The Souk and the Jamaa el Fna Square in Marrakech

Day 3: MARRAKECH

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Today we woke up a little later than we normally do while on vacation. If we already said that yesterday, today we have lagged a little longer and the alarm clock rang at 8 in the morning. This to see dusk in the Marrakech Jamaa el Fna Square It has its consequences.
The first thing we do is go to breakfast and take some photos of Riad Assalam that we have been 3 nights and we have not done any yet. And with such a site, this is essential.

Having breakfast at Riad Assalam

Breakfast room at Riad Assalam

Rest room in Riad Assalam. Marrakech

Once we had breakfast and made the photos, we went straight to the Jmaa el Fna Square in Marrakech, to ask for prices for a buggy ride to the Palm Grove and finish at the Majorelle Gardens.
We have bargained for 10 minutes and we have managed to get down from 500 dirhams to 250. Maybe we have overpaid, but the truth is that we did not really want to waste too much time ... this haggling is overwhelming us a bit !!

It took just over half an hour to reach the Marrakech palm grove, touring some of the streets of Marrakech that we had not seen so far, the city outside the Medina.

Another door of the Medina seen from the buggy

City views

Marrakech streets

Upon arriving at the Palm Grove we have found ourselves submerged in a slightly surreal image, a residential neighborhood, in the purest Beverly Hills style and we traveling it in a buggy. At times we have asked ourselves, what are we doing here?
The truth is that we were not too clear about what this walk was going to be about (here we sin of not having informed ourselves before !!) and now after doing so, we have to say that it is only worth seeing the city from a different perspective.

Posing in the Palmeral neighborhood

At least for us, the Marrakech palm grove In itself, it was not worth it. If we returned, we would not do it again.
After touring the residential neighborhood, we have gone to the Palmeral proper and we have found that we have wanted to sell the camel ride at all costs, saying that the buggy did not enter those roads.
We have told him several times that we did not want him and in the end we have managed to stop the buggy on a stretch of "middle" road, to make a short walking tour.
We have found an area of ​​land of about 2 hectares full of palm trees, but in our opinion not too pretty ...
A better option may be to book a quad tour through the palm grove and the desert, they will pick you up at the hotel or Riad in Marrakech.

Walk through the palm grove

Palm grove

Leaving the palm grove

After this we have asked him to take us directly to the Majorelle Gardens and there we have found one of the best gardens we have seen to date.

Majorelle Gardens

The sky of the Majorelle Gardens

The entrance has cost us 40 dirhams per person and we have found some gardens not very large but decorated with amazing delicacy.

Resting in the Majorelle Gardens

The visit we have done for a little over an hour, sharing it with many more tourists, since the initial idea of ​​going early to not meet many people, in the end we changed it to go first to the Palm Grove.

Majorelle Gardens

Posing in the Majorelle Gardens

We are left with the image of the green of the abundant vegetation mixed with the cobalt blue… impressive !!

Details of the Majorelle Gardens

Resting in the Majorelle Gardens

Majorelle Gardens

Majorelle Gardens

Perfect mix of colors in the Majorelle Gardens

It's almost 12 in the morning, so we set off for the station to get the bus tickets for tomorrow to Essaouira. It is almost next to the Gardens, so in less than 10 minutes we find it ... but not before disorienting us a bit as it has been happening to us since we arrived in this city.

Around the station

As it is already in this trip to Morocco They usually try to bundle us, so that in the end we end up buying the tickets somewhere else. In less than 5 minutes, 3 people try to sell us what we are looking for, telling us that their buses are the best. But we stand firm and we end up at the box office of the CTM buses that are the ones we knew through the guide and the forums.
We have taken 2 round trip tickets for 280 dirhams. It is what is marked on the ticket, so we do not believe that we have been scammed ... hahaha

Around the station

After this we go to one of the entrances to La Medina that is right next to the station and we go back to tour, rather, get lost, through the Souk.

Vegetable market in the Souk

Marrakech souk

Colors in the Souk

Book the best rated tours and excursions in Spanish from Marrakech by travelers:

- Free tour of Marrakech Free!
- Camel ride through the palm grove
- 2-day Zagora desert excursion
- Excursion to Essaouira
- 3-day excursion to the desert of Merzouga
- More excursions and tours here

Marrakech souk

We give, almost without realizing it, we find the tintureros' souk, but since it is already after 2 in the afternoon, we take a couple of photos and we are on our way to the Jamaa el Fna Square.

