CO N T I N E N T H O P VIEW ORIGINAL

Jemaa El Fna Square

Marrakech | Tips for
Visiting a Chaotic and
Mystical Market Square
February 28, 2022 by LaveeD
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The snake charmer in Jemaa El Fna chased me as I

kept repeating to him I did not want a picture with the
cobra, yet he insisted it’d make for a good picture
with the snake around my shoulders!

Sounds hilarious but in reality it wasn’t!

It was tiring in the hot sun as just before this incident,

a lady who’d insisted the henna tattoo was free, asked
me to pay for it after drawing a few lines on my palm.
After paying her, she wouldn’t let go of my hand and
insisted it would look nice if she did a pattern right till
my elbow.

At dusk, Jemaa El Fna lights up and you tend to

forget the incidents of the day as delicious smells of
street food waft through the air and mystical lanterns
light up this Marrakech square.

This main square in Marrakech sits right outside the

entrance to the Marrakech souk. During day, hawkers
sell colorful wares while tourists haggle with them
and fruit vendors sell blood orange juice; at night, live
music, fortune tellers and numerous performers dot
the square, turning Jemaa el Fna into a whole new
spectacle.

Here’s how to get around, support locals, avoid being

scammed and ensure you leave after having the best
time at Jemaa El Fna.
How to best experience
Jemaa El Fna square

What is Jemaa El Fna?

Jemaa el-Fna, Djemaa el-Fna or Djemaa el-Fnaa is the

main market square in the medina quarter or the old
city of Marrakech. To date, it is the main square for
most commercial activities for both tourists and locals
in this Moroccan city.

The name Jemaa El Fna has a lot of interpretations

and history to it. To begin with, the most
straightforward translation would be ‘gathering area’
in Arabic. But Jemaa El Fna could also mean
‘assembly of the dead' referring to the mass public
executions that used to happen here back in 1050
CE.

Jemaa El Fna has seen its share of history. In its

earliest days, when the city of Marrakech was
founded by the Almoravid Dynasty, it served as the
public execution place. But much later on, it
continued to remain the heart of the city and
transformed into a space for traditional Friday
markets and public entertainment in the evenings.

The square also had a stage for fantasia

performances - which is the traditional exhibition of
Maghreb horsemanship. Even though Jemaa El Fnaa
has never had a proper architectural layout, it still
thrives to be one of the most important sites in
Marrakech even today and has been listed as a
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Site.

How to Reach Jemaa El Fna?

Jemaa El Fna is located right at the entrance of the

medina, or the old city. This triangular ‘square’ has
the Marrakech souk on one side, and several hotels,
garden cafes, rooftop restaurants and more on the
other side. Also worth checking out are the narrow
alleys that lead into the city’s old quarters to get a feel
of Marrakech.

Jemaa El Fna is a 20-minute walk from Bab Doukkala

and a 15 minute walk from Place des Ferblantiers. If
you are in the central part of the city, it is best to take
Bus 1 or Bus 16 from Gueliz. 

Location can be found here

 Where to stay near Jemaa El Fna?
There’s numerous options for stay in the Medina at
Marrakech which is closest to Jemaa el Fna. I wouldn’t
suggest staying in the square as it can get quite busy,
however anywhere in the medina in a Riad or hotel is
perfect. There’s many resorts as well on the outskirts
of Marrakech outside the Medina.

We stayed at the Riad Merzouga and I would highly

recommend it!

Here are other options to stay in Marrakech - 

Riad et SPA Misria Les Orangers

Address :  17, derb Anboub. Quartier Barroudyine.

Médina Marrakech 40008

Riad Kheirredine

Address : 2, Derb Chelligui, Sidi Ben Slimane,

Marrakech 40000
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 What to do in Jemaa El Fna?

Jemaa El Fna is a meeting place for both locals and

tourists and also an important marketplace in
Marrakech. It represents Moroccan culture quite
beautifully through food, performances, art and other
forms of entertainment.

It is also a place where you’ll mostly be picked up for

your road trip or tour if you’ve booked any.

Djemaa El Fna is bustling at night as well. With

‘human’ performers who tell old tales, play Berber
instruments and sell exotic lamps, it is definitely
worthwhile to pay a visit in the late evening.

