Marrakech is a feast for every sense at once. Step into the medina, the ancient walled old city, and you're swept into a labyrinth of souks where the air is thick with the scent of spices, leather and mint tea, where artisans hammer brass and dye wool in jewel colours, and where the great square of Jemaa el-Fnaa erupts each evening into a carnival of food stalls, musicians, and storytellers under the glow of lanterns. Beyond the walls lie tranquil palaces, exquisite tiled courtyards, and gardens of cobalt blue, with the snow-capped Atlas Mountains shimmering on the horizon. It's intoxicating, chaotic, and utterly unforgettable.
For the budget traveller, Marrakech is a gift, one of the best-value major destinations in the region. Morocco as a whole is remarkably affordable, and the single greatest pleasure here, staying in a riad (a traditional courtyard house) in the heart of the medina, costs a fraction of what comparable character would anywhere in Europe. The street food is delicious and cheap, the city is walkable, and wandering the souks and the great square costs nothing. The one thing to master is Marrakech's two-price system, the gap between what locals pay and what tourists are quoted, since a little knowledge keeps your money going much further. We'll show you exactly how.
