A postcard from NOUÏKKA: Marrakech through our eyes
Dear NOUÏKKA-lovers;),
Marrakech is one of those places that never truly leave you. Long after the journey ends, its colours remain vivid in the mind: the saturated blue of Majorelle, the blush of old walls at sunset, the deep green of hidden gardens, the terracotta dust of the streets, the glimmer of brass, silk and glass in the souks.
Every time we return, we fall in love with a different side of the city. Marrakech is a place of contrasts in the most beautiful sense — ancient and modern, earthy and glamorous, chaotic and serene. It is a city that constantly inspires us with its textures, craftsmanship, gardens, street life and unmistakable atmosphere.
Gueliz: The Elegant Pulse of the New Town
This time, we found ourselves especially drawn to Gueliz, Marrakech’s “new town”, where wide boulevards, Art Deco traces and contemporary boutiques create a rhythm all of their own.
Mornings here begin slowly and beautifully — perhaps with a traditional noss noss, a matcha and pastry at Blue Ribbon, or breakfast at the iconic Grand Café de la Poste, where black-and-white tiled floors, palms and overhead fans still evoke the glamour of another era.
Once developed during the French protectorate, Gueliz today reveals a more cosmopolitan side of Marrakech. It is full of cafés, restaurants, fashion, design and a buzzing day-to-day street life that feels both modern and unmistakably Moroccan.
Beautiful Places to Eat
Food in Marrakech is always part of the journey. Every coffee stop, leisurely lunch or rooftop dinner seems to become a moment in itself.
In Gueliz, our absolute favourites this time were +61 and Pétanque — both places we will keep returning to for their atmosphere, style and delicious food. They capture that effortless, modern side of Marrakech we always enjoy so much.
In the Medina, our favourite new discovery was Flowers, which immediately won us over with its beautiful setting and fresh, inventive feel. We also loved Limoni, the charming restaurant owned by our Italian riad host Adriano — a true oasis in the middle of the Medina, with wonderful food and a calm, hidden-garden atmosphere that makes you want to linger.
Adriano’s riads themselves are equally special: wonderful places to stay, full of charm, thoughtfully designed and yet refreshingly affordable. They feel like true retreats in the midst of the bustling energy of the old town — peaceful, characterful and beautifully composed. You can immediately sense Adriano’s eye for detail and atmosphere. As a trained architect and later a set designer for international film projects, he clearly has both a vision and a gift for creating spaces that feel soulful, elegant and utterly welcoming.
For rooftop drinks, we always find ourselves returning to El Fenn. The terrace is simply magical, especially as the light begins to soften towards evening, and a visit to the beautifully curated boutique is always a treat as well.
Beyond these personal favourites, Marrakech is full of places that make every meal feel special — long lunches in leafy courtyards, stylish dinners under the open sky and those perfect in-between moments of coffee, apéro and something delicious shared.
The Magic of Majorelle
No visit to Marrakech feels complete without time spent at the Majorelle Garden.
Created by Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, it is much more than a garden — it is a world of colour, imagination and calm. The famous Majorelle blue feels almost unreal in its intensity, especially against the lush greens of cacti, bamboo and exotic plants from across the continents.
There is something deeply inspiring about this place. It is graphic and serene, vivid and meditative all at once. One instantly understands why Yves Saint Laurent returned here again and again, and how profoundly this atmosphere shaped his creative vision.
The Medina: Getting Lost Beautifully
The Medina remains one of the most magical parts of Marrakech — not because it can be fully planned, but because it cannot.
We love starting near Dar El Bacha, wandering past beautiful shops and then simply getting lost in the souks. It is here that Marrakech reveals its most layered beauty: leather belts, handmade babouches, straw bags, old kilim cushions, carved wood, ceramics, textiles and countless small treasures that seem impossible to resist.
The Medina is never just about shopping. It is about mood, movement, colour and discovery. A hidden courtyard, the scent of spices, the sound of voices drifting through a narrow alley, the sudden stillness behind an old carved door — these are the moments that stay with you.
Shopping for Inspiration
Marrakech continues to be one of our favourite places to discover beautifully made things.
In the souks and Medina, we love browsing places such as Mustapha Blaoui, Topolina, Corinne Bensimon and Chez Hicham, as well as all the unexpected finds in between. In Gueliz, wonderful stops include Lalla, Some, Marie Bastide, Marrakine, Sook Paris and Florence d’Arabie.
Near Majorelle, we always enjoy 33 Majorelle, MORO and Chabi Chic. And for a more contemporary, atelier-based experience, Sidi Ghanem is full of inspiring addresses — from interiors and ceramics to fashion and textiles. It may be less romantic than the Medina, but it offers a fascinating glimpse into Marrakech’s modern creative energy.
Sidi Ghanem: Marrakech’s Creative Edge
One of the things we love most about Marrakech is that it is never frozen in nostalgia. The city is alive with contemporary makers, designers and artisans who are building something new while remaining deeply connected to Moroccan craftsmanship.
That energy is especially tangible in Sidi Ghanem, where showrooms, workshops and studios sit side by side in a more industrial setting. It is the kind of place you visit in the morning, moving from atelier to atelier, discovering ceramics, textiles, furniture, clothing and objects that feel rooted, modern and full of character.
Little Escapes Beyond the City
Part of Marrakech’s magic is also how quickly it leads you somewhere entirely different.
Within a short drive, the city gives way to desert camps, olive groves, mountain views and long countryside lunches. Whether it is a night in Agafay, lunch at Kasbah Bab Ourika, a poolside afternoon at Beldi Country Club, or a hammam followed by mint tea and sunshine, these small escapes are part of what makes time in Marrakech feel so rich and varied.
Why Marrakech Inspires Us Again and Again
What we love most about Marrakech is that it can be many things at once. One moment you are sitting in an Art Deco café in Gueliz, the next you are deep in the souks bargaining for belts and babouches, and by evening you find yourself on a rooftop terrace watching the sky turn pink over the city.
It is this layered beauty — the colours, craftsmanship, gardens, street life, elegance and spontaneity — that continues to inspire us so deeply. Marrakech always finds its way into our memories, our moodboards and, inevitably, into the world of NOUÏKKA.
With love and wanderlust,
NOUÏKKA
P.S. Stay tuned for new arrivals inspired by Marrakech — rich textures, soulful details and colours borrowed from gardens, souks and sunset skies. 🦩🩵
Eat:
https://plus61.com
https://www.flowersmarrakech.com
https://limoni.ma
https://pscmarrakech.com
https://www.lafamillemarrakech.com
https://www.blueribbonmarrakech.com
Shop:
https://www.maisonblaoui.ma
https://shoptopolina.com
https://marrakine.com
Discover:
https://maisondelaphotographie.ma
https://www.jardinmajorelle.com
Stay:
https://rosemarymarrakech.com
https://el-fenn.com
https://www.demeuresdorient.com
https://www.koubbariads.com
https://beldicountryclub.com
https://kasbahbabourika.com