Jemaa El Fna - Know Before You Go

While a visit to Jemaa El Fna is definitely a must-do

on your trip to Marrakech, it is definitely an assault to
the senses and can sometimes get overwhelming as
well. Here are a few tips that are worth knowing
before you end up at this popular site:

During the day, be cautious of vehicles and

carts going around the square. After 2 pm, no
vehicles are allowed so you’re free to walk
around without worries.
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 Look out for pickpockets and gropers that
mostly come out once it's dark. (Although there
are always enough cops nearby to report any
mishap).

For the best seats around the performers of

music, dance and poetry, it is best to come
early. 4 pm is usually a good time before things
start to pick up.

It's good to have a few loose dirhams on you to

tip the performers after the performances. (A
little more if you took pictures would be nice).

It is here that you’ll find snakes in Marrakech.

Chained monkeys and snake charmers are
aplenty around the square - both ethically
questionable practices. It is best to avoid them
and not indulge in the abuse of animals.

Here are some of the best things you

can try in Jemaa El Fna

Get a henna tattoo in Jemaa El Fna

Henna in Morocco originates from Berber culture.

Henna tattoos have long been a symbol of good luck.
Some also strongly believe that having a henna tattoo
can guard you against the evil eye - for this reason,
many traditional henna tattoo designs in Morocco
include motifs like the hamsa, diamond shapes or an
eye.
:
 There are several henna artists sitting around the
Jemaa El Fna where you can pick out designs and get
yourself one by a traditional artist.

I would however highly recommend you do your due

diligence as sometimes the henna tends to have
black colored dye mixed in it for the colours to pop,
hence best to get it done from a local store, like the
Marrakech Henna Art Cafe, than the Jemaa El Fna
square.

Price: Varies per vendor. Negotiate and set a price

before sitting down for a tattoo. Tattoos are not free
even though vendors mention it that way
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 Try the local street food in Jemaa El
Fna

Jemaa El Fna is flanked by blood orange juice stalls

everywhere during the day to fight the heat. After
walking around the city, a stop here to catch a breath,
look around while sipping on some freshly squeezed
fruit juice is the best way to begin your tour of this
market square. There are also several water carriers
walking around the square.

These water carriers give out water in a very

traditional Moroccan way - in brass cups from a
leather water bag making such a mundane
experience feel all new!

During the evening, several street food stalls prop up

everywhere in the market. The street food scene in
Jemaa El Fna is definitely something worth checking
out as its different to the meze most people are
familiar with. Some of the many popular dishes here
include sheep’s brain, snail soup, skewered hearts
and more. Stall number 1 is known for its
brochettes or kebabs and tajines.

Stall 32 is great for harira, a vegetarian soup made

with coriander, tomatoes, saffron, onion, lentils and
chickpeas, as well as grilled merguez sausage served
with bread. Stall number 14 is the place to go for
fried fish and calamari. Some other things worth
trying out include fried sardines in chermoula,
sheep’s testicles, Marrakashi tanjia, Merguez
:
 sandwich and bite-sized grilled lamb with cumin.

Post dinner, making your way to the southern stalls for

some tea might be a good idea. The speciality here is
the traditional ginger tea known as khoudenjal. It is
made with cinnamon, cardamom and mace.

This tea goes best with a dense, sticky, spicy cake that
is often served along with it. Stall number 71 is
usually where most locals flock to get their night
tea! If you’re looking for some more traditional
beverages, try the mint tea (also often known as
Berber Whiskey), nus-nus which is half and half coffee
with steamed milk.

If you’d rather opt for a guided tour, this one will

make sure you have the best time and not left
guessing what to have!
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 Watch a musical performance in
Jemaa El Fna

The Jemaa El Fnaa is flocked by traditional musician

circles that play for hours at a go once evening falls.
The Amazigh music of the Berber or the Imazighen
people steals the show every evening at the square.

The music takes on folk traditions and particular

African rhythms. These musician circles also use a
variety of traditional Berber instruments including
wind instruments like mizwid, zukra and nafir, string
instruments like rebab and ginbri, and percussion
instruments like tabl and bendir.

This live music scene in the Jemaa El Fnaa is a great

insight into the traditional ways of the Berber people
and a fantastic local experience to have in Morocco.

Learn about traditional medicine in

Jemaa El Fna

For several thousand years, Moroccans, especially the

Berber people who live nomadic lives, have sustained
traditional forms of medicines using various parts of
various plants to cure illnesses.

The practice of being able to identify these medicinal

herbs, and where to find them is slowly dying as the
new generations are losing their roots. But at the
Jemaa El Fna square, time stands still as several
traditional medicine stalls prop up everywhere.

