A restaurant with spectacular views of the sunset in Marrakesh.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Kafe Merstan restaurant and rooftop terrace is located near the spice square and vegetable market.They serve traditional Morroccan food, and prices are very reasonable. It’s ideal for travellers on a budget. I enjoyed one of the tastiest tagines I’ve had here. The quality of the food was very good.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Kafe Merstan is popular during sunset. Tourists arrive to watch the sun go down from the pretty rooftop. It’s a spectacular view, therefore it can get busy during this time of evening.
The interior is traditionally decorated with a contemporary, modern twist. Colourful soft furnishings and rattan lampshades give off a homely, boho vibe.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Seating is upstairs on the rooftop, so people with mobility issues may not find it easily accessible.
Payment is by card or cash downstairs. However, there’s a minimum of 200 MAD for a card payment.
The address for Kafe Merstan is 2 Souk Chaaria Kast Benahid, Marrakech 40000, it’s open every day from 12.00-10.00. The restaurant is close to Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Museum of Marrakech. It’s in a strategic position if you need a break from sightseeing. I found it to be an ideal spot for lunch due to its close proximity to many attractions.
Kafe Merstan offers a good selection of vegetarian dishes, including a very tasty vegetable pastilla.
Kafe Merstan may give you the impression of a no frills restaurant from the entrance. However, the food was good, and it was clean and cosy upstairs.
I recommend coming to Kafe Merstan to watch the setting sun from the rooftop terrace. Arrive early and get a good seat. It’s one of the best views.
Le Salama is a modern restaurant with a lively atmosphere. There is a popular rooftop area that gets very busy with tourists.I recommend booking in advance. I tried to get a seat, and it was virtually impossible.
Inside the restaurant, the decor is traditionally Morroccan with an al fresco vibe. There are beautiful plants throughout, and it feels as though you are sitting somewhere in nature.
There are two bars serving a range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
I ordered a plate of delicious Morroccan pastries with a cold glass of Casablanca beer. Other diners were enjoying a variety of dishes from the menu. The food looked appealing. I decided to book a table on the rooftop terrace for the following evening.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
At 9.00pm each evening, the entertainment begins. Belly dancers perform around the tables, encouraging diners to participate. It was fun to watch everyone having a good time.
Video by Freebird Tracey.
I have to admit that the service was slightly slow. However, it was Ramadan, so exceptions have to be made during this month.
Being a solo female traveller, I didn’t feel conspicuous at all. The waiters were polite and helpful. The fact I only ordered dessert and one drink wasn’t an issue. I didn’t feel pressured to leave, and I was free to enjoy the live entertainment.
Le Salama is steps away from Jamaa El Fna. It’s the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and recharge your batteries. The architecture of the restaurant from outside is interesting.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Le Salama can be found on 40 rue des banques, and it’s open until 2.00 a.m. They serve a good range of cocktails and are open for lunch and dinner. They also have a children’s menu.
L’Mdina has an interesting menu that includes a good variety of options.
They serve tangia, which is tender meat cooked for hours in an earthenware pot. The pot, called a tangia, is left in the embers of the local hammam and collected later in the day. It’s this method of slow cooking that results in the meat falling off the bone. The meat inside is cooked to perfection, succulent, and tender. The fragrant aroma as it is tipped out onto the plate makes your mouth water
Image by Freebird Tracey.
I enjoyed the vegetable tagine, with root vegetables and chickpeas. The sauce was delicately spiced, and the vegetables were cooked how I like them.
The salads at L’Mdina are also delicious. They are created by combining an infusion of delicious flavours together. The result is a colourful, vibrant taste sensation.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
L’Mdina serves Moroccan, Mediterranean, and international dishes with a traditional gastronomic touch. It is located about 2 minutes from the square. People are also welcome to have a coffee and listen to some live music without having to dine in the restaurant. The live musicians play a mix of traditional Morroccan and Latin American music. They entertain diners in the background so that it’s still possible to chat
The restaurant seats 60 people and is beautifully decorated with an authentic Moroccan theme.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The restaurant is a perfect setup. The combination of good food, a relaxing ambience, and the fact that it’s budget friendly makes it a great place to visit.
It is possible to eat outside on a warm evening. This allows guests to experience the restaurant’s vibe combined with the energy of the main square during the evening. L’Mdina is close enough for a break from the hustle and bustle, whilst still feeling a part of it.
There is a set menu at lunchtime for 85 dirhams, and it’s worth every penny. The menu is suitable for vegetarians with vegans also.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
If you are looking for live entertainment and good wholesome food, I highly recommend L’mdina.
The restaurant’s address is 42 rue des banque Marrakech 40000 L’Mdina opens at 12 midday and closes at 23.00. They accept card payments.
