Sunday 22 February 2015

Riad la Famille, a Cozy Riad in the Medina of Marrakech

Here we are letting you know one of our favorite riads in Marrakesh, Riad la Famille.
Just as its name says, this riad is run by a family in Marrakech.
You will feel like you're invited to a true Moroccan family's house!

Lobby of the riad
Something typical about this riad is, the small fountain in the middle of the lobby. It seems the owner likes this white and red color combination.

Entrance
The entrance of the riad. Just like other riads in Marrakech, no sign, no specific indicantions, it's just like someone's home.

Welcome tea
Right after you arrive in the riad, you will be welcomed with tea and cookies. This is my favorite, fekkas (biscotti) ! You should try this at least once in Morocco.

Red twin room
This is a red room, since this riad has just opened in the recent years, the walls and floors seem still new.

Bathroom
Big bathroom with bathtub, which is unusual for this type of small riad.

Riad la Famille, Upper floor
Upper floor
Go up the stairs, then you'll get to the upper floor. It still seems like a typical house in Morocco.

Room with blue color
This is another twin room, painted with blue color. Each room has its own taste.

Bathroom of the blue room
Here also the bathroom is very unique. I've never seen a riad's bath with such a pillar! It also has a bathtub, and the ceramic sink is very beautiful.

Shower room
Another example of a unique bathroom. Look at the shape of this shower room! Colorful sunshine is coming in through the colored-glass window.

Rooftop terrace
Rooftop terrace
When you come to a riad, you should go up to the rooftop. They'll have a nice cozy terrace, you can spend a day as much as you want with  a hot tea.

So many riads in Marrakech, maybe 1,000 or more. But if this will be the riad you're looking for, please let us know!

Riad la Famille
213 Arset Ali Ou Saleh Bab El Khamis - 40 000. Marrakech, Morocco

For booking and inquiry:
Morocco Desert Palm Tours



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Wednesday 11 February 2015

Hamam and Spa Experience in Marrakesh, Refresh Yourself!

Hamam must be one of the things you'd definitely want to try in Morocco. It is a traditional steam bath, you can find anywhere in the cities in Morocco and here in Marrakesh, luxury hamam and spas are waiting for you to have a totally relaxing time.

Moroccan Fragrances
Moroccan fragrance

We visited one of the best hamam & spa in Marrakesh, Heritage Spa. It's right in the middle of the medina,. you might just walk by if you don't know that's exactly the place you are looking for.

Heritage Spa in Marrakech
Entrance of Heitage Spa
You will need a reservation since you will have a private hamam and spa room. Before the start, staff will ask you what type of massage you'd like and you can choose soap and oil for own your hamam and spa experience.

Moroccan soaps and oils
Pickup soap and oil for yourself
You might need to have some idea what kind of soap or oil they have in Morocco. As for soaps, black olive soap called "Savon Noire" is very popular, or you will be able to choose argan soap. also one of the specialties in Morocco. Oils are orange blossom, amber and musk, or sandal wood, so on. Some of them have a very deep Oriental scent.

Changing room in Hamam & Spa
Changing room
After picking up an soap and an oil, you'll be taken to this changing room. Bathrobe, slippers, and disposable underwear is here.You don't have to bring anything on your own.

Entrance to Hamam
To the hamam room
A lady will take you to a hamam room. You'll be impressed to find everything is nice and clean. the traditional Moroccan style courtyard is also worth seeing.

Hamam room
Hamam room
You just need to lie down on a hot stone, that will make you very warm. A lady will wash you with the soap you have chosen. You'd feel like all the bad things around you, not only outside, also inside, are washed away.

Lady for hamam
Washing lady
Just like all the Moroccans, staff here are so nice and friendly. The lady helped me take photos.

Saloon in hamam
Traditional style saloon in Hamam

Teatime in hamam
Tea time
Between the hamam and spa, a little break with tea and sweets. Morocco's sweet mint tea tastes especially good after the hot hamam.

Spa room
Spa room
In this spa room you will have a aroma oil massage about 45 minutes. Slow music and aroma scent will bring you into sweet dreams.

After these 2 hours experiences, you'll be a totally different person! You'd feel your body and the mind is lighter. We can assure you that this will be one of your best experiences in Morocco!

