Even the EE is not organized enough to map out the craziness of the Medina. So here's a list:
RESTAURANTS
Breakfast/Brunch
· 16 Café - C18, Marrakech Plaza -
Place du 16 novembre
· Le Café du Livre - 44 Rue Tarkiq Ben
Ziad - tucked away café & book store
Sunday
Brunch
· Le Tanjia – 14, derb J’did - Berber brunch on Sundays until 4pm; cool looking, good views
· Les Cépages - 9, rue Ibn Zaidoun - in a villa
· Ksar Char Bagh – Palmeraie de
Marrakech - one of the best hotels in world by T&L, CNT
· 16 Café (see above)
Lunch
· Kechmara - 3 Rue de la Liberté,
Guéliz - Marrakesh doesn't get hipper than this. Ice-cool design and exhibitions
by Moroccan photographers put this on a par with something in New York's East
Village. Locals believe the food could be better -- this makes it better as a
lunch drop-in than dinner option. <fodors>
· 16 Café (see above)
· Cafe Argana - 1, 2, pl. Djemâa el
Fna - though a tourist hotspot, has the best combination of price & view -
overlooking the Djemaa el Fna square as it comes to life at sunset. Request
first-floor terrace (middle level, not upper) <i-escape>
· Ryad Tamsna - Riad Zitoun Jdid, 23,
Derb Zanka Daika - ultra-chic oasis tucked away down a narrow, dusty lane, south of the
main square. Stop for a light 3-course lunch (freshly-made soups, salads,
chicken, pasta) in the simple but stylish courtyard. Browse
around rooms of the riad, exhibitions, book shop and home accessories
Tea
· Le Cafe des épices - Place Rahba
Qedima, Medina - Great people watching, rooftop terrace is a great place to enjoy the
sunset, first-floor chill-out lounge is a meeting place for young, arty
Marrakchis
· Le Café Arabe - 184, rue el
Mouassine, Medina- lunch, tea, coffee or cocktail break in the middle of souk shopping
frenzy on a high rooftop terrace! Beautiful, galleried, bougainvillea-strewn
riad with local art on display and mojitos for a pricey 90 DH.
· Dar Cherifa - 8, Derb Cherfa Lakbir,
Mouassine - serves mint tea in a beautifully-restored, artsy old townhouse –
trendy; airy riad turned café turned library turned art gallery <i-escape>
Dinner
(French & Moroccan)
· Villa Rosa - 64, Avenue Hassan II - live DJs, a
fashionable Hôtel Costes vibe, Parisian decor with plenty of red velvet and
dark corners, & a European menu. Get a tables for two facing the terrace
through the French windows, or in the library for a more intimate evening. <asmallworld>
· Al Fassia - Blvd. Zerktouni
Residence Tayeb - good Moroccan food a la carte (try "epaule d'agneaux" – lamb);
cheapest of the pricey restaurants; grande dame vibe going on with all kinds of
mirrors, gilt and faded rugs; HUGE portions – share! <this cool blog>
· Le Pavillon - 47, Derb Zaouia,
opposite Bab Doukkala Mosque - Best French food, Chic riad; If you arrive early in the evening, have an
aperitif on the riad terrace of this chicest of chic French restaurants. Dine in
the small courtyard under bountiful fig trees or behind glass in the (warmer)
red salon alcoves; closed Tuesdays <fodors>
· Le Grand Café de la Poste - Blvd
el-Mansour Eddahbi, Nouvelle Ville- Once a French colonial hotel, recently been restored to its flapper-era
glory; highly recommended – also good for brunch <lonelyplanet>
· Le Yacout (great setting) - 79, Sidi
Ahmed Soussi, near Bab Doukkala - Palatial house; Its location deep in the medina only adds to its
mystery. Aperitifs are taken on the rooftop to the haunting chants of a Gnaoua
musician. A traditional Moroccan feast is served in several different settings:
beside the pool in a vaulted upstairs room; in an intimate glassed-in salon; or
in the lush, cushion-filled main salon. The fixed price includes unlimited drinks.
