The red city Marrakech does not only belong to the UNESCO world heritages, but also has an aspiring techno scene. Travelling to the Moroccan city means diving into a comprehensive culture with fantastic food, sights and electronic music events.
Located at the bottom of the Atlas mountains, Marrakech catches the eye with its red houses and buildings, coining the appearance of the city. The heart of the Moroccan city is the market place Djemaa el Fna which figures as the entrance to the Medina. This souk is the medieval city of the Berber era. Between its labyrinthine alleyways you can find countless bustling shops offering traditional clothes, pottery, lamps, carpets, spices and jewellery. Tip: look for the sign to the restaurant ‘Terrasse des épices’, because in that area you’ll find a barber shop, a patisserie and some boutiques of young designers.
Another typical but special sightseeing spot which should be on your list is Jardin Majorelle, a beautiful botanic garden which famous owner was Yves Saint Lauren. Although Marrakech is known as the ‘red city’, the “Majorelle blue” was coined here by the gardens erector Jacques Majorelle, who brought a worldwide variety of plants and seeds to this wonderful piece of earth.
Food
The Moroccan kitchen offers a full-flavoured taste as it mostly includes sweet, sour, salty and bitter ingredients. Almonds, dates and plums are not only part of desserts, but also of lunch and dinner dishes. Tajines the traditional clay pot works like a miracle and reveals super tender and flavoured chicken, beef, vegetable and couscous dishes. The local tea with fresh herbs and – yes a lot of sugar – comes with nearly every meal of the day and is unbelievably tasty, als well as the melon juice which is offered in this area as well.
Nomad, Le Jardin and Café des Epices
Nomad offers a wonderful view over the roofs of the Medina and to the mountains, accompanied by simple “Modern Moroccan” cuisine. Revisions of traditional local cuisine and international dishes with a Moroccan twist. The restaurant also belongs to Le Jardin and Café des épices. By entering Le Jardin through an unassuming door, you come into a secret lush garden and can enjoy traditional Morrocan and European cuisine. ‘Café des Epices is an obligatory stop in the heart of the Marrakesh souks. Nestled in one of the most typical squares of the medina, the Café was the pioneer of the new Marrakech food scene.’
Located in the heart of the Medina and created by the same architect as Café des Epices, Terrasse des épices is like a place to relax and breath in the middle of the labyrinthine. ‘The card is simple, family and quality. Moroccan and international, chocolate desserts have already become a specialty of the house.’
Located in the Majorelle Garden, this beautiful restaurant offers traditional and regional breakfast and lunch options in an exclusive scenery. Tip: The beef Tajine and the salad variation.
Hotel
Villa Janna , the place where the Innervisions event took place recently, is a magical luxury mud construction boutique hotel. With its sustainable approach, it is also the biggest eco-responsible complex in raw earth in Africa and Morocco. ‘Villa Janna, is an ecolodge in the Palm grove of Marrakesh. It is a place of exception beauty, built entirely with raw earth, eco-friendly and following Moroccan traditions.’
Techno Scene, Festivals and Events
Innervisions Marrakech party, Oasis Festival and Atlas Electronic: One techno highlight follows the other. Time to take a closer look at the scene of Morocco. Here are some of the events that are currently causing a sensation worldwide.
The Innervisions Marrakech event took place beginning of July – and at the latest then – convinced techno lovers worldwide about the growing scene in Marrakech.
After a sold out event in 2017, this year the festival will start it’s fourth edition with acts like Peggy Gou, Avalon Emerson, Honey Dijon, Damian Lazarus, Stephan Bodzin (Live), Dennis Horvat, Carl Cox and RØDHÅD – a mixture between well known acts of the techno and house scene as well as underground artists. 14-16 September may be a good reason to travel to the beautiful country of Morocco.
‘Started as an intimate festival, Atlas Electronic Music, Arts & Culture Festival has grown to offer a platform in various, sometimes quite literal ways. The elaborate four-day programming includes various underground electronic sounds, borderless cross-over acts, exclusive artistic collaborations, inspirational cultural encounters, and a nomadic luxury On-site Desert Camping.’ 30 August – 3 September may be another good reason to travel to Marrakech. On the line-up: Jamie xx, John Talabot, Job Jobse and many more.
Find about more about the current artists, promoters and events as well as some background information about the techno culture in Morocco within the podcast episode with Jalil Bourekba, a producer, DJ and music lover from Morocco. With a huge knowledge of the electronic music scene in the Arabic country he is giving us great insights about festivals, parties, people and of course his very personal travel tips.
What are your favourite spots in Marrakech? Join us in the closed community for techno&travel lovers worldwide and share your thoughts with likeminded people.