A Journey Through Hue and Heritage
Marrakech, known as “The Red City,” glows pink as the sun sets on the medina, bathing mud walls and buildings in an orange light. Dust hangs in the air as shop owners throw buckets of water from thresholds onto the narrow streets to trap floating sand and grit. Donkey carts rattle by as motorbikes dodge animals and throngs of people navigating the medina. The claustrophobic chaos of humanity and commerce overloads and bewilders my senses, disorienting my grasp of direction and captivating my attention at every turn of the snaking maze.
Morocco speaks a color-coded visual language that identifies ancient cities by signature hues. Marrakech derives its name from the red sandstone and clay buildings that populate the walled old city, known as the medina. The “Blue City” of Chefchaouen, located in northern Morocco, pays homage to the heavens with its saturated cobalt buildings. In the Dades Valley lies the “Pink City,” Kelaat M’Gouna, also known as the “City of Roses,” famous for its Damask rose fields. Golden-hued architecture earned the city of Fez its nickname, “The Yellow City.”
The country is located in the Maghreb region of North Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, situated just south of Europe, approximately nine miles from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. Morocco shares land borders with Algeria to the east and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south.
At the time I traveled, there were no direct flights from the United States to Marrakech. I flew from Orlando, Florida, with a connection in Madrid. In anticipation of hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) will double its capacity, and several airlines will offer non-stop flights to Marrakech from the US. The airport’s expansion plans include linking with the new Kenitra–Marrakech high-speed line, which will have speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, connecting Tangier to Marrakech and Rabat to the Casablanca airport.
Morocco joins Spain and Portugal as one of the three countries hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup. To handle the global sporting spectacle, Morocco is making significant investments to upgrade and create a transportation ecosystem, including rail- air connectivity and the expansion of intercity and urban rail networks. Marrakesh stadium is one of six World Cup venues in the country and is undergoing renovations to increase its capacity.
Sightseeing and shopping top the to-do list of many visitors to Marrakech; however, sports tourism is a big draw to this ancient city. Marrakech hosts a well- known semi-permanent street circuit on its outskirts for events including the World Touring Car Cup and FIA Formula E – Marrakesh ePrix. In January, runners filled the streets of the medina as they trained in the days leading up to the Marrakech International Marathon and Half Marathon.
My fascination with Moroccan culture began in US retail stores that sold exotic Moroccan goods, including wood-carved furniture and ornate filigree lighting fixtures. Perusing the store shelves provided a portal to this exotic western corner of North Africa, a place I had promised myself I would one day experience.
I chose Marrakech as the launching point for my travels because the Marrakech Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to a concentration of artisans creating goods using centuries-old techniques. Here, I could witness the creation of many products that first captured my imagination on US store shelves. The medina is a red clay-walled city founded in 1070, and within its walls is an amalgamation of influences from Phoenician, Roman, Carthaginian, Portuguese, and Spanish cultures.
Riad Pachavana served as my home base while exploring the city, conveniently located in the medina just a few blocks from Jemaa el-Fnaa square, the heart of the old town. The riad’s rooftop terrace overlooks the city and offers the perfect vantage point to watch the sunrise while sipping a cup of mint tea. The rooms are an expression of Moorish architecture, featuring carved horseshoe arches and handcrafted tile, which connects me with the culture through its art, decor, and ambiance. Saharies Morocco, a company specializing in private tours of the country, organized all the details of my trip, including English-speaking local guides and private transportation. I chose Saharies Morocco for its expertise in navigating the nuances of Moroccan culture and its insider knowledge of the riads that exude a sense of place and matched my expectations.
I started my exploration of Marrakech at Jemaa el- Fnaa, the gateway to the souks or marketplace. The carnival of snake charmers, henna tattoo artists, musicians, and street performers contributes to the cacophony of vendors beckoning you to buy their goods. UNESCO designated the spectacle as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage. Visitors have a love-hate relationship with the souks, drawn to their medley of sights and smells, yet repelled by the aggressive sales tactics of some vendors.