Pepe Nero is a popular Italian restaurant tucked away on a quiet street in the medina. They also cook delicious Moroccan cuisine.
Inside the restaurant, there are two pretty courtyards surrounded by lush green foliage and ornate trickling fountains.
I ate here several times and enjoyed the food immensely on each occasion. The menu is creative. They prepare interesting pasta dishes suitable for vegetarians. I had pasta with truffle, and it was beautifully presented and cooked to perfection.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The restaurant serves alcohol, including a selection of good wine, cocktails, and spirits.
The ambience inside the restaurant is relaxing. It can get livelier in the evening, but it never becomes too noisy. Despite the tempo of the music, I never had to raise my voice to be heard. The atmosphere is still conducive to a romantic, intimate dining experience.
Pepe Nero is open for lunch and dinner. As well as two courtyards, there is a nice enclosed dining space. Guests can sit inside or around the pool where bougainvillaea drapes down the wall.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The staff at Pepe Nero are professional and friendly. They are knowledgeable about the food on the menu and help you to make the right choice.
At Pepe Nero, excellent food, elegant surroundings, and friendly service ensure guests receive the perfect dining experience.
The address is 17 Derb Cherkaoul Marrakech 40000 Morocco. Opening hours for the restaurant are 1.00pm until 4.00pm then, 6.00pm until 11.30 daily.
There is a small car park close to the restaurant.
Booking is advisable as this is a popular restaurant and can get busy, especially during the evening.
Krepchy in the Kasbah was a lucky find. I wanted to try somewhere that cooked breakfast as an alternative to eating in my riad.
At Krepchy, there is a good choice, and everything is freshly cooked to order. I was pleasantly surprised by how perfect the waffles were. They were filling, too. Breakfast at Krepchy really set me up for the day.
I enjoyed a pot of mint atay sat outside, chatting with the local people. It was an authentic experience away from the touristic side of Marrakech.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The atmosphere was relaxing and the staff were friendly. They interacted with customers and made sure they were looked after.
The interior decor of this cosy establishment is pleasing. Amazigh artefacts hang from the walls, and colourful Berber rugs are strewn along the floor. It is inviting and warm.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Krepchy has been awarded 5* by Tripadvisor, and it’s not hard to see why.
They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, becoming quite busy during peak times. There’s a good menu with several choices available, including dishes suitable for vegetarian and vegans.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Krepchy is a traditional Morroccon restaurant, popular with tourists and locals alike. The food is competitively priced and ideal for travellers on a budget. For a glimpse into real life in Marrakech, this is one place you’ll find it.
Hours of opening are from 8.00 am. until 1.30 am.The address is Sidi Belabed, Route, Marrakech 40014.
I was lucky to stumble across this wonderful little place in the medina. The music they were playing was enough to keep me happy for a while. There is a chilled, boho vibe in Mandala Society. It’s the kind of environment that attracts all age groups and walks of life.
The restaurant is dedicated to sourcing local ethically produced food that is organic wherever possible. Sustainability is evident from the natural wood, soft lighting, and cosy seating inside the restaurant.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
I went at lunchtime. It was quite busy, so I sat on the rooftop terrace to eat my food. There are views across the medina, and the energy was good up there.
I ordered the avocado toast. The creative way that the chef used seasonal fruit added something special to my meal.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The restaurant is spread across 3 levels. The decor is modern and bright, with a homely welcoming atmosphere.
The staff are friendly, and the menu includes homemade dishes using ingredients that are ethically sourced.
I sat listening to music by The Doors, Bob Dylan, and other great artists. It was such a relaxed vibe. I could have hung out on the rooftop terrace for hours quite happily.
You can find Mandala Society at 159 Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid,Marrakech 40000. The opening hours are 9.30am to 10.30pm daily.
Marrakech is a smoothie lover’s dream come true. Smoothies can be found everywhere. They are one of the most vibrant and refreshing drinks in the medina.Using the freshest fruit from the local market and packed with nutritional goodness, smoothies are the perfect start to the day. I regularly enjoy a detoxifying smoothie for its positive health benefits or as a pick me up during the day. There is no shortage of exotic fruits and vegetables in Marrakech. The markets are alive with colour.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Literally, everything goes into making a delicious smoothie, and in Marrakech, they seem to have perfected the art. Fresh fruit, dried nuts, spiralina, cucumber, avocado, berries, banana, and spinach are just some of the healthy ingredients blended together to make a smoothie. There is an abundance of fruit around the medina, so you can expect colourful, fresh ingredients every time.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Fresh juice is also popular amongst tourists who need something to quench their thirst in the hot African sun. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is tangy and exhilarating. Served with fresh mint, it’s a combination that is both aromatic and refreshing. It’s a taste sensation.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Orange juice made using freshly picked oranges off trees around the medina is a breakfast staple.It is sunshine in a glass.
