Less than four hours' flight from Brussels, between the Atlas mountains and the Agafay desert, Marrakech unfurls its ochre lanes, its souks, its palaces and its gardens. Here are our favourite addresses and experiences in the imperial city.
Where to stay
The Royal Mansour
Fifty-three luxury riads on three levels, each with its own rooftop pool, decorated by artisans from across Morocco. Four restaurants by Michelin-starred chefs Yannick Alléno and Massimiliano Alajmo, the only address in the country to bring together two three-star chefs, a spa, and Lila's Garden for children.
The Villa des Orangers
Steps from the Koutoubia and the Royal Palace, a Relais & Châteaux house arranged around flowered patios and soothing fountains: three pools, a Nuxe spa, and a table of responsible gastronomy, fresh, local and seasonal.
Scarabeo Camp, Agafay Desert
An hour from the city, spacious white tents with careful décor. In the evening, candles, lanterns and a great campfire set the scene for a romantic dinner under a starlit sky, far from everything.
Amanjena
Ten minutes from the medina, thirty-two pink pavilions, an echo of the old city, with private spaces and, for some, their own pools. A marble spa, a play area, and access to one of the country's finest golf courses.
The Oberoi
Among citrus orchards, century-old olive trees and the Atlas, finely decorated suites and private villas, tables of Mediterranean flavours cooked with the estate's own produce, and that unbroken view of the snow-capped peaks.
What to do
The Agafay desert
Thirty kilometres from Marrakech, to be explored by quad, on horseback, by camel, on foot or by electric bike, and in the evening, guided stargazing.
The Palmeraie by hot-air balloon
At first light, sunrise over the Palmeraie of Marrakech and its hundred thousand palm trees, followed by breakfast.
The three valleys of the Atlas
An excursion to meet the Berber communities, over mint tea and traditional pottery workshops, then lunch at Kasbah Tamadot, facing the mountains.
A day in Essaouira
Three hours away, on the Atlantic, the "Pearl of the Atlantic": its jewellers' quarter, its markets, and its tables by the harbour.
Marrakech is best savoured slowly, between the refinement of a riad and the silence of the desert. A city you rarely leave unchanged.
Dreaming of your own stay in Marrakech? Let's talk it through with our specialists.
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