Getting Off the Beaten

Path in Marrakech
Kerry Walker

Marrakech Beyond the

Madness
Marrakech is a city that enthrals, partly
because you never quite know what to
expect. On one corner there is a
maâlem (master craftsman) tapping
away at a brass lantern; on another,
there’s a snake charmer—trying to
charm you right out of your last
dirham. Traffic swirls, people rush, the
raspy call to prayer drifts from
mosques, the beats of Gnawa
musicians whip crowds into a frenzy.
It’s fascinating, sure, but after a few
days you might find yourself craving
time out.

While Marrakech is a tad quieter

during the autumn and winter months,
it is possible to sidestep the crowds or
just find a little peace even in high
season (February to May). Read on for
seven off-the-beaten-path sights and
experiences. And for more info on the
city, check out our Ultimate Guide to
Marrakech.

Peace & Private Medina

Views in Le Jardin Secret

Le Jardin Secret is a cool escape from

Marrakech's heat

When the souks get too

claustrophobic, go one street over to
Marrakech’s ‘secret garden’. Until
recently this riad and its gardens, with
400-year-old Saadian dynasty origins,
were home to prominent politicians
and off-bounds. Now you can visit Le
Jardin Secret for a rare dose of peace
in the medina. The riad is an
astonishing showpiece of Moroccan
and Arab-Andalusian craftsmanship,
with zellij (mosaic tiling), hand-carved
stucco and inlaid cedarwood.

On a hot day, the greenery and running

water in the traditional Islamic garden
is almost thirst quenching. Raised
walkways take you alongside streams
and past olive and citrus trees. Chill in
the shade, order a fresh-fruit smoothie
from the café, or climb the tower (as
high as some minarets) for
phenomenal views over the medina to
the Atlas Mountains beyond.

Interested in spending a night or two in

a luxury riad? Try one from this list of
our favorites.

Hunt for Treasure in Upscale

Sidi Ghanem

Shopping for intricate lanterns in Marrakech

If shopping is your thing, but you’re

tired of the haggling spiel and row
after row of Aladdin-like slippers in the
souks, hop in a taxi for a short ride out
of town to Sidi Ghanem. This design
district is where serious Marrakech
shoppers and riad owners with a keen
eye for what’s en vogue hang out.

The wide, easy-to-navigate streets are

lined with the workshops and
showrooms of contemporary artists
and designers, most of which readily
accept credit cards. You’ll find
everything here from hand-knotted
Berber rugs made from high-quality
wool to upscale Moroccan-made
lighting, eye-catching ceramics, linens
and fashion. It’s worth bearing in mind
that most places close Saturday
afternoons and all day Sunday.

Museum of African
Contemporary Art Al
Maaden (MACAAL)

The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al

Maaden (Photo courtesy of MACAAL/Pelham
Communications)

If contemporary art is your bag, you

won’t want to miss the most recent
addition to Marrakech’s art scene: the
Museum of African Contemporary Art
Al Maaden (MACAAL). A 10-minute
hop south of town, this museum is the
brainchild of Moroccan art collectors
Alami Lazraq and his son Othman
Lazraq, whose aim is to showcase
African art from all angles. With its
eclectic permanent collection and
rotating exhibitions devoted not just to
paintings and photography but also
installations, the museum is helping to
put the city on the map as a thriving
art hub.

Visit the Fashion-Forward

VIP Jardin Majorelle

Feeling the blues at Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech

Hands-down Marrakech’s most stylish

garden, Jardin Majorelle was once the
private oasis of fashion designers Yves
Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. But the
garden in the Gueliz neighborhood
actually owes its look to French
landscape artist Jacques Majorelle,
who gave the Art Deco villa its
signature shade of electric blue in the
1920s. He created a garden suffused
with light and color, full of fountains,
water lily ponds, rare foliage, pots in
juicy orange and lemon colors, and
paths lined with palm trees, cacti, and
rustling bamboo. While you’re here,
check out the Berber Museum,
crammed with indigenous artifacts
from jewelry to leather, woodwork and
High Atlas carpets.

Just steps away is the recently opened

Yves Saint Laurent Museum, with a
lace-like façade that alludes to the
weft and warp of fabric. The museum
presents the French fashion designer’s
haute couture clothing, accessories,
and drawings, and has a bookshop
and terrace café worth checking out,
too.

Aim to arrive early (before 9 am) to

beat the crowds and have the gardens
to yourself. Or do one better with a VIP
visit for a behind-the-scenes look at
Yves Saint Laurent’s life.

Tour a Revamped Colonial

Farm, Perfumerie, and Art
Gallery

View of the date palm oasis of La Palmeraie on

Marrakech's outskirts

On the fringes of Marrakech, the

wonderfully tranquil Musée de la
Palmeraie is an easily doable half-day
trip and a great escape from the
nonstop din of the medina. Hop in a
petit taxi for a short ride out of town to
these landscaped gardens on an old
colonial farm dating to the 1940s.
They are the haven of botanist
Abderrazak Benchaâbane, who
worked together with Yves Saint
Laurent in restoring the Jardin
Majorelle to its former glory. There are
three gardens to explore: a dry cacti
garden, a water garden lined with
palms, and an Andalusian garden
brimming with fruit trees. Best of all,
it’s rarely busy.

The grounds are also home to a

perfumery and a small but excellent
contemporary art gallery, spotlighting
international and Moroccan paintings,
sculptures, photography, calligraphy,
and installations.

Take a Day Trip

A 4x4 tour in the Agafay Desert near Marrakech

Agafay Desert

No time to visit the Sahara? Well, you

can still have a full-on desert
experience in the Agafay, less than 20
miles southwest of Marrakech. It might
be close to the city, but it feels wild
and wonderfully remote in this rocky,
barren expanse of pale ochre sand. It’s
a great escape for dune-gazing, camel
riding (especially at sunset), and clear
views of the High Atlas mountains.
Dinner in one of the Berber tented
camps as the stars start to twinkle is
quite something.

Ourika Valley

The Ourika Valley in the foothills of the High Atlas

Cutting into the High Atlas, the Ourika

Valley is a refreshing escape from
Marrakech’s heat in summer, with
cooler air, bigger skies, and uplifting
mountain views. In spring, the valley
bursts into almond and cherry
blossom. Dusky pink, mud-built Berber
villages are pasted to the slopes above
the river that runs through the valley.

At the Jardin Bio-Aromatique d'Ourika,

go for a stroll in the fragrant aromatic
and medicinal herb gardens, followed
by herbal tea and perhaps a foot
massage. Other worthwhile stops
include the Monday Berber market in
Tnine Ourika, and the waterfalls in Setti
Fatma. A guide is advisable for the
latter as the paths can be rocky and
slippery in places.

For more day and multi-day trips from

Marrakech, check out this roundup of
our favorites.