Marrakech, Morocco Is Either Love At First Sight, or...
...the constant pestering by pseudo guides, sellers and touts will turn you off on the charm and beauty of this place. No matter what area of Morocco tourists visit, no one eliminates Marrakech. Simple to get to by grand taxi, petit taxi, public bus, car or airplane with an abundance of sights and cacophony of noise. After the smaller towns, devoid of offensive touts, Marrakech was a shock and assault to the senses. I don't think our taxi driver had ever visited Marrakech before and he drove round and round for an hour searching for the hotel before his macho pride allowed him to ask for directions.
The Hotel Tichka was a new modern hotel within walking distance of the old city with a swimming pool and all the amenities. We had two full days to take in all the Marrakech sights and wasted no time hiring an official and licensed guide through the hotel.
Official guides can be hired through tourist offices and most good hotels, are trained by the Moroccan National Tourism Board and speak excellent English. They wear either a brass badge or a laminated card. However, only you can decide which of Marrakech's important sights to see. Do your homework before arriving since there is plenty to occupy a person for many days. Your guide will receive a commission from shopkeepers for steering you into their shops and you don't have to shop. Just tell your guide beforehand. I love to shop...not necessarily to buy...and really didn't care what the guide made if we decided to buy anything (we didn't).
On this first day of sightseeing, the guide took us to the Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs which shelter the remains of rullers of the Saadian dynasty, walked us through the Menara and Aquedal gardens and a short trip into the Kasbah to orient ourselves.
The Saadian tombs, dating from the 16th century, are located in the heart of the Kasbah. They are beautifully preserved, have intricate mosaics and was a standout in the sightseeing sweepstakes. This site may have been a burial ground before the Saadian period, but the earliest known burial dates from 1557. I won't bore you with detailed information on all the sites in Marrakech and/or Morocco and instead suggest you buy any one of these books - Lonely Plant Morocco (Lonely Planet Guidebooks), Eyewitness Travel Guide to Morocco, or The Rough Guide to Morocco - all excellent.
We finished the afternoon sightseeing with a trip to the world famous Djemaa el Fna...
