The Proper Travel Guide to Marrakech, Morocco.
Stay: El Fenn
Finding a beautiful riad in Marrakech is an easy task just because they are all simply stunning, but none are as stylish and perfectly curated as El Fenn. A simple 3 minute walk from Djemaa El Fna Square, the heartbeat of the bustling city, El Fenn truly gives you a one of a kind experience. Sharing a design aesthetic of mid-century European furniture complimented by iconic elements of Moroccan architecture, all complimented by beautifully colored walls highlighted with artwork scattered throughout. The splendor of the El Fenn awaits you the minute you step through their doors, but be careful of the famly of turtles that casually wander through the halls of the hotel all day. Individually designed rooms mean that no two rooms are alike, some smaller and more boutique feel and large and glamorous which feature their very own plunge pool. Winding through the courtyards in the hotel you finally come across the secluded pool which is the perfect place to unwind and relax.
Eat: Le Jardin
After overwhelming every one of your senses journeying through the Souk’s filled with exotic goods, you build up quite the appetite. Tucked away behind a giant wooden door as old as the Medina itself you will find a culinary oasis of flavor at Le Jardin. Shuffling through the long entryway you suddenly find yourself in a chic, lush open-air courtyard filled with palm trees and people from all over the world sipping on tea and eating.
As you should in Morocco, always order mint tea. The tea is a great start to indulging in the traditional cuisine of Morocco twisted with a European flair that you will find at Le Jardin. My go-to pick each day was the mix of Moroccan salads paired with the most flavorful hummus I’ve ever tasted, a carrot paprika hummus. Finished off with an avocado smoothie and more mint tea, you are back energized and ready to keep exploring the chaos beyond the walls of this relaxing oasis in the heart of Marrakech.
Do: Jardin Majorelle & Musee YSL
An oasis in a chaotic and bustling city, Jardin Majorelle, is a place that if you’re visiting Marrakech is a must-visit. Purchased by Yves Saint Laurent in 1980 after the gardens fell into disrepair after the original owner and designer of the gardens, Jacques Majorelle, started expanding the gardens so much that it was too expensive for him to maintain which forced him to open the gardens to the public. Today, the gardens are so meticulously maintained and feature exotic plants, cacti, and trees along pathways that lead you through a network of fountains and lily ponds. Wandering through hoards of selfie-taking tourists you come across the Berber Museum clad in the famous vibrant colors of yellow and blue deemed “Majorelle Blue” that sits as the centerpiece of the gardens.
Situated just down Rue Yves Saint Laurent you will find the Studio Ko designed Musee Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech. The architecture of this building is a stark contrast from anything else around it, a very modern design that takes inspiration from the couturier’s archives. The integration of curved and straight lines combined with textures of cubes and lace-like brick coverings came from the inspiration of aspects of the fashion design process like cutting fabric and the curves that come with the bunches of fabric to the warp and the weft of that fabric.