Need reservation <fodors>
· Bô & Zin – Route de l’Ourika - Pricey but worth it - A short stretch (20 min) outside the city walls of
Marrakech, on the road to l’Ourika valley. One needs a taxi and a guide to get
there; the first, because of the distance and the second, because one would
certainly not find it. one of Marrakech’s most exciting nightspots, concealed
within an ochre-red brick walled bunker. <food snob>
· Dar Zellij - 1, kaasour Sidi Ben
Slimane, Médina - notably one of the most beautiful gastronomic Moroccan restaurants in
the medina (also for Sunday brunch)
· Le Comptoir - Restaurant / club - Le Comptoir is
to Marrakech what hip hangout Bistroteque is to London. Chefs keep interest
buoyant with an array of succulent meats, tiered salads and deserts, seved in
an outdoor bedouin restaurant or upstairs in a richly decorated lounge bar.
Belly dancers provide entertainment. DJs spin every Friday and Saturday night
for the fash pack, the moneyed and visiting celebrities. Have a drink here at
the very least.
· L'Abyssin - Palais Rhoul, Route de
Fès Km 4 - Half an hour from Marrakech City centre is a different outdoor eating
experience from the Moroccan norm. Authentically rustic, yet glamorous. set in
a garden and surrounded by large white linen tents, with a series of tables
gathered around a water feature in the centre. Groups eat in the tents and
couples around the pool. lit with candles and lanterns, with a gentle sound
system floating through. Portable Gas fires are distributed later when the
temperature drops. Expensive yes! But for a romantic evening out under the
stars it is difficult to beat.
· Le Tanjia - 14 Derb J’did – Hay Essalam, Mellah, Medina - Bar downstairs is just off a square
& is welcoming with live music - worth a pre-dinner drink. Local style
kebabs, tanjia & couscous
· Dar Moha - 81, rue dar el Bacha - light Moroccan food in a lovely riad; established reputation for its
fixed menu of nouvelle cuisine marocaine, ideal for tagine fatigue. Steer clear of the poky
salons; head instead for the outside tables arranged around a small pool and
shaded by lush banana palms. <aeris lifestyle>
Traditional
Moroccan Feast:
The 3
best, all in the Medina. The food is similar in each and there's plenty of it –
you will be fed endless dishes of exotic salads, tagine, couscous and fruit,
but you come here more for the atmosphere than fine cuisine. The sumptuous
surroundings are straight out of an Arabian Nights fantasy – fountains,
lanterns, mosaics, and cushions, low candlelit tables strewn with rose petals,
belly dancers and traditional musicians. All very romantic, but by the time you
leave with the fullest of stomachs, romance will be the last thing on your
mind! Booking is essential. Prices are usually fixed (approx. £40 a head,
including unlimited aperitifs and local wine).
· Yacout (79 Rue Sidi Ahmed Soussi,
tel: (+212)(0) 44 38 29 29)- Best known & most lavishly decorated. Cocktails on rooftop, followed
by dinner beside the azure pool or in one of the lush salons. Closed Mondays.
· Le Tobsil (22 Derb Moulay Abdallah
ben Hezzaien, Ksour-R'mila, tel: (+212)(0) 44 44 40 52) - More intimate than Yacout, French-owned, very popular
· Dar Marjana (15 Derb Sidi Ali Tair,
tel: (+212)(0) 44 44 57 73) - Aperitifs by the fountain in the tiled courtyard. Dinner is served in
the salon upstairs. Long established with good reputation. Closed Tuesdays.
