Imagine rows of trestle tables set up every evening to serve up barbecued kebabs, boiled snails, mouthwatering tajines and an array of more or less appetizing other foodstuffs! You won't need a second guess. This is Marrakech- an enchanting city seated at the foot of the snowy High Atlas Mountains.
With rose-colored walls set within lush green gardens, olive groves, and palmeraies, this is one of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities. Its very name conjures up images of magic carpets and snake charmers – and not without reason. After dark, the central square in the medina, Jemaa-el-Fna, comes to life and puts on a show little changed since medieval times. It's a riot of enticing color, noise, and smells, with dancers, fire-eaters, acrobats, snake charmers, and fortune-tellers. Around this vast open space stretch the shadowy alleyways of the souks; a vast marketplace selling herbs and potions, carpets and candles, jewelry, spices, meat and metalwork. Marrakech has long been an important crossroads and trading centre for the Arabic, Berber, black African and, more recently, European civilizations. Today, it is a unique cultural melting pot, where the foods, wares, museums, and gardens are unlike anything found anywhere else in the world. Any visit to Marrakech will center on the medina and square of Jemaa-el-Fna, the heart of the city. Many of the attractions are within walking distance of the square, with the rest being just a short taxi ride away. The numerous souks offer the chance to become fully involved in city life, elevating shopping to an attraction in its own right. Whether making purchases or just soaking up the atmosphere, it is impossible not to get swept along with the crowd. By Moroccan standards, Marrakech has something of a reputation for its nightlife, which covers modern discos to belly dancing. The medina provides traditional evening entertainment in the form of cafés, food stalls and street entertainment, with everything revolving around Jemaa-el-Fna. Note, however, that it is not a common custom to drink alcohol outside. In bars that sell alcoholic beverages, drinkers consume beer inside and glasses of coffee on the terrace. | 
