 hours you can see the best of Marrakesh knowing exactly what places to visit, sites to see and where to eat. Start your a one-day Marrakech tour around the “red hamra” city bright an early with a visit to the Majorelle Gardens. Next, head to the Koutoubia Mosque and then to the El Bahia Palace. The breathtaking architecture of the El Bahia Palace offers an excellent architecture lesson as it was once home to a harem and has some of the best Moroccan painted ceilings, ceramics and a wonderful garden. Continue your walk through the medina visiting the Kisseria.
Moroccan door knockers can be found throughout Morocco and are palm-shaped. Door knockers in Morocco are a symbol of protection for the home as they are typically designed in the shape of the “hand of fatima” (Khamsa, Chamsa or Hamsa) and made of solid brass, cast iron or wood by a skilled artisan. Each door knocker that I’ve seen during my travels in the Magreb’s old cities of Marrakech, Essaouira or Fes have either been oxidized by the artist or they have developed a fabulous, aged green patina. The patinas are typically in various shades of green and are similar to those found on the statue of liberty in the New York harbor and on on ancient buildings in Europe. The green patina that forms on the chamsa Moroccan door knockers is natural and they resist corrosion which accounts for why they have remained on some of Morocco’s most extraordinary doors for centuries.
Moroccan food is considered some of the best in the world. The easiest way to discover the true flavors of Moroccan cuisine are to take a Moroccan cooking class or explore various restaurants in Morocco’s Imperial Cities such as Marrakech, Fes, Rabat or Essaouira on a Morocco tour. Another way to discover authentic Moroccan cuisine is to dine with a local family in a Berber Village. Berber villages are known for their unique fare as result that their main staples in making Moroccan traditional cuisine such as couscous are grown locally in their fields alongside special herbs which allows for amazingly tasteful food. Moroccan recipes such as baking bread by fire and a tajine on starlit night can be learning on a Sahara desert tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga whereby your camel trekking guide takes you off on a journey into the vast dunes to a Sahara camp at sunset to learn the secrets of the Sahara. To fully enjoy a Moroccan meal one must arrive with an empty stomach and then fully prepare themselves for a three or four-course Moroccan feast. As the French proverb says, “Appetite comes with eating; the more one has, the more one would have” so make sure to visit Morocco with an open palate and a big appetite!