HOTELS TO VISIT
· Amanjena - Route de Ouarzazate, km
12 - Aman Resort
· Kasbah Tamadot - Richard Branson’s place; 40 min drive from city
· Jnane Tamsna - A-list celebrities like Brad Pitt, Giorgio Armani flock to
mellow-inducing, effortlessly elegant Jnane Tamsna. Jawdropping keyhole
archways welcome you into this Moorish estate, a jigsaw of elegant patios and
intimate terraces amid a six-acre organic farm. <i-escape>
NIGHTLIFE
Happening
bars & clubs are in Gueliz & Hivernage
Main
bars are along Avenue Mohammed V (as well as sidewalk cafes & bistros)
Bars
· Le Comptoir Darna - Ave. Echouhada,
Hivernage - Located in a residential area, trendy bar – very cool, very
candlelit – perfect for a romantic evening when you don't want to see another
belly dancer. Popular with rich Moroccans. A lively crowd gathers regularly to
dance to the tunes of the top-floor DJ Cocktail bar & gourmet restaurant.
· Nikki Beach - Circuit de la
Palmeraie Marrakech
· Kosybar - 47, pl. des Ferblantiers,
Kzadria, Medina - Sushi & Jazz pianist; Located in the heart of the medina,
this restobar affords great views of two neighbouring palaces—the ruins of
16th-century El Badi and the nouveau-riche inspired El Bahia. Overstuffed
couches ease the mind and body, allowing you to savour the diverse menu
· Le Churchill – at Hotel La Mamounia
(Avenue Bob Jdid) - Famous, glamorous bar with sumptuous Moorish and art deco interior, and
a strict dress code, turning away shorts, backpacks
· Hotel Jardins de la Koutoubia piano
bar – 26 rue de la Koutoubia - requisite pianist who gamely plays requests, and provides the perfect
place to sip cocktails by the pool. <marrakeshtraveler>
· Jad Mahal – 10 Rue Haroun Errachid,
Hivernage - Through the restaurant at the far end of the courtyard, the Jad Mahal's
bar is a favourite local spot to linger over cocktails by the bronze elephant
until staff crank up the volume on a catchy song, the house cover band arrives,
or diners break into spontaneous dance moves <lonelyplanet>
Clubs
· Pacha – Zone hoteliere de l’Aguedal,
Boulevard Mohamed VI
· Teatro (ASW, Massimo) – in same
building as the Casino / in the grounds of Hotel es-Saadi, Avenue Qadissia
· African Chic
· Palais Jad Mahal - 10 rue H.
Errachid, Fontaine de la Mamounia, Bab Jdid
EXCURSIONS
· Essaouira - a charming fortified
seaside town whose seemingly endless beach, cool winds and laid-back atmosphere
provide a refreshing break from bustling Marrakech, especially in summer. It's
about 2 hours by car (150km) or 3 hours by bus and makes an ideal overnighter.
Three to four hours away from Marrakech is Essaouira, easily Morocco's most
likeable seaside resort. After checking into one of the medina's many maisons
d'hôte, soak up the atmosphere with a wander along the city's pedestrian-only
streets, including visits to the numerous souks such as Souk el Ghezel, known
as the Spice Souk; La Joutia, the town's flea market; and place Marché de
Grains (the old corn market). Catch the sunset atop the ocean-facing ramparts,
Le Skala de Kasbah, followed by a dinner of fresh seafood at one of the port's
relaxed fish grills. Call in to see the El Asri family in the Souk des
Bijoutiers (Jeweler's Souk), find a bargain in Abdellatif al Koujdaih's carpet
shop, and discover the many benefits of argan oil in Arga d'Or. Take an
extended lunch break at the Océan Vagabond beach shack, and finish the day with
a sunset dinner at the legendary beachfront institution Le Chalet de la Plage.
· High Atlas - Spend the day (hire a
taxi or your own car) and explore the mountainous Ourika Valley to 2,650m and
the Oukameden ski resort - 75km south east of Marrakech - popular with skiers
in winter and trekkers in summer. Then make your way south towards Asni - 30
kms away where you can see the highest mountain in the Atlas (Mt Toubkal).
Return to Marrakech via scenic valleys and Berber villages.
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