Marrakech Guided City Tour Of Medina And Gradens

Begin the day with a visit of the Majorelle Garden and the Museum of Islamic art.

The Majorelle Gardens– The Majorelle Garden is filled with colorfulwalkways, ponds, cactus and plants as well as a beautiful shop with hand-made goods.The Majorelle Gardens are a lush, garden estate designed by Jacque Majorelle and maintained by Yves Saint Laurent.

The Majorelle Garden, previously the Jardin Bou Saf, bears its name from its original creator, Jacques Majorelle, the French expatriate artist who was born in Nancy France in 1886. Jacques Majorelle was the son of the celebrated Art Nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle. In 1947 he opened his gardens to the public and during this time also painted a magnificent ceiling space at La Mamounia, a five-star hotel with gardens and the place where Alfred Hitchcock wrote, “The Birds.” Jacques Majorelle studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Nancy in 1901 and later in 1919 he went to Marrakech, Morocco to recover from heart problems. He built the garden during those years using special color of blue which he used extensively in the garden that is named after him, Majorelle Blue. Jacques Majorelle returned to France in 1962 after a car incident and died later that year of complications from his injuries. As a collector of unique plants from five continents Jacque Majorelle left to Saint Laurent one of the more unique collections of flore and fauna of this era as well as a place of inspiration and contemplation. Even though Morocco is no longer under the French protectorate, this originally French creation is one of the most beloved areas in Morocco.

After your visit on our way to the old medina, we will pass by the La Mammounia Hotel Garden where Alfred Hitchcock wrote the famous film The Birds and then onto El Bahia Palace.

Next we will visit 12th century Koutouba Mosque and its influential minaret along with the Mausoleum of Lalla Zohra. Lalla Zohra was a former slave whose mythology is that she turned into a dove at night and performed miracles.

The Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens– 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 the model for the Giarlda of Seville and for the Hassan Tower of Rabat. The name is derived from the Arabic al-Koutoubiyyin for librarian, since it used to be surrounded by sellers of manuscripts. It is considered the ultimate structure of its kind. The tower is 69 m (221 ft) in height and has a lateral length of 12.8 m (41 ft). Six rooms (one above the other) constitute the interior; leading around them is a ramp by way of which the muezzin could ride up to the balcony. It is built in a traditional Almohad style and the tower is adorned with four copper globes.

El Bahia Palace – The El Bahia Palace in Marrakech is a beautiful building and an excellent example of Eastern Architecture from the 19th century that represents trends and standards of the wealthy who lived at that time. It was built for Ahmed Ibn Moussa (or Ba Ahmed) between 1894 and 1900 in the Alawi style that was popular at the time. Craftsmen were brought from Fes to work on this monumental task which took approximately fifteen years to complete. It is said that the palace was built as a home for Ba Ahmed’s official concubines, and it has also been said that the importance or favor of each concubine increased along with the size of their bedroom. The name ‘Bahia’ means ‘palace of the beautiful.” There are 160 different rooms in the palace which are sprawled out in an open, rambling fashion. Decorations take the form of subtle stucco panels, zellij decorations, tiled floors, smooth arches, carved-cedar ceilings, shiny marble (tadlak) finishes and zouak painted ceilings. The palace is surrounded by an eight-hectare garden.

►Next visit the sixteenth century Saadian Tombs with its stark towers, the ruined 16th century El Badhi palace, and the Mellah and the Jewish quarter.

The Saadian Tombs – The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were only recently discovered (in 1917) and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The tombs have, because of the beauty of their decoration, been a major attraction for visitors of Marrakech. The mausoleum comprises the corpses of about sixty members of the Saadi Dynasty that originated in the valley of the Draa River.

►Your guide will then help you navigate through the labyrinth like streets and alleys of Djemma El Fna Square. Enjoy the aromatic streets, taste the fresh squeeze orange juiceand venture into the souks (shops) specializing in Berber carpets, silver jewelry, artisan workshops,handmade shoes, tanneries, etc.  Marrakech is a city of underground channels built by the architects from Cordoba, Spain to provide water for the town and Palmery.

►Enjoy a three- course lunch consisting of fresh salad, tajine and fruit at one of Marrakech most delectable restaurants.

The Jewish Mellah – Founded in 1558 by Moulay Abdallah, the Mellah district was designated as the Jewish quarter in Marrakech. At the time of the Spanish religious wars, Jewish refugees were escaping the country, and were offered this little piece of security by the Sultan.

The Old Spice Market– The Rahba Kedima is a colorful market filled with a wide array of spices from Cumin, Cinnamon, Saffron, Dried Pepper and more.

►After lunch visit the contemporary Moroccan Art Museum or Tiskiwin, a private museum in Marrakech that is dedicated to popular arts & crafts, styled as a beautiful Spanish-Moroccan house, next door to Dar Si Said palace, a smaller version of the Bahia.

►Extended Evening Tour: On our final visit we will travel to the new city, French, Gueliz also referred to as the garden district and the home of the Menara Gardens and Agadal Gardens.

Evening Dinner & Chez Ali Show Option:

Departure for Dinner & Chez Ali Equestrian & Moroccan Music Show.This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a traditional Meknes style Fantasia. Berber folklore and a wide range of musical styles from Moroccan groups such as Chabbi musicians, Rap and Gnaoua are performed. Attendees will see jugglers. the flying carpet, belly dancing and finally the Fantasia show.

MENU: Three CourseDinner:  Entree: Harira Soup. Main Course: Mishwei & Couscous. Desert: Fruit & Pastries served on site in Marrakech’s lush palmary.

Marrakech Sites: Gardens, Museums & Monuments Visited on This Tour

• 1 Majorelle Garden & The Museum of Islamic Art
• 2 The Mosque of Koutoubia, Koutoubia Gardens & Tomb of Lalla Zohra
• 3 The Bahia Palace
• 4 El Badi Palace
• 5 Ben Youssef Medersa
• 6 Musee de Marrakech and Almoravid Koubba
• 7 Marrakech Souks, Ramparts & Medina
• 8 Saadian Tombs
• 9 Musee Dar Si Said & Museum Tiskiwin
• 10 Menara Gardens & Agdal Gardens – Option