Dinkers Souk

Today we eat at Chez Grougrini, where we had dinner the first day. But before we went to the French Café before, after 15 minutes waiting no one has come and this together with that they have no menu, only menu, has made us decide to go to the other.
We have eaten an omelet with rice and olives, a plate of chicken skewers with rice, potatoes and olives and another one of lamb also with potatoes and olives, plus a cocacola, a lemonade and a tea, all for 160 dirhams. Given!!

Mint tea in Chez Grougrini in Jamaa el Fna Square in Marrakech

The idea was to return to the Riad to rest, but seeing that it is after 4 and we want to see the sunset at Le Café Glacier, we think it is best to get lost again by the Marrakech souks.

And in the end go if we have lost and we have been stressed!
The more I think about it, the more I get stressed ... hahahaha
I understand that it is a "cultural" form of sale but there are times that they don't realize that they end up overwhelming the buyer and all they get is to lose some sale.
In the end, we look at the clock and see that it is already past 5, so we go to the terrace of Café Glacier in the Marrakech Jamaa el Fna Square and we are lucky to find a table next to the railing and although we are ashamed to admit it ... we have been there until the sun has set. It has undoubtedly been the most amortized consumption of our life.

The show begins.Marrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views of Jmaa el Fna Square from Café Glacier in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views of Jmaa el Fna Square from Café Glacier in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

They start to assemble the food stalls.Marrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Riding the awnings on theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

We had never been so long in a bar !! And all for 40 dirhams, for a coke and a lemonade.

Details in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Pastry in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views of the terraces of theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Snail stand in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Trying to paint you with Henna in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views from the terrace of Café Glacier in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views from the terrace of Café GlacierMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views from the terrace of Café Glacier in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Between photo and videos, we are taking our drinks ... waiting for it to get dark to see the incredible show!

Views from the terrace of Café Glacien in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Water

It seems a lie, but we do not get tired of sitting here ... we could be here 4 hours more and not even blink!

Views from the Glacier Café in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views from the Glacier Café in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

Views from the Glacier Café

When we saw that it was night, we decided that it was time to get up and now we go to rest a little before returning to Jmaa el Fna Square for dinner.

Incredible views from the Glacier Café in theMarrakech Jamaa el Fna Square

But before we bought some cupcakes in case tomorrow they don't give us breakfast for leaving so early in Essaouira. It has been the perfect excuse for cupcakes ...
We got the bus at 8 in the morning and they told us that breakfast was served from that time.
In the end, after commenting with the owner that tomorrow they would not wait for us for breakfast, she has insisted that she wait for us at 7 in the morning, at least for coffee, natural orange juice and crepes. He does not know if at that time he will have bread, but the rest will serve us. We will have to eat the cupcakes at another time of the day.
And now we just have to rest and wait for dinner ...

More practical information to prepare your trip to Marrakech

- 50 things to see and do in Marrakech
- The 5 best tours and excursions in Marrakech
- The best desert excursion from Marrakech
- 10 essential places to visit in Marrakech
- 10 essential places to see in Morocco
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Morocco
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Marrakech
- The best free tours in Marrakech for free

It's already 9 pm and we decided it's time to go to dinner. Tomorrow we have to get up early, so it's not a matter of going to bed too late.
We return to Jmaa el Fna Square after a walk of about 10 minutes through a street that arrives directly from the Riad.
Once there almost does not give us time to choose the place to eat, because before we know it, in Spanish they tell us to look no further, that this is the best place to have dinner ... we look and see that it is number 1 , the one they name in almost every forum, so we don't think much more and sit down.
We ate a plate of olives, one of fried potatoes, eggplants, squid and chicken skewers, with two orange juices. All for 95 dirhams.
The truth is that as an experience it is very good, but for our liking we have eaten much better and for little price difference in Chez Chegrouini.
But it is an experience, that being here, you have to try even once.
In the posts of Jamaa el Fna Square, the portions are quite small, although they fill quite a lot.
Everything and with that, we leave happy and we go for a walk around the area, to lower the food. As usual, Jamaa el Fna square It shows how it is for us.
Shortly before 10 at night we return to Riad Assalam with the intention of sleeping and resting… Tomorrow touches excursion to Essaouira!

Day 4
MARRAKECH - ESSAOUIRA - MARRAKECH