I recommend hiring a local guide to help navigate the souks and haggle with the merchants. Each section of the marketplace specializes in a specific craft or type of goods. The disorienting maze of shops holds tanneries, wood carvers, leatherworkers, zellij tile artisans, metallurgists, and weavers, all practicing their craft and selling their creations. My guide led me to the leather artisans because I wanted to purchase Moroccan leather products at the source. The earthy smell of animal hides curing in tanneries announced a concentration of leather artisans at work, stitching and polishing shoes, belts and handbags.
Not all vendors in the souks accept credit cards, so it’s advisable to carry Moroccan cash, the Moroccan dirham, abbreviated as MAD. Most merchants prefer Moroccan currency over Euros or US Dollars.
We make our way to the Jewish Quarter known as the Mellah, which dates back to 1558 and is known for its spice markets. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mellah thrived as a vibrant commercial hub, housing synagogues, markets, and schools. It was a walled enclave with gates that closed at night, providing security for its inhabitants.
Throughout the souks, colorful spice stands and artisan workshops are tempting to capture on camera; however, be aware that many vendors prohibit photo taking. Those that do permit photos expect a tip for the privilege. It’s a common courtesy to ask permission, and many shops display no photo or video signs. If they suspect you’re trying to sneak a quick picture, they’ll ask for a tip.
Morocco is known for its skilled zellij artisans, who hand-cut decorative tiles, arranging them in elaborate patterns of mathematical precision. Zellij is an intricate form of mosaic tilework made from individually hand- chiseled pieces of glazed terracotta. One of the finest examples of this centuries-old craft is on display at the Bahia Palace, constructed in the late 19th century by Grand Vizier Si Moussa and later expanded by his son, Ba Ahmed Ben Moussa. The Bahia Palace name translates to “brilliance” or “the beautiful” in Arabic, named in honor of Ba Ahmed’s favorite wife.
The palace walls, halls, and courtyards are adorned with intricate, hand-cut and painted ceramic tiles, including several installations of zellij work that play tricks on the eye, with three-dimensional patterns. The palace features riad gardens, fountains, a marble-paved grand courtyard, and rooms adorned with carved cedarwood, stucco plasterwork, and painted ceilings. This is a popular tourist attraction in Marrakech, so be prepared to navigate crowds of people taking photos as they tour the space. With a bit of patience, it’s worth dealing with the crowds to experience the palace’s architectural grandeur.
As I explored Marrakech, the Koutoubia Mosque served as my visual beacon, with its iconic minaret guiding me through the maze of streets. My guide says the minaret is the highest point in the medina, standing 253 feet high, built to broadcast the call to prayer for Muslims. Before the invention of loudspeakers, the muezzin would ride a donkey up the winding staircase of the minaret to perform the call to prayer five times daily, beckoning Muslims to the mosque to pray together. Muslims pray facing the direction of Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, at five specific times: dawn, midday, late afternoon, sunset, and one hour after sunset. When touring with a local guide, be mindful to take breaks from activities to accommodate prayers.
The Koutoubia Mosque is not open to the public for tours; however, I did walk around the red sandstone exterior, admiring the horseshoe-arched entrances, lattice stonework, and geometric tilework, which are architectural details from the Almohad dynasty. My guide points to an open space next to the mosque, which was the foundation of a misaligned mosque commissioned by Abd al-Mu’min, the first caliph of the Almohad dynasty, around 1147. After discovering that the first Koutoubia Mosque did not precisely face Mecca, a new mosque was built next to it, just slightly to the north, with the correct alignment. Today, the Koutoubia Mosque is one of Marrakech’s most photogenic sites, illuminating the city’s skyline at night and standing watch over the city by day.
In modern times, one of Marrakech’s most famous residents, the renowned clothing designer Yves Saint Laurent, left a global fashion legacy and a local landmark, the Majorelle Garden, for the public to admire. French artist Jacques Majorelle built the home and created the gardens in the 1930s, painting the buildings and structures a vibrant cobalt blue, named Majorelle Blue.
