“Before Marrakech, everything was black,” Yves Saint Laurent once said. The city’s labyrinthine streets, vibrant markets, and welcoming host culture proved to be a fount of inspiration for the 20th century’s jet set, including Saint Laurent himself but also Mick Jagger, Paul and Talitha Getty, Jane Birkin, and more. The thing is—Marrakech isn’t the type of place you go just once. This isn’t the beach resort you reserve for your honeymoon, or the grand one-and-done safari where a single trip feels like enough. This city is a near-unknowable chameleon, ever-changing in its complexity, inviting endless return visits. There are still glimmers of that jet set past; but more excitingly, there are glimpses of its future, too.
If you haven’t been in several years (or ever), now is an excellent time to visit. Since the recent earthquakes, the general consensus in Morocco appears to be a resounding, whole-hearted invitation for the world to come visit: tourism dollars are more crucial than ever in driving on-the-ground economies and supporting local jobs. And while there are a handful of museums and attractions in Marrakech that are temporarily closed for structural repairs, you can always save those for a return visit—to my earlier point, Marrakech is the kind of place where you’ll be back.
That’s why the arrival of several gorgeous, design-forward riads this year feels especially apropos—each provides a quintessentially Moroccan experience, yet also imagines its own unique future for this country’s unique brand of haute bohemianism. Here are three to bookmark for your next journey through the Red City.
Courtesy of Izza