Marrakech, The first feeling one has when entering this particular imperial capital is of pure enchantment. We are bewitched-falling under the spell of the place and its people, folk artists to their very souls who have only one aim in view to make a stay in their city as entrancing an experience as possible. With its world-famous square, Jamaâ El Fna, the beacon city of the Almoravids was founded in about 1070 with a view to controlling traffic from the nearby Atlas.

It was from this rudimentary settlement that the earliest conquests were launched. Abu Bakr, head of the Almoravids, undertook the construction of a kasbah, nicknamed the "stone castle" only yards away from the present site of the Koutoubia.

Marrakech became the capital of a vast empire in the reign of Youssef Ben Tachfine-an empire which, under the Almohades, reached as for as the frontiers of Libya.

The first Almohades sovereign, Abdelmoumen began the construction of the Koutoubia mosque, which his grandson Yacoub El Mansour adorned with a superb minaret, still standing today. His son Youssef had reservoirs dug and a spreading administrative district constructed
-Marrakech reached the height of its glory. Built in the same epoch as Seville's "la Giralda" and Rabat's "Tour Hassan", the Koutoubia, dating from the 11th century, is a truck masterpiece of Hispanic- Moorish art. Its minaret rises to almost 70 meters.

The Badii Palace bas long been regarded as a wonder of the Muslim world. It was the sovereign Ahmed El Mansour Dahbi who undertook construction of the palace following his victory over the Portuguese in the year 986 of the hejira (1578), a victory well-known in the Western World under the name of the Battle of the Three Kings. The major construction work went on for sixteen years. Other marvels to be found in the Red City are the Dar Si Said museum, containing much quintessential Moroccan art and displaying the glittering array of gold and marble ornaments collected by Ahmed El Mansour (1578-1603), greatest of Saadian rulers, the Medersas Ben Youssef, a coranic school founded in 1570 by Moulay Abdellah and a truc masterpiece of Merinids architecture, the Agdal gardens, laid out in the 12th century during the reign of Abdelmoumen and the Menara, a magnificent artificial lake fringed with flowers ...

Framed by the snowy heights of the Atlas, with rose-colored ramparts and a thousand year old palm grove, Marrakech casts a magic spell. Sumptuous and exuberant, it radiates splendor and mysticism ; at the dye merchants, in the explosion of multicolored wools ; at Festival time, in the rhythm of the music, in the emotion of the dancers ; in the idle talk of the merchants and in the skill of the jugglers. Enchantment, you feel in the shade of the blue gardens and in the overwhelming perfection of the Koutoubia.

Deluxe hotels:
Amanjenna Palace

The first Aman resort on the African continent, means "peaceful paradise." (Aman is Sanskrit for "peaceful," while jena means "paradise" in Arabic.) Located in Morocco, Amanjena’s 34 pavilions and seven, two-story maisons are set within an oasis of palms and old olive trees. Earth-toned Marrakech, with its gardens and its souks, its art and craft and compelling culture, is just seven kilometers away. The resort is situated alongside an 18-hole golf course with a second course, a royal golf course, less than a kilometer away. Amanjena looks out onto the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains, the highest range in North Africa.

A stunning hotel situated some 7 kilometers outside Marrakech, the Amanjena is built in the traditional style of a Moroccan palace. It hosts 34 walled gardened 1 bedroom pavilions, four large 2 bedroom maisons each with plunge pools and three maisons jardin. Open fireplaces and king size beds seem to be a standard feature.

The range of excursions on hand are impressive and the very efficient and polite staff make make the Amanjena a welcoming if not expensive place to spend time. Excursions include horse-carriage rides, hiking as well as gentle walking through Berber villages. La Maison Arabe Hidden at the end of a secluded road in the center of Marrakech is the beautiful Maison d’Arabe. A spectacular gem in the heart of the Medina, this stunning new hotel comprises 11 rooms each one individually designed with eye-catching silks and traditional antiques. There is no restaurant and no menu here, but instead you choose what you want to eat for each meal and it is created for you personally!
Right in the heart of the Medina of Marrakech lies a charming and highly original hotel, lavishly decorated with Moroccan antiques, oriental carpets and exquisite good taste. Originally a restaurant created by two remarkable French ladies in the 1940s. La Maison Arabe's present incarnation as a delightful small hotel is the work of an Italian aristocrat, who transformed the highly renowned hostelry into ten enchanting suites and rooms.
The original Moorish layout has been maintained, with all the rooms set around two shady patios complete with gently gurgling fountains. Bejeweled lanterns hang in graceful archways to cast splashes of ruby, emerald and amber light, while original artworks (both antique and contemporary) epitomize the unique style of the house. Mellow ochre walls and traditional brass pots and lamps offset classic Moroccan blue furnishings. The romantic bedrooms and suites - evocatively named after characters from 1001 Arabian Nights -are all individually designed in rich colors and sumptuous fabrics to create a feeling of opulent indulgence further enhanced by the luxurious marble bathrooms.