In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent first visited Marrakech, where he drew inspiration from the city’s architecture and artisanal heritage, which profoundly influenced his fashion designs. Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé, purchased and restored the Majorelle Garden in the 1980s as their residence, saving it from redevelopment. The botanical gardens grow more than 300 species of plants from five continents, connected by paths, ponds, and sculptures, it holds a memorial column honoring Saint Laurent, who died in 2008.
The villa-atelier, once the home and studio of Jacques Majorelle, now houses the Berber Museum, which showcases traditional jewelry, textiles, and tools from Morocco’s indigenous Amazigh cultures. The YSL Museum, next to the gardens, pays tribute to the fashion designer’s legacy and fascination with Morocco. The gardens draw a crowd, so be prepared to navigate throngs of tourists and selfie-taking influencers clogging certain photogenic spots.
For a less crowded botanical experience, I recommend Le Jardin Secret, tucked away in the medina. The restored 19th-century palace features Islamic gardens and traditional Moroccan architecture. Exhibits on site chronicle the property’s history and restoration.
I took a day trip from Marrakech to explore the Ourika Valley, which stretches along the Ourika River, rising into the Atlas foothills. Berber villages populate the Ourika Valley with traditional terraced agriculture and mud-brick houses defining the landscape. The Berbers, also known as the Amazigh (meaning “free people”), are the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, with a significant presence in Morocco. Their history in the region dates back thousands of years, long before the Arab expansion in the 7th century. Berber societies are organized into tribes or clans, each with its leadership and customs. The Ourika Valley served as a trade and travel corridor between Marrakech and interior mountain villages and is home to the Setti Fatma Waterfalls in the High Atlas Mountains.
Pottery making is deeply rooted in Berber artisanal traditions, so along the 1.5-hour drive from Marrakech to the Ourika Valley, I stopped in Tafza, a village known for its pottery production. At a local workshop, I watched artisans shape pottery sourced from the surrounding Atlas Mountains by hand, using foot-powered wheels —a method unchanged for centuries. Berber pottery products include tagines, traditional cooking vessels; water jugs; and decorative urns and bowls. Artisans fire the pieces in open- air kilns or rudimentary brick ovens, giving them a rustic, organic finish, or they glaze and paint pieces in elaborate patterns.
Many Berbers earn a living cultivating argan nuts, olives, and goat milk in the Ourika Valley. Morocco is the only country in the world where the argan tree grows naturally in the wild. These nuts are the source of argan oil, a rare and highly prized product used in both cosmetic and culinary applications. My quest to learn about the production of argan oil products led me to Dar Zite, a women’s cooperative in the village of Sti Fadma that produces argan oil products. Dar Zite employs 50 women who manually crack argan nuts and cold-press them to extract the oil, which is then used to create cosmetic products and food. Many of the woman working there are widowed or divorced and rely on this income to support their families. They work in a large house where a Berber woman in traditional dress greets me at the entrance and takes me on a tour. I step inside a hammam, the traditional steam bath house, as she explains argan nut shells provide fuel to heat the Hammam and serve as a body scrub in the bathing ritual. The hammam plays a vital role in Moroccan culture, hygiene, and social life. Moroccans traditionally use the hammam once a week, often before Friday prayers for cleansing, relaxation, and exfoliation.
Next, we enter the home’s kitchen, equipped with mud ovens to cook tagine, and proceed to the home’s primary workspace, where women sit in a row, shelling and grinding argan nuts into oil and paste to produce various products for sale. They teach me how to extract argan oil by hand, using two large grinding stones, a labor-intensive, time-consuming process. After learning to make argan oil, my guide invites me to the living room for mint tea and to sample Dar Zites’ products. While sipping tea, my guide presents an array of handmade argan oil products, accompanied by a sales pitch tempered by her hospitality. The entire scene feels somewhat staged and touristy. Still, with a firsthand appreciation of argan oil’s economic value to these women, I decided to purchase several items from the adjacent store.
