Walking Tour of Marrakech

Q: My wife and I will be visiting Marrakech in April 2012. We love discovering a new city on foot and wandered if you know of any organised walking tours that cover the city centre? Also, what other attractions should we visit and what is the weather like in April? - Jean Munro

A: Isango organise a great walking tour of the old city of Marrakesh, which is renowned for its architecture and open-air markets.You get to stroll along along the bustling alleyways and see the mosques, traditional bakeries, old lodging houses and fountains carved of wood. Explore the historical attractions of 14th century Ben Youssef Medersa, and the 12th century Kubba El Baroudyine, known for their contribution to history and architecture. Visit Djemaa el-Fna, a huge square in the medina (old town) with open-air food stalls, storytellers, snake-charmers, musicians and shops selling garments, artwork, jewellery and footwear. The cost starts at around R250 per person, although you and your wife can take a private tour with a guide for around R400 per person. The price includes transfers to and from your hotel. You can find out further details on the www.isango.com website. You can email them on support@isango.com or telephone their United Kingdom office on +44 0203 355 1240. Besides the attractions covered by your walking tour, you should also experience a visit to a hammam for a steam, massage and scrub. If you are adventurous, you can head for one on your own, but you can do it as part of a half-day tour experience, where the guide will take care of everything. Another attraction you may want to visit is the La Bahia Palace. This 19th-century building was once home to a harem and it is known for its painted wood, ceramics and symmetrical gardens. Built by one of the sultans, it was ransacked on his death, but it retains its sense of beauty. Check out the rooms, which vary in size according to the importance of each wife or concubine. Use an on-site guide and you may get to hear some saucy details. If you are interested in the history of the region, head for Maison Tiskin, a private house at 8 derb El-Bahia filled with the arts and crafts collection of a Dutch anthropologist. Among the exhibits are masks from Mali and an entire Berber tent made of camel hair. A museum worth visiting is the Musée de Marrakech, which opened in 1997. Exhibitions change, but it is worth it just to explore the building (www.museedemarrakech.ma).One of the most popular excursions is to take a one-day trip along the Berber trail high up in the Atlas Mountains in a 4x4 vehicle. Meet the Berber people in the valleys and up at the summit. For a real treat, take an overnight trip, staying in one of the villages. If you prefer something more active you can try your hand at quad biking, paragliding or riding a camel on an organised excursion. Most popular is to spend a half-day quad-biking through the dunes followed by a camel ride in the afternoon (www.dunesdesert.com). An alternative is to do a cookery course with the Berber people, where you will visit the markets and learn to bake traditional bread. During April there is a chance of occasional rain, but the temperate weather makes it ideal for walking around. Temperatures during this month range from a minimum of 12 degrees Celsius to a maximum of 23 degrees. (8/1/12)