Here, you can sit and chat with the traditional healers
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 and ask about the several medicines on display,
where they come from and what their uses are. This is
another experience that will make you feel in awe of
the Berber people and how they have survived for
centuries without allopathic medications.

Have your fortune told in Jemaa El

Fna

If there’s one thing Jemaa El Fna is known for, it has to

be its fortune-tellers - usually really old men and
women - who can be found sitting under blue
umbrellas, waiting for people to drop by to find out
about what the future holds for them.

These fortune-tellers are locally known as ‘Lalla’, a title

of reverence. These fortune-tellers either read palms
or ask customers to pick out tarot cards to help
foresee their future. Whether it really works or not, is
something you will just have to try and see.

Price: Varies per vendor. As always ask and set a

price before trying it out
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 Listen to age-old poetry and stories
in Jemaa El Fna

Another group of performers at the square are

storytellers and poets. These performers mostly have
a local audience as they tell their stories and recite
poetry mostly in either Arabic or the Berber
language. But it is quite an experience as a foreigner,
nonetheless, to sit and watch these performers
entranced by the stories they are narrating.

These are the very last of the remaining storytellers of

Morocco, an art now slowly losing its way with the
advent of modernization. Of these, Abdelilah Amal
and Mostafa Dardak are two of the most renowned
performers who’ve been practicing the art for over 25
years. If you end up here, enquire about their
performances and be sure not to miss them!

If you’d prefer a guided tour of the Medina at

night, this tour is well recommended!
:
 Experience a traditional dance
performance in Jemaa El Fna

The square has also served as a stage for several

Berber dancers for decades. The Raissat are
professional dancers from the Berber tribe who put
on performances almost every evening at the Jemaa
El Fna.

They mostly hail from the regions of Tiznit and Agadir

and perform pentatonic music with traditional dance
steps. Another dance group to look out for are the
gnaoua dancers with their troop of live music playing
the sintir instrument.
:
 This hypnotic trance music and the kouyou dance that
is paired with it has been traditionally used by the
Gnawa people to call on ancient spirits to drive out
evil, cure mental illnesses and treat scorpion stings. It
is an interesting sight to watch as the dancers
perform these traditional ceremonies at the Jemaa el
Fna.

Shop for souvenirs in Jemaa El Fna

Not only is the square a cultural hotspot, but it is also

home to handicrafts which make for the perfect
souvenirs to take back home. From leather bags and
sandals, terra cotta pots, spices, beautifully woven
carpets and more, there is something for everyone
here.

Price: Do not ask for prices unless you intend to buy.

Only start haggling once you’re sure of what you want
to buy

People-watch from a rooftop cafe in

Jemaa El Fna

The Jemaa El Fna square is flanked by rooftop cafes

on its sides which make for the perfect place to take
wide-angle photos of this bustling market center or to
just sit back and sip on mint tea as you indulge in
some people watching.

Café de Paris and Café du Grand Balcon are the two

most perfect spots here that allow you to enjoy your
time in peace, but with a view of the city’s heart!
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 If you’d rather hop on an organised day trip this
one from York is highly recommended

Jemaa El Fna - Frequently Asked

Questions

What does Jemaa El Fna mean in English?

Jemaa El Fna roughly translates to several things in

English. It could mean ‘place of gathering’, ‘gathering
of the dead’ or ‘mosque ruins’ depending on what
context in history we look at while translating it from
Arabic.

What does Djemaa el Fna offer a visitor?

Djemaa el Fna has a lot on offer. Of these, its

traditional Moroccan street food stalls are the most
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 popular. For beverages, mint tea and orange juice
can be found aplenty. Visitors can also shop for
souvenirs including leather handicrafts, spices,
carpets and rugs and much more.

Another highlight of the square is its many types of

arts and entertainment performances. From henna
tattoos to folk dance and music and even storytelling
and poetry sessions - you can find them all here!

What is the main square in Marrakech called?

Jemaa El Fna is the main market square in Marrakech

and is also a point of bustling cultural activity.

When was Jemaa El Fna created?

Jemaa El Fna was created sometime in the early 11th

century by the Almoravids Dynasty.

What are Moroccan markets called?

Moroccan markets are called ‘souks’. Souk is a widely

used term for marketplaces across the Arabic world.

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 Have you ever visited any small towns in Morocco?

I’d love to hear in the comments below!

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