In the village of Setti Fatma, the gateway to a series of seven waterfalls, I met my guide, a local Berber, for a hike up to the first waterfall. He shouts, “Yalla,” the Arabic word for “let’s go,” and we trek up winding mountain paths, passing vendor stalls selling carpets, kaftans, and crafts. Along the way, small cafés cling to cliff sides selling cold drinks cooled by the water trickling down the mountain from the waterfall. I’m traveling in January, the off-season for tourists, when the waterfalls are less crowded and the climate is refreshingly cool, not cold. We arrive at the base of the waterfall and take a break to admire the view at a nearby cafe while sipping mint tea.
Back at the village, I dine outside along the Ourika river, sitting on cushions and a carpet around a low table. The alfresco seating resembles a picnic serviced by a waiter who crosses a footbridge over the river, connecting the restaurant on the opposite bank. The menu features traditional tagine dishes, slow-cooked meat or vegetables in a conical clay pot, accompanied by Moroccan salads and a signature mint tea. Moroccan cuisine showcases its culinary creativity primarily through the variations of two popular dishes: tagine and couscous, a grain meal traditionally served on Fridays with vegetables and meat. Both dishes demonstrate a mastery of spices and centuries-old cooking techniques, utilizing fresh, local ingredients such as olives and dates.
From Marrakech, I embarked on a three-day excursion to the Merzouga Desert to experience the ethereal landscapes of the Sahara. The distance between Marrakech and Merzouga is approximately 348 miles east, and the drive takes 9 to 10 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions. Merzouga is situated near the Algerian border, making it a gateway to the expansive Sahara Desert.
My road trip traverses the High Atlas Mountains, passing through the Dades Valley, which is carved by deep crevices, including the Dades Gorge and the Todra Gorge. The dramatic landscapes are formed by millions of years of water erosion. I stop at a lookout point to photograph the Dades Gorge, a series of rugged gorges carved by the Dades River. These deep, cliff-sided canyons have walls reaching heights of up to 1,600 feet in some areas. The Todra Gorge is a dramatic series of limestone river canyons located in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains near the town of Tinerhir. The most striking section of the Todra Gorge narrows to 33 feet in width, flanked by sheer rock walls. The dry season attracts rock climbers, hikers, and visitors to the canyon floor and its rock faces. During the rainy season, the Todra River floods the gorge, making it inaccessible. I met up with a Berber guide, and together we hiked the Todra Gorge base before heading to a nearby Berber village to meet a family of carpet weavers.
The Berbers are renowned for their textiles and weaving skills, an art form that has been passed down through generations. Berber women are talented weavers of carpets, famous worldwide for their exceptional artistry and high-quality craftsmanship. It can take up to a year to create a single rug, depending on the complexity of the design. In the village of Tinerhir, a Berber family invited me into their home to demonstrate how they weave using the loom and teach me about the design of their rugs. Each tribe produces a distinctive textile design featuring symbols that represent their customs, beliefs, and community. The rugs are made from combed sheep’s wool, hand-spun for the loom, a time-consuming process that produces high-quality rugs that will last a long time. The husband proceeds to unfurl several carpets, revealing different patterns and textures. My visit begins to feel slightly scripted as if the family expects me to purchase one of their carpets. Many tourists do buy the large carpets and have them shipped to their homes.
That night, I stayed at Riad Stars Dades on the edge of the gorge, arriving at dusk as the interior courtyard glowed from the burning embers of the courtyard firepit. Throughout my travels, I stayed at riads to experience a sense of place and connect with local culture. The term “riad” is derived from the Arabic word for “garden,” referring to a serene retreat with an inward-focused layout, featuring lush gardens, fountains, ornate plasterwork, carved wood, and mosaic tilework. Today, many of these walled structures have been restored and converted into guesthouses, hotels, or restaurants, allowing visitors to experience authentic Moroccan hospitality.
The next morning, I continued my journey to the desert, passing through the ruins of several mountain villages, reminders of the September 8, 2023, earthquake that struck the High Atlas Mountains, leveling villages with a 6.8-magnitude force. The quake struck 44 miles south of Marrakech, killing more than 3,000 people and decimating many historic and sacred structures.