  Breakfast and afternoon tea are served in the patio courtyard, and while La Maison Arabe no longer serves dinner, the main square with its range of temptingly exotic restaurants is just a 5 minute walk away. For warmer weather guests can also now take advantage of the hotel's own pool and bar, situated in a private garden about a ten minute drive by shuttle van.
 La Roseraie , Asni
The La Roseraie is located in the heart of the Berber Mountains of the High Atlas at an altitude of 1.000 meters . The hotel is 60 km from Marrakech. The altitude will offer the perfect climate. Cool in summer, mild in winter, its pure air will revitalize you. Secretly hidden in the middle of 25 hectares of natural parkland, far away from stressful city life, it will be the ideal retreat for nature lovers.
La Roseraie. Surrounded by picturesque Berber villages and yet only an hour's drive from Marrakech, this pretty retreat lies in fifty acres of vivid gardens set against a stunning backdrop of snow-capped peaks and rushing mountain streams. Heavily scented roses, ancient olive trees, lemon groves and carpets of wild flowers set the scene for a deeply relaxing escape cushioned from the pressures of life elsewhere. 

La Roseraie is an attractive melange of subtle pink and red buildings mid-way between Mediterranean and Arabic architecture. Accommodation is in forty cottage-style bedrooms and suites, all of which are furnished with rustic chic enhanced by local influence. Private terraces lead to the gardens and most junior suites have cosy log fires for the cooler winter evenings. 

The emphasis at this lovely hotel is on simple, healthy living; there are three swimming pools, including one inside in the excellent health and beauty centre and two tennis courts. Riding and trekking expeditions range from an hour or two to several days, whilst more sedentary nature lovers can indulge their senses painting and bird watching or merely gazing at the glorious mountain scenery. 

La Roseraie is an unpretentious glimpse of paradise; in April and May when the roses are in full bloom, there can be few more beautiful places on earth to unwind and forget about life in the fast lane.

Facilities:
2 Freshwater pools, Attractive gardens and sun terraces
2 tennis courts.
Health center with indoor heated pool.
Lounge , Restaurant (open to public) and Snack bar.
Horses, Walks and Treks.
Orchards.
3 Fantastic golfing opportunities nearby in Marrakech

Museums in Marrakech:

DAR SI SAID MUSEUM
LOCATION
Dar Si Said Museum
Riad Ez-Zaitoun El Jadid

In one of Morocco's most beautiful cities stands a sumptuous palace housing the very quintessence of Moroccan art.
On the ground floor you can find clothes, objects in beaten copper, arms and Berber jewellery. Splendors from the past?
Not at all, for many of the objects on display are still used and worn in mountain areas.

The first floor salon impress with its Hispano-Moorish decoration and elegant furniture in cedar wood. It is such an accurate reproduction that, at any moment, you half expect to see a bride in her ceremonial dress return to the armchair and show herself off to all the admiring guests.
The other rooms are filled with an abundance of carpets. Stop a moment to examine those coming from the Sahara region, characterized by the use of leather, and large, simple mats evoking the dry beauty of the semi-desert.
A remarkable collection of door and window frames is to be found around the courtyard, all encrusted with the most delicate and refined ornamentation. And in the streets outside you will soon understand that the town and its inhabitants know how to keep the traditions of their culture alive.
 

Majorelle Garden

In the 1920s the French artist Jacques Majorelle had it made,  complete with pools, banana trees, coconut palms, and houses in a fantastic dark blue color. The wonderful garden is alive with the sound of birds, its incredible cacti standing out in sharp contrast against the blue facade of the villa.  The gardens have later been taken well care of the French couturier Yves Saint-Luarent, who have added a private museum of North African artifacts and a collection of Islamic art.
The gardens serve as a museum, and is open to the public.

Jacques Majorelle is born in 1886 in Nancy (France). In 1919 he settles in Marrakech to continue his career of painter, where he acquires a ground which was going to become the Majorelle garden. Since 1947 he opens his garden's doors to the public. Following a car accident, he returns to France, where he dies in 1962. in 1980 Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent repurchase the garden and restore it.

Contrasts, the colors, the light games seem go out of one of the pictures of Jacques Majorelle. It was one of the more important collectors of plants of his era, and this is in this spirit than enlarges itself from day to day the flore of the garden. Plants of the five continents are exposed in an enchanting framework. This that was the workshop of Jacques Majorelle, inspiration place and of contemplation, shelters today the magnificent art collection Islamic of Rock Bergé and Holy Yves Laurent. The originality of these places lies in the combination of a luxurious végétation and architectural elements allying sobriété and traditional aesthetic Moroccan. The power of the blue Majorelle participates in the freshness impression and of quiétude.

Displayed in the municipal theatre, this collection of costumes, jeweler, arms, musical instruments, carpets and furniture was assembled by Bert Flint, a Dutch art historian.

It is a charming little museum of art and popular traditions from the Souss valley and the Sahara region. It should be noted that another section of the museum is situated in Agadir.

Bert  Flint Museum
Marrakech:
Bart Flint Museum, Rue de la Bahia
Agadir:
Avenue Mohamed V, Agadir

Displayed in the municipal theatre, this collection of costumes, jeweler, arms, musical instruments, carpets and furniture was assembled by Bert Flint, a deutch art historian.

It is a charming little museum of art and popular traditions from the Souss valley and the Sahara region. It should be noted that another section of the museum is situated in Agadir.

Most visited sites and cities

travel :

• Casablanca, Morocco

• Rabat, Morocco

• Meknes, Morocco

• Fes, Morocco

• Erfoud / Marzouga, Morocco

• Ouarzazate, Morocco

• Marrakech, Morocco

• Asni, Morocco

• Essaouira, Morocco

• Agadir, Morocco

• Taroudant, Morocco