Exploring the vibrant souks and historic fondouks of Marrakech is a journey into the heart of Morocco’s rich culture and lively market scene. With narrow winding alleys filled with colourful textiles, fragrant spices, and intricate handicrafts, the souks offer an enchanting experience for visitors.
The Get Your Guide Souks and Fondouks Walking Tour promised an immersive adventure, allowing travellers to navigate the bustling streets with a knowledgeable local guide. In this review, we’ll delve into the highlights of this tour, sharing insights on what we experienced and how it enhanced our understanding of Marrakech’s vibrant heritage.
Related reading: Riad Accommodation in Marrakech
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Why did we choose the Marrakech Souks and Foundouks Walking Tour Review?
We flew into Marrakech the day before arriving mid-afternoon on British Airways from London Heathrow. Our accommodation was Riad Zaouia one of the beautiful Riads in the Marrakech Riads Angsana Heritage Collection.
We planned to rest in our Riad and enjoy dinner at the group’s Riad Si Said Restaurant. Knowing how difficult the Medina is to navigate our plan was to take the Marrakech Souks and Foundouks Walking Tour to acclimatise ourselves to the crazy alleyways and to learn more about Marrakech and Morocco. Did it live up to its promise? Read on to find out.
The meeting point was at Cafe de France in the main Jamaa el Fnna Square. We managed to locate Cafe de France following signs from our Riad to the Square.
Good to know: Google Maps does not work in the heart of the medina. We advise you to get a paper map from your accommodation.
What we did not know when arriving at Cafe de France ten minutes before the meeting time of 10 am is that every tour of the Medina meets at the same time. It was chaos. At least 100+ travellers were looking for their guide. After about 20 minutes when most of the crowd had departed, we located our guide who was running late.
After a brief introduction on what to expect in the tour and introducing ourselves, we headed off to our first stop the Koutoubia Mosque. A great tip is if you are lost in the maze of the medina look up and find the Koutoubia Mosque and follow that direction and you will be able to get back to the Square.
These structures historically served as rest stops for travellers, traders, and their animals, offering lodging, storage for goods, and sometimes amenities like baths and shops. Foundouks were essential in facilitating trade across the region.
Key characteristics of a foundouk include:
- Courtyard: Typically centered around a large open courtyard, which provided space for unloading goods and animals.
- Arcades and Galleries: Surrounding the courtyard, arcades or galleries often lead to individual rooms for guests and storage spaces.
- Architectural Style: Foundouks often feature traditional Moroccan architectural elements, such as horseshoe arches, intricate tile work (zellige), and carved woodwork.
- Community Role: In addition to serving travellers, foundouks sometimes functioned as marketplaces or centres for artisanal crafts and trade.
In modern times, some historic foundouks have been restored and repurposed as cultural centres, museums, or boutique hotels, preserving their architectural and historical significance.
There are 140 foundouks in Marrakesh.
Our last stop for the tour was to visit the laneway that dyes wool and fabrics. The colourful skeins of wool hang from structures overhead as you wander down the alleyway.
Conclusion
Was the tour worth it? Yes, definitely. We were only a small group which made a difference wandering through the busy medina. Ishmael our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable, so we forgive him for arriving late. Was it too long or too short? The 3 + hours went quickly and by the end the group all agreed it was just about the right length.
Booking a tour such as this really helps you understand the maze of the medina. Along the way Ismael pointed out restaurants and cafes that were in his opinion worth visiting.
Travel Information for Morocco
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Marrakesh Accommodation
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