The Red City of Morocco

De granada a Casablanca

Tú me bailas en la playa

Con tus ojos negros, chiquita

Y tu boca enamorada

(Alabina ft Gipsy Kings, de Granada a Casablanca)

Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew and Spanish Gypsy music. I discovered it on my trip through Morocco. I remembered being on the bus with my partner, enjoying the view of the Atlas mountains, looking forward to arriving at the Aït Benhaddou town and Zagora dessert, and the bus driver playing the song 'De Granada a Casablanca' on the radio. I thought at the moment that the song was very catchy and matched with the scenery so immediately I wrote the title down in my phone because I wanted to remember the song and listen to it once we got back home.

Marrakech, also known as the Red City due to its red sandstone buildings, is very vibrant, charming and beautiful. It has something that makes it special. For me it is its rose-tinted architecture, its chaos and harmony, its gastronomy, its loudspeakers and the mix of scents. I had heard bad and good things about Marrakech city before going there and I was quite nervous when my partner and I decided to travel there almost a year ago. We went there in February and the weather was great, neither too hot nor too cold. The temperature was just perfect, around 20º. It's true that the Medina is chaotic and nothing prepares you for that. I was very stressed the first two days about the fact that I could be hit by a passing motorbike. You need eyes in the back of your head! Apparently, motorbikes are the main means of transportation in Marrakech and actually have priority at intersections. In fact, Marrakech can be also described as the capital of motorbikes. However, you can escape from the noise and find some peace and calmness in the Riads. They are like an oasis in the desert. I recommend booking a Riad if you want to fall into the rhythm of Marrakech, and understand its unique culture and flavour. We stayed at two different ones: Riad Lamya and Riad el Grably- and we liked them both. Riad Lamya is like a paradise in the middle of the Medina. It has a beautiful patio with a fountain where you can sit and drink a cup of tea while listening to the sound of falling water from the fountain as well as birds singing. The Riad el Grably has a great location and a very nice terrace to enjoy rooftop views while having breakfast. The workers in both places were very friendly and welcoming. Moroccans are very nice and social people, and they made us feel at home.

Riad Lamya

Riad El Grably

I love Marrakech and I would love to go back, get lost in the souks and sit and sip a cup of mint tea while listening to loudspeakers calling muslims to pray. I would love to visit the Majorelle Garden again, a botanical garden owned by Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé between 1980 and 2008. It's a Moroccan oasis, a refuge where you can walk, disconnect and enjoy the colours, pools and plants.

The Majorelle Garden

Marrakech, a city to feel, hear, smell and taste. A city that will touch your heart. A city that will stimulate and engage all of your senses. A city that will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale, like the story of Aladdin.

Imagine a land, it's a faraway place.

Where the caravan camels roam.

Where you wander among every culture and tongue.

It's chaotic, but hey, it's home.

(Will Smith, Arabian nights)