Mixed fruit juice is another favourite and sold in the main square. Vendors encourage business with friendly banter. They call tourists over to sample their mango and pineapple juice, and it can be fun to watch them competing for business. On the stalls, they display a selection of exotic fruits. It’s exciting watching them make the juice for you.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
My absolute favourite is freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. It is a refreshing tonic and gives me a boost of energy.
I was flagging in the heat hiking around Ouzoud Waterfall. Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice instantly hit the spot. I soon felt revitalised again.
Sugarcane juice is widely available around the medina, also. You can find vendors near Koutoubia Mosque.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Here are a few places I recommend to enjoy a refreshing juice or a healthy smoothie..
Le Ferme Medina.
Henna Art Cafe.
La Famille.
Pikala Cafe.
They each have attractive, comfortable surroundings for a break from sightseeing. There are also plenty of rooftop terraces around the medina. These are great places to enjoy sipping a fruit juice or smoothie, watching all the action below. It’s a pleasant way to get some vitamin C.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
It is important to stay hydrated in Marrakech. The temperature can be hot and humid. I can not underestimate the power of a bottle of water, and you should always carry one with you.
For a healthy treat, consider trying a few of the wonderful juices and smoothies available also. The vitamins and minerals are necessary to function during a hectic schedule.Just remember, there may still be high sugar content, so moderation is key. It’s all about balance.
Shopping in the medina is a fascinating experience, but it can be overwhelming at times. I soon realised that taking a regular break and pacing myself was the best way to enjoy the experience.
Navigating the maze of alleyways in the souks is exciting. There is so much more to them than beautiful leather goods and Moroccan lamps, though.
There are delicious sweets and pastries waiting to be sampled. These compliment the taste of traditional mint tea known as atay perfectly.
There are so many different pastries to choose from. I decided to treat myself to a selection to find out which ones are my favourite. I enjoyed the taste of the almond pastries most of all.
Traditional mint tea is very hydrating. Sitting in a colourful, boho nook drinking mint tea is a perfect way to take time out from the hectic rhythm of the souks.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
If you are shopping in the souks, I recommend that you pace yourselves and take some time to enjoy the experience. Sitting outside a cute little tea shop is the perfect way to do that.
There are plenty of places around the medina selling mint tea with traditional sweets and pastries. Part of the pleasure of exploring is finding these hidden gems.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
A few places I recommend are,
Medina Kawa Marrakech.
La Patisserie de la Terracce Spices
Boughaz Coffee in the Kasbah.
Marrakech has an abundant supply of sweets and pastries, and I suggest trying Baclava. It’s a sweet pastry made of layers of flaky phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts like walnuts, pistachios, or almonds. It’s sweetened with honey and flavoured with spices like cinnamon and lemon juice. This was one of my many favourites.
Berber rugs are handmade by the indigenous Amazigh people of Morocco.
They are made from the wool of sheep in the high Atlas Mountains. Each type of rug tends to vary in thickness, and the pattern also differs depending on which tribe or village has made it.
Kilim Berber rugs have no pile and are relatively fine in texture.They are handcrafted using techniques passed down through generations. To create them natural materials renowned for their durability and luxurious feel are used. Hand-knotting is a long and laborious process. To create a single rug takes around one to two months, with four weavers working on one rug at a time.
There are several steps that go into making a beautiful Berber rug.
1. Shearing the Sheep
Shearing the sheep is the first step in making a Berber rug. This is done by hand, using a special shearing knife. The sheep are first restrained, and then the knife is used to remove the wool from their body in one long strip. The wool is then sorted and cleaned. It is usually the job of the men to shear the sheep, taking care not to injure them or spread infection. The women are responsible for washing the sheared wool.
2. Carding.
Carding is the process of aligning the wool fibers so the weavers can spin them into yarn. To card the wool, the fibres are first combed in one direction, and then the wool is brushed in the opposite direction.This helps to loosen the fibers and align them in the same direction. Once the fibers are aligned, the weavers can then spin them into yarn.Carding is an essential step in making a Berber rug, as it helps to ensure that the rug is strong and durable. The process of carding also helps to give the rug its unique texture. Women are responsible for this process.
3. Spinning the wool into yarn.
To spin the wool into yarn, Amazigh women use something called a drop spindle. This simple tool consists of a shaft with a weight at the bottom. The wool is attached to the shaft, and then the shaft is twirled between the women’s hands. As the shaft is twirled, the wool is wrapped around it, creating the yarn.
