Page 170 - DK Eyewitness Travel - Guides Ultimate Food Journeys

168 THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

MARRAKECH

MARRAKECH MOROCCO

Spicy Tagine in the City of Souks

The sunset tinges the distant Atlas Mountains a deep rose-red, and the call to prayer echoes
from the turret of the Koutoubia Mosque. This is the time for the snake-charmers and henna
artists of Jemaa el-Fna square to make way for the food-laden stands of Marrakech’s night food
market. Take a stroll around the spectacle before tucking into a traditional Moroccan tagine.

An oasis in every sense of the word, jewelry overflow the tables and floor. Slightly less
Marrakech was once a beacon for overwhelming are the food and spice markets of the
trading caravans that had traveled Mellah, the old Jewish quarter; the Place des
north through the desert and Ferblantiers, where tinsmiths make and sell their
navigated over the often snow- wares, is a relative haven from the hustle and bustle.
capped Atlas Mountains. The Find a rooftop café terrace for a refreshing mint tea –
fabulous palaces and lush palms of the city have always and look for white storks, soaring to their nests on top
been where sub-Saharan Africa meets Arab North of the old royal tombs and palaces.
Africa, and even today this market town on the edge After a day’s sightseeing, shopping, or wandering
of nowhere remains a compellingly exotic port of call. the souk, there is nothing better than sitting down to
Life in the medina – the old walled city – revolves enjoy a rich, fragrant tagine – the signature dish of
around the towering medieval minaret of the Morocco. This aromatic dish combines meat – usually
Koutoubia Mosque. For many visitors, though, this is lamb, sometimes chicken – with fruit (often dried),
eclipsed by the atmospheric Jemaa el-Fna, the nerve vegetables, and a heady mix of herbs and spices,
center of Marrakech, with its weird and wonderful cast including saffron, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg.
of artists and performers – from water-sellers to The concoction is then braised slowly over a bed
fortune-tellers – and spectacular, frenetic food market. of charcoal in its distinctive and eponymous clay pot.
Next head for the ancient souk – a vast area of The traditional conical-lidded dish synonymous with
higgledy-piggledy, cupboard-sized shops and stands tagine – effectively a robust, portable cooking pot and
filling dozens of narrow alleyways. Delicious smells serving dish all in one – originated with the Berber
draw you farther into the endless maze of lanes, where and Tuareg tribes of the Sahara. The use of dried fruits
stands are laden with bundles of fresh mint, jars of and the emphasis on aromatic spices also stem from
plump olives infused with lemon and garlic, and bright this nomadic culture. Marrakech may have smartened
pyramids of spice. Intricately made leather goods, itself up a little in recent years for the tourist trade, but
metalwork, inlaid boxes, brass lanterns, carpets, and its ancient desert heart still beats strong.

A Day in Marrakech Essentials
The rich history of Marrakech is reflected in its various quarters. The medina GETTING THERE
corresponds to the old town, with Jemaa el-Fna, the hub of all activity, at its heart. Menara International Airport is 2 miles (4 km)
Within the ramparts are the souks, the kasbah, and the Mellah. from the downtown. Taxis are readily available.
MORNING Start at Jemaa el-Fna, the vast square at the heart of the medina, which is WHERE TO STAY
Hôtel Sherazade (inexpensive) has simple
as old as Marrakech itself. Just off the square, and dominating Marrakech’s skyline, is
rooms within a riad (traditional Moorish town
the tower of the Koutoubia Mosque. Like most mosques in Morocco, it is closed to
house). www.hotelsherazade.com
non-Muslims, but is an impressive sight nonetheless.
Tchaikana (moderate) is a beautiful riad within
AFTERNOON Laid out in the narrow streets north of Jemaa el-Fna are a spectacular the medina. www.tchaikana.com
array of souks, or bazaars, selling everything from carpets and slippers to magic La Maison Arabe (expensive) was the first
spells, in which you can while away whole mornings or afternoons. Continue to the boutique hotel in Marrakech, and offers luxury
city walls that enclose the medina, studded with 20 ornamental gates. and comfort. www.lamaisonarabe.com
TOURIST INFORMATION
EVENING Return to Jemaa el-Fna, which transforms itself at night into a circus,
Place Abdelmoumen Ben Ali (Av Mohammed V).
theater, and restaurant, with itinerant musicians and entertainers drawing crowds.