My final stop before reaching the desert is Ait Benhaddou, an iconic earthen clay village, known as a ksar. The UNESCO World Heritage site is located in Ouarzazate, a historic and cinematic city in southern Morocco, known as the “Gateway to the Sahara.” Ksar Ait Ben Haddou is recognizable to many as the set for the “Game of Thrones” TV series and two “Gladiator” movies, as well as numerous films from Hollywood’s golden era, including “Lawrence of Arabia. The day I visited, construction crews were building a film set for an undisclosed production.
The origins of Ait Benhaddou date back to the 11th century during the Almoravid period. It was a strategic trading location for caravans exchanging goods between sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean. I met up with a local guide who lives in Ouarzazate and spent his childhood playing in the mud huts and streets of Ait Ben Haddou, where his grandparents once lived. We walk along narrow clay streets, passing vendors selling crafts and kaftans, the village mosque, and two graveyards —one for Muslims and the other for Jewish residents. Today, only five families live in Ait Benhaddou. Most of the village’s inhabitants moved to Ouarzazate because seasonal flooding from the melting snow of the Atlas Mountains forms a river, cutting off access to the city. My guide explains that every two years, residents have to rebuild their adobe homes due to water erosion. He invites me to the home of a Berber woman, who shares living space with goats, chickens, and other animals. The modest home has a traditional Moroccan kitchen with adobe ovens and electricity powered by solar panels. The ruins of the village bank sit on the village hilltop, visible as we wind through the earthen maze. The 2023 earthquake damaged the bank, which is now closed and barricaded, but I was able to walk up to the mountaintop and take pictures.
I continue to Merzouga, near the Algerian border on the edge of the Sahara Desert, to sleep under the stars at a luxury desert camp. The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest hot desert, spanning approximately 3.6 million square miles across North Africa.
Riad Kasbah Aiour is a campsite featuring luxury built-in tents and a tented restaurant situated on the edge of the desert. Here, the dunes of Erg Chebbi stand nearly 500 feet tall, offering the perfect vantage point to watch the sunset and stargaze. I rode a camel up to the desert dunes, stretching as far as the eye could see, while the sun disappeared, casting a pink and orange glow on the golden sands. As darkness descended, the sky lit up with a constellation of twinkling stars, visible because there is no light pollution from nearby civilization.
After dinner, I climbed the dunes to stargaze with a clear view of the constellations aglow in the quiet, inky night. I lay on the sand looking up at the heavens alone with my thoughts, searching for shooting stars. I thought of the nomads who’ve traversed these dunes, the centuries of cultures leaving footprints in the sands as they traded, traversed, and survived the harsh climate. Many staff members at the desert camp are descendants of Berber nomads, carrying on their musical traditions. After my stargazing, they invited me to gather around a firepit to sing and dance as they played traditional Berber instruments.
That night, I retired to my tent, which qualifies as glamping with luxurious amenities and decor. My tent had electricity, plumbing, and a spa-like bathroom with a soaking tub, an essential amenity for me when selecting a desert camp. Some desert camps tents share a group bathroom, so be sure to do your research to confirm if your tent has a private bathroom, if that is important to you.
As a Westerner and a woman traveling in an Islamic country, I felt welcomed by all cultures and communities. My recommendation is to plan your trip with an accredited and experienced travel company such as Saharies Morocco, that can provide private travel services and local English-speaking guides. Outside of Marrakech, the language barrier can be challenging while navigating the small mountain villages. As one of the first countries to recognize the independence of the United States in 1777, Morocco has a long legacy of mutual respect and admiration for the United States. Throughout my travels, I encountered a sincere curiosity about our pop culture and politics.
To appreciate the cinematic beauty and cultural curiosities of this North African country, I recommend a travel itinerary that balances touristy and cosmopolitan experiences with the remote mystique of North Africa, from its cities to the many mountain villages and the Sahara Desert.
To watch full episodes of my travels throughout Morocco, watch and subscribe to youtube.com/ thedesigntourist. For more information on planning a trip to Morocco, go to www.saharies.com.
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