Riad Tinmel
4 Derb Chorfa Seghir, Marrakesh, MOROCCO

About Marrakesh

Traversing the alleyways and souks of Marrakech, particularly in the Medina (Old City), it is easy to believe you have been transported back in time or stumbled onto a movie set for a medieval 'Arabian nights' production. It is this enchanting fairy tale quality that brings thousands of sightseers to the most visited of Morocco's three Imperial Cities. The heart of the Medina is Djemaa el-Fna, an irregular 'square' where everything seems to happen and the place to which tourists are drawn again and again to soak up the carnival-like environment. Tourism, though, has not spoilt the atmosphere, but seemingly rather added to it. The modern side of Marrakech with its luxury hotels, banks and streets bursting with motor scooters, blends well with the past in a metropolis made up of the peoples of the Berber Atlas tribes, Mahgrebis from the plains, and Saharan nomads.

Marrakech was founded in 1062 by Youssef bin Tachfine of the Almoravide dynasty, and his son perfected the city by bringing in architects and craftsmen from Cordoba to build palaces, baths, mosques and a subterranean water system. The city walls were raised from the red mud of the plains, with the snow-covered peaks of the High Atlas Mountains forming a backdrop for the city, although they are often hidden by the heat haze.

One of the many ways to soak up the sights and sounds of Marrakech is in one of the hundreds of horse-drawn carriages, known as caleches, that are for hire, but it is also necessary to take in the Medina's souks on foot, plunging into the hurly burly maelstrom of passages where tradesmen ply various crafts, from cloth dying, copper beating, and leather working to herbalists, perfumers and slipper makers, and where shopkeepers cajole passing tourists into taking a look at their glorious array of colourful crafts.

Out & About in Marrakesh

The Koutoubia MosqueThe Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. The minaret was completed under the reign of the Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184-1199) and was used as model for Giralda of Seville then for the Hassan Tower of Rabat.

El Badi Palace
El Badi Palace is located in Marrakech, Morocco, and nowadays it consists of the remnants of a magnificent palace built by the Saadian king Ahmed el-Mansour in 1578. The original building is thought to have consisted of 360 rooms, a courtyard of 135m by 110m and a pool of 90m by 20m, richly decorated with Italian marbles and large amounts of gold imported from Sudan. It also has a small, underground, tunnel-like jail with about four cells where the king kept his prisoners. Unfortunately, this fairy-like palace, which took approximately 25 years to construct, was torn apart by the alaouite Sultan Mawlay Ismail who used the materials to decorate his own palace in Meknes. The design of the palace is influenced by the Alhambra in Granada.

The Bahia Palace
The Bahia Palace is a palace and a set of gardens located in Marrakech, Morocco. It was built in the late 19th century, intended to be the greatest palace of its time. The name means 'brilliance'. As in other buildings of the period in other countries, it was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. There is a 2 acre (8,000 m²) garden with rooms opening onto courtyards.

Marrakesh Museum
The Museum of Marrackech is a museum in the center of Marrakech, Morocco. It has Jewish, Berber and Muslim artifacts.

Djemaa el Fna
The place remains the main square of Marrakesh, used equally by locals and tourists. During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, youths with chained Barbary apes, water sellers in colourful costumes with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, and snake charmers who will pose for photographs for tourists. As the day progresses the entertainments on offer change: the snake charmers depart, and in the afternoon and evening the square becomes more crowded, with Chleuh dancing-boys (it would be against custom for girls to provide such an entertainment), story-tellers (telling their tales in Berber or Arabic, to an audience of appreciative locals), magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. As dark descends the square fills with dozens of food-stalls, and the crowds are at their height.

The Majorelle Garden
The Majorelle Garden is a botanical garden in Marrakech, Morocco. It was designed by the expatriate French artist Jacques Majorelle in 1924, during the colonial period when Morocco was occupied by France. Though Majorelle's art is largely forgotten today - his oeuvre was made up of gentlemanly orientalist watercolors -- the garden he created is his creative masterpiece. A special shade of bold cobalt blue which he used extensively in the garden and its buildings is named after him, Majorelle bleu.

Saadian Tombs
The beautiful necropolis was built by the Saadian Sultan Ahmed el Mansour in the late 16th century as a final resting place for himself and his successors. There are 66 indoor tombs, lavishly decorated with colourful, intricate mosaics. The central mausoleum, the Hall of the Twelve Columns, is exceptionally ornate with a high vaulted roof, furnished with stunning carved cedar panels and columns of grey Italian marble.

The package (A taste of Morocco in charming Marrakesh) includes the following:

All services included in this offer are for 2 persons and include the following:

• 5 nights in a comfortable, architectural traditional double room
• 5 x Breakfast for 2 Persons
• 1 x Dinner for 2 persons specially cooked for you at the Riad
• Welcome Tea / Soft Drinks

Period of use:This Voucher is available upon hotel availability
and is valid as stipulated below.

• July 1st – September 30th (2008)
• November 1st – December 20th (2008)
• January 5th – February 28th (2009)

• Check availability here>>morocco@rea-ta.com

There are no extra charges or conditions attached to this offer