Please contact us if you're interested in Hamam & Spa experience in Marrakesh!
















Tuesday 3 February 2015

Marrakesh Cooking Class is Waiting for You!

Morocco is famous with its local unique food, and you'll have a chance to cook it on your own in a cooking class in Marrakesh!

First, you will go to a souk (old market) to buy vegetables and meat.
Then, at one of the riads in the medina, a Moroccan cook will show you how to make tajine, a Moroccan's traditional stew.
You'll cook it on your own and eat it for your lunch or dinner.
This is a great chance to learn Moroccan cuisine, some Arabic words, and enjoy your original tajine!

Kitchen in a riad
Riad is an old house turned to a hotel, its kitchen is exactly like the one in a Moroccan's house.

Kitchen utensils
Some of the kitchen utensils are traditional ones. As for tajine pot, there are various shapes and sizes, small ones are used for condiments on a table, such as cumin powder.

Prepare vegetables
Very basic vegetables for tajine is onion, tomato, carrot, and potato. And add anything you like so that it looks nice. Meat can be chicken, beef or lamb. And don't forget to add a lot of olive oil!

Cut vegetables
The secret of tajine is natural taste of vegetables. Don't have to add a lot of condiments, if you stew it long time in a tajine pot, vegetables will show you a magical taste!

Tajine with chicken and various vegetables


Stew it at least 30 minutes, 1 hour if you have time. Olive and peas are also favorite ingredients. Then Bon appetit! We don't use fork or spoon, take it with Moroccan bread.

You will be able to get a tajine pot in a souk for yourself. Please try your own tajine at home!

Please contact us if you're interested in a cooking class in Marrakesh.








Sunday 25 January 2015

Try Henna and Tea in Marrakesh, Morocco!

Henna tattoo is very popular in Marrakesh, I think everyone wants to try just one time to see how it's like.

But asking at a lady on the street is a little risky. Does the henna have a good quality? Can she draw well? So we are taking you to a cafe where you can experience very safe authentic henna tattoo!

Henna art
Fist of all, henna is a name of plant, very common in the Northern Africa or India. They make powder with henna leaves and when you mix it with water, you will be able to dye your hair or draw pictures on your hand.

It's not permanent, it'll go away in a week, local ladies think it as one of cosmetics. Drawing pictures on your hand is usually called henna tattoo, but it 's totally safe and healthy, it'll be one of your good memories while travelling in Morocco.

Henna Cafe
This is Henna Cafe, located right in the middle of the medina in Marrakesh. They have a nice terrace on the upper floor and you will be able to experience henna art while having tea or coffee.

henna arthenna art

First, pickup a design from their original brochure. Many of them are flowers and plant patterns and some includes traditional Berber symbols.

Henna artist
A local lady draws the picture deliberately on the back of your hand. Generally, there's no school or teacher, they learn it on their own. The technique differs depending on the artist.

Henna art is getting done
What you see it still putting henna on your hand. When it's done, wait a little while to get dry and wipe out the powder. Then beautiful pattern will be appear on your skin.

Moroccan tea
Moroccan tea
Having tea in the media is one of the best things to do in Morocco. Just wait for a while with tea, chatting with your friends just like Moroccans. The henna artist will put you her finishing touch with lemon juice, which will make your tattoo more vivid.

henna in Marrakesh
Henna art completed
When you wipe it off, you will see the pattern on your skin. This is orange, and there are other several colors. Every morning you see it, you'd feel like you are a bit different person. 

Please contact us if you'd like henna tattoo during your tour in Marrakesh!





Sunday 11 January 2015

New Year's Eve Party in Sahara Desert, Morocco

Every New Year's Eve, we have a big party in the desert hotel or camp site in Sahara Desert, Morocco. Here's one of them, a party in Hotel Nasser Palace in Merzouga.

Fire in the courtyard
The party starts in the big courtyard with a swimming pool. The desert night is so cold, but doon't worry! Fire in huge drum cans make us warm.

New Year's Eve Dinner table
To celebrate the New Year's Eve, we have the dinner at a traditional style restaurants. The menus are harira soup, Moroccan salad, lamb tajine, and many sweets and fruits. Wines are also included.

