Photo from Flickr by Javier Corbo

Marrakech is a city quite unlike any other.  With an atmosphere shaped by its architecture and design and with a culture that jumps up and slaps you in the face, this is a city that you can’t help but get lost in.  As it continues to grow in popularity flights to Marrakech can be picked up cheaply and it is close enough to the UK to make the trip just for a long weekend. It will be well worth your while.

The main selling point of this city is its old centre (the medina).  It houses one of the most wonderful open squares in the world the Djemaa el-Fna, literally crammed with stalls of all varieties and street performers so weird and wonderful you can lose days just observing it all.

This is not a city that will allow you to stand still for long and you will soon find yourself sucked into the labyrinth of market (souqs) filled alleyways. Pulled this way and that as if in a river swelled by a flood, you have to just go with it, fighting against the current is futile and you will just tire yourself out.

While wondering the streets to look at the wonderful architecture and stalls is by far the best way to spend your time in Marrakech there is plenty else to do. Be sure to visit the Koutoubia Mosque and gardens, which are famed the world over. The minaret is one of the most striking of its kind and it carves an impressive silhouette against the sky as it keeps a watchful eye over the bustling city below.

If you fancy a break the Jardin Majorelle and Museum of Islamic Art provide a perfect utopia away from the crowds.  Filled with the sounds of trickling water and the rustle of leaves these beautiful gardens will take your breath away. Filled with water features, cacti, palms and a variety of dainty flowers and ornaments the Jardin Majorelle provides the visitor with a few hours of escapism. The museum holds a wonderful collection of Moroccan art, demonstrating the wide variety of cultural influences within the country.

If you are staying for a while and fancy leaving the city life behind, take a tour into the Atlas Mountains. With hikes aimed at all levels of fitness and expertise the scenery on offer is breathtaking and well worth the trip.

Marrakesh is a city that needs to be visited, felt, smelt and embraced in order for it to be believed!