Wondering what to expect on your travels to Morocco? Italian travel photographer Andrea Flisi joins us on the blog with a photo tour of Marrakech. Souks & spices, colors & crafts, the city is an incredible journey for the senses.
Welcoming is one of the most valuable traits of Moroccan culture, and Marrakech greets you with these huge, wonderful gates, conveying that the city is open to everyone.
A welcoming spirit by the people of Marrakech is shown by decorating the doors of the houses with vibrant colors, intricate shapes, and attention to detail.
As soon as you enter the Medina, you are immediately attracted to the colors and forms of the local craftsmanship and its manufacturers... The undisputed protagonists of the city.
People here survive thanks to what they produce. In fact, the markets – or souks - of Marrakech are divided into product areas: vegetables and fruits, fabrics, ornaments, leathers and spices. The day begins very early in the Medina, and here a man transports his vegetables to the stand where he will spend the day selling them.
While walking through the city center, it is very easy to get stuck into the traffic of the Medina’s alleys. But it's not the traffic we're used to... Here you have to dodge mopeds, donkey carts and street vendors.
One of the crafts in which the artisans of Marrakech excel is the handwork of copper lamps. They are sold throughout the city and are used as ornaments and to illuminate rooms with a soft, diffused light.
There is no better place than Souk el Attarine to experience all the senses of the city. Here the spice shops open their doors, releasing their fragrances and displaying the vibrant colors of the many spices used for fabric, medicine, and cooking.
Enter any of the spice shops and you will be transported on a journey of sensations. The scent of natural incense just left to burn is itself a mystical experience of well-being and fusion with nature itself.
Another sensory experience is the process of leather curation: the smells of pigeon dung in the treatment process, the noise of the men who beat the fresh skin, the view of the vats filled with limestone and water.
Just outside the tanneries there are different shops selling the leather products.
Most of the processed leather is dedicated to the production of babouche shoes, leather bags, leather jackets and pouffes.
The main leather tanneries in Marrakech are located in the Bab Debbagh quarter in the north end of the medina.
The main square, Jemaa el-Fna, changes when night falls and is overcome by dozens of stands that offer typical dishes of all kinds. Music and dances attract the attention of passers-by, suddenly everything turns into a pleasant, charming bustle
It's amazing how a rainy day gives way to an explosion of colors in the sky when the sunset comes. Shades of purple, deep teal and orange make the perfect frame for the mosque of Koutoubia, the largest mosque in Marrakech.
About Andrea
Andrea Flisi was born in a remote, foggy village in the north of Italy where he discovered a love of photography. Photography allows Andrea to escape, unwind and open his world to things he would never normally do. Andrea loves meeting new people, hearing stories, and sharing them through photography. Some of his most memorable moments have been camping, hiking, photographing, location scouting, or just simply exploring. Andrea enjoys telling stories about people, cultures, places and emotions using camera. Check out his blog and follow him on Instagram.
Photo credits: Andrea Flisi. All Rights Reserved.