Santa Claus appears
In the desert, Santa Clause comes on the New Year's Eve to give us presents. He will hand you a gift to each one of you!

Belly dancers
Belly dancing is also one of the highlights of the party. This time, 3 dancers arrived from Spain!

Traditional music
And don't forget our traditional music. You can never experience the same thing anywhere but here in the world. Please join them for playing drums, singing, or dancing.

Coundown fireworks
At the end of the countdown, the fireworks spark in the sky with the clear moon and stars.

New Year's Day
When the night is over, the desert is as quiet as usual and you can spend your New Year's Day in this cozy courtyard as long as you want.

New Year's decoration
At the end and the beginning of the year, the desert is always in the festive mood. In this place at this period, you will have a lifetime experience you will never forget for the rest of your life. This year end, come and join us to spend your last day of the year!

For inquiries,

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Saturday 29 March 2014

Asilah, Stay in the Seaside Apartment along the Atlantic Ocean

Asilah is a small seaside town in Morocco, and it's getting popular lately with its beautiful streets, wall art, and the view of great Atlantic Ocean.

Why not staying your spring or summer holiday here, convenient apartment is provided inside and outside of the town. Here we are showing one of them.

Teatime in Asilah
Tea time along the swimming pool
If you sit at a table near the sea having some tea, you'll feel like you'll be there forever forgetting about everything. It's a magic of Morocco!

Apartment in Asilah
Apartment in Asilah
This is one of the apartments in Asilah, very quiet, a little outside of the town but still enough close to get some food or to visit restaurants.

Hallway in the apartment in Asilah
Hallway of the apartment
They have a great hallway, just like a riad or funduk. Maybe this is a part of the tradition of Moroccan architecture.

Bedroom of the apartment
The room is nice and cozy. They have a kitchen, bathroom and a washing machine is provided.

Seaside street in Asilah
Seaside street in Aslah
The town is small, but there's a long way along the seaside. It'll be fun walking along here in the morning or around the sunset time.

Courtyard
Courtyard of the apartment
A peaceful moment. This place is so close to modernized Tangier, but local people's quiet life is still preserved here. People in Asilah are warm and friendly. Away from the city life, you will be able to have a memorable holiday here.

Please contact us if you're interested in holiday in Asilah!

Monday 10 February 2014

Find Tetouan! UNESCO World Heritage White Walled Town

Morocco has now 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites and Tetouan is one of them. Located in the north part of Morocco, near the Mediterranean Sea, this city has both Moroccan and European atmosphere.

Souk in Tetouan
If you walk in the evening in the medina of Tetouan, it's full of people, just like other cities in Tetouan. It's really fun to walk among local people and see around lots of street shops.

Vegetable Market
Foods in Tetouan seems amazing, vegetables are actually shining. Sweet cakes on the streets are also tempting. You will never get bored just by walking around.

Spanish building
At the end of the 15th century, Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula fled here under the Reconquista (Spanish people reconquered the peninsula), then they built this city. Although the medina is typical Moroccan, some of the buildings have Spanish style.

Brick walls
Just by turning around the corner, you'll feel like you're walking in one of the European cites. Then if you turn again, you'll be in a chaos of a Moroccan medina. Tetouan is a very interesting city.

Royal Palace
Tetouan is a northern basement of Morocco and one of the Royal Palaces is here. Local people are so proud of this.

Cafe in medina
Cozy cafe is also something typical in this city. Having a cafe creme like a local in one of those cafes will make you feel comfortable.

Sandwich in a restaurant
Sandwich was just like a Moroccan. A lot of vegetables, meat, and chips! Just 35 dirhams (4 euros) will make you full!

Find Tetouan with Us!

Imperical Cities, Desert Camping, ChefChaouen & Tangier

by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Other UNESCO World Heritages in Morocco
Marrakech
Fes
Essaouira (video)
Ait Ben Haddou, See the Life of Berber World!
Meknes, Town of History, Architecture, and Great Food!
Volubilis, Roman Ruins and UNESCO World Heritages Site!
Rabat, Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Tour Hassan, the Legacy of the Kings!
El Jadida