This guided, half-day, cultural tour begins in the old medina, buried within the imperial walls, where we stop at the foot of the famous Koutoubia Minaret, one of the masterpiece works of Islamic architecture. We continue to the kasbah (fortress) where a stroll through it leads us to the 16th- century monument site of the Saadian Tombs. Notice the wonderful architecture surrounding the burial ground of the royal family. Afterward, we continue on to visit the aristocratic Bahia Palace where we see a lush Moorish-style garden in the courtyard of a large palace with beautifully painted residential rooms. Finally, a stroll through the famous Jemaa El Fna Square, the ancient meeting point of the tradesmen in Northwest Africa, ends the tour.
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Approximately 9:00 am
Our special day guided tour of the old medina of Marrakech begins with a walk through one of the most interesting quarters of Marrakech. Here we’ll stroll along labyrinthine alleyways, catching glimpses of mosques, hammams, traditional public bakeries, fondouks (old lodging houses used by the caravans) and fountains carved in wood and decorated with kuffic inscriptions. We will visit the principles attractions, beginning with the 14th century Ben Youssef Medrassa which used to be a koranic school and is noted for its extraordinary latticework interior decor. We continue to visit the nearby 19th century Menebhi palace, owned by a Moroccan vizier and built in the pure Moroccan urban style of architecture of the period. Today it houses the Musée de Marrakech, a private museum with rotating displays of Moroccan art. We continue on foot through the colourful souks which are organised according to goods sold and where craftsmen can be seen practicing their traditional handwork.
We’ll drive along the old city ramparts, proceeding to the lush, botanical Majorelle Gardens, designed in 1924 by a French artist. You’ll make a stop here, where you can stroll in these gardens and the Berbere Museum, now owned by Yves Saint-Laurent and discover his most iconic creations in the YSL museum,