4. Weaving the rug.
The village women are responsible for weaving the rugs. Weavers use a technique called continuous knotting to create intricate patterns. This method of knotting allows the weaver to create a rug that is durable and will last for many years.The process begins by the weaver tying knots in the woollen yarn.The yarn is then dyed using natural dyes from plants, spices, and fruits. This gives the rugs their characteristic colours. Once the yarn has been dyed, the weaver begins weaving it into a rug using a loom.The loom is a wooden frame that the weaver uses to create the rugs design. The weaver ties the yarn around the looms warp threads, which are the vertical threads that run through the loom. The weaver then weaves the weft threads, which are the horizontal threads, over and under the warp threads.The weaver can create various patterns by changing the direction of the weft threads. Once the rug is complete, the weaver cuts the rug from the loom and ties the ends of the rug together. The rug is now finished.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Making a Berber rug is a long, laborious task. The women of the village who weaved them rarely get anything near the price they’re eventually sold for. Their husbands load the rugs onto the back of a donkey and take them to a buyer. The buyer gives him a fraction of their value.
Efforts are being made to make sure that ethical practices are being implemented. Many organizations now work directly with Berber artisans to eliminate middlemen, ensuring women receive fair payment for their work. More women are forming cooperatives to manage the entire process, increasing their income.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Berber rugs are beautiful and give a home a wonderful boho vibe. They are hard-wearing and last a lifetime. It’s important when visiting Marrakech to make sure you’re purchasing a genuine Berber rug. There are a few scams, so be mindful. Before you get taken to a shop where you’re promised the best quality and price, do your research.
Les Nomads de Marrakech has a great reputation and can ship rugs back home for you. This is their address, Bennahid #40 Derb Zaouiat Lahdar, Marrakesh 40030, Morocco.
Dar Bouchaib in the Kasbah is a fixed price store that also ships rugs worldwide and has a huge selection.
To find out more about the history of Berber rugs, there is a carpet museum in the souks called The Maison Culturelle du Tapis. It’s worth visiting to learn more about how they’re made. They also have some beautiful vintage rugs on display.
One of the things you will notice when you are in Marrakech is the number of stray cats everywhere. When I first visited the city, I was surprised to see so many. They seemed to be experts at dodging the motorcycles and hiding inconspicuously underneath juice stalls. There were cats sleeping on rugs and cushions in the souks. I witnessed strays giving birth to kittens in narrow alleyways and watched cats prowl along rooftops at dawn.
I took pity on some kittens outside my riad. They looked hungry, and I wanted to do something to help them. I purchased a couple of tins of sardines and carefully wrapped leftovers from my dinner into napkins. I placed the food in a safe place for them.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The next moment, cats appeared out of nowhere, also expecting to be fed. This made me feel very guilty. It was a case of first come, first served, and I didn’t have enough food to go around. I went home to the UK feeling really sorry for all the strays and the fact that I couldn’t do anything to help them all.
The next time I visited marrakech, I saw things from a different perspective. Cats are seen as ritually pure in the Islamic faith and highly regarded. According to the Prophet Muhammad, cats are allowed access to homes and mosques because they don’t create impurity.
I stayed in three riads, and each one had a resident cat, who was very well cared for. I noticed restaurants leaving food outside and butchers dropping scraps of meat on the floor.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Many of the cats were being cared for, and some were actually thriving. I noticed bowls of food and water around the medina. Shop vendors were putting food outside every morning. Tourists were secretly dropping food on the floor, and the cats knew exactly where to go to find it all.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
On the whole, the cats appear to be content. They laze around on stalls, sleepily acknowledging tourists. They find shade in the plant pots of courtyards and hide amongst the trailing flowers on rooftop terraces.
They don’t exist in the same way domesticated cats do in the west. However, they’re not being ill treated any more than elsewhere in the world. Once, a man got off his motorcycle in the busy souk and moved a little kitten to the safety of a quiet alleyway.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
When you first come to Marrakech, seeing all the stray cats may shock you. I was the same. After closer inspection, I came to the conclusion that the situation wasn’t as dire as I first thought. The cats are free to roam, and somehow, they have mastered the art of avoiding motorcycles and carts in the souks. The roads around Marrakech are chaotic, and I’m happy to say that I have never spotted an injured cat.
Of course, I’m aware that life could be better for stray animals. In an ideal world, they would have access to flea treatment and regular veterinary care. They would also be neutered to keep the population under control.
Recently, there has been a surge in tourists rescuing stray cats around Marrakech. Many are being taken back to European countries to begin a new life. Tourists are working with local vets to get injured cats treated and all their vaccinations done. Many people are willing to pay a lot of money to rescue cats.
For the cats that remain in Marrakesh. They have learnt how to survive. They only know one life and have adapted to it. On the whole, local people are kind and compassionate towards them. Plus, in all the years of visiting Marrakech, I’ve never seen a single rat in the city.
The Sound Of The Souks 