A Slice of Local Life in Marrakech Medina, Morocco. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

A Slice of Local Life in Marrakech Medina

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Absorbing a slice of local life in Marrakech medina to gain more insight into how Moroccans live their lives is why we’re spending so much time here. We want to inspire other travellers to spend more time exploring local neighbourhoods and learning more about the everyday life of the locals in the places they visit.

They’re the main aims of our Grantourismo project in a nutshell. Which is why we’re spending two weeks in Morocco in Marrakech (aside from a 3-day escape we’ll do to Essaouira this weekend), rather than travelling further afield as we’ve done on previous trips over the years.

We’ve been spending most of our time here so far in Marrakech’s medina or old city exploring the alleyways around our riad Dar Rocmarra, and on our way to the souqs, and on to the main square Place Djemaa Al Fna.

We have spent a lot of time simply ambling our neighbourhood near Bab Doukkala – and we’ve had just as engaging a time as we have on previous stays when we’ve raced around Marrakech doing all the sights.

Marrakech is just one of those cities that is a constant delight. From dawn until sunset when the main square really comes to life there is non-stop action.

And any direction you move, from the square into the labyrinthine lanes you might come across a silverware market, a string of leather-makers, dessert-makers or a little tea shop where locals come and while away the hottest part of the day the in the shade.

The colour, the action, the movement, it has it all for a photographer, particularly if you travel light on the cameras and keep your eyes peeled for photo opportunities. Now, if you had that kind of colour in your ’hood, you wouldn’t want to leave here either, would you?

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AUTHOR BIO

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A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

11 thoughts on “A Slice of Local Life in Marrakech Medina”

  1. You are right. I definitely wouldn’t want to leave with that kind of color in my every day life. Gorgeous pictures!! Thank you for giving us a peak into local life.

  2. Thanks Lola, I was waiting to get some better weather (it’s been rubbish!), but I thought that a very raw set would do the place justice. Make hay while the sun shines is a good motto for your budding Matador photographers! Really appreciate your comment ‘cos I know you have taste ;)

  3. No way! Should I do a post of freaking fantastic signs in the souq? Or will you do your own? You’ll love it!

    PS: LOL @ your post: Paris Practique :: Packing

    My personal take? Used to hate scarves. Now think they’re underrated.

  4. Colorful photos. Will you be wearing a selection of scarves from now on? ;-) How many extra suitcases of purchases will you be filling over the coming 12 months? Have you set a limit?

  5. Your photos are so GORGEOUS that I feel ashamed to post mine. I’d have to go through my collection, as well, and do some reminiscing of my own. I can’t believe it will be one year in May since we’ve been to Marrakech and Essaouira. My 3-year-old girl (then 2) remembers her awesome, awesome, awesome time in Marrakech…seeing the monkeys, horses, donkeys, snakes, and “the little person”–her words, upon seeing a ‘comedy’ performance on the square.

  6. Jen, thanks so much, really appreciate your comments. Can’t wait to hopefully do Essaouira some justice in the photography department. Love the light there.
    Lara and I were actually discussing today that the square in Marrakech is like a fairground. Look out for that in a post soon!

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