World City Guide

Further Distractions

Menara Gardens
With its backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, it is no surprise that the Menara Gardens are one of the most photographed places in Morocco. It is also a popular place among locals for picnics. The best time to come is late afternoon (or evening if it is light enough) when most of the tourists have left. More a working farm than a garden, the Menara was laid out in the 12th century by the Almohads. Around 30,000 olive trees are set around a magnificent water pool, which is filled with fish. They regularly leap above the surface to the surprise of passing walkers. The well-kept pavilion house, the menzeh, was built much later in 1870. The first-floor open balcony offers a wonderful view over the large expanse of water towards the mountains.

Avenue de la Menara, two kilometres (one mile) east of the medina
Transport: Petit taxi or calèche; or bus 11.
Opening hours: Daily dawn to dusk; closed daily 1200–1500.
Admission: Free (gardens); Dh10 (menzeh).

Museums
Marrakech has three excellent little museums, all set in historic buildings and offering fine, well-displayed collections of local crafts and fine arts. The Musée Dar Si Saïd (Museum of Morocco) is the official collection of fine carpets, carvings, jewellery, musical instruments and arms, housed in the 19th-century home of royal chamberlain, Sidi Said. The route through the museum flows into one grand room after another, with some peaceful walled gardens complete with fountains in which to relax. Most of the displays have explanations in French and Arabic only. Nearby, the Musée Tiskiwin is a beautiful riad (merchant’s house) containing the private collection of folk crafts belonging to Dutch expatriate, Bert Flint. It is a small, homely museum with a rather random collection of artefacts but it is charming nonetheless. Despite being around the corner from the Musée Dar Si Saïd, the entrance is poorly signed and it is easy to get lost. Most local shopkeepers should be able to point visitors in the right direction. In the heart of the souk, the Musée de Marrakech (Museum of Marrakech) is another magnificently restored 19th-century mansion, built by the Menebha family and now displaying fine art, carpets, jewellery, furniture, ceramics, textiles and manuscripts. Again, all information is in French with no English translation, but the beautiful building alone makes the place worth a visit.

Musée Dar Si Saïd
Off Rue Dar Bahia, near Bahia Palace
Opening hours: Wed–Mon 0900–1215 and 1500–1815.
Admission: Dh20.

Musée Tiskiwin
8 Rue Dar Bahia, near Bahia Palace
Opening hours: Daily 0900–1230 and 1500–1630.
Admission: Dh15.

Musée de Marrakech
Place Ben Youssef (in the souks)
Opening hours: Daily 0930–1800.
Admission: Dh30.
Transport: All three museums are accessible only by foot, although a petit taxi or calèche can drop a visitor within about 200m (650ft).