Marrakesh

Riad Marianis
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In Marrakesh we stayed in a beautifully restored traditional Riad (a house with a rooftop terrace and central open courtyard) in the medina. It's definitely worth staying in a Riad just to get a feel for this traditional way of living, mind you they have been renovated and many are really delicious in their design. Our Riad, Riad Marianis (see review), was worth every penny.

As for Marrakesh, well there are some similarities with Fes but its far more tourist infested. Marrakesh we had been told had folded to the tourist dollar and the changes that brings, not that I blame it, when there's money to be had in a poor country go for it I say! However, for travellers it can sometimes be a little disappointing.

Palace in Marrakesh
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The palaces are still gorgeous and there a plenty more of them in Marrakesh than elsewhere it seems and the enormous square, Djarma El Fna (I think I have that right), is not only huge but also manic. It's cram-packed with snake charmers, dancers, drummers, soothsayers, fortune tellers, dancers (who strangely enough were men dressed as women), cauldrons of steaming snails, witch doctors and 'dentists' to extract troublesome teeth for a few dhiram.

I really enjoyed Marrakesh, but if I compare it to Chef, Essaouira or even Fes it does come up bottom of the list.