Jimi hendrix and Yves Saint Laurent. Winston Churchill and William Burroughs. The Rolling Stones. The Gettys… When Graham Nash penned the hippy anthem Marrakech Express, aboard a train from Casablanca in 1966, he wasn't the only famous visitor singing its praises.
But these days the so-called 'Red City', which once welcomed bohemians by the boatload, is more boutique than Beat: the medina is home to hundreds of riads – cool guest houses organised around a central courtyard – while shopping is a national art fo
rm.
BEFORE YOU GOPick up a DVD of Hideous Kinky to get you in the mood. The film tells the story of how the Freud sisters (Esther and Bella) travelled to Morocco with their hippy mother in the 1960s. Then read Time Out's Marrakech for an informed guide to the best places to go and things to do.
WHEN TO GOTravel in August and you can expect temperatures upwards of 36ûC. Better to make this a spring or autumn destination – temperatures in May and October are still a balmy 28ûC.
If you're a cinema fan, hit town in December for the Marrakech International Film Festival. You will be in excellent company: everyone from Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese to Sean Connery and Catherine Deneuve have put in an appearance in past years.
PLAINS, TRAINS, AUTOMOBILESYou can fly from Edinburgh or Glasgow for as little as £249, although many airlines require a stopover in London. For cheap deals, see
www.cheapflights.co.uk.
GETTING AROUNDThe streets of the old town are narrow so you'll find few buses. Best to grab a cab – there are always plenty to be had, day or night. The petits taxis are smaller and reasonably priced, but confirm a fare beforehand because the drivers don't tend to use the meter. Only hail the more expensive grands taxis if you really need the space or are going on a longer journey.
TOURIST TRAILTake an open-top bus tour to get a general overview. Better still, walk it, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of this exotic city. Get lost in the narrow streets of the medina – smell the spices for sale on market stalls, see the snake-charmers and the henna artists – and then escape from the midday sun in the shadow of Koutoubia Mosque and its rose-filled gardens.
For a spot of history, the Saadian Tombs are the last resting place of the sultans who once lived around the Kasbah. Set within an ancient walled garden, the beautifully preserved, intricate mosaic graves are a spectacular sight, while the nearby Badii Palace is now a ruin but still worth a visit.
GO NATIVEAt some point in the day everyone in Marrakech ends up at Jemaa El Fna, the main square in the city. Take a seat in a café and watch the carnival of local life go by (but look out for pickpockets).
WHAT TO BUYIf you like to haggle, head to the souks, where the colour and sheer spice of life are intoxicating. Pick up brightly coloured silks, embroidered kaftans, leather slippers, brass candlesticks or locally made pottery. Beyond the souk, other good buys include fabulous antiques and objets d'art. Amazonite (Boulevard El Mansour Eddahbi) is an Aladdin's cave of jewellery, paintings, carpets and marriage belts, but it's for serious buyers only, so expect to ring a bell to gain entry.
WHERE TO EATIf you like couscous you're in luck – especially if you're a vegetarian – because it's a staple of Moroccan cuisine. And almost everything else on the menu will involve meat of some description.
You're best advised to avoid food for sale on street stalls and head for an established restaurant instead. For a cheap lunch option, try Chez Chegrouni in the medina, which has a ground-floor terrace that was made for people-watching. Authentic North African food is served up at Marrakchi (Jemaa El Fna) – opt for a table on the top floor, with its billowing fabric ceiling, dim lighting and charming black-clad waiting staff.
NIGHTLIFEMarrakech is an Islamic city, but it still has one or two boozers. Local drinking dens are pretty much off-limits to women, however, so your best bet is to stick to restaurants – Narwama (Rue de la Koutoubia), housed in the courtyard of a 19th-century palace, was the city's first Thai restaurant and has a fun, clubby atmosphere. Le Club in the medina's Maison Arabe is a Moroccan take on the gentleman's club – all leather chairs, tribal art and well-made cocktails. If you happen to visit during Ramadan (September), though, you'll have to stick to the hotel bars.
WHERE TO STAYChurchill's destination of choice was the Mamounia (
www.mamounia.com), and Doris Day sang 'Que Sera Sera' in room 414 in
The Man Who Knew Too Much. It is currently closed for refurbishment but is due to open later this year. However, what you lose in celeb count you gain in pure, unadulterated luxury at Villa des Orangers (
www.villadesorangers.com). Run by a French husband-and-wife team, there are just 19 rooms and suites, all with access to the roof terrace and its incredible views of the Koutoubia minaret. If you want to try a riad, take your pick from
www.riadsmorocco.com.
CAN YOU DRINK THE WATER?At your peril. Stick to the bottled stuff if you want to see beyond your bathroom door.
The full article contains 912 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
